Cloud computing is a game changer for supply chain planning applications, but its potential is being underestimated by users and vendors who fail to differentiate true cloud-based solutions from traditional software-as-a-service (SaaS), says Bill Harrison, president of Demand Solutions.

A conversation with industry experts on the latest technological advances in supply-chain processes, supported by new and developing applications in transportation and warehouse management.

To better manage supply chain complexity, it is imperative to gain visibility into logistics operations and eliminate informational blind spots.

A lot of companies will acquire transportation management systems over the next few years, according to recent market reports. Transparency Market Research predicts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.20 percent for the global TMS market (2014- 2022), while Credence Research projects a 13.1 percent CAGR (2015-2022). Both expect global sales to reach an annual value of $19.2bn by the end of the forecast period, with North America continuing to dominate.

Companies have a pretty good grip on the movement of physical goods in their supply chains. But they often overlook the accompanying flow of funds - and the opportunity to make better use of limited working capital.

TrueCommerce has made available its electronic data interchange (EDI) application for Microsoft Dynamics NAV in the North American and European market.

The explosion of e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment is resulting in expanded use of parcel by shippers. How the parcel industry has changed to meet the needs of today's supply chains, and how shippers can maximize parcel in their transportation plans is the topic of SupplyChainBrain's webinar Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET.

In today's world of web-based ordering, consumers expect the right products to be available all the time, delivered quickly, and for status updates to be provided at every stage of the process until the product is received. This places very high expectations on wholesalers, suppliers, distributors and retailers alike to ensure they are able to meet this demand, and they have little margin for errors and delays. The manual processes businesses have historically relied on make them vulnerable to the factors that contribute to these shortcomings and can negatively affect production, margins, reputation, scorecard performance and, ultimately, the bottom line. Because of this, supply chain executives are embracing real-time visibility and system collaboration.