A unified data foundation improves planning accuracy, accelerates supplier evaluation, and strengthens operational decision-making.

Supply chain data is often trapped inside disconnected systems, is formatted inconsistently, and is restricted by outdated protocols.

As manufacturers adjust their pricing strategies, an operational challenge has emerged: Keeping prices accurate and synchronized across core business and customer platforms.

Daniel Stidsen, senior director, solutions consulting with e2open, discusses the changing role, responsibilities and focus of supply chain planners.

ERP integration creates the single source of truth vendors need to create a pricing ecosystem that adapts to customer preferences and supply chain volatility.

At its core, S&OP depends on establishing a single, agreed-upon version of the truth that every stakeholder can see, interpret in context, and execute against with confidence.

Point-of-sale systems have recently become a particular favorite when it comes to finding vulnerable chinks in the armor.

Leaders must move beyond the notion of agentic AI as merely a technical tool, and recognize its capacity to drive tangible improvements across sourcing, procurement and contracting processes.

Companies that adopt verifiable data frameworks will achieve coordination faster, operate with greater resilience, and reduce the friction that currently consumes operational budgets.

While much of the attention last year focused on Gen AI to do things better, the focus in 2026 will shift to agentic AI to do things entirely differently