The core competence of the software 4flow vista® is the design of supply chains.

Besides procurement, production and assembly planning, the design of supply chains has become a critical success factor. To cope with today's complexity, supply chain design has to blend processes and structures. Supply chain design not only focuses on single locations, in fact it takes place globally and on a network-wide basis.

Changing markets require continuous, flexible and fast supply chain design. Different scenarios have to be modeled within a very short timeframe in order to facilitate comparisons and enable informed decision-making in every stage of the planning process.

Supply chain design using 4flow vista® is characterized by a standardized design process using a common database. The database is used across various functional areas and from different sites. This ensures design consistency from development to serial production and aftersales.

4flow vista® is the only standardized software solution which supports the integration of all supply chain design tasks. The logistics planner is able to flexibly map various planning scenarios. The planning software 4flow vista® can be applied intuitively. 4flow vista® ensures consistency throughout all levels of the network as well as within the various levels.

The functions of 4flow vista® are in the areas:

• Supply Chain Design (design of structures and processes) and
• Supply Chain Optimization (continuous optimization of goods and services)

within the Supply Chain Management. Since up to 80 per cent of total supply chain costs evolve during the supply chain design phase, this stage is of special importance. In all later phases costs and service can only be influenced on a limited scale and with a disproportionate effort.

The entire design of the physical processes and the structures of logistics networks takes place on several levels. Starting from a complete network, the planning of particular locations as well as certain functional areas – such as receiving, production/assembly, storage, picking, and shipping – is required. In 4flow vista® all of those planning levels exist and can be mapped.

4flow vista® offers flexibility for specific planning-case applications: planning levels can be self-defined and interlinked. Parts of networks - like locations or functional areas - can be selected and viewed individually.

4flow vista® covers all fields of supply chain design and is built on modules.

The use of 4flow vista® leads to a reduction in the time spent on logistics and to better quality results on supply chain design. The disadvantages of conventional planning can be avoided:

• 4flow vista® allows standardized supply chain design. All planners use the same methods and algorithms.
• By using 4flow vista, design, visualization and evaluation of networks are possible in a simple planning process by using 4flow vista®. Planners are able to map and evaluate a high number of scenarios.
• 4flow vista® enables planning and optimization at different levels of detail. Planning on the network level can be completed by process- and functional area planning.
• 4flow vista® uses a common database. All planners are able to work collaboratively on the same planning projects.
• 4flow vista allows existing planning projects to be recycled. Planners are able to edit existing planning cases and enhance the existing network models.
• 4flow vista® permits standardized data collection. Using defined interfaces, data can be imported and updates executed.
• 4flow vista® allows continuous documentation of the logistics processes and models.

For more information, please read the White Paper 4flow vista.

Return to the overview 4flow vista.

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