Supply chain network

• US 20050177435A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Isuppli Corporation (S&P Global Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Isuppli Corporation (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Lidow, Derek
• Application Number:
  US10/497,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A supply chain network (70) in which customers (72), suppliers (76), logistics providers (78), carriers, and financial institutions are all connected to a centralized supply chain server (74). The supply chain server (74) is central to a many-to-many relationship. Accordingly, the server (74) handles various management activities for each member of the supply chain, such as negotiating prices, terms and conditions, managing supply and demand, and maintaining transaction information. In the process, the supply chain server, (74) gathers significant amounts of relevant data and becomes a central repository for such information. Consequently, the supply chain server (74) is in a unique position to utilize the data for the benefit of the members of the supply chain and others.

Claims

1. A networked system for managing supply base operations for a plurality of suppliers and a plurality of customers, said networked system comprising:

an order planning module, wherein said order planning module receives at least one forecast of a plurality of demanded items from at least one customer of said plurality of customers, and locates at least one supplier of said plurality of suppliers for said at least one forecast in said network;

an order management module, wherein said order management module controls processes associated with distributing at least one item of said plurality of demanded items from said at least one supplier to said at least one customer;

a logistics module, wherein said logistics module monitors reception of at least one item from said at least one supplier and monitors delivery of said at least one item to said at least one customer; and

a financial module, wherein said financial module provides for billing and payment of said at least one demanded item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one forecast of said plurality of demanded items received by said order planning module from said at least one customer provides for thirteen weeks of future demands.

3. The system of claim 1, said order planning module further determines whether said at least one forecast complies with existing contractual obligations between said at least one customer and said at least one supplier.

4. The system of claim 3, said order planning module further generates an alert when said at least one forecast does not comply with said contractual obligations.

5. The system of claim 1, said order planning module further determines whether said at least one forecast contains errors.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said errors include at least one of an inaccurate part number, an incorrect cross reference, an added part, a dropped part, an expired part, a part to be expired, and an invalid part number.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module receives forecasted demands from said at least one customer for an item, converts said forecasted demands to represent supplier part numbers, delays processing said demands until said order planning module collects customer information, said customer information including customer contract information and customer product information, and, after determining said demand is valid with said customer contract information and said customer product information, forwards said forecasted demands to said plurality of suppliers.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one supplier transmits capacity exception information to said order planning module, said capacity exception information representing supply shortfalls in at least one week prior to a current week.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said forecasted demands are validated in response to said capacity exception information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further receives an ad hoc demand for an item from said at least one customer, converts said ad hoc demand to represent supplier part numbers, delays processing said demand until said order planning module collects customer information, said customer information including customer contract information and customer product information, and after determining said demand is valid with said customer contract information and said customer product information with said demand, forwards said ad hoc demand to said at least one supplier.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module, said order management module, said logistics module, and said financial module interact, to create a supplier purchase order, said supplier purchase order based on an advanced shipping notice comprising:

a receipt and cross-dock instructions for third-party logistic operators;

delay processing said supplier purchase order until requests for said demanded items are received and processed; and

generate a sales order and match said receipt with said sales order and a supply plan received from said at least one supplier.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said cross-dock instructions include at least one programming, assembly, aggregation, pickup, delivery instructions and customer return instructions.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said logistics module further performs reverse logistics, said reverse logistics including controlling processes to move said demanded items from a predetermined location to capture value and disposing of said demanded items.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one supplier generates an advance shipping notice, said advance shipping notice representing at least one of an item shortage, cross dock instructions, a demanded item description, and transmits said advanced shipping notice to said supply chain server said supply chain server cross references said advanced shipping notice with a previously received supply plan from said at least one supplier, and creates a purchase order when said advanced shipping notice is cross-referenced.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one forecast is formatted as at least one of e-mail, XML, and EDI.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further receives information directed to contractual agreements between said plurality of customers and said plurality of suppliers, and receives at least one request for at least one of items and services from said at least one customer, and determines whether said at least one request is included in said contractual agreements.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said services include at least one of expediting deliveries, providing special labeling, and providing special packaging.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further receives said forecasted demands from said customers and supply commitments from said suppliers, validates at least one of said forecasted demands and said supply commitments, and allocates available supply to fulfill said forecasted demands.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said supply commitments represent items available from said supplier to fulfill said forecasted demands.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said order planning module further allocates available supply according to predefined rules when said supply commitment reveals said available supply cannot fulfill said forecasted demands.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said available supply includes items that are previously identified as available to promise.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further receives said forecasted demands from said at east one customer, receives a supply commitment from said plurality of suppliers, and generates sales order commitments based upon said forecasted demands and an order history of each of said at least one customer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said order history comprises fifteen weeks of said forecasted demands.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further locates at least one other supplier of said plurality of suppliers when said at least one supplier cannot supply at least one item of said plurality of demanded items.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further receives customer preference information, said customer preference information representing at least one of parts and suppliers preferred by said plurality of customers, and supplier profile information, said supplier profile information representing suppliers to supply said parts.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further categorizes said plurality of customers into predefined groups and allocates available supply to said predefined groups according to predefined rules when demand for said plurality of demanded items is greater than supply for said demanded items.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further generates sales orders from said forecasted demands after accumulating a plurality of said forecasted demands from said at least one customer.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein said order management module further monitors purchase to pay cycle, communicates supply order data and reverse logistics, and monitors the movement of items.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said order planning module further generates management information directed to said networked system, said management information including industry trends, commodity and product trends, forecast accuracy, and supplier performance.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said logistics module further compares said forecasts with items located at a cross-dock.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein said order planning module further receives at least one of clean forecasts, past due sales orders, on hand inventories, safety stock requirements, and minimum and maximum usage.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said past due sales orders appear as immediate demand to create supplier demand plan files.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein said logistics module further outputs said management information to reports.

34. A networked system for providing at least one customer of a plurality of customers with at least one demanded item from at least one supplier of a plurality of suppliers, said system performs supply base management, operations management, and infrastructure management.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said networked system further aggregates forecasts received from said at least one customer, converts said aggregated forecasts of said at least one demanded item received from a customer from a first format to a second format.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said converted aggregated forecasts comprise at least one supplier part number corresponding to at least one customer part number.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said networked system further allocates available supply to fulfill said forecasts.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said networked systems uses minimum package quantities while allocating said supply.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein said networked system further transmits said at least one converted forecast to said at least one supplier, receives at least one commitment directed to said at least one converted forecast from said at least one supplier, matches said at least one supplier providing said at least one commitment to said at least one customer, and allocates said committed supply to said at least one customer.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein said networked system further receives at least one ad hoc demand for items by said plurality of customers, converts said at least one ad hoc demand from a first format to a second format, transmits said at least one converted ad hoc demand to said supplier and, after said items are delivered to said customer, tracks payment for said item.

41. The system of claim 34, further comprising a frozen zone of time when orders cannot be altered.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said system receives a demand for at least item during said frozen zone of time.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said networked system locates a supplier able to provide said at least one demanded item to said customer during said frozen zone of time.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein said networked system further locates at least one alternate supplier of said plurality of suppliers when said at least one converted forecast exceeds said at least one commitment.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein said networked system receives information regarding constrained supply from at least one supplier, communicates with said at least one supplier to determine a cause for said constrained supply, and communicates with at least one customer to determine alternatives to said demanded item.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein said alternatives include alternate suppliers and alternate parts.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein said networked system further validates said at least one converted forecast and creates a customer sales order after said at least one converted forecast is validated.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said step of validating further comprises determining whether each of said at least one converted forecast includes a quantity associated with each of at least one of said customer part number and said supplier part number.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein said step of validating further comprises determining whether each of at least one of said customer part number and said supplier part number included in said converted forecasts refers to a part, and whether said part is identified in a contractual agreement between said at least one customer and said at least one supplier.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein said networked system further receives information regarding available supply from said at least one supplier and determines whether said customer sales order can be fulfilled with said available supply.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said networked system further generates a new customer sales order when said available supply cannot fulfill said customer sales order.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said step of validating comprises at least one of determining whether said plurality of customers are authorized to issue said forecasts of demanded items, determining whether said at least one converted forecast is complete and determining whether each of said at least one converted forecast includes at least a ship-to location, a customer part number and a supplier part number.

53. The system of claim 34, wherein said networked system further groups sales orders by respective ship-to addresses.

54. The system of claim 34, wherein said networked system further uses at least one of a blanket purchase order and a discrete purchase to provide said at least customer with said at least one demanded item.

55. The system of claim 34, wherein said networked system further requires a purchase order from a customer regarding a specific item after determining a shortage.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein said network system requires an available to promise from said at least one supplier to provide said at least one customer with said at least one demanded item when at least one of said blank purchase order and said specific purchase order are unavailable.

57. The system of claim 34, wherein said networked system further generates a changed sales order when said at least one customer revises said forecasted demands.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said forecasted demand is revised to include a changed ship-to locations.

63. The system of claim 54, wherein said operations management is further adapted to allocate available items among said plurality of customers when said available items represent an under-shipment.

59. A networked system of managed services, said networked system comprising:

operations management, said operations management adapted to perform at least one of receiving at least one demand forecast from said plurality of customers, monitoring markets and allocation, resolving issues and measuring supplier performance.

60. The system of claim 59, said operations management is further adapted to compare an aggregation of said at least one demand forecast with items located at a cross-dock.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein predefined rules are applied to allocating items during a frozen zone of time.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein said predefined rules include locating a supplier able to provide said at least one demanded item during said frozen zone of time.

64. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to compare said aggregation of demand forecasts with available supply from said plurality of suppliers.

65. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to generate at least one sales order from at least one of said at least one demand forecast and at least one ad hoc request.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said operations management is further adapted to generate said at least one sales order by comparing said at least one demand forecast and said at least one ad hoc demand with a commitment received from said at least one supplier.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein said operations management further groups said sales orders by each of said at least one customer'"'"'s ship-to address.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein each line in said at least one sales order represents a requested item.

69. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one sales order comprises at least one of a customer purchase order identifier, a ship-to location, a bill-to location, a cross-dock location, a supplier part number, a customer part number, a preferred quantity, a price, a customer request date, a transportation service level, a promise date, and at least one special requirement.

70. The system of claim 65, wherein each of said at least one sales order includes a sales order line for said at least one demanded item when said at least one demanded item is available from at least two of said plurality of suppliers.

71. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to identify part numbers and suggested suppliers for items demanded in ad hoc requests, convert said part numbers to supplier part numbers, modify a supply plan for a current week, transmit modified demand forecasts to said at least one supplier, and transmit pickup and delivery information directed to said ad hoc requests to third party logistics operators.

72. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to generate consolidated purchase orders from said aggregated sales orders.

73. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to provide sales order maintenance.

74. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to transmit exception notifications to suppliers when a comparison of an advanced shipping notice and a supply plan reveals at least one of a over-shipment and an under-shipment.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein said operations management is further adapted to determine a disposition of excess material when said comparison reveals an over-shipment, and to engage in evaluations with said plurality of customers and said plurality of suppliers when said comparison reveals an under-shipment.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein said operations management is further adapted to execute a disposition plan when said comparison reveals an over-shipment, and to allocate supply when said comparison reveals an under-shipment.

77. The system of claim 75, wherein said operations management is further adapted to schedule a customer purchase order, to validate supply, and to create sales orders when no exceptions are revealed by said comparison.

78. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to evaluate at least one of item quantity, delivery date, transportation, cross-dock location, direct shipment, packaging requirements, and special labeling.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein said operations management is further adapted to perform at least one of modifying said sales orders in response to a request by at least one of said at least one customer and said at least one supplier.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein said operations management is further adapted to change a delivery date and maintain said process of supplying said items when said at least one request includes a change to said delivery date.

81. The system of claim 79, wherein said operations management is further adapted to cancel said sales order and generates a new sale order when said at least one request includes a change to a bill-to address.

82. The system of claim 79, wherein said operations management is further adapted to verify a price change with said at least one customer and to validate said price change with said at least one supplier when said request includes a change to at least one of said demanded items.

83. The system of claim 59, wherein said at least one supplier notifies said operations management of a frozen zone of time when orders cannot be altered.

84. The system of claim 83, wherein said frozen window of time includes a predefined amount of time to complete at least one of a build to sales orders and an available to promise order.

85. The system of claim 83, wherein said operations management is further adapted to modify said sales orders to comply with requests for changes in at least one of demand forecast quantity and ship to date when said requests occur outside said frozen zone of time.

86. The system of claim 83, wherein said operations management receives an available to promise from said at least one supplier during said frozen window of time.

87. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to change a purchase order number and to maintain said process of supplying said demanded items identified in said at least one demand forecast when said request includes a change to a purchase order.

88. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to automatically generate an alert when said at least one demand forecast is greater than at least one of a plurality of sales orders during a predetermined time period.

89. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to automatically generate at least one sales order when said at least one demand forecast is matched with said at least one supplier during a period of time when said sales orders cannot be modified.

90. The system of claim 89, wherein said operations management is further adapted to compare said sales orders with items included identified as an available to promise.

91. The system of claim 65, wherein said operations management is further adapted to identify at least one available supplier for items not identified in said at least one sales order.

92. The system of claim 59, wherein said operations management is further adapted to receive a customer preference profile, said customer preference profile including at least two preferred suppliers for items included in said demand forecast.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to locate suppliers other than suppliers identified in said customer preference profile and to provide said demanded items when at least one change to said demand forecast is received during a frozen zone of time.

94. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to validate purchase orders received after at least one of said plurality of suppliers is matched to said uncommitted demand.

95. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to use said customer preference profile to identify at least one available supplier of said demanded item.

96. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to fill uncommitted demands with an available to promise for a current week with said at least one customer'"'"'s first preferred supplier.

97. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to fill uncommitted demands with an available to promise for a current week with said at least one customer'"'"'s second preferred supplier when said at least one customer'"'"'s first preferred supplier is unavailable.

98. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to fill uncommitted demands with said available to promise for a current week with said at least one customer'"'"'s second preferred supplier when said at least one customer'"'"'s first preferred supplier is unavailable.

99. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to fill said uncommitted demands in week subsequent to said current week when no one of said plurality of suppliers is able to fulfill said demand during a current week.

100. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to locate at least one supplier other than suppliers identified in said customer preference profile to provide said demanded items when at least one change to said at least one demand forecast is received during a frozen zone of time.

101. The system of claim 92, wherein said operations management is further adapted to validate purchase orders received after at least one of said plurality of suppliers is matched to said uncommitted demand.

102. A networked system of managed services, said networked system comprising:

supply base management, said supply base management being adapted to perform at least one of negotiating with a plurality of suppliers on behalf of a plurality of customers, receiving price quotes from each of said plurality of suppliers, receiving labor source information, evaluating supplier performance, and providing customer support.

103. A networked system of managed services, said networked system comprising:

infrastructure management, said infrastructure management adapted to perform at least one of implementing and supporting data communications, interfaces, trade compliance and logistics, and delaying ordering of demanded items until an aggregation of a plurality of at least one forecast is received.

104. The system of claim 103, wherein said infrastructure management is further adapted to determine whether said items at said cross-dock represent at least one of an over-shipment and an under-shipment when said items at said cross-dock do not correspond with said accumulation of demand forecasts.

105. The system of claim 103, wherein said infrastructure management is further adapted to allocate orders, and to return orders that do not comply with said aggregation of demand forecasts.

106. The system of claim 103, wherein said infrastructure management is further adapted to manage receipt of sales orders, to aggregate said sales orders, to parse bulk shipments at a cross dock location, and to deliver subsets of said aggregated purchase orders to at least one customer.

107. The system of claim 103, wherein said infrastructure management is further adapted to transmit a supply plan to said at least one supplier, to receive an advance shipping notice from said at least one supplier, to generate a purchase order and to receive information for tracking contents of said sales order from said advanced shipping notice.

108. The system of claim 107, wherein said advance shipping notice includes cross-dock instructions transmitted to a third-party logistics provider.

109. The system of claim 107, wherein said advance shipping notice is used to generate at least one of a purchase order and a receipt notice indicating a position of said at least one of said plurality of demanded items.

110. The system of claim 109, wherein a receipt notice is created in an enterprise resource planning system.

111. A networked system of managed services, said networked system comprising error processing management, wherein said error processing management is adapted to generate an alert for at least one invalid condition.

112. The system of claim 111, wherein said at least one invalid condition includes at least one of an unplanned order, an item shortage, a past due order, an incomplete demand forecast, a missing ship-to location, a missing customer part number, a missing supplier part number and a missing quantity associated with at least one of a customer part number and a supplier part number.

113. The system of claim 111, wherein said error processing management is further adapted to notify said at least one customer and said at least one supplier of said alert.

117. The system of claim 113, wherein said financial management is further adapted to upload electronic financial payments to a financial institution and to each of said plurality of suppliers associated with said payments.

114. A networked system of managed services, said networked system comprising financial management, wherein said financial management is adapted to receive a plurality of payments from at least one customer each day, and to consolidate said plurality of payments for each of a plurality of suppliers.

115. The system of claim 114, wherein said financial management is further adapted to execute purchasing processes.

116. The system of claim 115, wherein said purchasing processes are directed to a cycle of purchasing and paying.

118. The system of claim 114, wherein said financing management is further adapted to update an enterprise resource planning system.

119. The system of claim 115, wherein said purchasing processes include sending at least one of said plurality of demanded items from said at least one supplier to said at least one customer, sending a financing payment for said item from a bank to a third party, forwarding said financing payment to said at least one supplier, sending a customer payment for said at least one of said plurality of items from said at least one customer to said bank.

120. A method for managing supply base operations for a plurality of suppliers and a plurality of customers, said method comprising:

receiving at least one forecast of a plurality of demanded items from at least one customer of said plurality of customers, and locating at least one supplier of said plurality of suppliers for said at least one forecast in said network;

controlling processes associated with distributing at least one item of said plurality of demanded items from said at least one supplier to said at least one customer;

monitoring reception of at least one item from said at least one supplier and monitors delivery of said at least one item to said at least one customer; and

providing for billing and payment of said at least one demanded item.

121. The method of claim 120, wherein said at least one forecast of said plurality of demanded items received by said order planning module from said at least one customer provides for thirteen weeks of future demands.

122. The method of claim 120, further comprising determining whether said at least one forecast complies with existing contractual obligations between said at least one customer and said at least one supplier.

123. The method of claim 122, further comprising generating an alert when said at least one forecast does not comply with said contractual obligations.

124. The method of claim 120, further comprising determining whether said at least one forecast contains errors.

125. The method of claim 124, wherein said errors include inaccurate part numbers.

126. The method of claim 120, further comprising receiving forecasted demands from said at least one customer for an item, converting said forecasted demands to represent supplier part numbers, delaying processing said demands until said order planning module collects customer information, said customer information including customer contract information and customer product information, and, after determining said demand is valid with said customer contract information and said customer product information, forwarding said forecasted demands to said plurality of suppliers.

127. The method of claim 126, further comprising receiving capacity exception information from said at least one supplier, said capacity exception information representing supply shortfalls in at least one week prior to a current week.

128. The method of claim 127, further comprising validating said forecasted demands in response to said capacity exception information.

129. The method of claim 120, further comprising receiving an ad hoc demand for an item from said at least one customer, converting said ad hoc demand to represent supplier part numbers, delaying processing said demand until said order planning module collects customer information, said customer information including customer contract information and customer product information, and after determining said demand is valid with said customer contract information and said customer product information with said demand, forwarding said ad hoc demand to said at least one supplier.

130. The method of claim 120, further comprising:

creating a supplier purchase order, said supplier purchase order based on an advanced shipping notice comprising a receipt and cross-dock instructions for third-party logistic operators;

delaying processing said supplier purchase order until requests for said demanded items are received and processed; and

generating a sales order and matching said receipt with said sales order and a supply plan received from said at least one supplier.

131. The method of claim 130, wherein said cross-dock instructions include at least one programming, assembly, aggregation, pickup, delivery instructions and customer return instructions.

132. The method of claim 120, further comprising performing reverse logistics, said reverse logistics including controlling processes to move said demanded items from a predetermined location to capture value and disposing of said demanded items.

133. The method of claim 120, further comprising:

receiving an advance shipping notice from said at least one supplier, said advance shipping notice representing at least one of an item shortage, cross dock instructions, a demanded item description;

cross referencing said advanced shipping notice with a previously received supply plan from said at least one supplier; and

creating a purchase order when said advanced shipping notice is cross-referenced.

134. The method of claim 120, wherein said at least one forecast is formatted as at least one of e-mail, XML, and EDI.

135. The method of claim 120, further comprising:

receiving information directed to contractual agreements between said plurality of customers and said plurality of suppliers;

receiving at least one request for at least one of items and services from said at least one customer; and

determining whether said at least one request is included in said contractual agreements.

136. The method of claim 135, wherein said services include at least one of expediting deliveries, providing special labeling, and providing special packaging.

137. The method of claim 120, further comprising:

receiving said forecasted demands from said customers and supply commitments from said suppliers;

validating at least one of said forecasted demands and said supply commitments; and

allocating available supply to fulfill said forecasted demands.

138. The method of claim 137, wherein said supply commitments represent items available from said supplier to fulfill said forecasted demands.

139. The method of claim 137, further comprising allocating available supply according to predefined rules when said supply commitment reveals said available supply cannot fulfill said forecasted demands.

140. The method of claim 139, wherein said available supply includes items that are previously identified as available to promise.

141. The method of claim 120, further comprising:

receiving said forecasted demands from said at east one customer;

receiving a supply commitment from said plurality of suppliers; and

generating sales order commitments based upon said forecasted

demands and an order history of each of said at least one customer.

142. The method of claim 141, wherein said order history comprises fifteen weeks of said forecasted demands.

143. The method of claim 120, further comprising locating at least one other supplier of said plurality of suppliers when said at least one supplier cannot supply at least one item of said plurality of demanded items.

144. The method of claim 120, further comprising receiving customer preference information, said customer preference information representing at least one of parts and suppliers preferred by said plurality of customers, and supplier profile information, said supplier profile information representing suppliers to supply said parts.

145. The method of claim 120, further comprising categorizing said plurality of customers into predefined groups, and allocating available supply to said predefined groups according to predefined rules when demand for said plurality of demanded items is greater than supply for said demanded items.

146. The method of claim 120, further comprising generating sales orders from said forecasted demands after accumulating a plurality of said forecasted demands from said at least one customer.

147. The method of claim 120, further comprising monitoring purchase to pay cycle, communicating supply order data and reverse logistics, and monitoring the movement of items.

148. The method of claim 147, further comprising generating management information directed to said networked system, said management information including industry trends, commodity and product trends, forecast accuracy, and supplier performance.

149. The method of claim 148, further comprising comparing said forecasts with items located at a cross-dock.

150. The method of claim 120, further comprising receiving at least one of clean forecasts, past due sales orders, on hand inventories, safety stock requirements, and minimum and maximum usage.

151. The method of claim 150, wherein said past due sales orders appear as immediate demand to create supplier demand plan files.

152. The method of claim 147, further comprising outputting said management information to reports.

153. A method for providing at least one customer of a plurality of customers with at least one demanded item from at least one supplier of a plurality of suppliers, said method comprising performing supply base management, operations management, and infrastructure management.

154. The method of claim 153, further comprising aggregating forecasts received from said at least one customer, converting said aggregated forecasts of said at least one demanded item received from a customer from a first format to a second format.

155. The method of claim 154, wherein said converted aggregated forecasts comprise at least one supplier part number corresponding to at least one customer part number.

156. The method of claim 155, further comprising allocating available supply to fulfill said forecasts.

157. The method of claim 156, further comprising uses minimum package quantities when allocating said supply.

158. The method of claim 154, further comprising transmitting said at least one converted forecast to said at least one supplier, receiving at least one commitment directed to said at least one converted forecast from said at least one supplier, matching said at least one supplier providing said at least one commitment to said at least one customer, and allocating said committed supply to said at least one customer.

159. The method of claim 153, further comprising receiving at least one ad hoc demand for items by said plurality of customers, converting said at least one ad hoc demand from a first format to a second format, transmitting said at least one converted ad hoc demand to said supplier and, after said items are delivered to said customer, tracking payment for said item.

160. The method of claim 153, further comprising defining a frozen zone of time when orders cannot be altered.

161. The method of claim 160, further comprising receiving a demand for at least item during said frozen zone of time.

162. The method of claim 161, further comprising locating a supplier able to provide said at least one demanded item to said customer during said frozen zone of time.

163. The method of claim 154, further comprising locating at least one alternate supplier of said plurality of suppliers when said at least one converted forecast exceeds said at least one commitment.

164. The method of claim 154, further comprising receiving information regarding constrained supply from at least one supplier, communicating with said at least one supplier to determine a cause for said constrained supply, and communicating with at least one customer to determine alternatives to said demanded item.

165. The method of claim 164, wherein said alternatives include alternate suppliers and alternate parts.

166. The method of claim 154, further comprising validating said at least one converted forecast and creating a customer sales order after said at least one converted forecast is validated.

167. The method of claim 166, wherein said step of validating further comprises determining whether each of said at least one converted forecast includes a quantity associated with each of at least one of said customer part number and said supplier part number.

168. The method of claim 167, wherein said step of validating further comprises determining whether each of at least one of said customer part number and said supplier part number included in said converted forecasts refers to a part, and whether said part is identified in a contractual agreement between said at least one customer and said at least one supplier.

169. The method of claim 166, further comprising receiving information regarding available supply from said at least one supplier and determining whether said customer sales order can be fulfilled with said available supply.

170. The method of claim 169, further comprising generating a new customer sales order when said available supply cannot fulfill said customer sales order.

171. The method of claim 170, wherein said step of validating comprises at least one of determining whether said plurality of customers are authorized to issue said forecasts of demanded items, determining whether said at least one converted forecast is complete and determining whether each of said at least one converted forecast includes at least a ship-to location, a customer part number and a supplier part number.

172. The method of claim 153, further comprising grouping sales orders by respective ship-to addresses.

173. The method of claim 153, further comprising requiring a blanket purchase order to provide said at least customer with said at least one demanded item.

174. The method of claim 153, further comprising requiring a purchase order from a customer regarding a specific item after determining a shortage.

175. The method of claim 173, further comprising requiring an available to promise from said at least one supplier to provide said at least one customer with said at least one demanded item when at least one of said blank purchase order and said specific purchase order are unavailable.

176. The method of claim 153, further comprising generating a changed sales order when said at least one customer revises said forecasted demands.

177. The method of claim 176, further comprising revising said forecasted demand to include a changed ship-to locations.

178. A method for managing services, said method comprising:

performing at least one of receiving at least one demand forecast from said plurality of customers, monitoring markets and allocation, resolving issues and measuring supplier performance.

179. The method of claim 178, further comprising comparing an aggregation of said at least one demand forecast with items located at a cross-dock.

180. The method of claim 178, further comprising applying predefined rules to allocate items during a frozen zone of time.

181. The method of claim 180, wherein said predefined rules include locating a supplier able to provide said at least one demanded item during said frozen zone of time.

182. The method of claim 178, further comprising allocating available items among said plurality of customers when said available items represent an under-shipment.

183. The method of claim 178, further comprising comparing said aggregation of demand forecasts with available supply from said plurality of suppliers.

184. The method of claim 178, further comprising generating at least one sales order from at least one of said at least one demand forecast and at least one ad hoc request.

185. The method of claim 184, further comprising generating said at least one sales order by comparing said at least one demand forecast and said at least one ad hoc demand with a commitment received from said at least one supplier.

186. The method of claim 184, further comprising grouping said sales orders by each of said at least one customer'"'"'s ship-to address.

187. The method of claim 184, wherein each line in said at least one sales order represents a requested item.

188. The method of claim 184, wherein said at least one sales order comprises at least one of a customer purchase order identifier, a ship-to location, a bill-to location, a cross-dock location, a supplier part number, a customer part number, a preferred quantity, a price, a customer request date, a transportation service level, a promise date, and at least one special requirement.

189. The method of claim 184, wherein each of said at least one sales order includes a sales order line for said at least one demanded item when said at least one demanded item is available from at least two of said plurality of suppliers.

190. The method of claim 178, further comprising identifying part numbers and suggested suppliers for items demanded in ad hoc requests, converting said part numbers to supplier part numbers, modifying a supply plan for a current week, transmitting modified demand forecasts to said at least one supplier, and transmitting pickup and delivery information directed to said ad hoc requests to third party logistics operators.

191. The method of claim 178, further comprising generating consolidated purchase orders from said aggregated sales orders.

192. The method of claim 178, further comprising providing sales order maintenance.

193. The method of claim 178, further comprising transmitting exception notifications to suppliers when a comparison of an advanced shipping notice and a supply plan reveals at least one of a over-shipment and an under-shipment.

194. The method of claim 193, further comprising determining a disposition of excess material when said comparison reveals an over-shipment, and engaging in evaluations with said plurality of customers and said plurality of suppliers when said comparison reveals an under-shipment.

195. The method of claim 194, further comprising executing a disposition plan when said comparison reveals an over-shipment, and allocating supply when said comparison reveals an under-shipment.

196. The method of claim 194, further comprising scheduling a customer purchase order, validating supply, and creating sales orders when no exceptions are revealed by said comparison.

197. The method of claim 178, further comprising evaluating at least one of item quantity, delivery date, transportation, cross-dock location, direct shipment, packaging requirements, and special labeling.

198. The method of claim 197, further comprising performing at least one of modifying said sales orders in response to a request by at least one of said at least one customer and said at least one supplier.

199. The method of claim 198, further comprising changing a delivery date and maintaining said process of supplying said items when said at least one request includes a change to said delivery date.

200. The method of claim 198, further comprising canceling said sales order and generating a new sale order when said at least one request includes a change to a bill-to address.

201. The method of claim 198, further comprising verifying a price change with said at least one customer and validating said price change with said at least one supplier when said request includes a change to at least one of said demanded items.

202. The method of claim 178, further comprising receiving a notification from said at least one supplier of a frozen zone of time when orders cannot be altered.

203. The method of claim 202, wherein said frozen window of time includes a predefined amount of time to complete at least one of a build to sales orders and an available to promise order.

204. The method of claim 202, further comprising modifying said sales orders to comply with requests for changes in at least one of demand forecast quantity and ship to date when said requests occur outside said frozen zone of time.

205. The method of claim 202, further comprising receiving an available to promise from said at least one supplier during said frozen window of time.

206. The method of claim 178, further comprising changing a purchase order number and maintaining said process of supplying said demanded items identified in said at least one demand forecast when said request includes a change to a purchase order.

207. The method of claim 178, further comprising automatically generating an alert when said at least one demand forecast is greater than at least one of a plurality of sales orders during a predetermined time period.

208. The method of claim 178, further comprising automatically generating at least one sales order when said at least one demand forecast is matched with said at least one supplier during a period of time when said sales orders cannot be modified.

209. The method of claim 208, further comprising comparing said sales orders with items included identified as an available to promise.

210. The method of claim 184, further comprising identifying at least one available supplier for items not identified in said at least one sales order.

211. The method of claim 178, further comprising receiving a customer preference profile, said customer preference profile including at least two preferred suppliers for items included in said demand forecast.

212. The method of claim 211, further comprising locating suppliers other than suppliers identified in said customer preference profile and providing said demanded items when at least one change to said demand forecast is received during a frozen zone of time.

213. The method of claim 211, further comprising validating purchase orders received after at least one of said plurality of suppliers is matched to said uncommitted demand.

214. The method of claim 211, further comprising using said customer preference profile to identify at least one available supplier of said demanded item.

215. The method of claim 211, further comprising filling uncommitted demands with an available to promise for a current week with said at least one customer'"'"'s first preferred supplier.

216. The method of claim 211, further comprising filling uncommitted demands with an available to promise for a current week with said at least one customer'"'"'s second preferred supplier when said at least one customer'"'"'s first preferred supplier is unavailable.

217. The method of claim 211, further comprising filling uncommitted demands with said available to promise for a current week with said at least one customer'"'"'s second preferred supplier when said at least one customer'"'"'s first preferred supplier is unavailable.

218. The method of claim 211, further comprising filling said uncommitted demands in week subsequent to said current week when no one of said plurality of suppliers is able to fulfill said demand during a current week.

219. The method of claim 211, further comprising locating at least one supplier other than suppliers identified in said customer preference profile to provide said demanded items when at least one change to said at least one demand forecast is received during a frozen zone of time.

220. The method of claim 211, further comprising validating purchase orders received after at least one of said plurality of suppliers is matched to said uncommitted demand.

221. A method for managed services, said method comprising:

performing at least one of negotiating with a plurality of suppliers on behalf of a plurality of customers, receiving price quotes from each of said plurality of suppliers, receiving labor source information, evaluating supplier performance, and providing customer support.

222. A method of managed services, said method comprising performing at least one of implementing and supporting data communications, interfaces, trade compliance and logistics, and delaying ordering of said demanded items until an aggregation of a plurality of said at least one forecast is received.

223. The method of claim 222, further comprising determining whether said items at said cross-dock represent at least one of an over-shipment and an under-shipment when said items at said cross-dock do not correspond with said accumulation of demand forecasts.

224. The method of claim 222, further comprising allocating orders that comply with said aggregation of demand forecasts, and returning orders that do not comply with said aggregation of demand forecasts.

225. The method of claim 222, further comprising managing receipt of sales orders, aggregating said sales orders, parsing bulk shipments at a cross dock location, and delivering subsets of said aggregated purchase orders to at least one customer.

226. The method of claim 222, further comprising transmitting a supply plan to said at least one supplier, receiving an advance shipping notice from said at least one supplier, generating a purchase order and receiving information for tracking contents of said sales order from said advanced shipping notice.

227. The method of claim 226, wherein said advance shipping notice includes cross-dock instructions transmitted to a third-party logistics provider.

228. The method of claim 226, further comprising using said advance shipping notice to generate at least one of a purchase order and a receipt notice indicating a position of said at least one of said plurality of demanded items.

229. The method of claim 228, further comprising creating a receipt notice in an enterprise resource planning system.

230. A method of managed services, said method comprising processing errors, wherein said step of processing errors comprises generating an alert for at least one invalid condition.

231. The method of claim 230, wherein said at least one invalid condition includes at least one of an unplanned order, an item shortage, a past due order, an incomplete demand forecast, a missing ship-to location, a missing customer part number, a missing supplier part number and a missing quantity associated with at least one of a customer part number and a supplier part number.

232. The method of claim 230, wherein said step of processing errors further comprises notifying said at least one customer and said at least one supplier of said alert.

236. The method of claim 232, further comprising uploading electronic financial payments to a financial institution and to each of said plurality of suppliers associated with said payments.

233. A method of managed services, said method comprising receiving a plurality of payments from said at least one customer each day, and consolidating said plurality of payments for each of said plurality of suppliers.

234. The method of claim 233, further comprising executing purchasing processes.

235. The method of claim 234, wherein said purchasing processes are directed to a cycle of purchasing and paying.

237. The method of claim 233, further comprising updating an enterprise resource planning system.

238. The method of claim 234, wherein said purchasing processes include sending at least one of said plurality of demanded items from said at least one supplier to said at least one customer, sending a financing payment for said item from a bank to a third party, forwarding said financing payment to said at least one supplier, sending a customer payment for said at least one of said plurality of items from said at least one customer to said bank.