29 Best Supply Chain Resources & Tools That Help You Learn & Grow

In this day and age, you have instant access to the right tools and information on supply chain and logistics management. How to find the best supply chain resources amongst tons of material available which could not just increase your theoretical supply chain competencies, but also give you practical guides and tools to help you solve real supply chain problems.

In this article, I’m going to show you 29 best supply chain resources that will help you master the supply chain so that you can grow in your supply chain career the right way.

To start, all you need are the right tools – tools that have helped other businesses improve their working capital and cash flow.

The Best Supply Chain Resources

 I have listed down these supply chain resources in 4 headings.

• Supply Chain Practical Guides
• Supply Chain Self-Assessment Improvement Tools
• 7 Best Supply Chain Books for Beginners
• 7 Best Logistics Management Books

Supply Chain Practical Guides

These supply chain practical guides are written for supply chain professionals to use as a standard guide and practical supply chain resources to be deployed as standard processes across their business and are most common to any supply chain teams and organization. The Ultimate Guide to Inventory Planning Methods

1) The Ultimate Guide to Inventory Planning Methods

All you need to know about Inventory Planning Methods, to improve cash flow, customer service, top-line sales, and profit margins. 

2) Stocktaking: The Ultimate Guide (Stocktaking Procedure)

This supply chain resource provides you the essential guide to developing your very own physical Inventory or stocktaking procedure and training guide bespoke to your business needs. 

3) Excess and Obsolete Inventory Policy Guide – Revised & Updated

This Excess and Obsolete Inventory Policy provides guidance for shrinkage, obsolescence and excess inventory in the inventory allowance accounts on their ledgers.

4) The Ultimate Guide to Demand Forecasting

All you need to know about Demand Forecasting. To improve customer satisfaction, reduce stockouts, Improving Pricing and Promotion.

5) Cycle Counting Procedure Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide

This Cycle Counting Procedure establishes guidelines and requirements for conducting Cycle Counting Programs across all business processes and sites.

6) 5S – Kaizen Guide: Organizing the Workplace for Flow

You have the potential to transform your business into a safe and productive entity. This 5S Kaizen Guide makes a great first step.

All the above guides are must-have supply chain resources. And must be included in your supply chain playbook, in my opinion.

Supply Chain Self-Assessment Improvement Tools

If you conduct regular self-assessments and audits of your key supply chain processes, it’s easy to identify areas where time and money are wasted, as well as the tactics that are driving real business growth.

I would recommend Strategize > Execute > Audit > Adapt > Learn > Repeat

It’s a proven workflow for continuous improvement with anything you do, the supply chain is no different. The more regularly you analyze your performance and find areas to improve, the better your results will be.

The idea is to use these Supply Chain Self-Assessment Improvement Tools and identify gaps and use the supply chain resources mention in this blog to close the gaps.

Here are some Supply Chain Self-Assessment Improvement Tools/ Audit Tools to identify opportunities and exponentially improve your results.

1) Materials Management Competencies Assessment Tool

How does your Materials Management Competencies knowledge hold up? These 11 competencies Self-Assessment tool Guide lays out what you need to know.

2) Best Warehouse Audit Tool to Improve Performance

How do you know your warehouse is performing to a good standard? This warehouse audit tool enables you to identify areas for improvements.

3) Sales and Operations Planning Process- Self-Assessment

How do you know the maturity of the Sales and Operations Planning Process in your organization? This self-assessment tool will help to identify.

4) 5S Audit Tool

This 5S Audit Tool will help you to eliminate the clutter with Sort, arrange with Straighten, sparkle with Shine, create a proper guideline with Standardize, and inspire with Sustain. It is that easy!!

Best Supply Chian Books

These top picks of Supply Chain Management books are for beginners as well as experienced practitioners which I feel can help you on your way to deciphering this minefield! This is one of the best Supply Chain Resources. Please check on the headings to purchase!

Continue reading the full blog here.