Technology Value Matrix First Half 2015: Inventory Optimization

This edition of the value matrix examines on-premise and cloud software vendors who provide inventory optimization (IO), applications that allow companies to minimize their inventory holdings while still ensuring enough stock on hand to maintain service and sales. IO software continues to evolve as vendors develop friendlier interfaces for users, provide more analytics, and start to apply artificial intelligence to these applications. Most vendors now provide multi-echelon (MEIO) solutions as standard functionality, thus allowing companies to adjust inventory holdings holistically across multiple locations in the supply chain. Leading vendors have begun using demand signals such as point of sales data as the replenishment input rather than sales orders. Although many vendors do have cloud-based offerings, there are still some well-known vendors who deliver solutions only as an on-premise applications.