Optum Inc., the supply chain management software provider based in White Plains, N.Y., has updated its warehouse management software, called Move 7i, to improve inventory management within distribution centers. The company has in the last few years expanded from its original emphasis on warehouse management into more generalized transportation management software and information networks between supply chain partners. But Optum said that many shippers need to focus on what's going on inside the warehouse where their goods are stored and shipped before they implement complex supply chain and distribution management systems, or in addition to them.
The software includes a "visibility" segment, which gives customers a centralized view of order, inventory and fulfilment activity at each distribution center. Optum said that will allow logistics managers to look across multiple facilities to direct a supplier shipment to the optimal location based on actual need, while customer service representatives can make sure inventory is available at the order-taking stage and make an accurate estimate of delivery times.
