Autumn 2008

A new version of the Slimstock inventory management and planning system (version 4.2) is said to offer the potential to revolutionise the way UK retailers handle forecasting, demand planning, inventory control and purchase support. The company is talking about power and versatility and what it calls a 'clinically crisp' user interface.

One of the key features of this new version is its sheer power. It is said to be able to handle more than a million SKUs (stock-keeping units) in under an hour – and the developers are already working a version that will take the total up to 6 million.

Slim4, as it's called for short, continually analyses sales of all items and determines boundaries in which the demand of each item fluctuates – using simulations to illustrate the impact of defined service levels on inventory.

Taking sales forecast, required service levels, minimum order quantities and lead times as its starting point, Slim4 is said to be able to calculate safety stock levels and 'up to order' levels in a 12-month purchase plan.

 

Fast access to essential information is provided via a permanent desktop icon.

Other features include the ability to take 'snapshots' of current inventory and performance across the entire supply chain; and to provide an overview of the potential for inventory reduction, with indicators of greatest stock-out risk.

The system was developed originally to enhance existing ERP applications, and is still said to benefit from a short implementation time of under 25 days.