SC Navigator

Step-by-Step GuideThis tutorial shows how to use the new Percentage-Based and Rate attributes in SC Navigator to model tariffs on imported goods.Step 1: Define ‘Tariffs’ as a Custom Objective Click on ‘Download Template’ from the input data dialog. Define ‘Tariffs’ as a custom objective. Mark the box that says ‘Percentage Based’. Navigate to the Custom Objectives sheet in your SC Navigator model. It should look like this.This indicates to SC Navigator that the custom objective ‘Tariffs’ is percentage-based, meaning that you will be able to use the attributes ‘Rate’ and ‘Value’ in the transport cost sheet. Step 2: Define Tariff Rates and Value in the Transport Cost Sheet Open the Transport Cost sheet. For each relevant lane (e.g., from country of origin to the US entry point), locate the Rate field. Enter the tariff percentage as a decimal. Example: China → US = 0.4 (40%) Thailand → US = 0.25 (25%) Mexico → US = 0.0 (0%) Each transport lane now includes tariff costs in addit

 This guide walks you through the Strategic Network Design certification exam. By following the steps below, you’ll understand the logic behind each scenario and verify your answers with the correct results.🗂️ Step 1: Understand the TemplateBefore starting, make sure your template matches the exam setup. (Template attached)⚠️ Warning: Even a small mismatch (e.g., number of warehouses, suppliers, or constraints) will lead to incorrect results later.1️⃣ Current Network Analysis❓ QuestionHow does the current network look when we take into account the use of all the 6 warehouses and 5 suppliers?🔧 How to approach it Enforce the constraint of minimum 6 warehouses and minimum 5 suppliers. Solve the model. ✅ Expected Answers Total cost → 14,451,218 Largest throughput warehouse → Toulouse Largest supplier → Budapest 2️⃣ Demand Increase in Spain📈 ScenarioA new retailer in Spain increases demand by 15% for Barcelona and Madrid.🔧 How to approach it Go to the Customer Data section. Adju

In this article, we will explain which are the basic, advanced, and optional sheets of the input template.Basic SheetsA sheet is considered Basic if you need it to obtain a feasible model.The basic sheets are: String Settings Periods Products Locations Supplier Supplier Product Warehouse Warehouse Product Mode of Transport Transport Cost Customer Product Data Note: Warehouse and Warehouse Product sheets can be left blank if your model does not include warehouses.Advanced SheetsA sheet is considered Advanced if you need it for one of the following reasons: Modeling the conversion of raw materials to finished goods (i.e., production), for which the following sheets are relevant: Production Bill Of Material Production Routing Using multiple units of measure: UOM Conversions Modeling Source, Destination, and Count constraints: Location Product Modeling Ratio Constraints: Supplier Ratio Warehouse Ratio Production Routing Rat

In this guide, we’ll show you how to make the most of Power BI embedded in SC Navigator. After running different scenarios in SC Navigator, you can take the results and turn them into interactive visuals and dashboards. This lets you explore your data in new ways, highlight the insights that matter most, and easily share them with your team.The first step is to run your scenarios. After setting up the configurations, simply click the Optimize button to generate results. Take a moment to review the output, and once you’re happy with it, save the scenario so you can use it later in Power BI.  On this page, you’ll find an option to export the results to Data Lake/Power BI. Simply switch it on. From now on, whenever you save a scenario this way, the results will automatically be available in Power BI Embedded, ready for you to start modelling and building your dashboards.  Next, go to the Power BI Embedded page, where you’ll be able to access your saved scenario results and start turning t

Want to know more about how transport costs are calculated?  In this video I walk you through what each cost type means and how the calculations work.  Enjoy! The spreadsheet in the video can be downloaded below.

When modeling your base case scenario in SC Navigator, the easiest way to define transportation cost is by using a per-unit rate (e.g., per kg or case) for each transport mode. This works well when you have reliable historical data.However, challenges arise when simulating new scenarios—like serving customers from different warehouses—because cost data for non-existing lanes is often missing. This tutorial shows how to estimate transportation costs using historical data, giving you a per-unit-per-distance cost for each warehouse. This normalized metric helps model alternative distribution strategies quickly and effectively. 1. Starting Point – Required DataTo begin, gather the following data for each warehouse:Total demand served by the warehouse in a defined historical period. Actual shipment volumes from the warehouse to each customer (Base Case volumes). Total transportation cost incurred by the warehouse during that period.(Note: This cost data should come from your ERP or TMS syst

When building a supply chain network design model, it’s essential to strike the right balance between detail and simplicity. A well-designed model gives you fast, accurate results. A bloated or overly complex one may grind to a halt or generate misleading insights. This article outlines best practices to guide you in sizing your network design model correctly—keeping it lean, focused, and powerful. 1. Start with the Right MindsetOptimization is about trade-offs. The goal is to find the minimum or maximum value (e.g., cost, profit, service level) in your supply chain through a mathematical model. The smaller and more focused your model, the faster it will solve. But too much simplification can hide critical insights.🧠 Key Principle: Include just enough detail to capture the real dynamics of your supply chain, but no more. 2. Rule of Thumb: Simplicity with PurposeKeep your model as simple as possible—without compromising the quality of your decisions. Don’t model every nuance of the bus

Many of our customers have been actively working through the challenges related to tariffs.Our recommendation is to use SC Navigator as a scenario evaluation tool. Given the high level of uncertainty, assessing the impact of tariffs across a range of potential scenarios is a powerful way to navigate this complexity and make well-informed decisions. Here is a 25 minute video that explain how you can model Tariffs in SC Navigator!

 A few months ago, we introduced SENSAI, your built-in virtual assistant designed to help you get the most out of SC Navigator. Whether you're looking for a quick answer or exploring advanced features, SENSAI is here to guide you—right when you need it.SENSAI draws on a deep knowledge base curated by our Development, Customer Success, and Support Teams, making it a reliable source of help and best practices. While it isn’t connected to the internet, it knows SC Navigator inside and out.You can easily turn SENSAI on or off by clicking the ✨ sparkle_toggle button in the top-right corner of your screen.Want to explore how to make the most of SENSAI?👉 Check out the best practice guideTry it out today—SENSAI is available 24/7 to support you. It’s free! 

In the world of Supply Chain Network Design, Center of Gravity (CoG) or Greenfield analysis is a crucial method for determining the optimal number and location of key facilities—such as distribution centers, warehouses, or manufacturing plants—within a supply chain network. By pinpointing the most strategic locations, businesses can significantly reduce transportation costs, cut lead times, and improve service levels, ensuring that the logistics footprint is tightly aligned with demand patterns and supply chain constraints. This makes CoG analysis a cornerstone of any successful network optimization strategy.The CoG Analysis ProcessA comprehensive CoG analysis follows a two-step process:Identifying Hotspot Locations The first step involves identifying potential hotspot locations based on various factors such as demand distribution and the current location of facilities. These hotspots act as candidate locations for future distribution centers or warehouses. Evaluating Trade-offs The se

Starting your first network design project? Here are some best practices to help keep things smooth and get to results faster.1. Start with a Clear ScopeThe foundation of your project is defining the scope. Once you’ve nailed that down, it becomes easier to identify the key information you’ll need later.How do you define the scope?Write down the business question—what is the main issue you’re trying to solve? This will help you narrow things down: geography, product types, locations, and transport modes.Why does this matter?Because you only want to use the data you actually need. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the available data, but more isn’t always better. Being clear on what’s needed (and where to find it) makes data cleaning and transformation faster—and keeps you from wasting time on unused data.2. Define Your ScenariosScenarios are just different versions of how things could work, depending on the decisions you’re trying to test. Once you define them, it becomes easier to

Hi, With the center of gravity tool, I want to find optimal recycling/ production centres. I was wondering how to use the tool for finding the optimal production locations. Now, it seems like I can only determine optimal warehouse centre locations. Moreover, I was wondering whether it be possible to leave out warehouse locations at all. So, just include the suppliers, production / recycling centres and customers. Also, I want to add a specific constraint on the minimum that has to be produced in total. Thus, not a minimum constraint for a specific recycling/production facility but a constraint on what all facilities together should produce (outflow of all facilities together equals a number) Thank you!

Hi,Do we know -by when we can expect the transport optimization module available for user to run fleet sizing & CVRP/VRP  

Hi all, for users of the Advanced Network Design and Tactical Planning modules: you might have noticed an improvement in the ways you can manage and control scenarios since the last release. For more details and inspiration: see this blog https://www.aimms.com/story/introducing-scenario-navigator-feature/?utm_source=sc-digest&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=scn-features 

Use Case - I have a group of customers from - state/provinceI want model to pick only - 1 DC out of N DC ( i.e - all customers in that particular State/province -should get material from 1 DC (same DC))N.B- I have - different drop size for each customers & also cost is different - basis DC & Customers.Question - How can we model this case?I am exploring the single sourcing - from customer product table & location product table 

I didn’t receive email regarding the info, however, the e-learning course asked us to login and do some practice. I’m confused. even the website:https://trial.aimms.cloud/login.html, I didn’t find the it in the existing document but only showed in the training video.Thanks for your help.

I’m new learner. In E-learing, the trainee showed the website like trial.aimmis and the input template, I didn’t see the website information was provided by email. I tried to input the website address manually. however, It seems inaccessible. could anyone give me a hint?Thanks.

Hi there! We have published six new articles in relation to data integration with SC Navigator, specifically for Databricks, Google BigQuery and Snowflake. The articles include a downloadable Notebook to make the integration even more convenient. We hope the articles are helpful for anyone who wants to import- or export data from/to their SC Navigator environment.Importing data from Databricks to SC Navigator Exporting data from SC Navigator to Databricks Importing data from Google BigQuery to SC Navigator Exporting data from SC Navigator to Google BigQuery Importing data from Snowflake to SC Navigator Exporting data from SC Navigator to Snowflake Please reach out to us if you have any additional questions about the topics (via here, or support@aimms.com).

Hi all! Do you already use the different user roles within SC Navigator? The functionality exists already, but we thought it deserves a bit more attention. In the following blog post we describe which roles are available and how they could be used: https://www.aimms.com/story/exploring-different-user-roles-in-aimms-sc-navigator/

In SC Navigator the Center of Gravity functionality is upgraded. Two new features are added: Constrainted CoG CoG trade-off analysis @Paul van Nierop wrote a great blog about CoG in general and the new features, which can be found here. CoG and the new features are available for all SC Navigator users. I am of course very curious about your experience and feedback.

Hi all!I built a feasible model in SG Navigator with 21 production plants and a detailed BOM per item and location. However, I must add constraints related to the total production per item and location during the period of analysis. I tried three ways but any of them worked: Adding Minimum capacity and Force Open = 1 in the Production Sheet + Adding Minimum capacity per Location and Item in the Production Routing Sheet. Result = The model was infeasible  Adding Maximum capacity in the Production Sheet + Adding Minimum capacity per Location and Item in the Production Routing Sheet. Result = The model does not respect all of the constraints  Adding Minimum capacity and Maximum capacity (both of them with the same quantities) in the Production Sheet +  Production Routing Sheet. Result = The model was infeasible How should I model those constraints? Thanks!  

Whiteboard in SC NavigatorHi all, I am very happy to share a new feature which is available for all SC Navigator users: Whiteboard.Users start by drawing the supply chain network just like you would with a marker on a physical whiteboard, except the whiteboard is made available digitally within SC Navigator. The feature allows users to draw a digital version of the network by using rectangle shapes for entities such as – suppliers, production facilities, warehouses, and customers, and connection lines for transport lanes. Additional data, like capacity and costs, can be easily attributed to an entity via a table.Once done, with a click of a button, the drawing and tables are translated into rows and columns in an Excel template. The Excel template can be uploaded into SC Navigator and all entities and transportation lanes are visualized on a map, ready to be optimized.Have you tried Whiteboard already? I am very curious to know what you think!

In response to the increasing demand for agile scenario planning within shorter time frames, AIMMS has recently integrated the Tactical Planning module in SC Navigator. The addition of this module addresses the need for tactical decision-making in supply chain network design, focusing on shorter horizons and smaller time buckets, typically ranging from 3 to 24 months.Tactical planning enables businesses to adapt to sudden changes and disruptions while maximizing existing resources. It empowers companies to flex their networks on a monthly basis, efficiently managing both planned events such as maintenance shutdowns and unexpected disruptions, without solely relying on large capital expenditures.The primary objective of tactical planning is to optimize network utilization without significant capital investment. For instance, if demand spikes, companies can explore options like adding extra shifts at factories or sourcing products from secondary facilities with spare capacity. This proac

Brazil’s tax system poses a daunting challenge for companies due to its intricate regulations, multiple layers of taxes, and diverse regional variations. The vastness of the country leads to significant regional disparities where states and municipalities boast distinct tax incentives, rates, and regulations. This diversity complicates efforts for companies operating across multiple regions to unify and streamline their tax strategies effectively. AIMMS’ focus on Brazil’s tax challengesAIMMS serves companies either based in Brazil or actively engaged in business within the country. Discovering unique solutions for navigating the intricate Brazilian tax landscape has, therefore, been a focal point for AIMMS, reflecting a commitment to addressing the complexities of this particular system. Our journey began with the development of functionality tailored to handle refundable taxes – a distinctive feature within Brazil’s tax framework. Partnering closely with a major chemical enterprise, w

For the Network Optimization project on which I am working, the decision makers want to measure “Warehouse Utilization”, i.e. how full are the warehouses. Assume Utilization = cubic feet of inventory / cubic feet of warehouse space.However, Network Optimization measures throughput flow, not [static] inventory space used, so flow has to be converted to space somehow. We could use a conversion factor like the following: Space to Flow ratio = Average Inventory / Total Throughput.The ratio could be calculated on a monthly (or annual) basis using Total Throughput = Sales and Average Inventory = (Starting Inventory + Ending Inventory) / 2. (Inventory snapshots would be pulled from the company’s warehouse management system.)Someone else on the project team thinks we could (with a multiperiod model) calculate the following: Utilization = Ending Cubic Inventory / Warehouse Cubic Space. I think this is wrong because this ending inventory is just Prebuild Inventory, ignoring Cycle Stock and Safet