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Topics related to AIMMS' off-the-shelf Supply Chain application.

28 Topics
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AIMMSian
adityabansalAIMMSian
asked in SC Navigator Best Practices
How to use Power BI embedded in SC Navigator?

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

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A
AIMMSian
E
AIMMSian
emilyschutzeAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
SC Navigator Transport Costs explained

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.

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AIMMSian
Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
Facundo.OliveroAIMMSian
published in SC Navigator Best Practices
How to Estimate your Secondary Transport CostTutorial

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

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Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
Facundo.OliveroAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
How to Design the Right Size for Your Network Design Model

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

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Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
Patrick
Administrator
PatrickAdministrator
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
How to Model Tariffs in AIMMS SC Navigator

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!

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Patrick
Administrator
Patrick
Administrator
PatrickAdministrator
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
Meet SENSAI – Your 24/7 SC Navigator Expert

 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! 

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Patrick
Administrator
Patrick
Administrator
PatrickAdministrator
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
Mastering Center of Gravity (CoG) Analysis in Supply Chain Network Design

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

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Patrick
Administrator
Patrick
Administrator
PatrickAdministrator
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
A Smooth Start: Best Practices for Your First Network Design Project

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

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Patrick
Administrator
V
AIMMS Partner
veerlevcitters
asked in SC Navigator Q&A
Finding optimal recycling facility locations

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!

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V
AIMMS Partner
A
ArvindExplorer
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
Transport optimization Availability

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

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E
AIMMSian
Z
AIMMSian
ZoeSAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
New feature alert: Scenario Navigator

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 

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AIMMSian
A
ArvindExplorer
asked in SC Navigator Q&A
Modeling single Sourcing for group of customers

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 

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E
AIMMSian
kint.jiang
kint.jiangExplorer
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
May I know where can I get the account/pwd to login the https://trial.aimms.cloud/login.html

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.

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D
AIMMSian
kint.jiang
kint.jiangExplorer
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
Regarding SC Navigator cloudy, Why I can't access the website

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.

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D
AIMMSian
RoxannaBindenga
AIMMSian
RoxannaBindengaAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
Lots of new documentation on data integration with SC Navigator!

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).

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RoxannaBindenga
AIMMSian
Z
AIMMSian
ZoeSAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
Exploring different User Roles in SC Navigator

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/

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Z
AIMMSian
Z
AIMMSian
ZoeSAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
New feature alert: CoG upgrade

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.

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Z
AIMMSian
M
AIMMS Partner
ma.sanchez116AIMMS Partner
asked in SC Navigator Q&A
Production constraints per item

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!  

462
Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
Z
AIMMSian
ZoeSAIMMSian
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
New Feature alert: Whiteboard

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!

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Z
AIMMSian
Patrick
Administrator
PatrickAdministrator
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
Improving Supply Chain Flexibility: Introducing the Tactical Planning Module in SC Navigator

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

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Patrick
Administrator
Patrick
Administrator
PatrickAdministrator
posted in SC Navigator Best Practices
Optimizing Brazilian Supply Chains: Navigating Tax Regulations with AIMMS SC Navigator

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

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Patrick
Administrator
Jonathan Smith
AIMMS Partner
Jonathan SmithAIMMS Partner
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
Calculating Warehouse Utilization

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

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Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
A
AIMMS Partner
Alan ThomasAIMMS Partner
asked in SC Navigator Q&A
Customer groupings

Hi,Is it possible to assign customers to multiple groups? For instance, I want to have customer groups based on sales channel and geography. Each customer needs belong to a channel group and a geography group.Many thanks

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Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
J
AIMMS Partner
jack6627AIMMS Partner
asked in SC Navigator Q&A
Unable to load excel file to SC Navigator

Hi,I recently started using SC Navigator and am experiencing issues loading my dataset to the app. When I try to load the Excel file (attached) for a Network Design model problem, the app displays an error as shown belowWhere I could I be going wrong here? I checked for duplicates within the excel and there don’t seem to be any. Appreciate the help!Thanks

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Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
B
AIMMS Partner
BhatiAIMMS Partner
posted in SC Navigator Q&A
How to model all customer locations to be serviced from a single DC

I am building a SC Navigator model with many customers with each customer having multiple locations. I require model to source all products for all customer locations within a customer from a single DC. Could you please help with right configuration and data prep to make it happen?

471
Facundo.Olivero
AIMMSian
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