Alloy Technical Overview
Architecture
Alloy is a cloud-based, connected planning and execution platform for consumer goods companies. More than 30,000 engineering hours have been invested in developing the Alloy Data Platform. Consumer goods-specific metrics and business logic are layered on top, allowing users to make better and faster supply chain and planning decisions.
Integration
Alloy has 850+ pre-built connectors to automate data collection across the supply chain, regardless of format (flat file, API, EDI, Excel spreadsheet). These data integrations are set up during implementation and then automatically updated on a predetermined cadence.
This table shows the types of connectors that already exist in the platform. Custom connectors can be built as needed. Not all data elements are required, but as many as possible are encouraged to enable the full suite of use cases. We will advise which data elements are essential and which are optional based on the capabilities desired.
Data Elements
| Internal: Customer Orders and Shipments Transactions (“Sell-in”) | Internal: Customer Orders and Shipments Transactions (“Sell-in”) |
| Internal: Product Master | Internal: Brand Forecast/Plan |
| Alloy: Retail Calendars | Internal: Calendar |
| External: Partner Data Portal | External: Partner EDI |
| External: Partner Flat Files (Excel, etc.) | Internal: ERP Inventory |
| Internal: ERP Purchase/Production Orders [Transactional] | Internal: ERP Internal Transfers [Transactional] |
| External: 3PL Integration (Inv, SO, PO) | External: Supplier Integration (Inv, SO, PO) |
| EDI | Flat Files (Excel, etc.) |
| Planning Parameters (Lead Times, Inventory Targets, MOQs, etc.) |
Modeling
Harmonize the various data types to create a unified representation of your end-to-end supply chain.
Metrics
Alloy provides out-of-the-box metrics critical for every consumer goods company to effectively manage their inventory relative to fluctuating demand. Drawing from the expertise of our customers, Alloy continually introduces additional industry best practice metrics as part of its SaaS subscription. Below is a sample list of
metrics Alloy routinely provides users.
Sample Metrics
| Category | Sell-In | Inventory | Sell-Through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner Data | Retail Orders | Retail Inventory | Sales |
| Partner Data | Retail Shipments | Retail Inventory Target | Sales Target |
| Partner Data | Retail Receipts | Retail Weeks of Supply | Forecasts and Plans |
| Partner Data | Brand Forecasts/Plans | Retail Weeks of Supply Target | |
| Partner Data | Retail Out-of-Stock | ||
| Partner Data | Retail In-Stock | ||
| ERP Data | Brand Forecasts/Plans | Brand Inventory | |
| ERP Data | Sales Order-Line Item | 3PL/Distributor Inventory | |
| ERP Data | Internal Transfers | Supplier Inventory | |
| Derived Data | Retail Phantom Inventory | Unconstrained Demand | |
| Derived Data | Simulated Inventory | Lost Sales | |
| Derived Data | Simulated Weeks of Supply | OOS % |
Features
Built on top of the Alloy Data Platform are business logic and features that enable Alloy users across departments to analyze, forecast, plan and make decisions, all operating off a unified source of information for easier cross-functional alignment and collaboration.
| Product | Application | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Partner Data | Data | Data Source Status |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Export |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Import |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Location Master Management |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Product Master Management |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Shipping Lane Management |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Unit Conversion |
| Alloy Intelligence | Data | Event Management |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Lift Impact Analysis |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Retail Forecast Versioning |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Customized Product Attributes |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Dashboard Linking |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Dashboards |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Attribute Filters |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Metric Filters |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Industry-Best Practice Metrics |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Network Aware Attributes |
| Alloy Intelligence | Intelligence | Widgets |
| Alloy Intelligence | Orders | Order Status Tracking |
| Alloy Intelligence | Orders | Order-Line Item Visibility |
| Alloy Intelligence | Settings | Alerts |
| Alloy Intelligence | Settings | Global Search |
| Alloy Intelligence | Settings | Permissions |
| Alloy Intelligence | Settings | Subscriptions |
| Alloy Planning | Intelligence | Automated Forecast Publishing |
| Alloy Planning | Intelligence | Automated Plan Publishing |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Automated Plan Publishing |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Sales Forecasting |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Shipment Forecasting |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Forecast Model Selection |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Plan Manual Overrides |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | New Product Introduction |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Plan Version Control |
| Alloy Planning | Planning | Event Lift Management |