What is Siemens Digital Logistics (SDL)?

Imagine you're organizing a large party and need to ensure every detail is in the right place at the right time. Now, expand that to a global scale, involving factories, warehouses, carriers, and customers around the world. That's the challenge of modern supply chains. Siemens Digital Logistics (SDL) offers advanced solutions to simplify and optimize these logistics operations, helping company digitize their supply chains and stay ahead.

SDL was designed for any type of industry, built in a modular and scalable way. This means it's possible to start in stages and evolve as the process matures. Let's explore each of its modules, functionalities, and benefits here.

Starting with the AX4

A logistics control tower that functions as a super organizer and plays the role not only of a TMS (Transportation Management System), but also of a Multi-enterprise Collaboration Network company MCN). (To understand more about logistics and its systems, click here) . This solution connects all parties involved – suppliers, carriers, warehouses, customers – on a single platform accessible from anywhere, including via a mobile app for carriers. This means that everyone involved can see what is happening and what needs to be done. If something goes off track or needs adjustments, the information is shared immediately, allowing for quick corrective actions.

Who wouldn't want real-time visibility? With SDL, it's possible. Digitize your supply chain to create end-to-end transparency, providing a solid foundation for decision-making. Track every step, from supplier shipments to end-customer delivery, helping you achieve operational excellence.

Furthermore, all this information can be easily integrated. AX4 integrates seamlessly with existing systems such as ERPs, WMS, APS, carriers, and other logistics management systems. It facilitates communication between company and serves as a link between systems and supply chain participants. Reliably plan subsequent steps in the warehouse, production, manufacturing, or at the customer site.

We know that generating and transmitting a multitude of documents is necessary. With AX4, you can generate and transmit all the documents needed for inbound and outbound transport operations: collection orders, delivery notes, bills of lading, and labels. Rule-based validations and automations accelerate your logistics processes and ensure smooth operations.

It would be ideal if carriers and suppliers updated dates and quantities to aid in crucial decisions, right? With AX4, all supply chain partners have access to the mesinformation, facilitating communication and coordination. With over 500,000 users, the AX4 collaboration platform bridges the virtual and physical worlds, improving cooperation between company and increasing supply chain visibility.

It is worth noting that AX4 has several native modules:

Purchase Order Management: Control supply networks with suppliers and carriers, automating everything from release orders to pickup planning and invoice creation. Use centralized purchase order management for supplier order confirmation, adding shipping instructions, creating delivery notes, and providing a transportation management platform for pickup orders.

Inbound Transportation Management: Ensure the supply of your facilities with end-to-end visibility. Monitor and control multimodal transportation with milestone plans and real-time tracking information.

Outbound Transportation Management: Improve delivery reliability and customer satisfaction. Integrate data from all parties involved, automate recurring tasks, and provide cross-party status updates.

Scheduling and Dock Management: Reduce unnecessary waiting times by managing incoming and outgoing vehicles. Efficiently book and release time slots by controlling traffic flows.

Freight Cost Settlement: Create transparency in freight costs with customized and automated calculations, generating invoices and credits based on accurate data.

XCargo

In addition to these, if your company needs to perform various analyses for decision-making and evaluate different scenarios, especially involving routes and costs, there is also the XCargo module, which supports these processes and works integrated with AX4.

It offers advanced functionalities for logistics analysis, allowing you to calculate transportation costs, plan routes, and optimize warehouse locations quickly and efficiently. With map visualization, you can identify the locations of customers and suppliers, facilitating logistics planning. We know that freight tables and cost calculations can be complex, but XCargo allows you to create scenarios for comparing rates, planning budgets, and optimizing routes, whether for pickup or delivery.

Supply Chain Suite (SCS)

SDL was designed to look at end-to-end logistics, including long-term planning and optimization. In this case, we have the Supply Chain Suite (SCS) portfolio.

After establishing a solid foundation of data and historical records, the journey can continue with SCS, an advanced suite of tools for planning and optimizing all aspects of your supply chain. Here, we can create a "digital twin" of the logistics operation, enabling us to simulate different scenarios, predict problems, and find the best solutions to increase efficiency and sustainability.  

It's not easy to know where to position your suppliers, warehouses, or define your logistics network for optimal service. With features that track all inbound and outbound movements, we use this information to develop more efficient routes and transportation plans, optimizing transportation costs regardless of the mode used. We also highlight the environmental impact assessment feature, helping to find ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

Where to begin?

Now that we know a little more about SDL, the question arises: where to begin? If you are looking for digitization, improved data reliability, and centralized information, AX4 is the perfect starting point . This solution offers real-time visibility and collaboration, easily integrating with existing systems. As your operation grows and becomes more complex, XCargo and the Supply Chain Suite (SCS) can be added to plan, optimize, and manage all aspects of the supply chain, ensuring an efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective operation. SDL is modular and adapts perfectly as your industry grows.

NEO has a team of experts ready to transform your logistics management and take your company to the next level with the most modern solutions on the market. Don't waste time and talk to our team to find out how we can help.