Logistics dashboard: the tool to improve your productivity

Are you a logistics manager or directly involved in your company's supply chain ? Do you want to act quickly in the event of drift, or even prevent the risk of errors?

A logistics dashboard is the tool you need to effectively manage your company's activities, keep track of your objectives and improve your logistics flow and performance.

See all software Supply Chain Management

Logistics dashboard: definition

What is a logistics dashboard?

In the logistics sector, data is often disparate and comes from several communication channels (e-mail, software, ERP, etc.).

The dashboard is a tool for centralizing your data and giving it meaning.

To make the most effective use of your information, you can develop your own dashboard where your data will be structured and available to all the agents in your company.

Why use a dashboard?

Thanks to this tool, you can make quick decisions and analyze your various performance indicators, so that you can target and achieve your objectives.

The development of your dashboard enables you to set objectives and monitor your progress. So, in the long term, it's an indispensable tool for growing your business, improving customer satisfaction and your company's bottom line.

💡 Please note: A dashboard compares the current state with the objectives set at the outset. Under no circumstances can it prevent malfunctions from becoming permanent! Given current changes, be sure to take a step back from your data.

What does it look like?

The logistics dashboard is mainly made up of performance indicators, which you need to choose carefully.

Studying the evolution of these data over time will be useful for setting new objectives or modifying your logistics and operational strategies.

6 steps to building a logistics dashboard

Step 1: Gather the elements you need to create your logistics dashboard

Before starting to create your logistics dashboard, it's first necessary to analyze your needs and the resources you'll be using.

• list the different people who will be using the logistics dashboard,
• formalize the intended use (service, delivery, orders, warehouse organization, etc.),
• present your desired display frequency and alerts,
• indicate your required data source.

Step 2: Identify and mobilize the players concerned

Once you've drawn up a list of the agents involved, think about collaborating on the logistics dashboard. It's important that the people involved receive training beforehand, so that they can make the best use of your logistics dashboard.

Step 3: Choose your performance indicators (KPIs)

There are 3 categories of performance indicators:

• Alert indicators, which signal the presence of a malfunction or abnormal condition requiring corrective action (e.g. stock shortages);
• Efficiency and balancing indicators, which measure the current situation in relation to objectives set in advance (availability rate, supply reliability, stock rotation, lead times, etc.);
• Anticipation indicators provide information on future needs. Based on upcoming events, they give you an indication of future stock levels. In this way, your teams can anticipate and implement inventory variation strategies.

They can take many forms: ratios, lists, graphs, tables, diagrams, etc.

Step 4: build the dashboard based on your objectives

Although you've analyzed your resources beforehand, it's essential to target your objectives. Discuss them with your collaborators and teams beforehand, so as to be more efficient and not miss any points:

• identify your quantifiable and achievable objectives,
• select your sources of usable data,
• choose the right type of performance indicator for each objective,
• define the frequency with which you will update each indicator,
• launch your dashboard verification process,
• check dashboard applicability.

Step 5: update your dashboard data in line with the planned durations

If you want to coordinate your teams and, above all, improve customer satisfaction, don't neglect the deadlines and updates of your logistics dashboard:

• collect your constituent data,
• use your dashboards in the decision-making process,
• formalize your updating process (data sources, processing methods).

Step 6: Check and modify your dashboard if necessary

To keep your teams informed, it's important to regularly modify your logistics dashboard if you want it to remain relevant:

• modify your data according to changes in the context and your objectives,
• withdraw your data if there are mismatches between your indicators and your objectives.

💡 Tip: to avoid unpleasant surprises, set up a trial period for your dashboard so that your agents know how to use the tool correctly, and so that you can correct any bugs. Stimulate different scenarios before the final validation of your logistics dashboard.

Which tools should I choose to create a logistics dashboard?

The Excel-based logistics dashboard

You can use Excel to create your logistics dashboard. Most of your agents will already be familiar with this tool, and will probably have already used it, so familiarization will be an advantage.

In the long run, however, Excel is not very effective for creating a relevant logistics dashboard. The work will be time-consuming and complex. It's also possible that a number of bugs will occur as a result of human error, rendering your dashboard unusable and increasing your costs.

The Excel dashboard system therefore risks monopolizing significant resources in terms of time, while at the same time being less effective for this very specific type of use.

Specialized software

To save time and increase efficiency, online solutions are available to help you manage your logistics activities.

In particular, they offer you the following advantages

• data updated in real time,
• collaborative aspect,
• a secure system that complies with current regulations,
• ergonomic interface for quick and easy use.

💡 Sof tware examples

🛠️ b2wise is a supply chain management software solution that enables you to plan your inventories as precisely as possible. One of the key features of this solution is the development of an innovative methodology: Demand Driven MRP. Thanks to its application, supply chain managers are able to precisely align their inventories with actual market demand, and thus avoid the problems of overstocking or understocking.

b2wise enables you to :

• create personalized, visual reports and dashboards, to analyze your performance and make projections,
• plan your supplies, distribution and production: create different scenarios, take into account your logistical and demand constraints, etc,
• receive training in DDMRP methodology to enhance your skills.

Thanks to its many functions and its technology (AI, machine learning and predictive analysis), b2wise promises a significant productivity gain in your logistics activities, as well as an improvement in the quality of your services. And it's easy to use!

🛠️ Metronome is an automation and productivity solution that boosts all your logistics activities. By combining your data and grouping all your operational processes on a single platform, you gain visibility and proactivity: every activity is assigned to the right person, in the right place, at the right time.

What Metronome offers you :

• easy access to your business data, connected from different systems (ERP, WMS, APS, CRM, etc.) and real-time tracking of all stages,
• configuration of business rules to automatically launch actions and workflows using intelligent triggers, wherever urgent action is required,
• precisely track your KPIs and create clear, visual performance reports.

Say goodbye to Excel! Get rid of manual task allocation with a powerful solution that puts your supply chain on autopilot, and facilitates stakeholder interaction across the board!

🛠️ Odoo inventory is an all-in-one, fully customizable and integrated software package that adapts to your different needs. Odoo's dashboards enable you to effectively monitor your objectives and performance, making decision-making easier. You reduce the number of applications you need, and use just one software package to centralize all your logistics operations.

What sets this solution apart?

• accurate forecasts, with reports and flowcharts available in real time to avoid stock-outs,
• automation of many processes (no need for manual input) and a unified platform facilitating communication between all departments for optimal follow-up,
• comparisons with past monthly targets, so you can plan your next actions and exceed them.

With a wealth of information displayed on your interface, you can control your warehouse remotely, and know what's going on at a glance.

🛠️ TRADE.EASY, ERP for companies in trade, distribution and industry, also offers a specific module for managing import-export operations. This module enables you to effectively manage all your logistics flows, which are often affected by ETD/ETA changes, and by regulatory, legal and contractual constraints that expose you to a number of risks.

With TRADE.EASY, you can set up compliance workflows to identify and anticipate every formality or action to be implemented for all your operations. These formalities, parameterized according to your needs, can be generic or specifically linked to goods, countries or partners. What's more, the documentary package (generated or imported) is centralized for each operation.

Thanks to your automatic To-Do List, shipment list and shipment dashboard, you'll find all the information you need to monitor and manage your logistics flows in real time, and with just a few clicks. Customs blockages, penalties, supply disruptions and lost sales become a thing of the past.

See all software Supply Chain Management

Mistakes to avoid in a dashboard

Mistake No. 1: not taking the time to carry out a complete analysis

If your initial analysis is poorly performed or incomplete, your logistics dashboard will be flawed, and your performance indicators will be irrelevant.

Define your objectives in advance, and discuss them with your colleagues to draw up a list of your resources and activities.

Mistake No. 2: Choosing too many performance indicators

Adopting performance indicators for your managers is a real advantage when choosing a particular strategy, but be careful not to overdo it. The more synthetic and clear your data, the better you'll be able to target an effective strategy tailored to your problem.

Mistake no. 3: choosing complex metrics

Your measurement tools must be easy to read for all your employees. All teams need to be able to easily learn about the metrics.

Mistake No. 4: Abandoning modifications and monitoring of your scorecard

Regularly update your tools and collect the constituent data so that the information displayed can help you make the right choices.

With up-to-date data, your teams can do their jobs more efficiently.

Don't hesitate to delete indicators if you feel they are obsolete or no longer relevant to the situation.

Mistake no. 5: underestimating task automation

Optimizing your company's supply chain also means knowing how to adapt to new technologies. You need to be efficient, of course, but above all you need to be responsive. If you feel the need, and if you have the budget to do so, don't hesitate to automate tasks that seem tedious or expend too many resources.

👉 Example: automated storage with shuttles, traceability processes for your product flows, automated transport, order management, etc.

These tools can also be linked to a real-time dashboard.

What are your tips for optimizing your logistics dashboard? Tell us in the comments!