Manthan, the global leader in business intelligence (BI) and analytics solutions for retailers, announced the availability of ARC Vendor Link Version 6.4, an analytics-based retailer and supplier collaboration solution to manage the complete procure-to-pay lifecycle, from data sharing and purchase order management through invoice reconciliation and vendor score carding.
This release contains new and enhanced business content across eight (8) modules, each presenting a critical component in vendor relationship management for retailers working with large supplier networks.
Content enhancements spanned a number of key solution modules, including New Vendor Introduction, Vendor Information Management, New Product Introduction, Product Information Management, Promotion and Rebate Management, Trade Promotion Support, Order Management, Fixture Management, and Vendor Performance Management.
Highlights of Vendor Link’s version enhancements include:
New Vendor Introduction
ARC Vendor Link’s New Vendor Introduction automates the vendor registration and initial data sharing process. This replaces manual processes controlled by the merchant within the retail organization, which often include collecting standard buying agreements or consignment agreements, and vendor information sheets, disclosing corporate payables, returns and buybacks, distribution and logistics procedures, and ensuring that supplier product data conforms to existing merchandising system requirements. New feature highlights in Vendor Link Version 6.4 provide support for configurable forms to support data collection requirements for multiple vendor types, support for vendor document compliance alerts delivered via email or text message, and an enhanced user interface.
Promotion and Rebate Management
A number of activities are required for the retail merchandiser or buyer to track vendor promotions and rebates from vendor solicitation, promotion execution and rebate tracking. ARC Vendor Link Promotion and Rebate Management enable users to manage all vendor activities from planning through execution and evaluation of any given promotion. Updates to Vendor Link include support for vendor invitations to participate in promotional events, and vendor evaluation based on promotional participation and proposals for rebate allowances at the order and scan level. In addition, Vendor Link Version 6.4 also allows retailers to track inventory fulfillment based on allowance start and end dates thereby ensuring that correct rebate and allowances are credited to Trade Funds appropriately.
Vendor Performance Management
ARC Vendor Link’s Vendor Performance Management module includes robust capabilities to analyze and evaluate vendor performance. As an analytics-based collaboration solution to support retail supply chain activities, Vendor Performance Management enables buyers to leverage existing scorecards with pre-built KPIs or customize their own to grade suppliers. New features include enhancements to the vendor performance planning process, such as historical vendor performance review to support buyer planning and plan distribution to vendors for real-time feedback.
Additional Solution Enhancements
Other upgrades introduced with ARC Vendor Link Version 6.4 include a new Form Management engine, empowering business users to rapidly customize existing forms and processes with little coding requirements.
“Traditional vendor portals do not provide the support that retailers require today,” said Krishna Srinivasan, VP of ARC Vendor Link and Vendor Insights, “The functionality of ARC Vendor Link extends beyond mere data or document sharing. It is a business process optimization tool encompassing all transactions and interactions that occur between vendor and retailer from start to finish.”
