Still Running Your Supply Chain on Spreadsheets?

By Hiten Shah, President & CEO – MES

In today’s global operations, supply chains must move faster, smarter, and more strategically than ever before. But the reality is, too many businesses are still stuck in manual systems and Excel spreadsheets—reactive, siloed, and unable to adapt. In this insight-packed segment,
MES CEO Hiten Shah shares how companies can break free from “Excel hell” and join the SAP-powered revolution that’s transforming supply chain performance.

For years, supply chain operations across industries have been slowed by outdated tools and disconnected data. Teams operate on tribal knowledge, manage complexity in spreadsheets, and scramble to solve problems after they’ve already done the damage. This reactive mode isn’t just inefficient—it’s a liability. According to Hiten Shah, “If your data isn’t centralized, your decisions are fragmented.”

The costs of these inefficiencies go beyond time delays. They include inaccurate forecasting, bloated inventories, lost sales, and ultimately, customer dissatisfaction. In a market where speed and accuracy are competitive differentiators, operating without real-time supply chain visibility is a major business risk. Excel might still have its place for analysis, but it is not a system of record for enterprise logistics, sourcing, or distribution.

That’s where SAP comes in—not just as an ERP solution, but as the intelligent backbone of a modern, AI-enabled supply chain. With SAP, companies gain real-time visibility across sourcing, production, logistics, and inventory. Decisions aren’t delayed—they’re made on demand, powered by accurate data, scenario modeling, and predictive tools that go far beyond traditional dashboards.

SAP brings structure to chaos. It centralizes data into a single source of truth, breaking down silos between procurement, manufacturing, finance, and customer service. This data connectivity empowers organizations to react faster, but more importantly—to anticipate challenges before they occur. AI embedded within SAP’s modules enables predictive maintenance, dynamic inventory optimization, automated reordering, and demand-driven
replenishment strategies that were impossible with fragmented systems.

But this transformation isn’t only about speed. It’s about strategic clarity. In the video, Hiten explains how MES leverages SAP to reduce operational friction, eliminate redundant processes, and connect every supply chain node—from supplier to customer—in one unified system.
“You’re not just reacting to problems anymore,” he says. “You’re preventing them before they start.”

This unified structure allows leadership teams to transition from firefighting to forward planning. They can simulate the financial impact of supplier delays, analyze real-time transportation costs, or model multi-sourcing strategies across regions—all from a single dashboard. That’s the
power of a digitally integrated supply chain ecosystem.

One of the most compelling outcomes of this shift is autonomy. With SAP’s integrated intelligence, teams can automate complex tasks, forecast more accurately, and spend less time cleaning data—and more time optimizing strategy. This kind of intelligent automation unlocks
bandwidth across departments. Planners can shift their focus to strategic sourcing. Procurement
can shift from tactical ordering to supplier innovation. Operations can move from status updates to proactive optimization.

In fact, one of the most under-discussed advantages of SAP is its role in scaling global operations without creating complexity bloat. As businesses grow into new markets or diversify their supplier base, the pressure on their systems multiplies. Legacy tools cannot keep up with
this speed or granularity. But SAP enables growth with confidence. It’s designed to scale—supporting everything from small regional hubs to large-scale multinational operations with thousands of SKUs and multi-tier supplier relationships.

Hiten’s core message is clear: If you’re still managing global operations in spreadsheets, you’re already behind. And being behind in today’s environment doesn’t just mean inefficiency—it means vulnerability. Whether it’s a natural disaster, geopolitical shock, or raw material shortage,
every delay, every missed signal, and every disjointed response adds up. The companies who win in 2025 and beyond will be the ones who embrace AI-enabled platforms that turn data into advantage.

This digital transformation is not about replacing people—it’s about elevating people. By automating the repetitive and digitizing the routine, you allow talent to focus on innovation, collaboration, and customer-centric thinking. And with data that flows seamlessly across your
value chain, your teams can move in sync—solving problems together instead of patching them in isolation.The bottom line? SAP is no longer a back-end tool—it’s the strategic brain of global logistics. It brings intelligence to every link in your chain and allows you to design an operation that is responsive, resilient, and ready for whatever comes next. In a world full of uncertainty, intelligent supply chains are your biggest competitive advantage.

Organizations looking to modernize their supply chain operations don’t just need an ERP—theyneed a digital foundation that supports growth, enables flexibility, and connects everything from supplier portals to customer fulfillment in real-time. That’s why more and more companies are
turning to SAP to transform not just their tech stack—but their entire operating model.

If your team is still managing production schedules in Excel, reconciling vendor data manually, or using workarounds to manage shipments and POs, it’s time to ask: what’s the true cost of delay?

Because transformation isn’t coming—it’s already here. And it starts by upgrading your supply chain tools to match the complexity and scale of the modern global economy.

Watch the full video from Hiten Shah https://vimeo.com/1089148784
Contact MES for a supply chain systems consultation.