{"id":36633,"date":"2026-05-27T12:27:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T16:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=36633"},"modified":"2026-05-27T17:19:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T21:19:16","slug":"supply-chain-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/supply-chain-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a supply chain strategy? Types, examples and how to build one"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat is a supply chain strategy? Types, examples and how to build one\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSupply chain strategy is the plan that connects how you source, store, and deliver goods. Learn what it is, the different types, and how to build one. \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-27T12:27:12-04:00\">May 27, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"What is a supply chain strategy? Types, examples and how to build one\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/supply-chain-strategy\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/annette-grotz\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Annette-Grotz-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Annette Grotz\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Annette Grotz<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-supply-chain-strategy-nbsp\">What is a supply chain strategy?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A supply chain strategy guides how a business&nbsp;sources, produces, stores, moves, and delivers products while balancing cost, service, risk, and growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every business that makes, buys, stores, or sells goods has a supply chain. A formal strategy turns day-to-day decisions into a coordinated plan that supports larger business goals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A strong&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/executive.mit.edu\/understanding-the-importance-of-supply-chain-strategy-MCFWWN2BD5ARAEFOF6745H4SSM34.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supply chain strategy<\/a>&nbsp;connects decisions across:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sourcing and procurement:<\/strong>&nbsp;Where materials or goods come from and how supplier performance is evaluated.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Production and operations:<\/strong>&nbsp;How goods are made, scheduled, inspected, and controlled across&nbsp;sites.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Inventory management:<\/strong>&nbsp;How much stock to hold, where to hold it, and how inventory affects working capital.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Distribution and delivery:<\/strong>&nbsp;How goods move through warehouses, channels, and customer fulfillment processes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Finance and planning:<\/strong>&nbsp;How supply chain choices affect margins, budgets, cash flow, and profitability.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Technology and data:<\/strong>&nbsp;How teams use systems, automation, and real-time insight to make decisions.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A useful strategy helps leaders decide what to prioritize, where to invest, and how to keep supply chain decisions aligned with customer service, production efficiency, working capital, and profitability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-why-does-supply-chain-strategy-matter\" data-level=\"2\">Why does supply chain strategy matter?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-types-of-supply-chain-strategies\" data-level=\"2\">Types of supply chain strategies<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-examples-of-effective-supply-chain-strategies-in-action\" data-level=\"2\">Examples of effective supply chain strategies in action<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-develop-a-supply-chain-strategy\" data-level=\"2\">How to develop a supply chain strategy<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-technology-supports-supply-chain-strategy\" data-level=\"2\">How technology supports supply chain strategy<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-build-a-stronger-supply-chain-strategy-with-sage-x3\" data-level=\"2\">Build a stronger supply chain strategy with Sage X3<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions-about-supply-chain-strategy\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-does-supply-chain-strategy-matter-nbsp\">Why does supply chain strategy matter?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a clear strategy, supply chain decisions can happen in silos. Procurement may focus on unit cost. Operations may focus on throughput. Sales may push for faster availability. Finance may focus on cash tied up in inventory.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each priority may be valid, but disconnected decisions create friction across the business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective supply chain strategies help teams&nbsp;align around&nbsp;shared goals. Instead of optimizing each function separately, they give procurement, operations, sales, and finance a shared framework for making tradeoffs around cost, speed, availability, quality, and growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A clear supply chain strategy can help businesses:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improve cost control and margin visibility&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increase production efficiency and order accuracy&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Balance inventory availability with working capital&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Support quality, traceability, and compliance requirements&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Respond faster to demand shifts or capacity constraints&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Scale across sites, markets, and countries with fewer manual workarounds&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As Sage\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/view-su2.highspot.com\/viewer\/f58494d94e5f570423685df64d4c651f#1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2026 State of Supply Chain Report<\/a>&nbsp;found, confidence follows capability. Businesses are better positioned to respond to disruption when visibility, system connectivity, and operational data are treated as core infrastructure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-types-of-supply-chain-strategies-nbsp\">Types of supply chain strategies&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Different supply chain strategies&nbsp;optimize for&nbsp;different outcomes. Some prioritize efficiency. Others prioritize speed, resilience, quality, or global scale.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many growing companies blend more than one approach by product line, market, customer segment, or region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lean-approach-nbsp\">Lean approach&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A lean supply chain strategy focuses on reducing waste, controlling costs, and making operations as efficient as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach works well when demand is&nbsp;predictable&nbsp;and the business can plan production,&nbsp;purchasing, and inventory with confidence. Lean strategies often emphasize process standardization, inventory discipline, and efficient use of labor, space, and materials.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trade-off is flexibility: a lean supply chain can become strained when demand changes&nbsp;quickly&nbsp;or production capacity tightens.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-agile-approach-nbsp\">Agile approach&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An agile supply chain strategy prioritizes speed, responsiveness, and flexibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach is useful when demand changes quickly or product cycles are short. Agile strategies help businesses adjust production plans, reallocate inventory, respond to customer needs, and make faster decisions when conditions change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hybrid-approach-nbsp\">Hybrid approach&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A hybrid supply chain strategy combines lean and agile principles. A company may use lean planning for stable, high-volume products while using a more agile approach for seasonal, customized, or fast-changing products.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hybrid strategies require a connected view of demand, inventory, production, cost, and service&nbsp;levels&nbsp;so teams know where to standardize and where to stay flexible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-other-specialist-strategies-nbsp\">Other specialist strategies&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some businesses also use more specialized&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/supply-chain-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supply chain management strategies<\/a>, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Build-to-order:<\/strong>&nbsp;Products are made after customer demand is confirmed, helping reduce finished-goods inventory.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Make-to-stock:<\/strong>&nbsp;Products are produced in advance based on expected demand, supporting faster fulfillment.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Postponement:&nbsp;<\/strong>Final product configuration is delayed until demand is clearer, helping balance flexibility and cost.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Resilient supply chain strategy:<\/strong>&nbsp;The business designs backup options, alternate capacity, and contingency plans to reduce disruption risk.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Global supply chain strategy:<\/strong>&nbsp;The company manages sourcing, production, finance, and compliance across countries, currencies, and entities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Strategy type<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Best for<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Key advantage<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Main challenge<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Lean&nbsp;<\/td><td>Predictable demand and stable operations&nbsp;<\/td><td>Lower cost and less waste&nbsp;<\/td><td>Less flexibility when conditions change&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Agile&nbsp;<\/td><td>Fast-changing demand or complex fulfillment&nbsp;<\/td><td>Faster response to market shifts&nbsp;<\/td><td>Higher planning and operating complexity&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hybrid&nbsp;<\/td><td>Mixed product lines, channels, or regions&nbsp;<\/td><td>Balances efficiency and flexibility&nbsp;<\/td><td>Requires stronger data and coordination&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Build-to-order&nbsp;<\/td><td>Customized or high-value products&nbsp;<\/td><td>Reduces excess finished-goods inventory&nbsp;<\/td><td>Can increase lead times&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Global&nbsp;<\/td><td>Multi-site, multi-country operations&nbsp;<\/td><td>Supports expansion and control&nbsp;<\/td><td>Requires connected systems and compliance management&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-examples-of-effective-supply-chain-strategies-in-action-nbsp\">Examples of effective supply chain strategies in action&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Supply&nbsp;chain strategy looks different depending on the business model.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-manufacturing-improving-production-efficiency-nbsp\">Manufacturing: improving production efficiency&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/industry\/discrete-manufacturing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">manufacturer<\/a>&nbsp;experiencing higher order volume may need a strategy focused on production efficiency, quality, and inventory control.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Connected production, inventory, and quality data can help teams&nbsp;identify&nbsp;bottlenecks earlier and keep up with demand without losing control.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-food-and-beverage-strengthening-traceability-nbsp\">Food and beverage: strengthening traceability&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For regulated or quality-sensitive industries, supply chain strategy often centers on traceability and audit readiness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/industry\/food-and-beverage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">food manufacturer<\/a>&nbsp;may need to trace product lots forward and backward across production, inventory, and distribution so teams can&nbsp;identify&nbsp;affected products or customers quickly if an issue arises.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-distribution-scaling-order-volume-without-adding-friction-nbsp\">Distribution: scaling order volume without adding friction&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/industry\/distribution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">distributor<\/a>&nbsp;may build its strategy around&nbsp;high-volume order processing, inventory accuracy, and warehouse efficiency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As order volume grows, manual capture and disconnected tools can slow fulfillment, create pricing errors, and make it harder to manage activity across depots or regions. Automation can help teams receive, pick, route, invoice, and price orders more consistently&nbsp;as&nbsp;the business scales.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-multi-site-nbsp-growth-keeping-finance-and-operations-connected-nbsp\">Multi-site&nbsp;growth: keeping finance and operations connected&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As businesses expand into new locations or countries, supply chain strategic planning needs to support financial consolidation, local requirements, multi-currency operations, and consistent reporting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/product-capabilities\/financial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">multi-site organizations<\/a>, a connected supply chain strategy helps teams standardize processes,&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;visibility, and avoid the usual tangle of spreadsheets, local systems, and manual reporting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-develop-a-supply-chain-strategy-nbsp\">How to develop a supply chain strategy&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Developing a supply chain strategy starts with clear goals, an honest view of current operations, and a practical plan for improvement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-define-your-goals-nbsp\">1. Define your goals&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by deciding what the supply chain needs to achieve for the business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Common goals include:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reducing operating costs&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improving production efficiency&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increasing order accuracy&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Supporting growth into new markets&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improving inventory availability&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strengthening quality control or traceability&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reducing manual work across teams&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improving financial visibility and forecasting&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These goals should connect directly to the broader business strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, international expansion may require stronger multi-country operations, compliance, and financial consolidation, while rising order volume may call for more automation, inventory accuracy, and production capacity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-assess-your-current-state-nbsp\">2. Assess your current state&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before changing processes, understand how the supply chain performs today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Useful questions include:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where do manual workarounds slow teams down?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which systems hold inventory, production,&nbsp;purchasing, and financial data?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How accurately can teams forecast demand and capacity?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where do quality issues or bottlenecks occur?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How quickly can leaders see performance across sites or business units?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which decisions take too long because data is disconnected?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This step often reveals technology gaps, especially when teams rely on spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or delayed reports to make operational decisions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-design-your-network-and-processes-nbsp\">3. Design your network and processes&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, decide how the supply chain should&nbsp;operate&nbsp;across supplier balance, manufacturing workflows, warehouse locations, inventory policies, transportation, service levels, and technology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It should also include operational and financial design questions:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How should production, inventory, quality, and finance data connect?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which workflows should be standardized across sites?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where does the business need local flexibility?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How should teams manage multiple currencies, entities, or countries?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which processes should be automated first?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A good&nbsp;operations&nbsp;and supply chain strategy gives teams enough structure to scale while leaving room to adapt when markets change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-implement-and-nbsp-monitor-nbsp-progress-nbsp\">4. Implement and&nbsp;monitor&nbsp;progress&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the strategy is defined, put it into action in phases. That might mean starting with one site, one product group, or one high-impact process before expanding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Track KPIs such as:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Production efficiency&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Order processing time&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Inventory turnover&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Inventory accuracy&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Quality issues or returns&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Manual effort reduced&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Working capital tied up in inventory&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Forecasting and planning accuracy&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Margin by product, customer, or region&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These metrics help teams see whether the strategy is improving performance, rather than simply adding new processes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-adjust-and-nbsp-optimize-nbsp-continuously-nbsp\">5. Adjust and&nbsp;optimize&nbsp;continuously&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A supply chain strategy should evolve as demand, costs, markets, regulations, and customer expectations change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regular reviews help businesses&nbsp;identify&nbsp;where the strategy needs an update, from automating manual steps to redesigning inventory policies, improving forecasting, or investing in more connected systems.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continuous improvement matters because complexity builds gradually. A process that worked for one site may not work across ten, and a spreadsheet that worked for one product line may fail when order volume doubles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-technology-supports-supply-chain-strategy-nbsp\">How technology supports supply chain strategy&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Technology can support a supply chain strategy by connecting&nbsp;the data, workflows, and decisions that shape business performance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For complex businesses,&nbsp;an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/erp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ERP system<\/a>&nbsp;can become the operational foundation.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage X3<\/a>&nbsp;brings finance, supply chain, manufacturing, inventory, quality, and planning into a connected ERP platform, helping teams manage growth across sites, countries, and business units.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-demand-forecasting-nbsp\">Demand forecasting&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Forecasting technology helps businesses plan around real demand signals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Sage X3,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/product-capabilities\/financial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">connected operational and financial data<\/a>&nbsp;help teams understand how demand shifts affect purchasing, production, inventory, and cash flow. That makes forecasting more useful for decisions about working capital, margins, and capacity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-automation-nbsp\">Automation&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Automation helps reduce repetitive work across&nbsp;purchasing, order processing, invoicing, inventory updates, and reporting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sage X3 supports&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/product-capabilities\/supply-chain-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">automation for high-volume workflows<\/a>, helping teams reduce errors, speed up routine work, and spend more time on strategic decisions as order volumes grow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-real-time-visibility-nbsp\">Real-time visibility&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Real-time visibility helps teams see what is happening across production, inventory, finance, sales, and operations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Sage X3, teams can use&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/product-capabilities\/production-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">real-time operational insights<\/a>&nbsp;to adjust when demand shifts, production capacity tightens, or new markets add complexity. For leaders, those insights can support faster decisions across sites, business units, and countries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ai-and-predictive-insight-nbsp\">AI and predictive insight&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>AI can help teams move from reactive reporting to earlier insight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/02\/sage-x3-brings-real-time-ai-driven-intelligence-to-help-mid-sized-businesses-act-faster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage Ai and Sage Copilot<\/a>&nbsp;embedded into workflows, Sage X3 helps teams surface alerts, detect anomalies, automate routine processes, and make faster decisions. The value of AI in supply chain strategy comes from applying intelligence to connected operational and financial data.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-connected-cloud-erp-nbsp\">Connected cloud ERP&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/erp\/cloud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cloud ERP system<\/a>&nbsp;can support supply chain strategy by connecting teams, locations, and business functions through a shared platform.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For organizations expanding across sites or countries,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/product-capabilities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage X3<\/a>&nbsp;helps standardize processes,&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;financial control, and reduce the complexity of disconnected local tools.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-build-a-stronger-supply-chain-strategy-with-sage-x3-nbsp\">Build a stronger supply chain strategy with Sage X3&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Supply chain strategy works best when teams can act from the same operational and financial data. Sage X3 helps create that connected foundation, so businesses can make faster decisions and scale with greater control.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Ready to build a more connected supply chain strategy?&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-x3\/#gate-afe78fc4-0da4-4631-aa4b-641698d23836\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Take a product tour of Sage X3<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>.<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-about-supply-chain-strategy-nbsp\">Frequently asked questions about supply chain strategy&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-a-supply-chain-strategy-support-profitable-growth-nbsp\">How does a supply chain strategy support profitable growth?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Supply chain strategy helps leaders connect operational decisions to financial outcomes, including how much inventory to hold, where production capacity is needed, which processes to automate, and how growth affects working capital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For businesses expanding across sites, channels, or countries, a connected strategy can support scale without adding unnecessary manual work or weakening financial control.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-supply-chain-strategy-improve-finance-and-operations-alignment-nbsp\">How does supply chain strategy improve finance and operations alignment?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Supply chain decisions affect cash flow, margins, service levels, and forecasting. A strong strategy gives finance and operations teams a shared view of inventory, production, cost, and demand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That shared view helps teams make decisions with the same information, rather than reconciling separate reports after problems appear.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-role-does-erp-play-in-supply-chain-strategy-nbsp\">What role does ERP play in supply chain strategy?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ERP software connects the core processes that support supply chain strategy, including finance, procurement, inventory, manufacturing, quality, sales, and reporting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For companies managing complex operations, ERP can provide&nbsp;a single source&nbsp;of truth for operational and financial data, making it easier to&nbsp;monitor&nbsp;performance, automate workflows, and make decisions across sites or business units.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/distribution\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDistribution\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/erp\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tERP solutions\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/sage-x3\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSage X3\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/supply-chain-management\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSupply chain management\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-36674 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-distribution tag-erp tag-sage-x3 tag-supply-chain-management business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-distribution industry-wholesale-distribution card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1214\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0305-1214x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0305-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0305-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Distribution_0305-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-04T10:56:07-04:00\">June 4, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/supply-chain-integration\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhat\u00a0is supply chain integration and why does it matter?\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tLearn how supply chain integration connects systems, teams, and data to improve visibility, reduce operational friction, and help businesses respond faster to disruption and customer demand.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-36541 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-distribution tag-sage-x3 tag-supply-chain-management business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-distribution industry-wholesale-distribution\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/supply-chain-disruption\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1367106337-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1367106337-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1367106337-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1367106337-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T13:33:42-04:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is supply chain disruption and how do you manage it?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-28210 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-strategy-legal-operations tag-boss-your-business tag-business-intelligence tag-business-strategy tag-distribution tag-growing-a-business tag-inventory-management tag-productivity tag-supply-chain-management business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-distribution industry-wholesale-distribution\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-order-processing\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T11:22:21-04:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">19 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tOrder processing explained: Steps, systems and best practices\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-36513 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-supply-chain-management business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-distribution industry-wholesale-distribution\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/supply-chain-visibility\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/getty-images-ctK1p2Iz9SM-unsplash-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/getty-images-ctK1p2Iz9SM-unsplash-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/getty-images-ctK1p2Iz9SM-unsplash-768x519.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/getty-images-ctK1p2Iz9SM-unsplash.jpg 1199w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-20T12:34:25-04:00\">May 20, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is supply chain visibility? A complete guide for growing businesses\u00a0\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-36143 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-boss-your-business tag-distribution business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-transportation\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/how-to-grow-a-trucking-company\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Discrete-Mfg-Appliances_0388-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Discrete-Mfg-Appliances_0388-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Discrete-Mfg-Appliances_0388-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/BrandShoot-LND_June2024_Discrete-Mfg-Appliances_0388-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-17T09:12:19-04:00\">April 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to grow a trucking company\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supply chain strategy is the plan that connects how you source, store, and deliver goods. Learn what it is, the different types, and how to build one. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1877,"featured_media":9142,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[300,13,392,36],"business_type":[40,41],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[94,53,454],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[245,463,433,434,504,233,1032,237],"coauthors":[622],"class_list":["post-36633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-distribution","tag-erp","tag-sage-x3","tag-supply-chain-management","business_type-small-business","business_type-growing-business","industry-distribution","industry-manufacturing","industry-wholesale-distribution"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Chrissie Buchanan","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-543161718.jpg","imagine_tags":{"245":"Distribution","463":"ERP","433":"Inventory Management","434":"Large Business","504":"Manufacturing","233":"Medium Businesses","1032":"Supply chain intelligence","237":"Supply Chain Management"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1877"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36633"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36673,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36633\/revisions\/36673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=36633"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=36633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}