What is a MMS?
A Material Management System (MMS) is a software platform used to manage the planning, procurement, movement, storage, and control of materials throughout the supply chain. It ensures the right materials are available at the right time, in the right quantity, and at optimal cost, supporting both production and operational needs.
It integrates with procurement, inventory, warehouse, and finance systems to streamline material flow from suppliers to end-users.
Core Components of Thanya’s MMS
- Forecasts material requirements based on production schedules, sales orders, and inventory levels.
- Helps in generating Material Requirement Plans (MRP).
- Minimizes overstocking and understocking.
- Automates vendor selection, purchase requisitions, RFQs (Request for Quotations), and purchase orders (POs).
- Tracks supplier performance, lead times, and costs.
- Ensures compliance with procurement policies.
- Monitors stock levels, stock locations, and reorder points.
- Supports cycle counting, stock transfers, and adjustments.
- Ensures real-time visibility into material availability.
- Records goods received from suppliers, including quantity and condition.
- Supports quality checks, quarantine procedures, and rejection handling.
- Updates inventory records automatically after inspection.
- Tracks material issuance to production or projects.
- Records returns to stock or scrap if unused or defective.
- Maintains traceability of material usage.
- Manages physical locations, bin storage, and warehouse layout.
- Supports FIFO/LIFO/FEFO methods, lot tracking, and shelf life management.
- Enhances storage efficiency and retrieval accuracy.
- Offers real-time dashboards and analytics on inventory turnover, material cost trends, and procurement KPIs.
- Identifies bottlenecks and waste in the material flow.
- Links with ERP, financial, and manufacturing systems (like MRP and MES).
- Enables end-to-end visibility from material planning to final product.
Key Functions and Features of Thanya’s MMS
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Material Requirement Planning | Calculates future material needs based on production and demand forecasts. |
| Purchase Order Management | Automates the procurement cycle, from requisition to PO creation and approval. |
| Real-Time Inventory Tracking | Provides instant visibility into stock levels and locations across all facilities. |
| Supplier Management | Maintains a database of suppliers, including ratings, contracts, and performance data. |
| Goods Receipt and Inspection | Captures quality and quantity of materials received, linking them to purchase orders. |
| Material Issuance Control | Issues materials to work orders or cost centers with tracking and validation. |
| Warehouse Optimization | Organizes materials within storage locations to improve accessibility and reduce handling time. |
| Alerts and Notifications | Triggers automatic alerts for reorder points, stockouts, delivery delays, or quality issues. |
Architecture of a Typical MMS
1. User Interface (UI)
- Web-based and mobile dashboards for buyers, warehouse staff, and planners.
- Role-based access to modules.
2. Application Layer
- Business logic for MRP, procurement rules, inventory controls, and supplier workflows.
3. Integration Layer
- Connects with ERP, finance, CRM, production planning (PP), and warehouse systems via APIs or middleware.
4. Database Layer
- Stores master data (items, suppliers, locations), transaction history, and audit logs.
Benefits of Implementing Thanya’s MMS
Cost Optimization
Reduces excess inventory, minimizes material shortages, and avoids urgent purchasing costs.
Operational Efficiency
Automates material-related tasks, ensuring smooth production and project execution.
Improved Accuracy
Reduces manual errors in stock counting, ordering, and receiving processes.
Inventory Visibility
Provides real-time access to material data across departments and locations.
Better Supplier Relationships
Enables performance tracking and collaborative procurement.
Compliance and Traceability
Ensures documentation and traceability for regulatory audits and quality assurance.