Strengthening Supply Chain Visibility and Exception Management with SOLIS

Keeping Critical Inventory Moving

In a high-volume manufacturing environment, production depends on the timely flow of inbound materials. When product arrives without the documentation required to receive inventory, even a single exception can create downstream operational challenges.

To improve visibility, accountability, and resolution of receiving exceptions, a Tier-1 automotive manufacturing supplier partnered with Sunland Logistics Solutions to implement the SOLIS Non-Conforming Inventory (NCI) workflow. The solution provides a centralized process for identifying, tracking, documenting, and resolving supplier conformance and receiving issues. The workflow includes issue creation, automated notifications, document management, ownership tracking, and closure documentation.

The manufacturer’s inbound supply chain relies on suppliers providing complete and accurate shipment information. However, documentation and compliance issues are a recurring challenge across global supply networks.

Common issues include:

• Missing packing lists
• Missing Advance Shipping Notices (ASN)
• Missing or incorrect purchase orders
• Supplier compliance discrepancies
• Packaging and labeling issues

When these situations occur, inventory may physically arrive at the warehouse but cannot be received into the Warehouse Management System (WMS).

As a result:

• Product remains on the receiving dock awaiting resolution.
• Inventory visibility is delayed.
• Receiving throughput can be impacted.
• Cross-functional teams spend time coordinating issue resolution.
• Critical information is often distributed across multiple emails and attachments.

The automotive manufacturer needed a scalable, repeatable process that could improve collaboration while providing visibility across operations, purchasing, planning, and supplier teams.

SOLIS NCI transforms receiving exceptions into structured, trackable workflows.

When an issue is identified, a Non-Conforming Inventory record is created and routed to the appropriate stakeholders. Supporting documentation such as packing slips, purchase orders, photographs, and other evidence can be attached directly to the issue record. Status, ownership, communications, and corrective actions remain visible throughout the lifecycle of the issue.

By replacing fragmented communications with a centralized workflow, SOLIS creates a single source of truth for exception management.

Instead of searching through email chains and shared files, stakeholders collaborate within one platform, ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and consistency.

Managing Exceptions at Scale

Within the first 10 months after implementation, the manufacturer processed 2,061 Non-Conforming Inventory records (excluding SAP QC Hold activity).

Exception Breakdown

The data captured reflected common challenges across manufacturing supply chains:

• 42% of all exceptions involved packing-list issues.
• 21% involved ASN discrepancies.
• 13% involved supplier compliance issues.
• 12% involved purchase-order-related issues.

Together, these four categories account for approximately 88% of all inventory exceptions, demonstrating the importance of a disciplined process for managing supplier conformance and receiving disruptions.

By centralizing exception management within SOLIS, the manufacturer and Sunland created a scalable operational process that delivers:

Greater Visibility

All stakeholders can access issue status, ownership, supporting documentation, and resolution history from a single location.

Improved Accountability

Ownership is clearly assigned, helping drive faster coordination and issue resolution.

Streamlined Collaboration

Automated notifications ensure the right people are engaged quickly when issues occur.

Reduced Email Dependency

Documentation, communications, and corrective actions remain tied to the issue record, eliminating the need to work outside the system.

Better Operational Flow

A structured resolution process helps inventory move through receiving more efficiently while reducing the operational burden associated with manual exception management.

Complete Traceability

Every issue maintains a documented history of actions, communications, attachments, and final disposition.