Our Supply Chain Heroes program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.
For Sarah Wilkinson, S&OP Lead at Control Devices, driving supply chain excellence is about more than just managing data, it's about leading people through transformation. From her early days as a Supply Chain Analyst to her current role leading Sales and Operations Planning, Sarah has been a driving force in moving her organization away from manual legacy processes and into a future of automated, prioritized workflows.
Overcoming the Limits of Manual Reporting
Before implementing APEX by LeanDNA, Sarah and her team faced significant hurdles in visibility. Data was difficult to see from a supplier or product line perspective, and the team lacked the ability to manipulate views to review information efficiently.
To bridge these gaps, the team relied on exporting data into Excel to make it readable. While this provided some visibility, it came with constant risk of manual errors and a heavy reliance on a few individuals with the advanced Excel knowledge required to maintain the files.
Leading the Charge for Automated Workflows
Sarah played a critical role during the initial implementation of APEX, navigating the difficult transition from manual habits to automated processes. Her strategy for successful change management was simple but meaningful: lead with excitement.
“I think one of the best things you can do when making change is to be excited about the change and let those you are training see your excitement. I also believe it is important to show how these automated processes can save buyers time and energy so they can focus on what the data is saying and what steps to take instead of all the manual steps that were previously being taken.” - Sarah Wilkinson, S&OP Lead at Control Devices
By focusing on workflows that made sense for the buyers, Sarah ensured the wider procurement team embraced the tool.
Driving Engagement and Visibility
The shift from manual spreadsheets to automated, intelligent workflows has delivered tangible improvements to the Control Devices team. By providing a single, prioritized source of truth, APEX has empowered the team to work more strategically.
“I believe APEX helps our buyers be more engaged and allows them to better prioritize what actions to work on first. It has also helped with visibility to shortages and updates on those shortages.” - Sarah Wilkinson, S&OP Lead at Control Devices
By eliminating the time previously spent on manual data manipulation, the team can now focus on high-value activities. This increased visibility ensures that the right items are prioritized, reducing the impact of shortages and keeping production moving forward. With this, the Control Devices team has achieved a 5% year over year reduction in backward days of inventory and a 19% inventory reduction.
Furthermore, Sarah is now expanding these results by using the Open Customer Order report to align departments and create daily workflows that maintain real-time information for the entire organization.
A Word of Advice: Break the Cycle of "How We've Always Done It"
When asked what she would share with other supply chain professionals, Sarah emphasized the importance of an open mind.
“Don’t get stuck in ‘this is how we’ve always done it.’ I think it is important to evaluate where your limitations are with your current systems and see what opportunities could open up with supply chain tools, whether it is efficiency, time saving, or improving data integrity.”
Through her leadership in change management and her commitment to continuous improvement, Sarah Wilkinson has demonstrated how embracing modern technology can transform a supply chain from reactive to proactive.
Nominate a Hero If you’d like to nominate someone for our Supply Chain Hero program or view more hero stories, click here.
See APEX by LeanDNA in Action If Sarah’s story resonated with you and you’d like to learn more about how APEX can help your team, click here to schedule a demo.
