Towards integration of supply and finance chains

Abstract

Enterprises are experiencing difficulties with AP/AR reconciliation on account of missing or incomplete referencing between the purchase order, the invoice and the payment. Banks are developing Supply Chain Finance products and services, but these are not integrated with the supply chain processes. The results of a survey conducted by IBM on the integration of supply and finance chains are reviewed, and a vision based on interlinked supply chain and financial platforms is outlined. The paper then reviews the various European initiatives and the necessary efforts to achieve integration.