Considerations for Implementing Back-to-Back Fulfillment

Use back-to-back fulfillment when you prefer not to keep stock on hand.

The following table provides points to consider before implementing back-to-back fulfillment.

Consideration	Description
Cost-effective fulfillment for high-cost, non-stocked, slow-moving items	Back-to-back fulfillment is best suited for items that your organizations choose not to stock. A request for supply is created only after a sales order is scheduled for items you have designated for back-to-back fulfillment. This fulfillment process flow also offers your organizations the flexibility to extend their product offerings even if they don't directly stock goods.
Prevents loss or misallocation of supply	The essence of the back-to-back process flow is the firm link that exists between the demand document (sales order) and the supply document (purchase order, transfer order, or work order). This link between sales order and supply document is crucial in preventing misallocation or diversion of supply for other demands.
Provides organizations with more centralized control over the fulfillment process	Fulfillment decisions are controlled centrally for back-to-back flows. This allows your organizations to designate items to be back-to-back enabled and apply sourcing rules to determine supply creation options.
Provides 360 degree visibility of the supply creation and fulfillment process	Back-to-back fulfillment allows for visibility to demand, supply, and exceptions in the fulfillment flow. This high-level visibility provides your order fulfillment and supply chain operations managers with up-to-date information and enhances their responsiveness to exceptions. Reducing incidence of fulfillment delays is a key factor in back-to-back fulfillment.