The origin of Optimact? We owe it to Microsoft Excel.
by Olivier Corluy
Admittedly, I also worked with Excel for many years. And it worked well. Excel is an extremely flexible and powerful piece of software that allows you to perform many complex calculations. That is why many supply chain managers see it as the ideal companion for managing inventory and optimizing forecasts. However, I quickly realized that this only works up to a certain level—because Excel’s strengths are also its pitfalls. Below are the three main advantages or disadvantages (depending on how you look at it):
Flexible
With Excel, you always start from a blank sheet. That offers enormous flexibility. The downside is that all input, all ideas, and all logic have to come from you. As soon as your inventory grows—and inventory management becomes more intensive—that flexibility quickly leads to a lack of overview. Moreover, everything in Excel can be changed freely. It remains a manual tool without any form of control. If you accidentally make a small mistake in a calculation or even in a single cell, your entire inventory calculation can be wrong without you realizing it.
Powerful
Excel allows us to implement powerful formulas and perform complex processing methods. But that power is also a risk. What happens when, over time, you end up with a sheet containing thousands of rows and columns? Do you still maintain a clear overview? For me, it became overwhelming, resulting in time loss and inefficiency. That is when I started thinking about a tool that would not only be clear, but also efficient and simple.
Unlimited
Within Excel, you are free to do whatever you want. You use the formulas and methods you prefer and adapt the program to your own needs. But what if something goes wrong? Excel offers no standardization. And there is no tool that warns you when something is going wrong. Proper management and accurate control are therefore required to avoid errors. Given the size of your inventory, that can be a hellish and time-consuming task. I have all too often had to scroll through sheets with 10,000 items. I promised myself I would never have to do that again.
These three pitfalls made me realize that Microsoft’s program is not specialized software for inventory management and forecasting. That is how the idea for Optimact was born: an all-in-one solution where, as a supply chain manager, you do not have to start from a blank page. Optimact processes your data into a clear and user-friendly overview. If the program detects a potential error or threat, it flags it so you can quickly and precisely check whether something needs to be adjusted. No more scrolling through 10,000 items—saving time and energy.
Optimact continues to evolve. Our team of experts works with companies across different sectors, and we use those insights to keep improving Optimact. My ultimate goal? To make Optimact the all-encompassing and error-free tool for managing your inventory and running your forecasts. One thing is certain: I am glad I no longer have to work with Excel.