UNIVERSAL RULES (apply to every brief task)
- ALWAYS include specific recommended actions with deadlines in every output -- observations without actions are not acceptable
- NEVER delay an escalation alert to include it in the next weekly brief -- time-sensitive signals require immediate notification
MANDATORY OUTPUT HEADER
TASK: [e.g. Weekly Supply Chain Brief -- Week of 2024-03-18]
CONFIGURATION: [Loaded: supply-chain.local.md / Not configured]
DATA SOURCES: [ERP / AP / TMS / Contract register / Risk monitoring]
WEEKLY SUPPLY CHAIN BRIEF WORKFLOW
Data Pull (automated via MCP -- every Monday morning)
FROM ERP:
- Vendor OTD by tier (prior week + 13-week rolling average)
- Quality rejection rate by tier (prior week + 13-week rolling)
- Open purchase orders overdue (count + value)
- Stock-outs or near-stock-outs flagged (where inventory tracking enabled)
FROM AP SYSTEM:
- Invoices processed (total / straight-through / exception rate)
- Exception rate by type (price variance / qty variance / PO not found)
- Open disputes (count + value + age)
- AP ageing: invoices approaching payment term deadline
- Early payment discounts captured vs. missed (where applicable)
FROM TMS / LOGISTICS:
- Carrier OTD by carrier (prior week + 4-week rolling)
- Damage and claim rate
- Cost per kg vs. prior week and vs. contracted rate
- Expedited freight % of total shipments
FROM CONTRACT REGISTER:
- Contracts expiring within 90 days (with notice deadline)
- Certifications expiring within 90 days
- Any contracts where notice deadline is within 30 days (URGENT)
FROM VENDOR RISK MONITORING:
- New risk signals this week (count by severity)
- Active escalations (count + vendor names)
- Contingency plans active (count)
Executive Brief Output Format
SUPPLY CHAIN WEEKLY BRIEF -- Week of [Date]
Prepared: [Day] [Time] | For: CPO, COO
================================================================
TRAFFIC LIGHT SUMMARY
Vendor Performance: [GREEN / AMBER / RED] OTD: [X]% Quality rej: [X]%
Invoice Processing: [GREEN / AMBER / RED] Exception rate: [X]% Open disputes: [X]
Logistics: [GREEN / AMBER / RED] Carrier OTD: [X]% Cost/kg: [X]
Vendor Risk: [GREEN / AMBER / RED] Active alerts: [N] Escalations: [N]
Contract Calendar: [GREEN / AMBER / RED] Renewals due 90d: [N] URGENT: [N]
THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS
WIN:
[The single most positive supply chain development this week -- specific]
RISK:
[The single most important issue requiring CPO/COO attention -- specific,
with recommended action and deadline]
DECISION REQUIRED:
[One thing leadership needs to decide or unblock -- specific]
LEADING INDICATOR STATUS
Vendor OTD trend (13-week): [Improving / Stable / Declining]
Invoice exception trend: [Improving / Stable / Declining]
Active risk alerts trend: [Improving / Stable / Declining]
AT-RISK SITUATIONS REQUIRING LEADERSHIP ATTENTION
[Vendor / Issue] [Risk level] [Time-sensitivity] [Recommended action]
CONTRACT CALENDAR -- URGENT (notice deadline within 30 days)
[Contract] [Expiry] [Notice deadline] [Decision needed]
SAVINGS PIPELINE THIS WEEK
New opportunities identified: [X]
Savings captured this week: [X]
YTD savings captured: [X] vs. target: [X]
================================================================
Full Operations Report Format (monthly -- for operations meeting)
Expand the weekly brief with:
- Month-on-month trend charts (described as data for chart generation)
- Category-by-category vendor performance
- AP exception analysis with root cause breakdown
- Logistics: carrier comparison, lane performance, expedited root cause
- Risk matrix: all monitored vendors plotted by likelihood x impact
- Savings pipeline: all active opportunities with owner and status
- Forward look: key decisions and actions required in next 30 days
Escalation Alert Format (immediate -- not in weekly cycle)
Trigger escalation alert immediately for:
- Any Tier 1 Strategic vendor OTD below 75% in any single week
- Financial distress news on any Strategic or Bottleneck vendor
- Bank detail change attempt on any active vendor (fraud alert)
- Invoice fraud attempt detected (duplicate + amount manipulation)
- Logistics disruption affecting >20% of weekly shipment volume
- Contract notice deadline missed (requires legal consultation)
ESCALATION ALERT -- [Timestamp]
---------------------------------------------------------
Alert type: [Category]
Severity: RED CRITICAL / AMBER HIGH
Description: [Specific facts only -- no speculation]
Immediate action required: [What must happen in next 24 hours]
Escalate to: [Named individuals]
---------------------------------------------------------
NEVER DO THESE
- NEVER produce a supply chain brief that is longer than one page for the CPO/COO audience -- they need the headline, the risk, and the action; not the full analysis (link to detail if needed)
- NEVER present metrics without comparison to target or prior period -- a number without context is meaningless
- NEVER omit the DECISION REQUIRED section -- the brief exists to drive decisions, not to report history
- NEVER delay an escalation alert to include it in the next weekly brief -- time-sensitive signals require immediate notification
ALL OUTPUTS REQUIRE REVIEW BY A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USE IN BUSINESS DECISIONS.