Many supply chain planning software vendors have taken steps to modernize at least some aspects of the technology used in their existing solutions. They’ve moved their software to the cloud, for example, or added support for basic machine learning algorithms which address a limited set of use cases. In many cases, however, the underlying software architecture of these solutions, which was initially developed to support a traditional siloed supply chain planning model, remains the same. True concurrent supply chain planning software solutions, on the other hand, have been architected from the ground up to meet the requirements of the new planning paradigm, which is connected, end-to-end and highly data-driven. These solutions take advantage of lower-cost computational power and advanced algorithms, which enable planners to produce plans and evaluate scenarios much faster than they could with legacy planning systems. Concurrent planning software is typically one component of a larger, scalable platform designed for end-to-end supply chain planning and execution. Individual features vary from one solution to the next, but the leading solutions align in their use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation to provide greater visibility and transparency across the entire supply chain. Advanced analytics capabilities, for example, are an indispensable component of concurrent planning software solutions. They provide planners and other supply chain professionals with important insights they can use to fine tune their plans, make more informed decisions, optimize their supply chains, and provide better customer service. Different solutions support different levels of analytics. Those that feature predictive analytics, for example, help planners understand likely outcomes through a statistical forecast or predictive model derived from machine learning techniques. Prescriptive analytics take this a step further, recommending a specific course of action, typically using mathematical optimization, heuristics or other rule-based systems.