As McKinsey recently noted, “the global trade system is rife with uncertainty—but businesses can’t afford to remain frozen.”
In their article “Tariffs and trade: Preparing for the unpredictable”, they outline how tariffs are no longer rare events. They are recurring—and increasingly used as geopolitical tools. For global supply chains, this means one thing: unpredictability is now the norm.
For operations leaders, this isn’t just a policy challenge; it’s an execution risk. Every new tariff introduces delays, rework, margin pressure, and customer disruption. And it’s supply chain teams that bear the brunt of the response.
At OpenText, we help customers turn this volatility into an opportunity for resilience. With Business Network, supply chain operations teams gain supply chain visibility, automation and orchestration, and agility: the three things that matter most when the trade landscape shifts overnight.
See it sooner: Real-time supply chain visibility across your network
You can’t respond fast to a tariff you can’t see coming. OpenText gives you the ability to monitor goods in motion across your global network. With Command Center and Aviator IoT, operations teams can pinpoint exactly which shipments are impacted, what suppliers are involved, where goods are stuck, and what customers may be affected.
This level of supply chain visibility helps teams reroute shipments, adjust ETAs, prioritize alternatives, and communicate clearly with partners—all before disruptions cascade down the chain.
Get the documents right automatically with e-Invoicing
Every shift in tariff policy brings changes in customs documentation. You may need a certificate of origin. A revised HS code. Or a country-specific e-Invoicing format with digital signature. Errors in any of these lead to shipment holds or rejections.
OpenText automates trade document creation and exchange. Our platform supports EDI, XML, and structured e-Invoicing, keeping you aligned with evolving global mandates. That means your team isn’t manually fixing customs declarations at midnight or losing sleep over compliance gaps.
Understand the impact and act fast with supply chain automation
When tariffs are announced, the first question is always: what’s the impact? The second is: what do we do next?
OpenText Business Network includes embedded analytics and AI-powered natural language queries that make it easy to find operational answers fast:
- Which shipments from a tariffed region are arriving next week?
- Which suppliers are tied to impacted materials or SKUs?
- What’s the total value of orders affected by the new duty?
These insights power faster decisions and more agile planning as the key benefits of intelligent supply chain automation.
Switch suppliers without weeks of setup
Speed matters when you need to pivot sourcing. Whether you’re onboarding a new component supplier in Eastern Europe or activating a backup manufacturer in Latin America, OpenText makes it possible without the usual IT delays.
Our global Trading Grid connects over 1 million pre-integrated trading partners. With pre-built templates, secure data exchange, and managed or self-service onboarding options, new suppliers can be activated in days and not months.
Why it matters
Tariffs aren’t going away. In fact, McKinsey predicts more trade policy volatility in the next five years than in the previous fifteen. For supply chain leaders, that means uncertainty is the default setting.
But with the right tools, uncertainty doesn’t have to mean paralysis.
OpenText Business Network gives operations teams what they need to take control:
- End-to-end supply chain visibility
- Automated e-Invoicing and customs compliance
- AI-driven insights for smarter decisions
- Agile supplier onboarding and supply chain automation
- Scalable integration infrastructure for global trade
When the next tariff hits—and it will—you don’t have to scramble. You just execute.
See how OpenText Business Network helps supply chain teams stay ahead of disruption and maintain control, even in the face of global volatility.
Learn about OpenText Business Cloud
