In today’s fast-paced business landscape, efficient information management is paramount. ECM systems play a pivotal role in streamlining document storage, retrieval, and collaboration. This survey aimed to uncover insights from professionals across various industries, shedding light on the current business operational trends. This report looks at those results and contributes to an understanding of how ECM systems can impact enterprise operations and the evolving needs of organizations.
Laserfiche contracted SME and Mercury Research LLC to conduct an independent 3rd party study focusing on the manufacturing industry, specifically surveying over 300 professionals employed with organizations with 101 or more employees and $10M or more in annual revenue. The sample selection was taken from an independent online panel between July 12 – August 3, 2023.
Key takeaways
Although only 15% of respondents currently utilize an ECM, another 17% indicate that an ECM is on their roadmap for future process integration.
Three-in-five respondents (60%) indicated that the primary organizational need driving their interest in process integration is for increased operational efficiency.
Increasing overall process effectiveness and enabling data-driven decision making are the top priorities for organizations’ process integration/ digitization journeys. Increased data accuracy is a top business challenge their organizations are looking to resolve.
Two-thirds of respondents indicated that cybersecurity is a top priority and key concern over the next 1-3 years.
AI, cloud computing, document/records management and cloud integrations are the most common processes organizations are planning to implement or are currently being implemented.
Current system utilization
Almost all respondents (97%) indicated that their organization is using at least one automation system, with the average being between 4-5 systems Less than one-in-five respondents is currently utilizing an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system.
Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems can streamline operations between the increasing number of systems manufacturers use by creating a single source of truth for production, from the production floor to the back-office.
Number of Systems Utilized by Industry
With only 20-30% of organizations’ current processes automated, Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems can improve administrative work and workflows through the digitization of various paper documents and integrating them within core applications used throughout the organization.
Percentage of Operations Completely Automated
With most of factory floor operations still being completed manual, repetitive document processing is a significant waste of time (and thus unnecessary money is being spent). This creates silos and unstandardized records structures for organizations.
Grace Nam, Strategic Solutions Manager, Manufacturing at Laserfiche, explores ways in which manufacturers can boost efficiencies and keep up with customer demand, even as inflation and supply chain issues continue to put pressure on the industry.
As DHL strengthens infrastructure in Latin America, the IT department needed to build more automated, digital and sustainable operations. Initiatives to digitize flight information and records for pilots and dispatchers evolved into larger projects in airplane maintenance and legal.
SOLUTION
Laserfiche was the perfect solution for its records management, electronic forms and process automation capabilities. As departments discover new efficiencies and see how easy Laserfiche is to use, the Laserfiche project list continues to grow.
RESULTS
With Laserfiche, DHL has created more sustainable and efficient operations. These digital initiatives have also opened up opportunities to gather data on processes, enabling the organization to continue to optimize and grow without sacrificing quality in its services.
DHL is one of the world’s leading logistics companies, employing 100,000 people in over 220 countries and territories. Whether for a small parcel or fleet of large shipping containers, DHL prides itself on its efficiency and care in transporting goods and information.
As the company strengthens its infrastructure in Latin America and looks to more automated, digital and sustainable operations overall, Laserfiche plays a critical role in its innovation, responsible and sustainable information management, and growth in the region.
Piloting the Electronic Flight Bag Process
As part of DHL’s efforts to increase efficiency, support sustainability and strengthen business resilience, the IT team began searching for a platform for digitizing records in the human resources department. When COVID-19 became a concern in 2020, this morphed into a quest to quickly deploy a digital solution for the electronic flight bag (EFB) process. This led DHL’s IT team to Laserfiche, which presented the opportunity to optimize these processes and more.
The DHL team consulted with Canella, S.A., a Laserfiche solution provider based in Guatemala, who recommended Laserfiche. When deciding between an on-premises or cloud deployment, the choice was clear.
“In 2019 we were told, ‘No more local servers,’” said Rodolfo Gonzalez, information technology manager at DHL de Guatemala S.A. “So that’s why we went with Laserfiche Cloud — for IT, it’s easier because we don’t have to buy servers and have maintenance for servers. We don’t have to worry about updates or infrastructure; Laserfiche handles those.”
The first project the team took on was the EFB process: Historically, pilots and crew members were required to visit the dispatchers office to get a hard copy of the documentation needed for their flight. This documentation included critical data including flight route, weather, and landing surface/airport information, as well as details about weight and balance, and dangerous goods or animals aboard. On top of the copy for the pilot, dispatchers also had to make seven additional copies for compliance purposes.
“The biggest challenge is that all that information comes from a different system,” said Gonzalez. “We have one system for weight and balance, one for weather, etc. At the time, printing it all was the quickest solution.”
If changes were needed to the documentation, for example due to updates or changes to routes, the pilot would need to call a dispatcher to make the adjustments, re-print the package and physically deliver it to the cockpit.
This became unfeasible with COVID-19’s arrival. IT needed to roll out a solution and do it fast. Gonzalez and his team deployed Laserfiche as a repository that would hold all electronic flight bag information from different systems. All pilots received iPads from which they could access Laserfiche, removing the need for anyone to physically pick up or drop off documentation. Changes could be made instantaneously and digitally accessed through the iPads.
DHL continues to use the new process due to its efficiency and better employee experience, even as COVID-19 restrictions have eased.
“Dispatchers can prepare the EFB an hour before the flight and pilots can review and approve it on their iPad before they even come into the office,” said Edwin Wong, aviation regional IT manager. “And because we can prove we have the information backed up, we don’t need to print the packet eight times.”
“We also used to have dispatchers running to planes, introducing risk of falling on stairs or slipping if it was a rainy day, for example,” Gonzalez added. “So we’re preventing accidents as well.”
Automation Takes Flight Across the Organization
After the success of the EFB process, the IT team redirected its focus to HR, which needed a digital solution for employee records. “We have an issue here with humidity,” Gonzalez explained. “This presents a risk to paper files; we’ve lost some files because of it.” Laserfiche was the perfect solution for its records management, electronic forms and process automation capabilities.
Additionally, the IT team built a Laserfiche form with which pilots and crew members can report on flying hours, which are automatically sent to flight operations managers for approval. Ultimately, Gonzalez and his team would like to enable the organization to track more data about the planes and crews, such as how many hours flown, in order to better allocate resources — something that they would do through an integration with DHL’s airplane information management system (AIMS).
In a similar effort, DHL now tracks mechanics’ certifications through Laserfiche, which were historically managed manually by a maintenance and quality control assistant who recorded documentation and mechanics’ information, as well as what aircraft mechanics were able to do maintenance on based on their certifications in a spreadsheet.
Challenges with the legacy process included lapses of time between certifications expiring and being revalidated. “Sometimes mechanics had to be sent to training, and sometimes that training is in a different country,” Gonzalez said. “But if your certification hasn’t been renewed and you show up to work, you can’t touch our airplanes.”
To combat these lapses and make the entire process easier for everyone involved, Laserfiche now automatically sends reminders on a specific cadence before certifications expire. Mechanics are responsible for uploading their own documentation into Laserfiche which is then routed to quality control for review and approval.
“We simplified the process and now we have more control over it,” said Gonzalez. “Having a system of record, automated notifications and automated routing for review and approval helps us a lot. We have more visibility into the process; it’s more streamlined and we’re not losing valuable time from expired certifications.”
Shipping Success: DHL’s Ongoing Digital Transformation
Today, Gonzalez and his team continue to optimize processes and find new areas to automate throughout the organization. “One of my biggest worries in IT is that the performance of the systems we use could suffer from increased use,” Gonzalez said. “But this hasn’t been true for Laserfiche. We used to have 30 users, and now we have 200. We used to have two forms and now we have a lot — the performance stays the same.”
One high impact project that’s currently in progress is contract management. “Having contracts in Laserfiche — with the ability to track changes, versions and work off the same document — it’s going to give us more control,” said Gonzalez. “We’ll also have a sense of how much time it takes to review a contract, enabling us to optimize or allocate resources if we find that our legal department is inundated during certain times of year, for example.”
For DHL’s IT team, the sky is the limit. “Laserfiche is so easy,” said Gonzalez. “You can build a process in your mind, put it on paper, and Laserfiche will do its magic. And if business users ask for a change then we can make the change — the system is flexible. We’re able to be agile in our processes. Our solution provider Canella and Laserfiche have been incredible partners and have been able to handle anything we’ve thrown at them.”
“We can take a complex process and simplify it for our users,” added Wong. “Users have information at their fingertips. Prior to Laserfiche, there was a lot of going back and forth to get information, and now with Laserfiche, everything is within reach with just a few clicks or by filling out a simple form.”
• Dependence on proprietary software was costly to maintain and lacked scalability
• Needed a flexible solution that would streamline multiple logistics management processes
RESULTS
• Automated processes that enable the company to better track inventory, accelerate delivery and capture damage liability documentation
• Enabled processes to scale with the company’s growth, from handling 10,000 packages per month to 30,000 per month without adding significant numbers of warehouse employees
• Enhanced customer experience
Sometimes freight doesn’t fit neatly into a box or packages need to be placed carefully inside a home or commercial space. Enter white glove delivery services, which require a close partnership with clients to get product to where it needs to go in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner.
“One of the challenges with white glove delivery service is that it is a lot of big product,” said Kent Werner, president director, business development at Kore Logistics, one of Canada’s leading specialized providers of final mile fulfillment and home deliveries. “If you get a big box one day for your sofa sectional and two other boxes come on different days, you’re not happy — people are back in your home and your living room is being upended again. So we prioritize efficiency, and being able to locate, identify and pick all the pieces for an order in a way that allows us to provide the level of service our clients and the end consumers expect.”
This level of tracking requires a lot of moving pieces, data and centralized documentation — and at Kore Logistics, all of this is now managed through Laserfiche and an integration with the company’s dispatching software. Using Laserfiche Forms, automated workflows and a centralized repository, Kore Logistics created processes that supported a threefold increase in capacity; the company grew from handling about 10,000 packages per month to 30,000 packages per month over the course of about a year and was acquired by Canada Cartage in 2021.
The Search for a Multifaceted Solution
Much of the complex journey of non-conveyable freight at Kore Logistics was initially managed by proprietary software that the company had built when it was a much smaller organization.
“We had stretched our proprietary application to its limit,” Werner explained.
The team decided to search for off-the-shelf technology rather than follow the traditional path of building a new custom enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, to prevent another period of stagnation as the organization grew, as well as to avoid ballooning developer costs.
Critical elements that the right technology solution needed to manage included:
Tracking products in warehouses
Creating pick lists
Creating proofs of delivery
Streamlining the sharing of data with the company’s dispatching software
“Most off-the-shelf solutions would require us to cobble together two or three different solutions in order to get what we needed,” Werner said. “They also required significant investment in specialized hardware. We knew we had to get away from another custom solution because we needed the flexibility to grow, to scale, to add modules — things that are just not possible with an in-house application.”
The company worked with Laserfiche solution provider Inspiris to implement a Laserfiche system that would address initial needs. This would quickly grow into a more comprehensive solution as Werner and his team uncovered the power of the Laserfiche product suite.
Building on Efficiencies
“For us, the rapid development enabled by Laserfiche supported a quick deployment,” said Jeremy Regehr, owner of Inspiris. “We took a phased direct-to-testing approach and, from there, made continual improvements that continue to this day.”
The first project consisted of enabling Kore Logistics to scan packages into and out of bins when they arrived at a warehouse. Shipping manifests are captured in Laserfiche and employees scan barcodes on items using a barcode scanner or cellphones, so everything can be easily tracked with a simple search in Laserfiche.
The new process has been a game changer for the organization, significantly reducing dock searches, a typically disruptive process that occurs when goods are missing, misplaced or incorrectly labeled. Dock searches require warehouse staff to inspect various areas to find the requested item, as well as checking manifests and other documentation to verify the location of the item and confirming that it is ready for further handling.
“Before Laserfiche, in a busy season, it wasn’t uncommon to have 60-plus dock searches,” said Werner. “Today, during a busy season, the maximum number of dock searches we’d have at any time is probably seven — and that’s with three times the volume.”
Next came the integration between Laserfiche and Kore Logistics’ dispatch software, DispatchTrack, to improve the process of generating pick lists, which include data such as order details, item information, quantities and location. Employees select packages within Laserfiche that need to be delivered, and that information is sent to DispatchTrack. DispatchTrack then sends truck routing information to Laserfiche, and warehouse employees are able to generate pick lists through a Laserfiche Form.
Pick lists are more efficient than with the legacy process, since employees can generate pick lists based on where items are located in the warehouse, saving hours of time each day.
More recently, Kore Logistics added the ability to import proof of delivery (POD) documents and generate them alongside pick lists, since PODs need to be made available to delivery drivers and vendors. Additionally, warehouse employees can use Laserfiche to take pictures of packages as they are received, in case they are damaged, for instance. These photos are routed to the same location as all of the other package information so that documentation is easy to find in case there are claims or other issues.
“Damaged freight is a big challenge in white glove delivery work,” said Werner. “So us being able to identify it in advance and have it documented helps us to provide better service to our clients.”
A Flexible, Scalable Future
These processes have supported Kore Logistics’ growth while also positioning the company for continuous improvement as team members uncover more opportunities for efficiency. “Our team is at a point where now they’ll ask, ‘Can we change this? Can we automate this?’” said Werner. “Everyone appreciates that we have that flexibility now. We can add something or change a process when we need to.”
Fostering a culture of innovation will be critical for the company into the future, as inflation and supply chain issues put pressure on the logistics industry. “When we started this project pre-COVID, people’s buying habits were very different,” Werner said. “COVID changed everything — different value-adds that allowed for profit disappeared. If we didn’t have tools like Laserfiche to help with efficiencies, we wouldn’t be able to stay competitive. The industry is evolving quickly, and today there’s a magnifying glass on things like freight claims. We’re able to meet those increased needs. Laserfiche allows us to stay current with our customers, and allows us to look into issues and provide them with the visibility and documentation they need to feel supported.”
A leading supplier to the global life science industry, MilliporeSigma relies on rigorous packaging testing to support the safe and convenient handling of chemical products. With hundreds of packaging configurations, the test lab needed a solution to standardize and centralize configuration data and test results, while supporting compliance with industry regulations.
SOLUTION
The test lab implemented a Laserfiche-driven solution for testing data, called STARS (Scheduling, Testing and Reporting System), as a centralized hub to input configuration and testing information in a standardized way, facilitate calculations of testing formulas, collect reviews and approvals, and generate reports to be shared organization-wide.
RESULTS
The Laserfiche-driven STARS solution has cut the time it takes to review and approve testing data and generate reports by 85%, while eliminating opportunities for manual error and increasing data transparency across the organization. As a result, lab testing employees have reclaimed time to explore new packaging materials and reduce response times to service tickets.
MilliporeSigma is the life science business of Merck, which offers best-in-class products for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. With a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services, the company is a leading provider of state-of-the-art tools, services and expertise to scientists and researchers performing experiments and engineering new products..
As an organization committed to health and safety in a highly regulated industry, MilliporeSigma relies on rigorous testing of its packaging to support the safe and convenient handling of products. With more than 700 packaging configurations, the company’s test lab needed a solution to standardize and centralize configuration data and test results, while supporting compliance with industry regulations.
“We had a number of applications that we had pieced together to create a tracker,” said Ruth Winters, senior project manager at MilliporeSigma. “There was a lot of manual effort, and so we saw opportunity to build a more efficient, more centralized and standardized process.”
The test lab reached out to Laserfiche channel partner CTaccess and discovered a solution that met the organization’s requirements in Laserfiche. The team built and implemented a system, called STARS (Scheduling, Testing and Reporting System), which now acts as a centralized hub to input configuration and testing information in a standardized way, facilitate calculations of testing formulas, collect reviews and approvals, and generate reports to be shared organization-wide.
Centralizing and Standardizing Testing Data
The main goal for the new solution was to better manage testing data. “We ship dangerous goods, which require packing materials and configurations that must be tested,” said Winters. “We have packing instructions that go along with those as well. And we have over 700 configurations which must be tested on a regular cycle.”
With the test lab’s legacy process — comprising a combination of spreadsheets, Word documents, Microsoft Teams tasks and SharePoint — there was little control over the data that packaging testers could input, and not enough visibility into any changes to the information. The testing reports that were developed were not standardized, often using varying wording or technical terminology that made reviewing them time consuming. In contrast, the new, Laserfiche-driven STARS process is kicked off with a Laserfiche form, which packaging engineers and technicians use to capture testing information in a standardized manner.
Laserfiche Forms is the foundation of the STARS system. Forms enable packaging engineers to update information within MilliporeSigma’s databases that comprise all the information they need to know about packing and configurations — including information about parts that belong in a configuration, the type of configuration, instructions for packing, etc. — and track that data and how long it’s been since it’s been tested.
A Laserfiche workflow automatically notifies staff when configurations need to be tested, and testers use a Laserfiche form that can be accessed from a mobile device, making it easy for them to input data while testing. (Previously, testers would print out the information and handwrite the information, which introduced opportunity for human error and illegibility.) During tests, testers can also take photos with their mobile devices which are automatically uploaded into the form.
“Today, the data that comes through STARS is consistent and standardized — forms are complete, and I don’t need to manually key in numbers or do calculations,” said Robert Emerson, senior packaging engineer at MilliporeSigma.
“At the same time, Laserfiche gives us peace of mind because it doesn’t allow anyone to go into the system and make changes, or perhaps inadvertently make a change, without my knowledge. Core information like packaging components and instructions must follow specific parameters. That’s so important for the organization, and a big help to me.”
Once testing is complete, Laserfiche Forms auto-formats all of the data and completes backend calculations — used to be done manually — for packaging testing reports. Critically important information like who did the testing, when it was done, what tests were completed and who approved them is all also included in the report.
Managing testing data in a consistent way, in a standardized structure where information is easily navigated and retrieved also streamlines compliance and audit procedures. The test lab has already received positive feedback from DOT auditors and MilliporeSigma’s compliance team.
“In the world of dangerous goods, these reports are critical,” Emerson said. “Laserfiche and STARS is the central hub for our whole testing program, and we are the primary testing lab domestically for Millipore Sigma.”
“We are audited by the DOT,” Winters added. “There are also audits where we need to show how packages were tested, so we need access to test reports for configurations. Or, if there is ever an incident, we need to be able to track and easily show how everything is tested. STARS allows us to pull those reports, show that we did our due diligence and present the supporting information that proves it.”
Reclaiming Time for Innovation
Beyond standardized data management, the benefits of Laserfiche at MilliporeSigma have also included impressive time savings for test lab staff.
Because STARS eliminates much of the manual intervention that was involved in the legacy testing reports process, Emerson has been able to shorten the time it takes to review, assemble and approve a report from about an hour down to 10 minutes — an improvement in efficiency of over 80%.
Because of the volume of configurations being tested (the lab could have up to 50 test reports in a month), the increased efficiency has been transformative for the test lab. “Today, the process is so much more streamlined, which has freed up time to catch up on other activities, different projects and focus areas,” Emerson said. “If we want to investigate new materials, we have the opportunity. We’re able to explore more with that time. That door is opening — and we’ll continue to open the door to more exploratory activities, more research, the ability to investigate the things that we think are cool in packaging that we just didn’t have time for before.”
Additionally, Emerson explained that his team has been able to address service tickets more quickly for stakeholders and internal customers. Meanwhile, the new Laserfiche system will be much easier for new team members to learn, supporting faster onboarding.
“There is a lot of opportunity now that we’ve established a platform via Laserfiche,” Emerson said. “We’ve got a system that we’re all working under, and everything is straightforward and intuitive. It’s a big leap over where we were just four or five years ago. And we’ll continue to optimize and build upon that success.”
Grace Nam, strategic solutions manager: manufacturing, on ways in which manufacturers can boost efficiencies and keep up with customer demand, even as inflation and supply chain issues continue to put pressure on the industry.
• Needed a way to centralize information
• Reliance on manual processes such as order management and accounts payable
• Lack of standardization and automation in processes
RESULTS
• Automated manual processes and created a digital-first, streamlined employee experience
• Increased productivity, transparency, and accountability
4Front Engineered Solutions has nine facilities in North America, and designs, manufactures and installs loading dock equipment solutions that are aimed at supplying the critical needs of customers across warehousing, manufacturing, retail, and distribution centers. As a result, productivity is a high priority. Commanding that accounts payable processes conform to the demands of today’s digital world is imperative. Like the modern and efficient approach taken with its products/solutions, 4Front wants to ensure it complies with industry regulations and more importantly, that customer needs are met with speed and accuracy.
“We initially wanted a quick way to process and access files ranging from order records, invoices and credit memos across different offices,” said Amy Skoug, director of IT — Applications at 4Front. “By developing a system that employees can use to manage core business documents from across the country, we have been able to use Laserfiche to improve efficiency and transparency for our customer service teams and other departments.”
4Front has been able to centralize information across departments in multiple locations, including accounting, customer service, engineering, and distribution, using Laserfiche repositories that enable standardized records management practices and simultaneous collaboration on documents. Employees use Laserfiche to digitally capture, manage and process order documents from purchase orders through invoicing, boosting accuracy and accountability. These initiatives have also enabled employees to work remotely during the pandemic, contributing to the company’s long-term business continuity and resiliency. Additionally, 4Front has leveraged Laserfiche to gain greater insight on how to continually improve efficiency, using to the process data from Laserfiche to rapidly identify and address process bottlenecks and opportunities for optimization.
Digital Transformation Covering Thousands of Miles
4Front initially implemented Laserfiche in 2016, driven by a need for a digital document management system that could provide long-term access and easy retrieval for manufacturing order information. With a previously paper- and manual task-driven order process, the organization scanned existing files and input new orders into a centralized Laserfiche repository for office locations in the U.S. and Canada. 4Front used the Laserfiche platform to build a digital customer and order information system, enabling staff to search for files with metadata and monitor real-time status for orders. This digital system has improved responsiveness to customers in need of service, as well as enabled departments such as accounting and customer service to digitally update and approve amendments to orders. Through an automated Laserfiche workflow, documents in need of review are routed to the relevant team, who can then cross-reference submissions across multiple locations and approve of changes within the system. Staff can work off one master copy of the document, which minimizes errors associated with managing multiple document versions.
“We gained a lot of interest from many departments after implementing Laserfiche Forms, including customer service to distribution, accounts payable and accounting,” said Skoug. “It provided us with a new way to do approvals for many of our existing processes.”
Implementing Laserfiche has also supported global expansion at 4Front. The company used the solution to digitize the check filing process within its Canada office. Using this system, staff can now process large batches of checks, which are digitally paired with corresponding invoices and filed within the repository by vendor name.
The company also integrated Laserfiche with 4Front’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to process invoices and work orders more easily. Files are automatically sorted and populated with the relevant sales order metadata, allowing interdepartmental collaboration, digital search and retrieval by leveraging metadata for order information. Using Laserfiche, 4Front also automated the three-way match between invoices, receipts and order forms. Laserfiche generates reports and checklists throughout the approval processes to help staff stay on track, identify areas of improvement, and minimize manual errors. Starting as a manual, paper-intensive process, the new invoice and work order processes have enabled more transparent customer and order information and opened up new opportunities for digital transformation.
The Road Ahead
After implementing its automated invoice and order management system, 4Front has achieved substantial savings in time originally dedicated to manual, paper-based tasks. This has been especially crucial during periods of expansion, as well as during pandemic-related operational disruptions.
Digital, centralized information has supported business continuity at 4Front as well, providing employees with a means to access and share files during the pandemic when staff needed to work remotely.
Solution-driven metrics are another component contributing to 4Front’s digital transformation initiatives, utilizing monthly reports that provide insights on overall productivity, staff performance and trends on reason codes. Additionally, the company is actively identifying other departments and processes where Laserfiche could be deployed, including the HR department to centralize employee files, facilitate the onboarding process and track trainings and safety reporting. 4Front is also looking to digitize common manufacturing industry processes such as generating and managing bills of lading (BoL), as well as new product information documentation. To continue driving change, plans are in place to deploy Laserfiche in departments handling input and feedback from external stakeholders, such as the warranty team and in-records retention processes, as well as engineering change processes.
“The manufacturing sector is becoming increasingly data driven. Our digital transformation initiatives have enabled us to provide a better experience for our customers and staff members. We can respond to customers more quickly, retrieving relevant documents in seconds while speaking to them.”
By Grace Nam, Laserfiche strategic solutions manager for manufacturing and healthcare.
Hyperautomation started as a tech buzz word but is now influencing leaders as a top strategic technology trend, with many seeing the potential value in leveraging RPA (robotic process automation) and AI (artificial intelligence)/ML (machine learning) to transform legacy processes. According to Gartner®, “ hyperautomation is a business driven, disciplined approach that organizations use to rapidly identify, vet and automate as many businesses and IT processes as possible”1 It is increasingly becoming a vital part of organizations’ digital transformation roadmaps as a means to achieving digital resilience and agility.
As you dive headlong into hyperautomation at your manufacturing organizations, it is critical for leaders to plan strategies to accelerate processes and deliver value without getting lost in the current technology weeds. After several years of planning and implementing digital transformation and smart manufacturing initiatives, how far do the benefits currently extend at your organizations? Even with recent events and disruptions like COVID-19, supply chain issues, and staffing shortages, 60% of executives say digital transformation is their most critical growth driver.2 Though digital transformation can be difficult as it requires organizations to change culture and traditional structures, digitalization is crucial to the industry’s ability to increase efficiency in production and drive further growth of the enterprise.
Note: Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100%.
While disruptions and challenges have stalled out, major challenges with the supply chain and increased operational costs can persist through digital transformation initiatives. Of course, it’s not realistic to expect to eliminate longstanding challenges in such a short span of time. Currently, many leaders share common challenges in justifying ROI for smart manufacturing investment using end results.3 While having access to data is now certainly realistic for most organizations, building visibility into real-time data across multiple databases at the organization remains as a huge roadblock. Siloed data and unstructured data sets, multiple versions of pieces of digital content without the ability to track them — such as sales contracts and datasheets — and the inability to streamline business processes across different applications and departments are just some of the unimproved roadblocks that are still managed manually. When envisioning the end-results of our digital transformation efforts, it may not be what leaders were expecting: It is a common reality that employees are still spending hours on repetitive manual tasks.
1Gartner IT Glossary, “Hyperautomation,” as of 16 January 2023. https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/hyperautomation. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
2PWC Pulse Survey: Executive views on business in 2022.
