Improving Manufacturing Efficiency with Cloud Storage and Document Management
Document management and data management and networking technology are changing the world of manufacturing just as much as new machines, materials, and processes are. Industries as diverse as aerospace and construction material suppliers are harnessing the power of the cloud in order to gather and analyze information from all sources in order to implement procedural improvements. Cloud computing is streamlining how manufacturers interact with both customers and suppliers by providing instant access to organized data and making communicating across digital platforms seamless. The reasons for the increased productivity come from three primary areas. First, cloud-based solutions mean manufacturing companies do not need to rely on a full-time or dedicated in-house IT department to manage data flow and ensure connectivity between departments. Second, they provide seamless communication and transmission between companies that might otherwise have conflicting data systems. And third, cloud systems are easy to scale according to an individual company’s needs.
While cloud computing makes it easier for manufacturing companies to work with clients and customers on a global scale through the use of mobile devices and computers, there is huge potential for cloud-based document management solutions to take advantage of the same technology to improve communications and data transfer within a company as well.
A Common Problem
Metal manufacturing companies deal with labor-intensive, hands-on tasks that include laborers working smelters and drawing metal. However, they are just as reliant on computer systems and document services to ensure individuals working those machines stay safe and the multi-million dollar machines operate efficiently, all while making certain policies and regulations are followed.
Traditional in-house document systems used to rely on archaic technology that was almost always inadequate for a given company’s needs. The problem with most in-house systems is that the software needed to be purchased from a third-party company that would offer little to no direct support, or that was written by IT personnel working within the company. The results are systems that will frequently crash and destroy valuable data (including payroll information and order forms) or make it impossible to scale as new technology, people, or ideas are implemented into a growing business.
One of the most significant problems with legacy data programs is the manpower required to maintain them. If you run a small manufacturing facility it would be almost impossible to devote the financial resources necessary to create an IT department that would monitor and troubleshoot your system 24 hours a day. The other alternative is just as bad—having individuals with a background in management or skilled labor try to learn and maintain a highly complex data program. Larger national or global manufacturing companies can face similar problems but on a much larger scale. With legacy or in-house systems, large corporations would find it almost impossible to accurately track orders, manage payroll information, and keep each facility in sync with each other. In other words, no manufacturing company can afford to be in the software business at the same time.
Solutions for Every Problem
eFileCabinet provides a solution to all of the data management problems that a manufacturing company would face when using legacy or in-house data systems. Hundreds of billions of dollars are lost because of inefficiencies and disorganization in businesses throughout the world. eFileCabinet’s document management software (DMS) provides ways of keeping track of all of your documents, from order forms to customer contracts, without requiring a dedicated IT department. Here are just a few of the ways document management software will improve your company’s efficiency:
- Invoices: Manufacturing companies deal with a tremendous quantity of invoices on a daily basis. Whether your company needs to purchase raw ore or you need to check a list of past orders from a specific customer, using paper documents would prove time-consuming and risky. Likewise, managing invoices with a legacy system would prove equally difficult, as program inefficiencies can be just as troubling as boxes of old documents. Using DMS will provide all necessary staff with direct access to every invoice when and where necessary. This means you can look back through past orders, quickly check current orders, and plan future orders with absolute accuracy.
- Shipping Documents: All manufacturing companies live or die as a result of their shipping efficiency. You can create the best products in the world, but if your company can’t accurately plan shipments of raw materials and finished products, you won’t last through your first year. Cloud computing and storage for shipping documents will provide your company with a uniform, robust, and streamlined way to track incoming and outgoing shipments. The shipping documents will be easily accessible by anyone in the company at any time and will provide all the information in a standardized and cohesive format.
- Agreements: Whether it’s a contract with a supplier or employee documentation, it’s important to keep all legal data in a location that is secure but easy to access. Cloud-based DMS will provide your company with a secure way of managing all legal documents and agreements without the risk of data loss or theft.
Easy, Safe, and Inexpensive
Cloud-based document management services don’t just make it easier to keep track of all documents and records, they make it safer as well. Data loss is just as dangerous to a company as inefficiency. Whether it comes from a virus or a hard drive failure, manufacturing companies face numerous digital threats that can bring production (and profits) to a standstill. If your company is using a legacy or in-house data management program, a single virus or hard drive failure can wipe out all of your sensitive data. Financial records, employee records, order forms, and invoices are all susceptible to cyber attacks and hardware failure and can be permanently lost. But with cloud-based DMS, your data will be safely stored in cloud computing platforms that are hosted off-site. Even an event as catastrophic as a factory fire or natural disaster will not impact your data.
At eFileCabinet, we provide document management software that is safe, easy to use, and inexpensive. You will find little to no significant impact on your company’s budget by using document software. You will, however, find that your productivity, safety, and efficiency skyrocket. With immediate access to all your documents across a variety of platforms and help from experts, eFileCabinet is the premiere document management service for manufacturing companies, both large and small.