We’ve previously explored why manufacturers are choosing Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O as their ERP system. Now it’s time to shift our focus to document management, because manufacturers deal with a mountain of documentation day-to-day. Bills of materials, purchase orders, product specifications – all of these documents have to be stored and managed somewhere. Without the right systems in place, documents can get lost, damaged and duplicated.
How are manufacturers dealing with all that paperwork as the pressure grows to get more efficient? They’re increasingly turning to document management systems (DMS) to create a single source of truth. In this article, we explore why manufacturers are trading their ERPs out-of-the-box capabilities for document management systems like Lasernet.
1) Reducing time lost to manual handling
Manual document handling is one of those costs you don’t see on the balance sheet, but it shows up just about everywhere else. Someone fills in paperwork, another person photocopies it, and a third person manually types the same information into the company’s ERP system. It’s an onerous process that costs companies more than they realize.
On top of that, every document has to be printed and distributed to customers and suppliers. The cost of manual document handling adds up surprisingly quickly, with the average worker spending almost 10 hours a week gathering the information they need. That’s time lost that could have been spent getting products out of the door.
Document management software removes most of that overhead. With the right DMS in place, documents are captured once and stored in one place, and version control ensures everyone is working from the most up to date version. Routine approvals and distribution to customers and partners is automated rather than completed by hand. The result is less manual work, fewer errors and more time spent working on tasks that get your business paid.
2) Staying compliant and audit-ready
Manufacturing carries one of the heaviest compliance burdens of all sectors, and with compliance comes documentation. A lot of it. Too much to handle without a proper document management process in place. Quality standards such as ISO 9001 for quality management across industries, ISO 13485 for the design and manufacturing of medical devices and AS9100 for aviation, space and defense manufacturing, all require documented procedures and clear evidence of organized document management.
Without a suitable document management system in place, preparing for an audit can take weeks or even months as teams scramble to find all the information they need to prove compliance. Auditors will check document control procedures and need proof that obsolete documents are removed or marked as invalid to prevent accidental use. They will also check traceability records and customer compliant records to ensure the business is operating as it should be. A DMS makes the preparation process faster and makes life easier for auditors – it’s a win-win for both.
3) Making document retrieval faster
When the document you need is hard to find, the delay doesn’t just impact you. A team member may be waiting for the document before they can start a critical process, or a customer query is left open while someone hunts for the business’s copy of a packing slip. None of these situations seem particularly damaging in isolation, but repeat them across the business, and productivity suffers massively.
Document management software replaces manual file retrieval or confusing shared drives with a fast, indexed search that gets you the document you need. Documents are tagged with the information known to you, such as part numbers, order references and dates, so you can find the document you need quickly, without having to try various searches. Plus, because the DMS is the single source of truth, the version you find is the one you should be using, rather than an old draft that was superseded months ago.
A document management system also acts as a knowledge chest for your company. An organized, searchable system keeps knowledge in the business rather than siloed in the minds of individuals who come and go. When an experienced team member moves on to their new role, the procedures and history they built up is findable for the person replacing them.
4) Connecting documents with the rest of your systems
A document rarely stands on its own – an invoice relates to a sales order and a delivery note precedes a shipment, for example. When document management is separated from your ERP system, it leaves a space for things to go wrong. Real productivity and financial gains come when document management is directly connected to the systems you rely on, such as ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O.
In D365 F&O, the documents you produce at volume, such as invoices, order confirmations, delivery notes, statements and quality paperwork, can be generated using the data in the ERP system, formatted correctly and delivered through whichever channel each customer requires. There is one source of truth behind every document, so what goes out of the door matches what exists within the ERP.
Lasernet: Document management for manufacturers
Lasernet is built to solve your documentation process challenges – no matter how complex they are. Here’s how Lasernet supports your manufacturing workflows:
Access the right data from your systems
One of the biggest challenges for manufacturers is gaining access to the right data from all the systems you use. Lasernet allows you to aggregate data from the systems you already use, be it a CRM, ERP system or even home-grown software solutions.
Document personalization
Aggregate product, part and manufacturing information for personalized product manuals, but without all the manual work.
Manage vendor invoicing
Scan, process and archive vendor paperwork automatically instead of spending hours on onerous manual work.
Solve warehouse labeling
There’s no need to hire an external developer to completely overhaul your warehouse labeling process – with Lasernet, you can create barcodes, QR codes and shipping labels with no code.
Delivery based on customer preferences
Built in automation rules and customizable shortcuts mean you can deliver documents in the way your customers want to receive them. Lasernet’s capabilities include traceable emailing, digital archiving and full printing, so your customers gain access to the documents they need in the right format, whether that’s email, PDF or print.
Using Lasernet, manufacturers have reduced the time spent on label-related tasks by more than 50% and have reclaimed over 600 hours per year by streamlining data across key manufacturing systems.
Partner with ERP Mechanics to get the most out of Lasernet
Getting the full value out of Lasernet is far easier with a partner who knows the platform inside out. As a Lasernet reseller and support partner, we’ve worked closely with the document management software company for the last 18 years, implementing their solutions for manufacturing companies. It’s safe to say that we know our stuff! Our Lasernet services include implementation, custom development and all the support you need to get Lasernet neatly integrated into Dynamics 365 F&O without problems.
If you’re considering choosing Lasernet as your manufacturing document management solution, but you need a bit of support getting the platform up and running, please don’t hesitate to contact the ERP Mechanics team.