7 Reasons to Automate Manufacturing Document Management for Optimal Productivity

When it comes to producing products at scale, improving manufacturing efficiency is the name of the game. So it’s no surprise today’s global manufacturers are increasingly turning to data analytics, automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning in the quest for maximum efficiency. 

The Modern, Digital Factory

According to McKinsey, transforming yesterday’s analog factory into a modern, digital factory can yield 30 to 50 percent reductions in machine downtime, 10 to 30 percent increases in throughput, 15 to 30 percent improvements in labor productivity, and 85 percent more accurate forecasting.

Not to be overlooked is the application of automation to document management — a large, yet relatively simple step towards a truly transformed digital factory. Automated documents liberate your factory from the headache of excessive paperwork, time-consuming data entry tasks, and challenging manual organization. Additionally, digitizing these workflows empowers you to achieve more, particularly in an era of labor shortages when acquiring skilled talent is hard on the bottom line.

7 Reasons Automated Manufacturing Workflows Improve Industrial Processes

Here are seven reasons to automate manufacturing document management for businesses looking to achieve optimal productivity.

1. Reduce Operating Costs of Physical Document Production, Management, and Storage

Streamlining document production and management through automation can result in substantial cost savings. Going digital removes the necessity of physical documents, reducing expenses on paper, printing, storage units, and those cob-webbed filing cabinets everyone is afraid to open. 

For workflows that still require paper documents automation is still a major time saver, reducing manual tasks like data entry so your team can get more done with their limited time. As a result, your operation spends less resources on paperwork and more on improving manufacturing efficiency.

2. Improve Collaboration

Deploying manufacturing document management software also promotes improved team collaboration. Your team can quickly update digital templates and effortlessly share them across departments or geographical locations, breaking down communication silos that might hinder the speed of routing and delivery. 

Your manufacturing teams gain immediate access to essential documents like purchase orders, batch records, and quality assurance documentation to ensure everything is good to go before a product hits the road.

3. Improve Document Version Control

If you don't have a handle on things, you could end up in a compliance mess with loads of different versions of important documents and contracts flying around at the same time. Don’t waste time playing detective — document control software for manufacturing addresses this problem head-on by providing clear version histories. It automatically archives old versions of, say, a Bill of Materials, while clearly marking the latest one for easy identification.

4. Increase Sales Agility and Personalization

Digitizing your manufacturing documentation enhances sales agility by giving you the ability to tweak templates and contracts on-the-fly for regulatory changes, T&Cs, and legal jargon - in a regulated manner. It also allows you to display customized prices to specific customers and adapt to seasonal offerings or campaigns automatically. 

Here’s the kicker — in a world that runs on personalization, sales reps can easily customize documents post-creation or translate them with a button click for global businesses.

5. Enhance Sustainability and Meet ESG Goals

Adopting an eco-friendly approach to paperwork showcases to stakeholders, including customers and potential investors, that you value socially responsible behavior. Shifting to manufacturing document management software helps you contribute to saving the planet by markedly reducing paper waste. 

6. Accelerate Supply Chain Operations

Automating document management in the supply chain speeds up operations. Instant digital access to critical documents facilitates easy tracking of goods—from production through delivery.

It also eliminates hiccups often caused by manual processes such as lost paperwork or incorrectly entered data, making it an effective strategy to prevent system bottlenecks and achieve smoother operational flow.

7. Increase Data Security and Integrity

One of those most valuable perks document automation has to offer is the ability to maintain document accuracy, consistency, and reliability throughout the entire digital workflow. 

By using automated manufacturing workflows for managing documents, you can implement stringent user access controls and centralized data storage. This reduces the potential for unauthorized documents alterations or harmful breaches — keeping your sensitive information safe while promoting a trustworthy working environment.

Implementing Manufacturing Document Management Solutions with S-Docs

S-Docs makes automating manufacturing document management easy, moving your operation one step closer to complete digital transformation. From training manuals and legal contracts to daily itinerary briefs and automated communications, S-Docs effortlessly accommodates a wide range of document generation needs, ensuring flexibility and reliability for your evolving business requirements.

The platform is built exclusively on Salesforce and features an intuitive design so your team can start using it from day one. With S-Docs, your operation can eliminate inefficiencies related to manufacturing document management, enabling your team to concentrate on what matters most. 

Discover how S-Docs can elevate the productivity of your workforce by requesting a demo today.