Welcome to Manufacturing Monday!
Each week in the Manufacturing Monday newsletter, we’ll be highlighting various news, trends, and opportunities for Intelligent Automations solutions in the manufacturing sector! This is courtesy of me, Brian Armstrong, Advisory for Manufacturing & Distribution at Ashling Partners. Subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of this post to get more insights delivered weekly to your inbox, and don’t hesitate to reach out and discuss anything you see. Enjoy!
———–
Today, we’re highlighting the Ashling and UiPath collaboration on our Bill of Lading (BoL) and Commercial Invoicing Solution Accelerator
The process of handling Bill of Lading (BoL) and Commercial Invoicing is challenged by the sheer volume of documents—up to 500,000 BoLs annually—requiring several full-time employees (FTEs) to manually process each document. Ensuring the accuracy of the extracted information is a major concern, as errors in document data such as BoL numbers, purchase order details, and shipment quantities can lead to costly delays, compliance issues, and disruptions in the supply chain.
Compounding this issue is the variety of document formats from multiple vendors, which further complicates the manual data entry process. Without automation, an organization is at risk of inefficiencies, data inaccuracies, and missed deadlines, straining resources and hindering operational performance. Addressing these challenges through automation is critical to streamlining workflows, improving data accuracy, and reducing the reliance on manual labor for processing high volumes of BoLs and commercial invoices.
How we solve for these challenges
Our solution automates BoL processing to streamline workflows, cut down errors, and drive
operational efficiency across logistics.
The key deliverable of this solution is end-to-end Bill of Lading (BoL) automation. This comprehensive system covers everything from email extraction and data scraping to shipment entry in our ERP and document storage. What’s particularly impressive is its cross-departmental value, benefiting Finance, Contact Center, Quality, and Logistics teams alike.
The impact on key performance indicators (KPIs) is projected to be substantial. We anticipate significant cost reductions through automation of operational tasks across logistics. Customer experience (CX) is expected to improve due to enhanced document handling and delivery accuracy. Additionally, by freeing up employees from manual tasks, we can boost employee experience (EX) and redirect their efforts to higher-value activities. The solution also promises to enhance vendor experience (VX) by streamlining processes and improving collaboration efficiency with our external partners.
Key stakeholders who would benefit from this solution include Logistics Process Owners and Managers, who are focused on document accuracy and workflow speed; Supply Chain Directors, who are always looking to optimize operations and reduce costs; IT Directors, who will appreciate the system integration and data integrity aspects; and CFOs, who are keen on identifying cost efficiencies related to shipping.
In conclusion, automating the Bill of Lading process offers a transformative solution to the challenges of high-volume document processing. By implementing this comprehensive system, organizations can significantly enhance efficiency, accuracy, and cross-departmental collaboration, ultimately driving operational excellence and improving stakeholder experiences across the board.
