The manufacturing industry in the United States is responsible for 18.2% of the world’s goods, yet increasingly high costs threaten this industry’s sustained success. China and other nations with lower manufacturing costs are quick on the United States’ heels (source).
At InStream, we’re helping manufacturing businesses reduce costs and improve both efficiency and output through a variety of solutions. In this post, we’ll discuss how manufacturing companies are successfully implementing workflow solutions, file and image storage solutions, and eForms solutions through InStream.
#1 Custom Workflow Solutions for Manufacturers
With custom workflow solutions, every department in your company can become more efficient, ultimately resulting in leaner and more powerful operations. Learn, for example, how…
- Managing the flow of documents could help your organization stay in compliance with labor laws like the Taft-Hartley Act. (Learn more.)
- Workflow processing could track production and identify bottlenecks in the manufacturing process. Follow items step by step through the manufacturing process. Track reports, notes, and the completion of QA eForms as products move from one stage to the next. (Learn more.)
- Your HR department could utilize custom workflows to improve information management and new employee onboarding. (Learn more.)
These are just a few examples of how workflow solutions can improve everything from the manufacturing line to personnel paperwork. There is no limit to how many areas of your business may benefit from custom workflow solutions!
#2 Advanced File & Image Storage Solutions
Manufacturing companies are often required to store a high volume of files in order to remain compliant. Material Safety Data Sheets, quality sheets, bills of lading, and proofs of delivery are just a few examples. Typically, these documents need to be quickly and easily retrieved by staff. Relying strictly on paper files can be cumbersome, as files may become lost, damaged, or placed into deep storage where retrieval isn’t convenient.
InStream helps manufacturing companies convert paper documents into digital formats so that documents are well preserved and easy for all authorized parties to access. Document scanning and data capture tools like optical character recognition convert paper documents into digital images that can be full-text searched.
In the event of a product recall or a compliance issue, many manufacturers find that having these documents, particularly quality sheets, digitally preserved and easy to access is critical. After all, these documents must be retained for many years, and physical storage expenses can add up. Furthermore, as the volume of paperwork increases, accessing these documents may become more difficult. Having these files preserved in a digital format, in the event of a product recall, is an invaluable solution for many manufacturers.
#3 Use of eForms for Reporting
eForms allow the employees in your company to create paperless reports on their work directly from the manufacturing floor. Checklists, quality tests, and final product test sheets can all be completed digitally by supervisors and technicians throughout the plant. Some data, such as timestamps and quantity counts, can also be automatically populated into the eForm by your software. eForms can dramatically reduce paperwork, clerical errors, and time spent filling out sheets.
Could Your Manufacturing Company Become More Efficient?
Contact our team at InStream to find out about custom solutions we can create for you. At InStream, we’re your partners in developing innovative tools and processes that serve your company’s needs.
