Oxygen Technical Services Ltd

Document Management Solutions for Canadian Manufacturing

Canadian manufacturers are faced with keen competition in nearly every industry. Keeping up with advances in equipment and new methods of manufacturing is just part of the challenge to attain and hold a leading edge in your market. Your advantage over business rivals comes from streamlining your internal operations in every way possible. Analyzing your processes can uncover many opportunities to:

• Eliminate waste
• Cut out unnecessary non-value-added functions
• Replace obsolete and inefficient equipment with modern equivalents that save time and money

One issue facing Canadian manufacturing companies is managing paper documents efficiently. 

Challenges for Canadian Manufacturing Businesses

Documents are an important part of conducting any business. There may even be more documents flowing through your business than you know until you stop and take a close look at what your paper trail is, and what kinds of documents are on the desks and files of your employees.

• Emails – from customers, other employees, vendors, and other sources
• Purchase orders – managing orders to your suppliers and keeping track of expected receipt dates
• Inventory reports – keeping track of raw materials, work in process, and finished products
• Employee records – personnel, payroll, and benefits information
• Invoices – cash flow is critical to your success – you need to keep close track of both accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Audit reports – wherever you do business, there are always requirements to create financial reports for audits, management, and shareholders
• Intra-company memos – every business needs to communicate with employees, sales teams, and production managers effectively

This is only the tip of your paper iceberg, of course. Take a close look, and you’ll find there are many types of documents that require printing, copying, filing, mailing, and archiving. Many Canadian manufacturing businesses have built up quite an inventory of printers on desktops around the company, each requiring maintenance, paper, and supplies that include ink and toner. Without controls in place, document management can become an enormous cost to your business.

Distribution of paper documents is another opportunity to streamline your business. Keeping distribution lists up to date may not always happen on a timely basis. You are quite likely making copies of documents for personnel who don’t need them, or don’t have time to absorb the information they receive – more wasted paper and time.

Today’s mobile workforce adds to the challenge of conducting business efficiently. Sales teams visiting existing or potential customers need access to the latest information for available inventory, promotions, and pricing. Carrying binders and catalogs on sales calls is inefficient, and printing them is costly.

How Document Management Provides Solutions

Document management provides many solutions for your manufacturing business. Reviewing your internal processes reveals numerous opportunities for making your company a leader in your market:

• Document management transforms your paper handling processes by storing documents in the cloud where they can be shared, edited, copied, stored, and secured.
• Eliminate manual processes with the latest technology
• Generate proposals for customers quickly and easily – revise them as needed, and use versioning to track changes
• Create production records in the cloud for timely review by all authorized parties
• Automatic workflow in a document management system provides a solution for distribution. Creation of sales promotions can automatically be routed to your sales team immediately – without copying, printing, or mailing. Route purchase orders for review and approval without ever printing them – no more stacks of paper on desks waiting for attention.
• Security is a major benefit of document management. Your documents can be categorized as you deem appropriate, limiting access to only those with authorization to view, print, or edit them. When you’re required to retain documents for compliance with government jurisdictions, you can be certain they will be available in your document management system.
• Improve communication and efficiency within your organization by eliminating paper handling and printing.
• Save cash by reducing the number of printers in your manufacturing business, saving on maintenance, supplies, and paper consumption.

First Phase Data – Providing Document Management Solutions

First Phase Data has the Canadian manufacturing business expertise that will help you leverage document management solutions at every level of your business:

• Analysis of document use and paper flow – identifying opportunities for automated workflow that replaces manual processes
• Evaluation of your printing infrastructure to eliminate outdated equipment and implement efficient, multi-function devices
• Complete implementation and training services tailored to your needs – we don’t believe in a cookie-cutter solution for everyone
• Support when you need it – contacting technicians directly
• Cloud-based system that grows with your manufacturing business – adding agility to your competitive edge  

First Phase Data has a team ready to provide your Canadian manufacturing business with a complete document management solution that streamlines your operation, improves productivity, increases service levels, and saves money. Contact us today for a complete evaluation of your document flow and discover how a document management solution can benefit your company.