You may think there is nothing more irritating than looking everywhere for your car keys only to find them in the first place you looked. However, spending more time tracking down the right data to manage your manufacturing business than actually using it is both irritating and costly.
If you think about recurring data problems in terms of opportunities lost as well as the actual time spent dealing with them, the impact on your business finances could be significant. It may seem better to find what you need now and come back to the underlying data problem later, but the longer you wait to deal with data problems the more costly they become.
A Quick Data Integration Test
Manufacturers using an ERP solution should be able to use that system to streamline all aspects of their operations, but too often the platform is bolted on and made to adapt to old processes. And that tends to add steps and time to those processes. When not fully integrated into the flow of data in the organization, an ERP can create inefficiency rather than reduce it.
Not sure if your ERP is fully integrated into your manufacturing operation? Here is a quick test. If you are dependent on spreadsheets in your daily operations to integrate data to track finances, orders, jobs or shipments, you have not fully integrated your ERP.
Streamlined Data is Critical to Streamlined Operations
Getting all of your data organized and accessible may sound daunting but should be looked at the same way you look at your production processes…the more streamlined the process is, the less costly it is in time or money.
One Triple Helix client took on this challenge when it realized it had the data it needed to track orders throughout the production process but the data was difficult to access, making it time-consuming to use. Within a short time, a project led by Triple Helix gave the company the ability to view and update open orders in real-time, saving time and allowing managers to head off production issues earlier than in the past.
Getting the most out of your business data requires being able to find it and use it when it is most valuable – not after the fact. Conducting a data inventory is often a great first step to realizing the potential power you have stored in your data. But don’t stop with your production data. Your ERP could power process improvements in finance, sales, planning, and shipping as well.
Triple Helix has a proven track record of helping manufacturers and other companies organize and improve access and use of their critical data. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation to see how we could help you.
