Manual barcode labeling hampers efficiency consumes too many resources and introduces unnecessary errors into the manufacturing and distribution processes. Using manual practices to change labels in an attempt to address all of your company’s needs becomes even more cumbersome and inefficient as the organization grows, introduces new product lines and acquires new customers.
Resource-intensive and inefficient, manual processes divert employees away from higher-value activities that drive business and growth, forcing them to manage tasks that could be better handled with automation. With labor availability at all-time lows and competition for workers at all-time highs, companies can’t afford to let manual processes stand in the way of growth, innovation and streamlined operations.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens when organizations use manual barcode labeling and other resource-intensive ways of managing their Enterprise Labeling activities. The company that’s using the barcode font in Microsoft Word to relabel products out on the plant floor, for instance, may unwittingly introduce user errors with printed labels that rely too heavily on a manual system.
Without a centralized source of truth to work from and rely on, organizations also run the risk of:
Any or all of these challenges can translate into significant losses for companies that are overburdened by too many manual procedures and processes. Even at the individual consumer level, for example, we’re all accustomed to some level of “pre-populated” web forms, where we don’t have to start from scratch every time we place an order or submit a request.
The same level of automation can be applied in the Enterprise Labeling space, where companies using integrated platforms have a single resource to pull information from to prepare orders, print labels and create product information statements without having to copy or replicate data along the way.
When Enterprise Labeling solutions integrate directly with existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms and systems of record, employees can make informed choices without having to enter or copy information into a field to produce a document or a label. This not only reduces the risk of errors and redundancy, but it also allows employees to focus on more valued-added tasks during an era of constrained labor resources.
It’s important to note that one change entered manually into a system can quickly become a game of “telephone” in that by the time it’s replicated across numerous solutions, it may not look anything like the information that was originally entered. This is because every time someone alters the data—a new product or some variations to an existing product line, for example—all the relevant databases must also be updated. Data can quickly become out of sync, leaving employees to spend even more time pinpointing the problem, correcting it, and then generating new labels.
Out-of-sync systems also lead to traceability, trackability, reliability and data integrity issues, all of which are easily solved by using an automated, integrated labeling solution. In certain industries, having incorrect data on a label—data that was pulled from two or more different databases—can result in hefty fines or compliance problems. It can also add time and labor to the process, particularly when multiple different people are checking and re-checking for potential problems.
By integrating their Enterprise Labeling processes on a single platform that relies on a source of truth, companies can stop replicating their data across multiple systems and leverage a streamlined, reliable labeling approach for the entire enterprise.
These platforms provide automatic error-checking and are directly integrated with backend systems and system records. Companies generally need one person to manage the process, rather than the 2-3 extra employees it takes to input, scan, print and verify the information. Add the potential compliance issues and fines to that tab, and it’s clear that manual Enterprise Labeling processes can impact the bottom line.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, where consumer preferences are constantly changing, companies have to stay on their toes and be ready to make quick label changes, generate on-demand labels and manage ad hoc requests. Managing these expectations on manual systems requires much hands-on staff participation, while managing those processes on an integrated Enterprise Labeling platform makes them significantly easier and less resource-intensive to tackle.
Used often in the life sciences sector, on-demand labeling can be made extremely efficient using an integrated, automated enterprise label system. Not only will the platform satisfy the triggers from an ERP or manufacturing execution system (MES), but it’s also flexible enough to allow integrated labeling with on-demand or web forms.
Here’s how it works: the platforms integrate with the backend database and effectively eliminate the need for manual data entry (and, re-entry). The fewer screens and systems that one has to go through to produce a label, document, ticket or price tag on-demand—and the less barcode scanning of product or LPN numbers that has to take place—the better. Because the system simply brings up all of the information on the screen, the operator can review, approve and generate the label without having to input anything else into the system.
When shopping for an Enterprise Labeling solution, look for one that can easily integrate with existing sources of truth to create a single, reliable database to work from. Find one that’s automated and that offers a comprehensive set of functionalities, and that’s easy to configure, reliable and able to extend the labeling process across various platforms.
The system should also allow dynamic capability with logic and rules to transform labels and documents to easily deal with variability. This is important because having the intelligence inside the labeling solution allow companies to leverage the system’s intelligence and make decisions about the labeling and output to different devices—whether color or thermal black and white. The decisions can be automated and managed dynamically by the labeling platform.
Other key advantages that integrated labeling solutions provide include:
As companies continue to shed their manual processes and find new ways to leverage modern technology, more of them will be reassessing their Enterprise Labeling approaches and looking for new ways to drive inefficiencies out of their existing approaches. As part of this evolution, companies will need integrated, automated Enterprise Labeling platforms that outperform their manual predecessors in the many ways outlined in this white paper.
Global supply chains are becoming increasingly intertwined, traveling greater distances and crossing more borders to connect with suppliers and customers. The more global these networks become, the more complex they become. Regulations are confusing and constantly evolving, and customer requirements are more complicated and demanding than ever.
In light of these realities, companies are realizing how much Enterprise Labeling has become a mission-critical part of the supply chain, with a powerful and positive impact on compliance, responsiveness, revenue and efficiency. They’re also recognizing that their manual processes just don’t cut it anymore.
Whether they’re using older systems that have been retired, targeted by security hacks or ridden with incorrect data, companies need secure, automated interfaces to handle their expanding Enterprise Labeling needs. For the most secure, automated and efficient options, organizations are increasingly turning to automated, integrated labeling solutions that effectively replace manual processes and free them up to innovate, grow and operate more efficiently.
