If you’re looking for process automation opportunities, the Order Fulfillment process is often a good place to start.  It’s a complex process with a number of sub-processes (receipt, acceptance, confirmation, manufacturing, packaging and shipping), multiple documents (advanced shipping notices, bills of lading, proforma invoices, packing slips, and shipping labels), and lots of data to track and reconcile (units ordered versus units built versus units packed versus units shipped versus units installed versus units invoiced). Streamlining and automating portions of this process can provide significant paybacks, both in terms of cost savings and customer satisfaction.  

Solving Real-Life Problems

That was the inspiration behind Tressel^TM, our barcoding, and shipping tool.  It was developed in partnership with one of our customers, a major auto manufacturer, to help them manage interactions with their suppliers.  The tool makes it easier to package parts for shipment, improves the accuracy of the shipping data, and simplifies the process of generating shipping documents. 

Tressel^TM is a workflow tool that automates portions of the packing process.  It’s customizable, so you can determine which process steps to automate and then build the workflow to manage those steps.  That flexibility is one of the major advantages of using Tressel^TM.  The tool doesn’t force your users to conform to someone else’s standard process;  it allows them to define a process consistent with their own way of working.  This makes it much easier to adopt the new tool and shortens the time it takes to begin realizing the benefits.