SCM Boost

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is gaining momentum in the SCM industry as a powerful tool for enhancing operational efficiency by automating routine tasks. By mimicking human actions, RPA software can automate processes with speed and accuracy, freeing up employees to focus on more value-added tasks. In this article, we will explore three examples of how RPA is being used in SCM to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.

In this article, we will explore three common uses of how Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is being used in the SCM industry. The examples we will discuss include Data Sharing and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Document Management, and Exception-Generated Tasks. By leveraging RPA in these areas, logistics companies can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Data sharing and EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) are common practices in SCM that involve the exchange of business documents, such as purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notifications, between trading partners. Before the advent of these technologies, manual data entry was the norm, which was a slow and error-prone process.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can automate the data exchange process and eliminate manual data entry errors. RPA bots can retrieve, process, and transmit data between different applications and systems, mimicking the actions of a human user. This allows SCM companies to process transactions faster and with greater accuracy, leading to greater efficiencies for both the company and its clients.

Here are some examples of how RPA can be used in data sharing and EDI:

• RPA bots can extract purchase order data from a customer’s procurement platform and transform it into a format suitable for the SCM company’s supply chain orchestration ERP.
• IPA bots can be used to automatically process commercial invoices, which may only be obtainable in Human Readable formats (PDF, Excel etc.). By incorporating Machine Learning and Computer Vision, Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) can be used to extract relevant data and load it into the system.
• RPA bots can be used to manage deficient data sharing by flagging missing or incorrect information and creating tasks for internal teams to resolve. For instance, if a new supplier is added but their details are incomplete, RPA can generate a task for the customer service team to register the supplier’s details in the system. This comprehensive approach would be considered Business Process Autmation.

Email is an essential communication tool in SCM, but managing a large volume of emails can be time-consuming and prone to errors. With RPA, companies can automate the email management process by creating bots that can sort and classify emails based on predefined rules. These bots can also extract relevant information from emails and enter them into the appropriate systems.

• RPA bots can be installed on Specific Email address’ to automatically process email content you receive in predictable ways, such as Quarantine Directions or AP invoices.
• IPA bots can be leveraged to extract relevant data from Human readable formats and translate that data in a way suitable and load it into the system.
• A comprehensive BPM approach might additionally couple the bots with a CX platform in order to build a complete process around the email channel, such as incorrectly dire4cted email traffic or incomplete Invoices.

RPA bots can be installed on Specific Email address’ to automatically process email content you receive in predictable ways, such as Quarantine Directions or AP invoices.

In supply chain management, exception-generated tasks refer to issues that arise unexpectedly and require immediate attention, such as shipment delays or inventory shortages. These tasks can be challenging to manage and often time-consuming to identify.

• RPA bots can be used to scan large amounts of data in real time to identify and highlight risks as they meet the exception profile requirements, a task can be generated so a team member can review and act on the exception immediately.
• IPA nots might then be used to parse external or various sources of conflicting information to make an actionable correction to the exception.
• There are endless cases for exception and risk management in the supply chain space, each would benefit from Business Process Automation.