Data capture and its associated technologies — barcodes, QR codes, RFID, and others — are critical pieces of the data gathering process that is intrinsically valuable to all businesses. However, the world of logistics — from manufacturing floors to warehousing, distribution centers, transportation hubs and more — is particularly well-served by strong data capture and handling techniques.
With supply chain hurdles still in play for the coming year, stakeholders must find new ways to deal with obstacles such as material slowdowns, labor shortages, and changing consumer demands. One of the most cost-effective and useful tools is an enterprise content management (ECM) system or document management solution (DMS) that allows you to gain transparency over valuable data so you can steer your operation in the right direction, pivoting when necessary to avoid adverse conditions.
The Basics of Data Capture for Logistics
Simply put, data capture is what happens when you collect information from a paper document and translate it into data that is understandable by computers. Data capture for logistics is critical to the process of digitization and digital transformation and will allow staff to gather, store, edit, search, and retrieve information rapidly and securely. The purpose of this process is to uncover insights into business processes and to improve business success through enhanced efficiency.
There are two ways to capture necessary data: manually and through automated processes. Obviously, the drawback for manual data entry is twofold — it is both error-prone and time-consuming. Automated data capture, on the other hand, presents a number of solid advantages, including rapid and error-free input, decreased operational expenses, and less reliance on labor.
Types of Automated Data Capture
There are many ways your business can capture data precisely, with less cost outlay, and faster than any manual source — using ECM or DMS systems. Depending on the system you choose and your industry needs, you will have several choices for capturing data, such as:
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) — a technique that can easily convert scanned — or even photographed — documents into electronic data that can be easily indexed.
Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) — this next-gen tech can even recognize complex handwriting to convert it effortlessly into digital formats. This technology relies on AI-based neural networks to learn and translate.
Optical Mark Reading (OMR) — faster than thirty keyboard clerks, OMR is remarkably fast at collecting and processing data based on the presence or absence of marks on a paper.
Barcodes and QR Codes — A more recent technology, these codes can be used in the information gathering phase to monitor supply and product movements through a system.
Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) — Using AI such as natural language processing (NLP) and others, this technology classifies, categorizes, and extracts critical information and validates the data.
Of course, any one or more of these may be used, depending on your ECM or DMS system.
Benefits of Automated Data Capture
In logistics, or indeed any business, errors can be costly. With manual data entry being highly inefficient and mistake-prone, automated data capture can help reduce operational costs by eliminating errors. In addition, employees previously tasked with manual entry can now turn to more mission-critical efforts, advancing their skill sets — and your business. Besides these intrinsic benefits, data capture also supports the systems that keep tabs on your processes, your people, and your other assets, adding structure even in the face of unpredictable market shifts and consumer demands.
Need Data? Trust Blue Technologies with Your Data Capture Needs
Regardless of where you need to scrape your data — handwritten documents, emails, PDF files, CAD drawings, and more — our team of document and data experts can help you get control of your data to bring transparency and visibility to your business model. At Blue Technologies, we partner with a number of industry-leading data capture solutions to bring you the widest range of choices to fit your needs. Once you can control your data, you can begin to automate workflows, bringing your organization a new level of productivity, efficiency, and cost control.
Begin — or continue — your digital transformation using state of the art data capture technology. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant and discover how our ECM and DMS solutions can elevate your business success.