ILMA Compoundings August 2017 - 31

UPHOLDING SIX SIGMA STANDARDS
Like all other parts of the manufacturing business process,
document-related processes are not exempt from a holistic
Six Sigma production framework.
So, in understanding that manufacturing defects are
linked not only to products but also to the documents
containing information on the products and the processes
streamlining them, we can understand why defects will
occur at the document management level until file processes
are automated en masse.
With manufacturing information systems, manufacturers
can automate the file intake, routing and storage of documentation, and tailor the system to meet their individual needs
with an Open API (application programming interface).
Document automation will never replace human thought
and understanding, but it can simplify document controls
to ensure manufacturers' information management practices
are complying with the Six Sigma framework.
In fact, lean Six Sigma practices are synonymous with lean
manufacturing, which drives its adherents toward reduced
paper clutter, saved office space and production processes
cleared of filing cabinets for increased productivity.

ADVANCING MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
WITH BETTER FILE SHARING PROCEDURES
The American Productivity and Quality Center noted in a
recent publication that file sharing has become paramount
in information management, most notably because having
a shared information repository is something desired by
many workers but something granted very little attention in
manufacturing management's budget considerations.
However, the manufacturing world has already been
exposed to so many cost-reducing automating measures that
budgetary restrictions should not be as front of mind as finding ways to further automate processes and free up cash flow.

Additionally, workers are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of email content they must
sift through each day to find and produce information for
various projects.
A centralized repository for sharing a large volume of
documents is crucial to saving time and simplifying compliance standards.

CHANGING THIS PROCESS
Manufacturing information systems usually come with a
web portal feature that offers both bank-grade encryption
and secure socket layer security, enabling manufacturing
professionals to share a larger number of files of any size.
Weaving these tools into the process of the manufacturing
supply chain can expedite document processes and ensure
timely project completion.
What's more, email search features have failed to keep
pace with the manufacturing industry's management demands and are lackluster at best, creating opportunity for
manufacturing information system vendors to steal Outlook's nearly monopolistic market share.

A CONCLUDING NOTE
Although the JIT (just-in-time) framework is pushing new
productivity territory for manufacturing companies, it can't
be actualized without consideration of systems that bring
the same level of immediacy to document-related processes,
and manufacturing information systems are the best solutions for this problem through 2017 and beyond.
Wood is the CEO of document management software vendor, eFileCabinet. Founded in 2001, eFileCabinet Inc. began as a cutting-edge tool to
digitally store records in accounting firms. As it grew in popularity, eFileCabinet developed into a full-fledged electronic document management
solution designed to help organizations automate redundant processes,
ensure security and solve common office problems.

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ILMA Compoundings August 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings August 2017
