From the standpoint of measures of manufacturing output, the United States manufactures more goods than it ever has throughout history. While shop-floor automation gets much of the credit for manufacturers’ growing productivity, those in the industry know that what’s going on behind the scenes and in the supply chain is equally – if not more – important. Digital transformation is making manufacturers more efficient and effective than ever, before the first product ever rolls off the line.
That’s why manufacturers trying to make better decisions and find a strategic edge are increasingly recognizing the power in data analytics in those processes, which means they’re recognizing the core importance of data integration to their businesses.
Mission-critical data in manufacturing arrives from a variety of sources, in a variety of formats, and at varying speeds. It can be generated by internal legacy systems such as from operations, purchasing, demand planning, inventory, supply and other back-office applications. Additionally, data is generated on the shop floor, by customers, by suppliers, by shippers and by other stakeholders.
Integration is the process of bringing all those varied threads together into an integrated whole that enables key business processes. It involves collecting data from originating sources, transforming it as necessary to work within the destination system architecture and then loading it into the destination. This can happen in real-time or in batch loads, depending on the factors in play and the business need for that data in real time. Regardless of the details, it is critical to have a strategic plan in place that guides all of your data integration initiatives.
When integration is planned and executed effectively, it allows manufacturers to quickly identify and take advantage of new opportunities while avoiding costly shutdowns due to supply chain disruptions or other information-based factors. Additionally, the increased transparency of having all systems connected through integrated data flows assists manufacturers in finding new savings and efficiencies in their legacy practices.
Effective integration also speeds up manufacturers’ decision-making cycles by providing the information they require to make data-driven decisions in a timely manner. It empowers the analytic capabilities that drive effective adjustments throughout the supply chain, improving manufacturers’ bottom lines while contributing to the ongoing boom in manufacturing productivity that’s created so much prosperity across the United States and the rest of the world.
If you’d like to find out more about what effective data integration could do to help drive more productivity in your manufacturing operations and can maximize your ROI with low/no code approach to integration, Reliable Software calculate an estimation of your variables by multiplication of values to get them in-return revenue with the calculator, Calculate your ROI here.
