Automation of processes in the logistics business

Introduction

The fashion for automating business processes in times of crisis has somehow disappeared. Along with money for development. This is probably a consequence of the prevailing opinion that funds invested in automation, akin to the wheel of fortune, may or may not bring big profits. There are even cases of bankruptcy of a number of companies that began the process of implementing expensive information systems (IS), and simply ran out of money in the process. There were even jokes among system integrators that the best way to ruin a competitor was a “sent Cossack” actively lobbying for the implementation of a complex IP.

Recently, there are so many offers on the market that it is difficult to understand all the variety of names, types, types and subtypes of IP. Let's try to make things clear: IP can be globally divided into 3 types: IP created to order, ready-made IP, adapted for a specific business, and packaged IP. IP developed to order is usually assembled on the basis of ready-made platforms, rather than written from scratch. This approach is the most expensive, but it is believed that the system will exactly correspond to your tasks. In reality, the company’s tasks are transformed during the implementation process, and much becomes clear after it. Therefore, custom ICs are either “hooked” on the needle of a system integrator (the company that implements the system) or forced to create a department that will deal only with the system. Typically, large businesses take this path, which can afford 2-3 years of implementation time and ample budgetary opportunities.

Adapted IS are based on ready-made IS and include adaptation, implementation and configuration of the system. A ready-made, debugged kernel allows you to quickly implement the system, but some of the company’s wishes simply cannot be taken into account due to the technical limitations of the original system. With “boxes” everything is more or less transparent: you buy a finished product that has been previously tested and adapt to previously developed standards.

A little about IP types

CRM – customer relationship management systems. Main directions: recording the work history for each Client in one place. Restriction of access to the database of Clients for managers, generation of standard documents transferred to Clients according to a template. The goals of such systems are: improving the quality and speed of customer service; Increasing the level of business security; Increasing the transparency of the work of each sales department employee; Automate the creation of sales reports.

EDMS – electronic document management systems. Main areas: automatic registration of incoming documents in cases and registration cards; systematization of documents in the company; maintaining the history of changes and approvals of documents; control of orders according to documents. Goals: increasing the security of document flow, increasing the speed of document approvals; speeding up the search for documents, including archival ones; control over the execution of documents.

PMS – project management systems.

Billing is a system that allows the company's clients to manage their accounts independently: replenish their balance, order services automatically, issue invoices for themselves and receive primary documents for services provided.

The most interesting thing is that, in general, the correct division of systems by type is practically meaningless today. The boundaries of system functionality are being erased at an astonishing rate. Therefore, it is better to start selecting a system by determining priorities: which area of ​​business processes is most important and choosing a system that initially implements this particular direction. Its other functions will be an excellent addition to solving the main task.

IP in logistics

The logistics business is essentially no different from any other business. Main business processes: Management of cargo transportation projects; Document flow accounting before, during and after the provision of services; Registration of communications with clients and counterparties; Therefore, if you decide to automate your business and implement IP, several options arise.

You can follow the budget path - automate standardized areas of the business: for example, only CRM or document flow. This will give a positive effect quite quickly. However, they usually want to automate the process of managing a transportation project, since this is the earning link of the company. And this process is complex and quite unique. The main difficulty is that it is impossible to prescribe 2-3 standard algorithms for managing the cargo transportation process. Each Client is a unique process, which can also change over time. Therefore, it is not possible to use standard project management systems or their use turns out to be ineffective. That is why solutions with Gantt charts and other MS Project features are practically not used in logistics and other specific types of business, where project management requires an individual approach structure. I would like to note that ready-made logistics automation systems in terms of managing cargo transportation projects are very poorly integrated with document flow, billing and CRM systems. Trying to use multiple systems without integration turns into torture for employees who perform the same actions three times in three systems. For example: the cargo arrived at customs. The manager receives a notification about this, opens the project management system, and changes the status of the delivery project. After this, the CRM system opens and changes the delivery status there so that the system sends a notification to the Client. And then he goes into the document management system, finds there the Client and the cargo certificate documents attached to him and sends them to the driver. Not very convenient, although viable. Most companies still do everything manually, using Excel.

Automation experience

Rissoft has experience in complex automation of logistics business. Initially, the system was developed for project management, then a billing module was created, then document management and CRM were improved. And this is all related specifically to the specifics of logistics. The developed unique system covers almost all standard business processes: it allows you to design unique projects and orders using templates. This is achieved thanks to the built-in order designer, with which any user can create their own transport order model. Needless to say, how convenient it is to use the notifications built into the system based on order stages. Access to the order management system is also possible for Clients who, simply by specifying a unique code for their order, gain access to “tracking” to control the location of the order and view the history of its transportation. A fairly large amount of documentation (invoices, certificates, etc.) is attached to the order, and the orders are associated with the Client. This ensures logical storage of data and quick search for any “pieces of paper”. The approval of documents during the order process is implemented directly in the order card, which makes it possible to record and view the history of correspondence between managers, clients and counterparties (who also have their own limited access) without opening a million windows. In general, the main thing for the Client is “To make work convenient and simple.” We try to adhere to these principles when developing custom systems.

1.7. AUTOMATION OF PRODUCTION ANDLOGISTICS PROCESSES

1.7.1. Automated control systems

Automation of control at various levels of industrial production is implemented using automated control systems - automated control systems (or ERP) and automated process control systems. ERP systems in the hierarchical management structure cover levels from the enterprise to the workshop, and process control systems - from the workshop and below, although at the workshop level there may be both automated control systems and process control systems. At the same time, the process control system may also have inter-shop connections if a single technological process is implemented in several shops.

Recently, due to the development of the Internet, automation has spread to the management of communications between enterprises. Corresponding subsystems have appeared in ERP, but often interaction with suppliers and customers is carried out using independent SCM and CRM systems, respectively.

Modern ERP systems are based on the concept of hierarchical enterprise management. Along with this concept, recently there has been an increasingly noticeable trend towards the creation of multi-agent control systems based on the principles of process management.

Modern ERP systems include a number of subsystems. Below is a list of the major subsystems found in many ERP systems, along with their inherent functions.

1 . "Production scheduling." Main functions: network production planning, calculation of capacity and materials requirements, inter-shop specifications and accounting for the movement of products, monitoring the implementation of plans.

2. “Operational production management.” Functions: maintaining product data, monitoring completed work, defects and waste, calculating resource consumption rates, managing service departments.

3. "Project management". Functions: network planning
design work and monitoring their implementation, calculating the need for
production resources.

4. “Financial and economic management, accounting.”
Functions: accounting of cash and production costs, marketing research, pricing, drawing up cost estimates
moves, maintaining contracts and mutual settlements, financial reports,
tax reporting, analysis of the solvency of the enterprise.

5. Logistics." Functions: sales and trade, statistics and analysis
sales, warehouse services, supply management,
supplies and purchases, transportation management, optimization
vehicle routes.

6. “Human Resources Management.” Functions: personnel records, maintenance
staffing, salary calculation.

7. “Information resource management.” Functions: document and document management, installation and maintenance of software, generation of models and
application interfaces, simulation modeling of production processes.

As noted above, there are varieties of automated control systems with their own English names. If the most general system with the above functions is called ERP, then systems focused on production management (operating information about materials, production, control, etc.) are called MRP-2.

In ERP, an important role is played by EDM (Enterprise Data Management) data management systems, similar to PDM systems in CAD.

MES systems are close in functionality to ERP systems and have a number of subsystems for the following purposes:

Synthesis of schedules of production operations;

Distribution of resources, including the distribution of performers according to work;

Dispatching the flow of orders and work;

Management of documents related to the operations performed;

Operational quality control;

Rapid adjustment of process parameters based on
data on the course of processes, etc.

The world leader among ERP software systems is the R/3 system (SAP), the leaders also include the Vaap IV, Oracle Applications, and J. D. Edwards systems. From the point of view of integration of control and design systems, you should pay attention to the Omega Production system (SICOR company). Among the domestic automated control systems, the following systems should be mentioned: Parus, Galaktika, Flagman, M-2, etc.

Thus, in the Baan IV system there are the following subsystems.

“Administrator of enterprise activities”, with its help
indicators of financial and economic activity are analyzed, the values ​​of current indicators are compared with the maximum ones, information reports are generated, which makes it possible to generally judge the state of affairs at the enterprise;

“Production” - serves to support data (specifications, technological routes) about products, planning
and operational management of production processes;

“Project” - deals with the planning of project work, taking into account the required resources, including financial ones, and control
implementation of plans;

“Sales, supply, warehouses” - designed to solve relevant logistics problems;

“Transport” - serves to determine optimal transportation routes, taking into account crew loads and to monitor the location of goods;

“Human Resources Management” - deals with the management of staff
schedules, personnel records, payroll calculations;

"Finance" - manages funds, financial
planning, cost distribution, tax and financial
reporting;

“Process” - focused on managing continuous
production processes;

“Service” - serves to manage maintenance processes with drawing up a schedule of preventive measures, performing repairs, determining the required resources, tariffs for consumables;

"Enterprise Modeling" - intended for assessment
enterprise performance efficiency through the creation and use of models;

“Toolkit” is a toolkit for describing the structure of the database and generating applications using the 4GL language.

The following subsystems operate in the Parus system:

"Financial management";
"Logistics";

"Manufacturing control";

"Personnel Management";

"Business Process Management".

The components (modules) of the corporate information system Flagman (Infosoft company) are grouped together, called circuits. The system has seven circuits: financial and economic management, logistics, production management, personnel management, accounting and analysis, controlling, information resource management.

A step towards creating a unified information space for production management is the creation of means for interfacing different automated control systems with each other. Such facilities are called converters or bridges (ERPBridges). Thus, in the R/3 system there are a number of bridges, for example the bridge connecting R/3 with the F/Ops production management system. The F/Ops system belongs to the MES product class.

The functions of MES systems are analysis of production processes, their optimization, management of resources and material consumption, analysis of equipment downtime, diagnosis and prevention of equipment breakdowns, control and management of product quality, generation of production reports for transfer to the ERP level.

Among other MES systems, Wonderware's InTrack program occupies a prominent place. This software allows enterprises to easily simulate and control every stage of the production process - from the receipt of raw materials, materials and components to the release of finished products. With InTrack, you can define and model processes, set work sequences, control work in progress, manage inventories, collect data, and more.

InTrack software uses production simulation models. The models represent stages and processes of production, described in terms of static objects, such as materials, operations, machines, areas, data sets, etc., and dynamic objects, characterizing the movement of inventories, such as units of work in progress.

An example of an autonomously used organization system and
customer relationship management is a CRM system
Marketing Center of PRO-INVEST company. The system allows you to document contacts with clients, plan work for each contact, accumulate statistics for subsequent marketing analysis, etc.

An example of SCM systems is the domestic system of the BSE company, consisting of subsystems: Vector - for warehouse management; e-Partner - for managing relationships with suppliers and partners; e-Purchase - for managing trading operations.

The automated control system software is represented by real-time operating systems, SCADA programs, drivers and application programs of controllers.

The main requirements for real-time operating systems are high speed of response to requests from external devices, system stability (i.e., the ability to work without freezing) and economical use of available system resources.

The process control systems use both variants of the widely used UNIX and Windows operating systems, as well as special real-time operating systems. LynxOS is considered promising - a multitasking, multi-user, UNIX-compatible system. Windows NT becomes a real-time system when complemented by VenturCom's RTX environment. The advanced RTX API, based on the Win32 API, enables the creation of drivers and real-time applications. In addition, Microsoft developed a special version of the Windows NT operating systems for embedded applications, called Windows NT Embedded.

When using embedded equipment based on the VMEbus bus in the process control system, it is advisable to use the QNX or VxWorks operating systems, and in the case of the process control system based on the CompactPCI bus, the OS-9, QNX operating systems or Windows NT real-time extensions.

The QNX operating system from the Canadian company QSSL is open, modular and easily modified. It is designed in accordance with POSDC standards, supports ISA, PCI, CompactPCI, PC/104, VME, STD32, etc. buses.

The Vx Works real-time operating system performs scheduling and task management functions. It can operate both in multiprocessor systems with shared memory and in loosely coupled systems using distributed message queues. Vx Works supports all the networking tools common to UNIX, as well as OLE for Process Control (OPC) interfaces. Together with the Tornado tool system, it is a cross-system for application software development.

The multitasking, multi-user OS-9 system has an integrated cross-environment designed for application development, including an editor, source code browser, debuggers, C/C++ compilers, and supports communication protocols X.25, FR, ATM, ISDN, SS7, etc.

SCADA systems in process control systems differ in the types of supported controllers and methods of communication with them, the operating environment, types of alarms (notifications), the number of trends (trends in the state of the controlled process) and the method of their output, features of the human-machine interface, etc.

Communication with controllers and applications in SCADA systems is usually carried out using DDE, OLE, OPC or ODBC technologies. Serial industrial buses Profibus, CANbus, Foundation Fieldbus, etc. are used as communication channels.

Alarms are recorded when the values ​​of monitored parameters or their rates of change exceed the permissible ranges.

The number of simultaneously displayed trends can be different; their visualization is possible in real time or with pre-buffering. Possibilities for interactive work of operators are provided.

Programs for programmable controllers are written in C/C++, VBA, or original languages ​​developed for specific systems. Programming is usually performed not by professional programmers, but by factory technologists, so it is desirable that programming languages ​​be fairly simple, built on visual images of situations. In this regard, many systems additionally use various circuit languages. A number of languages ​​are standardized and represented in the international standard IEC 1131-3. These are graphical languages ​​for functional diagrams SFC, block diagrams FBD, ladder logic diagrams LD and text languages ​​- Pascal-like ST and low-level instruction language IL.

One of the well-known SCADA systems is the Citect system from the Australian company Ci Technology, which runs in a Windows environment. It is a scalable client-server system with built-in redundancy for increased reliability. It consists of five subsystems: input/output, visualization, alarms, trends, reports. Subsystems can be distributed across different network nodes. The original Cicode programming language is used.

The Trace Mode SCADA system for large automated process control systems in various industries and city services was created by AdAstra. The system consists of an instrumental part and executive modules. The management of technological processes and the development of automated workplaces for workshop and section managers, dispatchers and operators are provided. It is possible to use operating systems QNX, OS9, Windows.

Another example of a popular SCADA system is Bridge VIEW (another name for Lab VIEW SCADA) from National Instruments. The system core manages the database, interacts with device servers, and responds to alarms. When configuring the system for a specific application, the user configures the input and output channels, specifying values ​​for them such as sampling rates, signal value ranges, etc., and creates a program for the application. Programming is carried out in the graphical language of block diagrams.

The purpose of the application software is to analyze production and influence it in real time. To develop application software in process control systems, packages of the Component Integrator type are used. Well-known Component Integrator systems include FIX, Factory Suite 2000, ISaGRAF, etc.

WonderWare's Factory Suite 2000 is used in the design of industrial automation systems from process control systems to process control systems. In particular, this complex includes the InTouch 7.0 and InTrack systems. Using InTouch 7.0, distributed applications are created with tools for building a human-machine interface, in particular SCADA systems. The InTrack module discussed above is used to manage material flows and inventories, and controls the loading of equipment at the enterprise. It is integrated into the renowned enterprise resource planning system iBaan. Other Factory Suite 2000 modules include the IndustrialSQL Server real-time database, the InControl process control task programming suite, the SPC Pro statistical data analysis program, and others.

One of the developed real-time application development tools is the Tornado system, created for the VxWorks multitasking operating system by Wind River. Application development is carried out on an instrumental computer, which can be a PC or workstations from Sun, HP, IBM, DEC. The basic Tornado configuration includes C/C++ compilers, debuggers, a target machine simulator, a command interpreter, a target system object browser, project management tools, etc. To develop software for embedded signal processors, Tornado is used together with a special operating system WISP. The Tornado Prototyper tool environment and the VxWorks operating system simulator running under Windows can be obtained free of charge via the Internet, which allows preliminary development of an application program, and only then purchasing the full version of the cross-system.

The ISaGRAF tool environment is used to develop application software for programmable PLC controllers. The environment implements the Flowchart graph diagram methodology and five programming languages ​​according to the IEC 61131-3 standard (IEC 1131 - 3).

With the development of network infrastructure, it becomes possible
closer integration of automated control systems and automated process control systems, previously developed
offline. The use of information about technological processes in automated control systems allows for more rational production planning and enterprise management. Integration is expressed in the use at these levels of common software, databases, connections to the Internet based on the development of PC-compatible controllers and Industrial Ethernet networks, etc.

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The particular importance of properly functioning logistics during times of crisis

One of the most dynamically developing areas in terms of the use of information technology is logistics. In essence, the logistics approach to processes means the desire to move inventory in the maximum possible volume in the minimum time, taking into account the various restrictions imposed. This approach is not always given due attention in an economy oversaturated with money and long-term projects, which, as a rule, contribute to inflated demand and somewhat weaken enterprises. The number of personnel and their salaries are growing, while the quality of movement of goods along the value-added chain leaves much to be desired. And only the most advanced enterprises - industry leaders who live every working day as if it were their last - are able to prepare for possible troubles in “peacetime.” It is in such enterprises that the right people work, who form and control the right logistics processes.

Rice. 1. Warehouse business processes

The less attention to logistics, the higher the company’s losses during the crisis

During a crisis, the struggle for each client intensifies. In a market overheated by credit, customers could line up to suppliers. Now that almost every business is carefully analyzing what is worth paying for and what is not, attention to detail and quality of service are turning from marketing slogans into everyday realities.

Did the warehouseman spend an unreasonably long time looking for goods in the warehouse? Tomorrow another supplier will ship this product to the same customer. Still found a product, but mistakenly shipped a similar one? In the best case, this product may be politely asked to be picked up on the same day and never delivered again.

If we count the total annual lost profit from customers who have left forever and, as a consequence, the practically non-renewable loss of market share, the situation very quickly ceases to be optimistic for the enterprise.

Automation of warehouse logistics is a way to reduce enterprise losses

Until the enterprise's losses exceed all conceivable limits, solving logistics problems using modern automation systems, as a rule, can be postponed “for later” due to the objective priority of marketing and sales, which are at the forefront of business. It should be noted that timely establishment of order in the relevant rear units is an equally important management and accounting task, especially during a crisis period. First of all, it makes sense to organize at least addressable space in the warehouse, thereby increasing the accuracy of accounting. Penalties imposed by large retail chains for erroneously delivered goods are not the best way to maintain the morale of company personnel, especially during a period of increasing non-payments. It is in these difficult times that it makes sense to use an information system that allows for automatic selection of goods from storage areas in the warehouse. It is this process that takes up to 60% of the total time required to complete all warehouse operations.

Rice. 2. Organization of targeted storage in the warehouse

Automation of transport logistics - assistance in eliminating problem areas of cargo transportation

Downtime of your own and clients' transport in the area adjacent to the warehouse is another opportunity to lose clients forever. Could a single information space that allows managers, logisticians and dispatchers to take into account and optimally manage the delivery of goods from manufacturing, trading and forwarding enterprises be redundant for an enterprise? Instead of getting confused with complex spreadsheets, with the introduction of an automated transportation management system, it will be possible to get a current picture of order fulfillment to customers at any time “with a click.” And this is not to mention transportation planning and detailed analytics characteristic of systems of this level. Identifying deviations from established standards will help eliminate problem areas in cargo transportation.

Rice. 3. Functionality of the automated transport management system "1C-Logistics: Transport Management".

According to the report of the Minister of Transport and Communications I.E. Levitin, the cost of road transport in Russia is one and a half times higher than in developed foreign countries. The size of the transport component in the final cost of production reaches fifteen to twenty percent (15-20%) versus seven to eight percent (7-8%) in countries with developed economies. In most cases, the reduction in transportation costs as a result of optimization and automation of processes can amount to millions of rubles per year.

One of the key problems arising in the process of cargo transportation is the ineffective use of models and types of vehicles due to the lack of algorithms for their selection, taking into account the maximum use of lifting characteristics. An undoubted benefit from the implementation of a transportation automation system is control of the transport load factor when completing flights.

Another lever for reducing transport costs is tracking quantitative and technological transportation efficiency factors (KPIs). The automated system calculates each of them and provides all the necessary information to responsible employees to make informed and timely management decisions.

To reduce transportation costs and speed up operations, zoning of delivery addresses and additional filtering of transportation tasks by delivery zones when bundling flights are also used. This allows you to avoid unjustifiably inflated vehicle mileage due to the lack of optimal routing algorithms. The result is significant savings in fuel and lubricants, which will not hurt at all during a crisis.

Implemented an automated warehouse management system - reduced personnel costs

When there is less money in the market as a whole, they immediately begin to diligently count it at every enterprise - in almost all areas of work, the struggle to minimize costs begins. At Russian warehouse complexes, wages can reach 30% - 60% (or even more) of the total costs of operating a warehouse. But as soon as an automated warehouse management system starts working at a facility, from 30% to 50% of warehouse personnel become redundant (data based on the results of AXELOT projects). This personnel can be safely redirected to other vacant areas of work that meet the qualification requirements. But the remaining storekeepers will not have to frantically rush around the warehouse in search of lost goods somewhere. The annual savings from the release of warehouse personnel are easy to calculate, and in many cases exceed the total cost of the warehouse logistics automation project, including the cost of services, software and the necessary radio equipment to support barcoding technology.

Rice. 4. Excerpt from an example of calculating the payback of a warehouse automation project based on "1C-Logistics: Warehouse Management"

An automated control system allows you to increase the speed of warehouse operation and optimize the storage area

Time, one of the key logistics parameters, becomes even more valuable during a crisis. If a warehouse doesn't ship quickly enough due to poor logistics, it results in unmet demand. What yesterday the company’s client was ready to buy immediately, today can turn into a stale product for a fairly long period. And you will need to pay the supplier for this product, thereby increasing the inventory unnecessarily. As a result, instead of increasing turnover and profits, there is freezing of warehouse stocks and rising costs. These individual costs for each enterprise can also be calculated for a period and sooner or later you can come to the conclusion that it would have been better not to cause losses in the first place. Operating any warehouse complex costs money. These costs can be easily recalculated per unit of area and per unit of time, that is, how much does an hour of warehouse operation or storage of goods in an area of ​​1 sq. m cost the company? m. From the above example it follows that the operation of automated placement of goods, releasing 500 of 4000 sq. m. m of warehouse, leads to savings of about 2 million rubles per year. This is a lot of money even in non-crisis times.

Rice. 5. Automated selection of goods in the "1C-Logistics: Warehouse Management 3.0" system

Additional income for the enterprise from the provision of safekeeping services is another result of warehouse automation

In many cases, warehouse space is not used efficiently. But even if this is not the case, during periods of crisis the demand for certain product groups drops significantly. At the same time, the shortage of warehouse space in large cities still persists. As soon as the warehouse automation system “squeezes out” the maximum from storage space, the opportunity immediately arises to diversify the business and use the freed-up warehouse volume to provide secure storage services (much more financially interesting than regular rent) to other enterprises. The same personnel are involved in the same territory, and instead of costs there is income. In this case, the main functions of the warehouse automation system are complemented by so-called billing for calculating services provided. This means that almost every warehouse operation can be systematically charged, and this makes it possible to transparently and reasonably provide services to depositors on a commercial basis.

Rice. 6. One of the report forms for a secure storage warehouse, created in "1C-Logistics: Warehouse Management"

Logistics automation solutions: "1C-Logistics: Warehouse Management" and "1C-Logistics: Transportation Management"

I would like to draw attention to the distinctive features of the joint solutions of 1C and AXELOT "1C-Logistics: Warehouse Management" and "1C-Logistics: Transportation Management". Working in the mass market initially presupposes the maximum possible accessibility for the consumer and the alienability of the software product and related services. Most of the code of these software products related to the logic of warehouse processes is open for modification. In practice, this means that in the vast majority of cases, enterprises can implement purchased software on their own. This requires at least one smart logistician and one competent specialist in the field of automation on a technology platform

Competition among companies providing transport services is growing every year. However, competent work with transport logistics is needed not only by carrier companies. Any company that has a need to regularly transport something (for example, an online store) faces difficulties in planning work and financial accounting, and therefore difficulties in document flow. In other words, if a company’s logistics process is not optimized, it suffers losses.

The most common logistics problems are easy to list:

• Irrational use of vehicles. Empty mileage and downtime of vehicles are a common problem in enterprises with their own fleet.
• Difficulties and losses in communications. Typically, without automation, the dispatch department will be overloaded, and even then it may be difficult to satisfy all incoming requests. If information is not stored centrally in one system, the operator has to perform many unnecessary actions to receive it and transmit it further.
• Negative influence of the human factor. Entering and transmitting data manually takes time and generates errors. Also, if processes are not automated, the company has to resort to intuitive decisions and manual calculations - usually inaccurate.

All this inevitably leads to a decrease in productivity, and therefore turnover and income. What's the solution here? Of course, automation. Proper implementation of specialized products allows you to solve all these problems and “tame” logistics schemes of any complexity.

What are the benefits of automating transport logistics?

First of all, automation of the logistics system makes the movements of all your goods and vehicles transparent and predictable. This is possible thanks to fine tuning of business processes and document flow, accurate accounting, tax and management accounting at the automated facility. This is the most valuable and, perhaps, the most expected result, but behind its predictability there are hours of studying the specifics of the client’s business and reworking suitable software solutions so that they correspond to these specifics. It is impossible to find two completely identical businesses, therefore there are no two completely identical implementations. We understand how important it is to work with each client's problems individually, and this produces tangible results.

Here's what else our clients received after logistics automation:

• We were able to save money. Automation improves communications between various services and departments - this is especially noticeable in large companies with a large staff and an impressive structure. Many of our clients talk about improving economic indicators due to automation - WETT Group of Companies, Arzamas Bread CJSC, Shenker logistics holding, Nizhny Novgorod Vodokanal.
• They work faster. Coordinated work allows you to reduce the time required to carry out one operation. This leads to greater productivity - which means increased throughput for your company or department.
• They use material resources more efficiently. This advantage is felt most strongly by enterprises with their own fleet of vehicles: after automation, customers can monitor fuel consumption and use of vehicles (for example, determine the degree of wear and quickly select vehicles in need of repair).
• We introduced KPIs for employees. Logistics holding Shenker began to evaluate the effectiveness of its employees based on IT system data. This is a great idea, because the indicators in a single system allow you to evaluate the real picture of performance. This way you can not only identify slackers, but also encourage modest productive workers.

In many areas of business, the need to be faster and more accurate than competitors is no longer a goal to strive for for the sake of a comfortable existence, but a key to maintaining position in the market. That is why automation of the logistics system is the most important step to maintain the competitiveness of any company engaged in transportation (even within the organization itself).

For high-quality automation, which will truly solve the company’s problems and bring economic benefits, it is very important not only to select suitable products, but also to correctly implement them. Very often, the specifics of an enterprise’s operation dictate requirements that mass-produced products “out of the box” simply cannot satisfy. That is why you should order automation only from experienced practitioners who know how to adapt the product to solve the problems of your business.

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10.08.2017

For today's organizations to operate competently and efficiently, it is not enough to just improve products. This approach was relevant in the early 2000s. Now it is necessary to increase efficiency.

A business system of any kind is a group of business processes with one final goal. The goal is to sell a product, service or information to the end consumer and make a profit. The business process itself is a complex consisting of interconnected actions occurring within the business.

Key components of business processes in logistics

Internal processes are divided into the following four types:

making a profit from the sale of goods;

planning and management of internal data for sales implementation;

resource processes, in particular, delivery and maintenance of products in warehouses;

transformation.

Logistics is responsible for the processes presented below:

strategic planning of goods movement;

complete control of commodity flows.

Optimization of business processes in logistics allows for the shipment of resources and a reduction in the cost of goods. To properly implement these tasks, logistics companies:

organize the delivery of goods: coordinate dates, analyze the client’s transport capabilities, plan a route, develop route maps;

are responsible for the goods: they accept and ship the goods, organize warehousing;

monitor the documents: provide information to the recipient, record requests from stores and put marks on invoices.

Additional automation of business processes in logistics helps achieve even better results.

Optimization and reengineering of business processes

Besides improving logistics processes, reengineering is used to optimize processes directly related to business. This concept is used to denote a complete restructuring of the organization of business.

The general scheme of reengineering processes looks like this:

managers model business processes in logistics and specific tasks of the company as a whole;

Based on the data obtained, new models are developed and new technologies are developed;

the model is carefully analyzed, after which they look at the positive and negative consequences of implementation and evaluate the usefulness;

if the results are positive, the new model is introduced into direct production.

For competent reengineering, first of all, they recreate a large map that depicts all the components that ultimately form internal processes. The map is drawn up in such a way as to graphically display all the necessary details and form levels, displaying the horizontal and vertical relationships of processes.

After this, managers begin a total analysis of all the details. If the final profit after analysis pays back the costs of analysis by more than 2 times, then the project must be declared feasible and the entire plan provided must be implemented in the near future.

Sample documents