LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT WORKFLOW

LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
Logistics management is the governance of supply chain functions. Logistics
management activities typically involve inbound and outbound transportation
management, fleet management, inventory, materials handling, order fulfillment,
logistics network design, supply/demand planning, and management of third party
logistics services providers. To varying degrees, the logistics management is also
related with customer service, sourcing and procurement, production planning and
scheduling, packaging and assembly. Logistics management is part of all levels of
planning and execution -- strategic, operational and tactical.
WORKFLOW
Workflow is the definition, execution and automation of business processes where
tasks, information or documents are passed from one participant to another for
action, according to a set of procedural rules.
Organizations use workflows to coordinate tasks between people and synchronize
data between systems, with the ultimate goal of improving organizational efficiency,
responsiveness and profitability.
TYPES OF WORKFLOW
Sequential Workflow (Typically Flow Chart based, progresses from one stage to next
and does not step back)
State Machine Workflow (Progress from ‘State’ to ‘State’, these workflows are more
complex and return to a previous point if required)
Rules-driven Workflow (Implemented based on a sequential workflow. The rules
dictate the progress of the digital workflow)
AUTOMATING WORKFLOW
By automating supply chain workflow, private fleet operators, carriers, and third-
party logistics providers can more easily gather and utilize information, and
communicate with their suppliers and customers more effectively.
Workflows automates the flow of employee tasks and activities, reducing the time the
process takes to complete, as well as potential errors caused by human interaction.
Workflow automation makes processes more efficient, compliant, agile, and visible by
ensuring that every step of a process is explicitly defined, monitored over time, and
optimized for maximum productivity. Given optimal, up-to-the-minute process data,
managers and employees can take quicker action and make smarter decisions. Digital
workflows empower business users and IT to work together to rapidly modify systems
and processes to reflect changes in the business.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKFLOW SOFTWARE

Workflow software provides organizations with the technology functionality, enabling them to
innovate and create new working environments that not only define the business process and
tasks, but execute and run them through common day-today applications like Outlook and
Word, for example.
Improves productivity – Automated digital workflows optimize productivity, and therefore
reduce the time spent on manual tasks.
Visibility – Workflows enable managers to see what is happening with business critical
processes at every point along the process, and at any moment in time, through graphical
representation.
Faster business reaction to change – Workflow software enables organizations to react
quickly and smoothly to market changes through process modifications.
Improves Accountability – Use workflows to monitor time to execute business functions,
creating productivity measurement and continual process improvement.
A fully functional digital workflow provides four key benefits to a company:
✓ Improved productivity
✓ Process transparency
✓ Faster business reaction time
✓ Improved accountability
4 PROCESSES THAT MUST BE AUTOMATE
1. Business Enquiries
Do you have an efficient way to capture enquiries and turn them into customers for
your business? The first and foremost activity you might want to do is to streamline
your enquiry process as that directly leads to revenue and growth of the company.
You might go for a fancy CRM or a home-grown system to manage your enquiries.
The key here is to be able to define your funnel based on your sales process and
customize it so that you can move leads based on success criteria that you have
specified.
2. Document Management
You sure are dealing with tons of documents back and forth in a logistics business. It
might be contracts, NDAs, item lists, shipping advice receipts or bill of lading
documents. Creating a structured online document scanning and filing process would
ensure no documents are lost. It would be also enable easy retrieval of documents for
review and audit purposes. If this can include a customized workflow for approvals, it
would make the system more comprehensive.
3. Invoicing Process
The efficiency of your invoicing process determines the overall cash in the bank and it
is imperative to keep a systematic process of invoicing and following up on payments.
Having an automated system that can send reminders to customers a few days before
payment is due will help nudge the customers. Sending a thank you note when
payment is received goes a long way in keeping customers happy. Keeping track of
advance payments received, ensuring correct balance amounts are invoiced and
providing the right notifications efficiently are best done by an automated workflow
process and it would be a fools errand to do all of these tasks manually.
4. Shipment Tracking
I think this is the most important task that would need automation if you are in the
logistics space. The customer’s confidence rises a million times when an email or SMS
notification is received informing her of the current location of the shipment. Similarly
the confidence takes a severe beating if the status cannot be tracked or is not
updated for a significant amount of time. A simple update to a webpage based on
the bar code of the shipment would be a good starting point and a GPS-based
tracking device could be a more advanced means of tracking shipments.
SOURCES
http://www.pnmsoft.com/resources/bpm-tutorial/workflow-tutorial/
https://www.edrawsoft.com/logistic-management-workflow.php
https://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/automating-workflow-management/
https://www.cflowapps.com/4-workflow-automation-logistics-industry/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/313964