Having multiple systems that are integrated to each other makes managing data much simpler. Integration allows information to be transferred automatically between different systems, which reduces double handling and has a major impact on administrative efficiency.
For businesses who don’t manage data through integrated systems, most tasks simply take much longer than they should. Having to re-enter data and quality check slows down the workflow and can create a backlog for your administration team.
When you are entering data into two separate systems manually, there is a lot of double handling involved and a much higher risk of human error. It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re managing multiple spreadsheets at once on different applications.
| We say, don’t waste time on manual data entry – let the integrated systems do the work for you. |
Excel Spreadsheets
Some companies still rely on expansive Excel spreadsheets to manage data, which is not only inefficient but also increases the chance of mistakes being made. Any system that requires the manual input of data and an understanding of formulas and macros is a risk in itself, as it is very easy to make a mistake that could cost your business a lot of money.
Single points of failure
With a single point of failure, your company is at risk if the person in charge of inputting data is no longer able to do so. It can be very difficult to replace or train someone to understand a very complicated system where a single mistake could affect the entire business.
Practical Example
We recently worked with a company who were spending between 40 to 60 hours every week manually processing an expansive Excel spreadsheet to calculate invoices. This involved a lot of manual input and massively increased their risk errors being made. Since we have integrated into their MYOB Advanced account, this process is now done automatically which is saving their accounts team hours of valuable time every week.
This client’s job scheduling and booking systems are also all integrated now, which means that their Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) will automatically be applied to eForms for staff to fill out on the field. All of this ensures that safety standards are maintained for all field staff and makes submitting the correct forms much easier.
Find a sustainable solution for your business…
Non integrated systems ≠ scalable business
As a business you will need to be able to demonstrate that you are following the best practices and are running the business as efficiently as possible. If you don’t have an integrated system in place and are still using paper-based systems or two digital applications, the workload for your administration team will continue to increase as the size of your field-based team grows. Growing your business will become much harder using systems that don’t integrate.
Less pressure on payroll
With a larger workload and very repetitive tasks to complete on a daily basis, administration staff may become overworked and unhappy with their situation. This will put more pressure on the payroll staff to ensure everyone is getting paid on time and all timesheets are processed correctly. There is also a higher chance of errors occuring, leading to unhappy field staff if their pay isn’t processed properly.
How an integrated system can help your business:
- Real-time visibility of data.
- Invoices, quotes, and purchase orders can be synchronised across the systems.
- Reduced administration load with automation.
- Able to share contacts across multiple systems.
- Improved data analysis.
- Reduced business risk as human error can be minimised.
An integrated system should be adaptable for your business
Firstly, you already know how to run your business and we don’t want to change that.
We believe in creating a customisable system to suit the needs of your business, so that it will integrate seamlessly with any other systems and processes you already have in place. With this in place, you will be able to improve your current processes, as well as allow you to identify where the system can be connected to other useful applications including accounting packages (MYOB, Xero, Microsoft Navision & SAP) and inventory management applications. You can merge a lot of the tasks you were doing separately before into one system, making your job simpler and easier to manage.
Benefits for field based staff
A customisable system is also important for field-based staff, as they may have different requirements to those working in an office. This allows them to find a system that works for them. You will be able to ensure that all your systems integrate fully and allow everyone to work as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Improved Risk Management
Transitioning to an integrated system is the best way forward in terms of productivity, efficiency, and risk management. With everything in one place, managing the daily workflow will become much simpler as many tasks can be automated, reducing the need for manual labour.
Take a look at the systems you currently have in place and start thinking about how an integrated system could bring them all together.
| KEY QUESTION: How many software applications does your company use and how much could you benefit from data being shared between them? |
