Reducing Errors and Manual Data Entry in Dairy Manufacturing
Case Study: Dairytown Processing
Dairytown Processing Ltd is a Dairy Manufacturing operation in Sussex, New Brunswick. After manufacturing goods, all finished-goods inventory and its components, bin tracking, and lot tracking information was manually recorded into Sage 300 ERP or into an Excel spreadsheet. Typically this could not be achieved until the day after production was counted and verified, resulting in numerous data entry errors. They wanted to find an easy inventory solution that would update their ERP system in real-time.
The Challenge
Sage 300 ERP supported daily business operations effectively, but the inventory workflow was slow and heavily dependent on manual processes. Dairytown struggled with:
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Manual data entry into Sage 300 or spreadsheets
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Delayed inventory updates
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Frequent errors caused by manual recording
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Limited real-time visibility
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The desire to keep their existing ERP system without replacing it
To improve efficiency without adopting a brand-new platform, Dairytown contacted their ERP reseller, DB Group Consulting.
The Solution
DB Group Consulting recommended ACCU-DART, a real-time inventory control system that integrates directly with Sage 300 ERP. Using radio-frequency scanners, warehouse and production staff can scan, validate, and update transactions instantly. There is no second database and no reconciliation required.
DB Group Consulting explained their recommendation clearly:
“Choosing the ACCU-DART system, which removed the manual data entry process by having warehouse employees scan and post information in real time, was better than implementing a new system with new processes.”
To make the workflow even more efficient, ACCU-DART was customized with a “one scan” feature. A single barcode represented the item number, quantity, and lot number. Scanning this single barcode validated and updated all data directly into the ERP system.
Software installation was completed quickly and training was straightforward. The one scan feature reduced the number of prompts and made it easy for warehouse staff to learn and adopt the new process.
The Result
ACCU-DART delivered the real-time accuracy and efficiency that Dairytown needed.
DB Group Consulting reported:
“ACCU-DART enabled Dairytown Processing Ltd to maintain accurate real-time inventory for finished goods and record all bin and lot tracking directly into Sage 300 ERP. This significantly reduced manual data entry and the processing procedures that were once required.”
Dairytown achieved:
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Accurate real-time inventory visibility
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Elimination of manual data entry
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Automated lot and bin tracking
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Faster and more reliable processing
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A reduction in time spent entering and reconciling transactions
ACCU-DART provided a fast, accurate, and easy-to-use inventory system while allowing Dairytown to continue relying on their existing ERP solution.