Visibility into the status of cargo freight—with details on when it ships and when it’s received as well as its condition—is a vital part of supply chain logistics. That’s why many of the large international carriers rely heavily on document scanning as a means to communicate the up-to-date status on cargo shipments.
When document scanners are placed conveniently in a shipping or receiving hub, all the connected parties—customer service, purchasing, finance and manufacturing, to name a few—can have the information they need within minutes. For instance, a quick of scan of a proof of delivery or packing slip can be used to initiate the closing of purchase orders and payment for received goods. For the transportation carrier, it provides the ability to confirm delivery to the customer as well as accelerating the billing process.
With up-to-the-minute data, a production manager can be alerted to critical parts that have just arrived so they can get the assembly line up and running again. In the case of deliveries that might be missing part of an order, drivers can use a mobile scanner to alert their customer service departments of what was actually received versus what was ordered. With quick action at the time of delivery, issues can be resolved quickly to the customer’s satisfaction.
Enabling streamlined imaging solution processes, increased productivity—and a quick ROI
Omni Logistics, LLC is one of the world’s leading privately held third-party logistics (3PL) providers. The company specializes in providing unique, custom supply chain solutions for global companies. Order accuracy and accountability—from inception to the final mile—are highly important to the company.
Hence, when the company began experiencing a greater volume of daily shipments, Rod Obligacion, the general manager at Omni’s San Francisco station, became concerned as the uploading of the large quantities of paper documentation in its systems began to slow things down. Employees would typically scan the documents, search to find them in a folder, rename the documents, and then email them to a coworker for further processing. Rod hoped to find a document imaging solution that would be faster and more reliable—one that could streamline processes and increase the productivity of the employees.
The company found exactly what it needed with the fi-7300NX scanner. The deployment of that model in several departments of the company including customer service, accounting, operations and the warehouse quickly improved their productivity. What was previously a four-step process was now reduced down to two.
The impact of the new scanners was felt throughout the company, thanks in part to the scanner’s PaperStream NX Manager server software, which remotely manages each scanner while eliminating the need to have a PC connected each unit. It creates user accounts, customizes and deploys job profiles, and integrates them with downstream workflows. These features allow the people in accounting to easily search for invoices by key number or key word, which saves tremendous time.
The fi-7300NX delivered just what Rod and his teams were looking for: speed, excellent image quality and great paper handling, along with easy integration and compatibility with document imaging applications. As Rod notes, “The return on investment played a big factor in our decision to transition to the fi-7300NX scanners. In our warehouse alone, processing time has been cut in half. These scanners have paid for themselves.”
Best scanners for logistics
Depending on a company’s specific requirements, they could choose any of the following scanners to help with the imaging solution streamline processes and gain greater visibility into the status of their cargo.
- The N7100E is a stand-alone, compact network scanner with unmatched performance. With a scanner, embedded computer, large 8.4” touch-screen display with integrated on-screen keyboard all combined in one, it’s a perfect stand-alone, shared unit for shipping and receiving hubs. People can perform scanning, indexing, review, and transmission without a computer nearby which simplifies operations. This scanner is also ideal for shared access, as it comes with high security, data protection, and customized menus that can be applied to each user. It scans up to 25 ppm and has a daily volume of up to 4,000 sheets, which means you get more done in less time.
- The fi-7300NX is a network scanner that includes Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, which, as seen above, creates efficiencies. It can be remotely placed in any department, untethered, without the need for a desktop computer that would take up valuable space. The fi-7300NX includes authentication methods for data security so approved workers can quickly scan any appropriate documentation to speed up handling and minimize interruptions. This scanner also features a simple touch screen with customized job buttons, so even the least experienced employees can use it. The fi-7300NX can scan up to 60 ppm, giving valuable time back to employees.
- The fi-7600 Image Scanner is a heavy-duty and flexible production scanner that can be used in larger, busy warehouses. It can achieve scanning speeds of 100 ppm and is capable of loading up to 300 sheets at a time and scanning up to as many as 44,000 sheets a day. With its high-quality technologies and user-friendly design, the scanner is suitable for continuous high-volume scanning. The scanner's ability to scan various documents such as wide (12 x 17), thin paper, plastic cards, envelopes and long page documents boosts user productivity. The scanner also rotates so it can accommodate how scan operators use it in their space with more efficiency.
- The fi-7900 is an image scanner that is perfect for high-volume centralized scanning work, with the capability to scan as many as 120,000 sheets a day at fast speeds up to 140 ppm. It delivers high-quality, reliable imaging solution with a user-friendly design and enhanced image processing functionality. Its reliable feeding functions prevents errors while improving performance, with guides that allow you to align a variety of different-sized documents into one batch. The scanner comes with PaperStream IP, which offers enhanced image quality for strong character recognition accuracy. It also works with PaperStream Capture, with options for high-level data extraction, indexing, and other advanced capture features.