Automating Critical Business Processes with Workflow

Proper workflows are essential to maximizing your Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform experience. Many customers have not fully explored the benefits that workflow can provide to their organization.

For example, one recent customer was not using workflow as part of their purchase order process. Employees with access to the purchase order module were able to freely place a purchase order in an on-order status without any governance. Unfortunately, for this customer, an employee abused this freedom and created fake purchase orders to benefit themselves.

We sat down with this customer and were able to create a standard workflow for the creation of purchase orders. Purchasing agents entering new purchase orders were no longer able to freely change the status of the purchase order to an on-order status. Newly created purchase orders were guided through workflow-based criteria such as purchase order types, suppliers and dollar values. These criteria, among other available tokens, were routed to the appropriate department managers and general manager for approvals along the way.

Plex has many available tokens/specials for individual workflows. Within workflow it is easy to guide any of the available workflow embedded modules using tokens and specials to get your organization what it needs to update the status of processes like purchase orders, employee reviews, problem issues, and part status, to name a few.

Workflow has also assisted many customers in other spaces within Plex. We commonly see customers using the Engineering Change Request (ECR) workflow within Plex. This helps guide new and seasoned engineers to make sure proper changes are addressed when a part changes or a new part is added to Plex. Complex processes like these are great for workflow within Plex. We can help guide you through a proper mapping process to make sure all departments responsible are aware of changes taking place.

If you are not currently using workflow for your purchase orders or other modules within Plex that require attention to detail and/or management sign off, give us a shout. We can help evaluate your needs and put a workflow together that is tailored to your organization. Likewise, if you have a workflow in place currently that is no longer meeting your needs and could use a refresh, we can assist with changes you might need.

Revolution Group has been a trusted Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform consulting partner for more than 20 years, if you have questions about your current ERP strategy or are looking for an ERP consulting partner, give us a call at 614-212-1111 or reach us at [email protected].