Order Production Workflows 

Solving the pain points of Order Production Workflows 

Let’s be honest: Managing order production workflows can feel like running a marathon with hurdles that keep moving. One minute, you’re on top of things; orders coming in, production ticking along, everyone’s happy. Then, suddenly, you’re hit with shortages, delays, miscommunications, and bottlenecks and you risk missing the deadline. Sounds familiar?

Order production workflows are a common source of headache within supply chains across industries. The process often involves managing multiple steps, tracking orders from creation through delivery, and coordinating between different departments—all while trying to avoid costly mistakes. It’s no wonder so many businesses struggle to stay on top of things.

But let’s take a closer look at why this happens and how you can actually simplify your workflows by avoiding these common pitfalls.

5 Common Production Workflow Nightmares - and how to solve them

1. Shared spreadsheets and manual data collection
   We all know this one. You’ve managed to set up a comprehensive spreadsheet to track orders and milestones, with formulas fetching data from various raw data sheets. But to keep it alive you must dedicate resources to chase order updates from suppliers and forwarders, and keep the document alive with manual raw data inputs.

The routine is easily overlooked if there are more pressing matters for the team to handle, and quite soon, data is mistrusted since you lose grip of what was updated when and by whom.

How to solve it

Implement a PO management platform that can integrate with various data sources   and track history of all order events and updates. Some points to consider:

• Does the platform allow for suppliers to provide updates on purchase orders “in-app”? This can be key in relieving your team of repetitive data collection tasks, as well as provide suppliers with proper tools for order management.
• Does the platform collect and summarize data in a flexible and user friendly way? Make sure it is not just a platform that keeps transactions of sales and purchase orders (such as an ERP) - the platform must contain some degree of order follow up and analysis.

2. Miscommunication Between Teams
   Picture this: Sales has landed a big deal with a B2B customer and promised delivery to a customer, but stock levels are decreasing fast due to unexpected B2C demand and next inbound delivery is delayed. The result? You’re left having to prioritise between your different customers groups and your sales team gets increasingly frustrated about the lack of transparency in available to sell stock. 

How to solve it

Make sure to implement a centralized dashboard with real time updates where you can share updates across departments down on SKU level. 

• Can your existing BI tool solve this by integrating to various data sources?
• Do you need additional tools to manage Supply chain and PO operations? 

3. Tracking production milestones
   Let’s talk about tracking milestones on individual orders. As your production line gets busier, it becomes harder to track every single order’s status and the various milestones of these orders. Which orders are approved by supplier and in production? Have we completed our quality checks? Which ones are ready to ship? And worst of all, have we missed some key milestone? 

Without clear visibility on PO level, your team is left in the dark and the risk of missing important tasks related to different order increases. 

How to solve it

Start by outlining your most common workflows. What tasks do you need to track on most of your orders, e.g. quality checks, samples, certificate collection? Is each order unique or can you apply standard workflows to all your orders? Once you have an idea about what to track, identify relevant tools that can facilitate you in managing, assigning and tracking milestone updates on orders, such as; 

• Quality and compliance tools
• Supply chain collaboration platforms

4. Scaling Struggles
   Your business starts growing (which is great!), but scaling your production workflows becomes a major challenge. More orders mean more complexity, and if your processes aren’t scalable, you’ll quickly run into bottlenecks and delays. Without the right systems in place, scaling can become chaotic and frustrating.

How to solve it

Invest in scalable platforms that can grow with your business and relieve the team of manual and repetitive tasks. Whether it's handling more orders or increasing automation, you need a system that can keep up with demand. Keep these important aspects in mind, when shopping for your future proof platform:

• Is the platform supplier friendly? I.e. does it allow you suppliers to join and provide updates on order and milestones?
• Can the platform collect data from my ERP and send updates back to it? This is key if you want to move away from manually updating order statuses in your ERP.
• Does the platform support bulk updating of orders, such as qty, price and uploading files? You don’t want to do go order by order as the business grows…

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Cracking the Code of Order Production Workflows in Supply Chains

Managing order production workflows can often feel like solving a complex puzzle—one where even a small misstep can disrupt the entire supply chain. From manual data entry mistakes to miscommunication between teams, the challenges are real. In this article, we’ll explore the most common hurdles businesses face and share smart strategies to overcome them.

The Daily Challenges

1. Manual Errors:
   Relying on manual data entry can lead to small mistakes that snowball into larger problems. These errors can cause delays and increase costs.
   Discover how to minimize manual errors.
2. Team Miscommunication:
   When different departments aren’t aligned, orders can slip through the cracks. Miscommunication is often the root cause of missed deadlines and production slowdowns.
   Learn strategies for better team communication.
3. Tracking Chaos:
   Without clear visibility, keeping track of each order’s progress is like looking for a needle in a haystack. This lack of transparency can result in delayed deliveries and frustrated customers.
   Explore effective tracking solutions.
4. Unpredictable Bottlenecks:
   Unexpected delays—whether due to supply issues or process inefficiencies—can halt your production line in its tracks. Recognizing these bottlenecks early is key to minimizing disruptions.
   Read more about identifying bottlenecks.
5. Scaling Challenges:
   As your business grows, the complexity of managing increasing order volumes can become overwhelming. Without scalable processes, expansion might bring more chaos than control.
   Find out how to scale your operations.

Smart Solutions for a Smoother Workflow

While the challenges are significant, the right tools and strategies can turn these obstacles into opportunities. Automated systems and centralized communication platforms are game-changers for streamlining order production workflows. They offer real-time tracking, reduce the risk of manual errors, and ensure every team member is on the same page.

Imagine a single dashboard that brings clarity to your entire production process—a place where every order’s status is visible, potential issues are flagged before they become critical, and your team can collaborate seamlessly. Such systems not only improve efficiency but also drive customer satisfaction by ensuring timely deliveries.

Ready to Transform Your Workflow?

Overcoming the challenges of order production workflows is essential for a robust and responsive supply chain. By addressing manual errors, miscommunication, and scaling issues, your business can achieve a smoother, more efficient operation. If you’re looking to modernize your processes and boost productivity, consider exploring innovative workflow management tools.

Want to dive deeper into how you can optimize your supply chain?
Check out our in-depth guides and expert tips for more insights.