Today’s organizations rely on their enterprise resource planning solutions to manage an array of different, critical processes throughout their operations. ERP software such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Business Central is now essential. With so many add-ons and integrations available, these highly customizable platforms can meet any organization’s unique needs.

Just one of the integration options for Microsoft Dynamics includes shipping capabilities, made possible through solutions like Insight Work’s Dynamic Ship. Adding shipping functionality is a great way to support your initial investment in Microsoft Dynamics and extend its capabilities intelligently to the shop floor, a part of your business that could seriously benefit from the organizational power of fully accessible, real-time, single-platform ERP.

Let’s examine all the ways in which today’s enterprises benefit from integrating shipping features into their Microsoft Dynamics system:

1. Support cross-departmental, real-time visibility

Speaking of ensuring access from a single platform, integrating shipping into Microsoft Dynamics also provides stakeholders from departments across the company with unified, real-time visibility into shipping processes. Department heads and employees from the across the company can pull up and view up-to-date details about client shipments. Think about the implications from, say, a customer service perspective. This level of real-time visibility into shipments means customer service representatives can always provide the most accurate and timely information to customers when the call in about their orders.

2. Boost efficiency

While there are certainly alternatives to integrating shipping into the Microsoft Dynamics platform, many of these other processes are considerably time-consuming. Using a separate software solution means that users will have to switch between applications to find all the information they need. Worse still, if you purchase separate software to handle shipping, that solution may have features already available to you in Microsoft Dynamics , which means you’re paying double.

Bringing shipping capabilities into the realm of the ERP can significantly reduce the time it takes to complete key shipment processes, and boost overall efficiency. Let’s return to that example of a customer service representative providing shipping information to customers. Without Microsoft Dynamics-integrated shipping, reps would have to look outside of the ERP while customers wait for their answers. This not only causes frustrations for users, who have to leverage a number of different, disparate platforms to find the information they need, but can also greatly take away from the customer experience.

3. Send branded materials

Advertising is all about putting your company in front of as big an audience as possible. An ERP-integrated shipping module enables users to create and send tracking pages directly from the platform, supporting heightened brand presence and driving marketing efforts. This feature adds value for shippers, whether they work internally or as a third party, because these pages have wide viewership. People want to know the progress of their shipments, so these pages present valuable opportunities that the right integrated shipping module can capitalize on.

4. Eliminate paper – and the potential for errors

Integrating shipping into Microsoft Dynamics also provides businesses with the ability to move toward more accurate, digital processes, leaving behind manual, paper-based activities. Today’s companies are looking to leverage software to manage a whole host of processes, as this can considerably cut down on time and errors commonly seen at companies that rely on paper forms and clipboards. An industry-leading integrated solution means that workers on the shop floor can scan packages directly into the Microsoft Dynamics platform, removing the chance for any manual entry mistakes.

According to Zebra Technologies Corporation’s Future of Fulfillment Vision study, more than half of companies are still using manual, pen-and-paper processes to manage and support logistics. An ERP-integrated shipping module can vastly reduce the necessity for manual shipping management and can greatly lessen the chances for costly human error.

5. Enable savings

Bringing shipping capabilities into a business’s ERP solution can result in considerable savings across the organization:

• Increased efficiency, in the forms of in-depth visibility and more unified information access, significantly streamlines shipping processes and package management, creating opportunities for operational cost savings.
• Deloitte researchers found that leveraging technology in place of manual, paper-based processes resulted in as much as 25 percent savings in operating expenses, as well as between 60 to 70 percent savings in costs associated with records management.
• Eliminating manual processes also translates to fewer human errors, which lowers the amount of costly rework.

In addition to these savings, integrating shipping into Microsoft Dynamics through a best-in-class solution like Insight Works Dynamic Ship enables users to take advantage of time and money savings by working directly with multiple top carriers: FedEx, UPS, DHL, Purolator, Canpar, United States Postal Service, Canada Post and more than 100 others. Access to real-time rates through Microsoft Dynamics-integrated shipping means users can select the lowest-cost option that meets their needs and the requirements of the customer.

Additional advantages of Microsoft Dynamics-integrated shipping

Insight Works Dynamic Ship allows you to make the most of your Microsoft ERP, reduce shipping and operating costs and lessen the chance for human error through eliminating manual activities. This solution also provides the widest choice and support for carriers available, including accurate data on rates based on package weight, size and destination.

With this level of in-depth and cross-departmental visibility, you can support your floor workers, shipping processes and customer service representatives. To find out more about the advantages of having Insight Works Dynamic Ship integrated with your Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Business Central ERP system, connect with us today.