[What is the relationship between digitization of on-site documents and overtime work?] The most common method for digitizing on-site documents in the manufacturing industry is "spreadsheet software" (64.6%)
CIMTOPS Corporation. (Head office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Mizuno Takashi), provider of i-Reporter, the No. 1 on-site document digitization solution in Japan, is pleased to announce that it has conducted a survey on the actual situation regarding the digitization of on-site documents in the manufacturing industry, targeting 109 people in charge of recording and managing on-site documents in the manufacturing industry (with 50 or more employees).
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▼To download the report of this survey,Here
Survey Summary
Survey Overview
Survey overview: Survey on the actual situation regarding the digitization of on-site documents in the manufacturing industry
Survey method: Online survey planned by research PR "Risapee®" provided by IDEATECH
Survey period: November 21, 2023 to November 22, 2023
Valid responses: 109 people in charge of recording and managing on-site documents in the manufacturing industry (with 50 or more employees)
*The composition ratios are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not necessarily add up to 100.
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More than 90% of companies have implemented "digitalization" for recording (entering) on-site documents
When asked, "Q1. Has your company digitized the recording (entry) of on-site documents?" (n=109), 43.1% of respondents answered "All digitalized," and 47.7% answered "Partially digitalized."
・All digital: 43.1%
・Partially digitalized: 47.7%
Not digitalized: 5.5%
・Don't know/cannot answer: 3.7%
More than 60% of companies have introduced "spreadsheet software" and "PDF editing software" to digitize on-site document recording (input)
Those who answered "All digital" or "Partially digital" in Q1 were then asked "Q2. How does your company digitize the recording (entry) of field documents? (Multiple answers allowed)" (n=99). The responses were "Spreadsheet software (Excel, etc.)" (64.6%), "PDF editing software" (62.6%), "Web/cloud services" (56.6%), and "Core systems such as ERP" (31.3%).
・Spreadsheet software (Excel, etc.): 64.6%
PDF editing software: 62.6%
・Web/Cloud services: 56.6%
・ Core systems such as ERP: 31.3%
・Other: 1.0%
・Don't know/cannot answer: 0.0%
The perceived benefits of digitizing on-site document records using "web/cloud services" and "core systems such as ERP" were: 1st place "Data recovery is now possible with the backup function," and 2nd place "Information can now be shared in real time."
Those who answered "Web/cloud services" or "ERP or other core systems" in Q2 were asked "Q3. What effects have you realized as a result of digitizing the recording (entry) of on-site forms? (Multiple answers allowed)" (n=65). The responses were "Data recovery is now possible using the backup function" (69.2%), "Information can now be shared in real time" (64.6%), and "Collection and analysis have become smoother" (61.5%).
- Data recovery became possible using the backup function: 69.2%
- Information can now be shared in real time: 64.6%
- Data collection and analysis have become smoother: 61.5%
・Failures and omissions have decreased: 44.6%
- It has become easier to investigate the history when a problem occurs: 43.1%
・The effort of printing paper has been reduced: 43.1%
・No longer needing storage space for documents: 43.1%
・We can now record on-site information efficiently: 27.7%
・Other: 0.0%
・Nothing in particular: 1.5%
・Don't know/cannot answer: 0.0%
Compared to cloud computing and core systems in Q3, the effectiveness of digitization using spreadsheet software and PDF editing software tends to be low. There are differences in the efficiency of data recovery, aggregation/analysis, and recording.
Those who answered "Spreadsheet software (Excel, etc.)" or "PDF editing software" in Q2 were asked "Q4. What effects have you realized as a result of digitizing the recording (input) of on-site forms? (Multiple answers allowed)" (n=86). The responses were "We can now share information in real time" (58.1%), "We can now recover data using the backup function" (50.0%), and "Collection and analysis have become smoother" (46.5%).
- Information can now be shared in real time: 58.1%
- Data recovery is now possible using the backup function: 50.0%
・Data collection and analysis have become smoother: 46.5%
- It has become easier to investigate the history when a problem occurs: 45.3%
・The effort of printing paper has been reduced: 44.2%
・Failures and omissions reduced: 40.7%
・No longer needing storage space for documents: 30.2%
・It has become possible to record on-site information efficiently: 17.4%
・Other: 0.0%
・Nothing in particular: 1.2%
・Don't know/cannot answer: 0.0%
Approximately 90% of spreadsheet and PDF editing software users responded that they sometimes cannot finish their work within working hours.
Those who answered "Spreadsheet software (such as Excel)" or "PDF editing software" in Q2 were asked "Q5. Do you ever have trouble finishing your work within working hours?" (n=86), with 40.7% answering "frequently" and 48.8% answering "sometimes."
・Frequently: 40.7%
・Sometimes: 48.8%
・Not very often: 9.3%
・Never: 1.2%
・Don't know/cannot answer: 0.0%
The number one reason why users of spreadsheet software and PDF editing software end up working overtime is "because mistakes and omissions occur when entering data or recording data," followed by "because it takes a long time to enter data or record data."
Those who answered "frequently" or "sometimes" in Q5 were asked "Q6. Please tell us the reasons why you are unable to finish your work within working hours. (Multiple answers allowed)" (n=77). 61.0% answered "Because mistakes and omissions occur when entering data and recording," 49.4% answered "Because it takes a long time to enter data and record," and 46.8% answered "Because it is difficult to integrate with other tools."
- Because mistakes and omissions occur when entering data or recording: 61.0%
・It takes time to input and record: 49.4%
・It is difficult to integrate with other tools: 46.8%
・Multiple people cannot work together at the same time: 33.8%
- The method of writing is easily personalized, making maintenance difficult: 22.1%
・Other: 3.9%
- 53 years old: There is a lot of work other than filling out forms
・Don't know/cannot answer: 0.0%
Factors such as "inefficiency" and "labor shortage"
To those who answered anything other than "I don't know/can't answer" to Q6, we asked "Q7. Please feel free to tell us if there are any reasons other than what you answered in Q6 that prevent you from finishing your work within working hours. (Open response)" (n=77), and we received 41 answers, including "poor efficiency" and "lack of manpower."
<Free response, excerpts>
・57 years old: Due to the large amount of work.
・38 years old: Inefficiency.
・42 years old: Lack of tools.
・33 years old: Thorough checks are needed to ensure there are no mistakes.
・36 years old: Because there are individual differences in the amount of work that employees can handle.
・26 years old: Labor shortage.
・47 years old: Because new work and demands come up.
40.7% of users of web/cloud services, ERP, and other core systems for entering on-site forms, and spreadsheet/PDF editing software responded that they plan to do so within the next year.
Those who answered "spreadsheet software (such as Excel)" or "PDF editing software" in Q2 were then asked "Q8. Does your company plan to input field forms using "web/cloud services or core systems such as ERP"?" (n=86), with 40.7% of respondents saying they "plan to do so within one year" and 33.7% saying they "plan to do so within three years."
・Plan to do it within a year: 40.7%
・Plan to do so within three years: 33.7%
・Plan to do so within the next five years: 10.5%
・The timing has not been decided, but we are planning to digitize: 8.1%
・No plans to digitize: 1.2%
・Don't know/cannot answer: 5.8%
summary
This time, we conducted a survey on the actual situation regarding the digitization of on-site documents in the manufacturing industry, targeting 109 people in charge of recording and managing on-site documents in the manufacturing industry (with 50 or more employees).
First, over 90% of companies have already digitized their on-site document recording (entry). While over 60% cited "spreadsheet software" and "PDF editing software" as the method of digitalization, only 56.6% cited "web/cloud services" and 31.3% cited "core systems such as ERP." As for the benefits of digitalization, approximately 70% of companies that have implemented web/cloud services or core systems such as ERP acknowledged that "data recovery via backup functions has become possible," while approximately 60% of companies that have implemented spreadsheet software and PDF editing software acknowledged that "information can now be shared in real time." Furthermore, when asked whether spreadsheet and PDF editing software users ever have trouble completing their work within working hours, approximately 90% answered "yes," with the most common reason cited being "errors and omissions in data entry and recording" (61.0%), followed by "time-consuming data entry and recording" (49.4%). Furthermore, 40.7% of companies that have introduced spreadsheet software or PDF editing software responded that they "plan to enter on-site forms into core systems such as web/cloud services or ERP within the next year."
This survey revealed that while the digitization of on-site forms is progressing in the manufacturing industry, there are differences in overtime work depending on the tools used. Furthermore, it appears that many companies that have implemented digitization using spreadsheet software and PDF editing software are planning to switch to core systems such as web/cloud services or ERP. To reduce the workload associated with on-site form management and cut overtime hours, why not consider implementing a on-site form system?
▼To download the report of this survey,Here
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i-Reporter is the number one paperless solution for on-site documents in Japan (*1).
Anyone can easily use it because it can digitize the familiar paper forms that are used on-site.
Electronic forms can be easily created and edited without no-code, so even those without programming knowledge can use them with confidence. They also eliminate the mistakes and omissions that are inherent to paper, as well as the hassle of double-checking, tallying, and transcribing.
<Features>
1. Import paper and Excel forms into a tablet with the same layout, achieving paperless operations with no-code
2. On-site input data is digitized in real time, preventing duplicate data entry and enabling quick information utilization and sharing.
3. Data integration with external devices, IoT, PLCs, and existing systems allows for error-free and efficient data entry, and highly traceable evidence can be obtained.
4. Hands-free voice input allows you to work and input data at the same time
5. AR-enabled scanning that reads multiple barcodes simultaneously and continuously greatly improves the efficiency of on-site tasks such as inventory counting
6. Input data is linked to AI for analysis, and the analysis results are turned into evidence
7. Available in both on-premise and cloud versions
i-Reporter and various i-Repo family products serve as no-code "on-site DX platform" that helps customers achieve on-site DX.
<Exhibition Information>
Published by Fuji Chimera Research Institute, Inc., August 2023
2023 Current status and future outlook for the sustainability/ESG support market realized through SX/GX
Ⅱ-A-10 On-site paperless document solutions Market share [Quantity] 48.4% [Value] 37.5%
▼Product site here
https://i-reporter.jp
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