Paperless is the future of the logistics industry

Going paperless can increase efficiency and cut costs in transport organisations

A combination of Covid-19 measures, EU regulations and the general direction of the business world leaves us with a definitive statement. Paperless is in.  

Businesses everywhere are looking for solutions to cut paper wherever possible and with good reason. Aside from environmental benefits, it helps the bottom line. Studies show that businesses can save up to $80 per employee (€66) when implementing a paperless solution. 

As for the transport industry, eCMR and other methods of electronic proof of delivery like sign on glass or mobile scanning are in huge demand.

Digital transfer of consignment notes to be mandatory in 2026

The digital transfer of consignment notes in Europe between companies, governments and customs administrations is one step closer.

On the 27th of November 2019, the European Parliament and the European Council agreed on making the use of digital consignment notes mandatory. That will go into effect in 2026.

Ways to eliminate reliance on paper

Companies would be well advised to take steps immediate to reduce paper, and ultimately, say goodbye to it altogether.  

There are now solutions in order to manage orders more efficiently, storing all the necessary information in a secure fashion. 

 

Here are some ways where companies can reduce paper immediately: 

- Automated upload of third-party documents like incoming invoices from subcontractors and other suppliers 

- Automated connection of transport orders. 

- Make documents and other information available through a web portal 

 

Not only will these cut the use of paper, but they will simplify and accelerate the invoicing process. 

Financial impact cannot be overlooked

The money you can save by going paperless far outweighs the short-term cost of paper elimination.  

The capital expenses associated with office supplies like ink cartridges can be dramatically decreased, and those little cartridges are very expensive as you likely know.  

Additional upgrades or replacements to expensive office equipment such as copiers and fax machines may also decrease. While an initial investment in going paperless is necessary, the investment will pay off in short order thanks to all the savings accrued.  

According to The World Count statistics, an average person uses between 250 and 300 kilos of paper every year. All that paper used equates to wear and tear on office equipment, higher labour costs and more wasted space.

Wrapping up

Luckily, Navitrans has a tool in which you can go paperless with ease. Navitrans is ready for eCMR and has an integrated DMS and a customer portal. This tool is the only solution on the market that offers: 

- Creation of QR-coded transport documents 

- Automatic registration of documents 

- OCR data extraction 

- An advanced approval workflow 

- A full-text searchable digital archive 

 

Contact your account manager to learn how Navitrans can help you go paperless.

About NaviTrans

NaviTrans is the most complete out-of-the-box logistics software on the market today, with extensive and easy-to-use functions for road transportationsea and air freight, intermodal transport and public warehousing. It is developed on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and available on-premise or as a hosted solution. Call us today toll-free at +32 56 73 20 10 or email us at info@navitrans.eu and we will be happy to walk you through our full suite of solutions.