NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 30 – As with all disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence has been met by a diverse array of perspectives typically ranging from extreme optimism to deep concern, since it was introduced to society.
On the one hand, some factions today view artificial intelligence as the engine that will drive productivity, strengthen supply chain resilience and unlock new levels of efficiency and growth.
On the other hand however, there are those who view artificial intelligence as a technology that could perpetuate widespread unemployment and social inequalities.
In a future where speed and efficiency will be key ingredients for success, the truth is AI will be a big determinant as to whether or not organisations will succeed in achieving growth.
Mutie Mule, Chief Operations Officer at Solutech Limited, observes that one of the sectors that could feel the impact of AI on a large scale is the manufacturing industry.
For such businesses, handling documents like orders, invoices and approvals has traditionally meant hours of manual double-checking for errors and typing into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
Data from the Center for Advanced
Procurement shows that manufacturing firms spend more than 20 hours per week manually entering LPO data from PDFs, emails or blurry handwritten images, into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.
“In contrast, automation can lead to a 30 to 50 percent reduction in time spent on manual administrative tasks, which include data entry, order processing and supplier management,” says Mule.
AI tools such as Eva Docs.ai, which Solutech introduced to the market recently, can read LPO data from email or direct upload and feed it straight into ERP systems such as SAP, Odoo and Sage.
The tool can also map products correctly, as well as extract quantities and prices per customer price lists and tax configurations, thus minimizing errors and the time spent on processing orders.
“Companies that are adopting AI today are gaining faster turnaround times, cleaner data flows, greater accuracy, and a level of operational visibility that traditional systems simply cannot match,” said Mule.
Highlands Drinks Limited, one of the companies that uses the solution, has reported saving over 12 hours per week previously spent on manual order processing and reduced document errors by more than 40 percent.
Another company, Text Book Centre, has reported cutting over 15 hours per week of manual data entry, reducing misfiled document incidents by more than 50 percent.
Meanwhile, Steelwool Africa, has shortened its order-to-delivery processing from 4 days to 1 day, saving 10+ hours per week, while Maxam Limited has reported saving over 15 hours per week.
“These metrics highlight that Eva Docs.ai does not merely automate workflows; it eliminates errors, accelerates processing and delivers measurable return on investment,” posed Mule.
