What is Sales Order Automation and How Does It Work?

Sales order automation software allows for quicker cycle times by working much faster than manual processes. The software also removes room for entry errors and bottlenecks in the process that are common consequences of manual data entry.

Traditional sales order processing requires manual data entry in the first step of the sales cycle chain and this step is where the most common mistakes are made. Because administrative workers filter through a large number of orders and enter the data from the order forms into spreadsheets, entry errors like incorrect quantities, wrong shipping address, lack of stock, types of items, and warehouse location consequently occur. 

These mistakes are common human errors, but they disrupt the entire chain of the sales order process and packages are more likely to be missing products, arrive at the wrong address, or arrive late. When these mistakes happen, businesses risk losing frustrated customers. Companies can also lose revenue with returns, shipping costs, and discounts to make up for their mistakes as more packages need to go through the sales order processing cycle all over again.

Automation software removes these errors by implementing artificial intelligence that has much stronger attention to detail and simply does not get burnt out as human workers do. Entire processing times grow faster with automation and sales orders are more accurate when they reach the warehouses for item picking, sorting, packaging, and shipping. 

How Does It Work?

Sales order automation relies on intelligent data capture that uses Optical Character Recognition to extract data from customer order forms. Once the data is extracted from the document, the software quickly reviews the order to ensure that all of the necessary information is present. The data is all kept in a secure cloud-based system so that no data goes missing or unchecked.

Processing automation essentially streamlines order processing time by doing the hard work for you in a centralized location. Workers no longer need to enter order data into ERP because IDC automatically captures the order data then extracts it to index the data into your ERP system. The ERP system then automatically reviews and validates the order information and moves it onto the next step in the process.

If the software finds the form’s data to be complete, it then sends the order to your company’s ERP system for sorting and packaging orders. If the automation software finds a missing field like an absent shipping address, then the order is automatically sent to a staff member who can contact the customer for missing information. Other than that, there is no human intervention necessary in the entire sales order process which minimizes entry error rates significantly. 

Without staff needed for these administrative tasks, companies can reassign staff to other departments to increase productivity in other areas of the company and save revenue on payroll. When sales teams are relieved from stacks of paperwork and menial tasks, they also become more motivated and engaged at work.

The automation software offers seamless integration with preexisting systems and business’ sales processes while creating a smoother sales workflow. The software also stores customer data like product order history in a secured cloud for operational efficiency and easier marketing efforts like personalized emails about products based on past buys. 

Customer Satisfaction

Sales order automation offers several benefits for customer satisfaction and an exceptional customer experience. One of the biggest benefits of sales order automation is faster cycle times which leads to quicker delivery times. Automation software also offers more visibility into order tracking so customers can receive updates on where their order is and when it will arrive. 

Beyond just tracking and shorter delivery times, customers can also benefit from one-click repeat orders and product suggestions that are more tailored to the individual consumer. Automation software also offers more personalized customer service experiences with chatbots that can answer frequently asked questions and provide support throughout the buyer’s journey. 

As we mentioned in the introduction to this article, the market will continue to demand better customer experiences and faster deliveries as technologies advance and businesses move into digital transformation. Sales order automation is just one way to speed up your business processes and personalize the consumer experience, but there are so many other tools to take advantage of. 

Your business can also benefit by implementing automation in your Accounts Payable department to fix the invoice approval process and speed up the B2B payment cycle. Your customers aren’t the only ones who deserve fast deliveries, the businesses that you work with will also expect to be paid more promptly than the traditional two weeks invoice processing cycle.