Cloud technology is revolutionizing business models the world over. From the largest Fortune 500 companies to the small family-run business down the street, nearly everyone is using, and benefiting from, the Cloud. Perhaps the greatest advancements this technology is making is in manufacturing.
Data Integration in the Cloud
From the very beginning, manufacturers have been analyzing data in order to optimize production and processes. However, the evolution of this data analysis has led to our current state where many companies have expensive IT systems they have developed over the years. While quite sophisticated within their functional area, they are siloed or have complicated and limiting integrations with business functions external to core manufacturing processes.
In the cloud, however, these integrations become both easier to accomplish and more robust in scope, making it significantly easier to access the data. With more robust integrations, the enterprise can enhance ties across the value chain and provide more relevant data to managers and decision makers.
Building New Relationships With Your Data
Once data is integrated in the cloud, businesses can begin building relationships with the data, leading to new insights. For example, in a CRM application like Salesforce, this can be as simple as displaying Sales Orders from your ERP system or customer interactions from your marketing cloud.
Making More Informed, Timely Decisions
Most leaders will still stress the importance of being able to see all facets of the operation they are leading. In the past, that bird’s-eye view was very literal and meant that manufacturers would elevate themselves in order to see the entirety of what was on the floor. Today, as data is integrated and new relationships between that data is built, manufacturers are able to virtualize intelligence across the factory and extract new insights through a 360 degree view. These insights enable businesses to streamline manufacturing processes, optimize operations, and increase sales.
The attraction of incorporating cloud technology into manufacturing is obvious. Utilizing data integration in the cloud, businesses are able to more easily access relevant data and make informed decisions regarding manufacturing, as well as all other areas of their business. The accessibility of this information in turn leads to new relationships being built around that data. The Cloud allows decision-makers on all levels of a business to visualize information and improve current processes.