Digital Transformation in Packaging Supplier Specification Management through PowerApps
- Anita Purnamasari
- Nadira Putri Syaharani
- Sandi Maulana
- Supriyadi
- Yudi Prasetyo
- 2729-2736
- Feb 13, 2025
- Supply Chain Management
Digital Transformation in Packaging Supplier Specification Management through PowerApps
Anita Purnamasari, Nadira Putri Syaharani, Sandi Maulana, Supriyadi, Yudi Prasetyo
Industrial Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Pelita Bangsa University, Kabupaten Bekasi, West Java (17530)
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010220
Received: 06 January 2025; Accepted: 11 January 2025; Published: 13 February 2025
ABSTRACT
Digital transformation has become a key driver in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of packaging supplier specification management. In this context, PowerApps emerged as an innovative solution that allows companies to develop custom applications without the need for in-depth programming skills. This study aims to explore how PowerApps can be implemented in packaging specification management, as well as its impact on business processes. Through a qualitative approach, data was collected from interviews with managers and staff involved in the management of packaging specifications. The results show that the use of PowerApps not only improves operational efficiency, but also improves data accuracy and collaboration between teams. Thus, digital transformation through PowerApps can be a strategic step for companies in facing increasingly complex industry challenges.
Keywords: Digital Transformation, PowerApps, Packaging Specification Management.
INTRODUCTION
Digital transformation has become the main key in improving the efficiency and competitiveness of companies in various sectors, including in the management of packaging supplier specifications. Along with increasingly fierce global competition, companies are required to adapt quickly to changing market needs and customer expectations. Digitalization not only involves the adoption of new technologies, but also changes the way companies operate, interact with suppliers, and provide more value to customers. According to IBM, digital transformation includes the integration of digital technologies in all aspects of the business to improve processes and create added value.
In packaging specification management, platforms such as PowerApps offer solutions to improve operational efficiency by enabling real-time specification management. With custom apps that can be developed through PowerApps, companies can reduce human error, improve data accuracy, and make collaboration between teams easier. This digital technology in packaging management can increase visibility, responsiveness, and significantly reduce operational costs, which ultimately improves the company’s performance in facing increasingly complex market challenges.
Packaging specification management is very important in the manufacturing and distribution industry, as it serves to ensure that products are properly protected and meet applicable quality standards and regulations. Effective packaging not only protects products from damage during storage and shipping, but also serves as a communication tool that conveys important information to consumers. Packaging specifications include various aspects, such as materials, sizes, designs, and labels, which must be adhered to to maintain product integrity and customer satisfaction.
The importance of packaging specification management can be seen from several perspectives. Precise specifications ensure that products are well protected, which is especially important in the food and pharmaceutical industries, where consumer safety is a top priority. In addition, many industries are required to comply with strict regulations related to packaging, and good specification management helps companies stay compliant and avoid legal sanctions. With structured management, companies can also reduce the time and costs associated with packaging production and increase responsiveness to market demand.
In addition, attractive and informative packaging can increase the attractiveness of the product in the market, which has the potential to boost sales. In an era of increasingly important sustainability, effective packaging specification management allows companies to choose more environmentally friendly packaging materials, in accordance with sustainability trends and applicable regulations. Therefore, packaging specification management is not just an administrative process, but also an integral part of the business strategy that can affect the overall success of the company.
This study aims to explore the application of PowerApps in packaging supplier specification management, focusing on identifying the benefits obtained by companies, such as increased efficiency, data accuracy, and collaboration between teams. In addition, the study will also analyze how PowerApps can transform and improve the packaging specification management process, reducing the costs and time typically associated with manual processes. The impact of digital transformation through PowerApps on business performance, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance will also be evaluated.
The focus of this research will include companies in Indonesia that use PowerApps to manage packaging specifications. This research
It aims to provide deeper insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by companies in implementing digital technology in packaging management. It is hoped that the findings from this study can help companies leverage digital technology to improve their efficiency, competitiveness, and performance in an increasingly competitive market.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is a strategic process that involves integrating digital technology into all aspects of an organization, with the goal of improving efficiency, innovation, and customer experience. According to IBM, digital transformation includes not only the application of new technologies, but also involves cultural and organizational changes that support continuous innovation and are responsive to market needs. This process allows companies to evaluate and modernize their operations, products, and services, thereby creating more value for customers and increasing competitiveness in an increasingly complex market.
The relevance of digital transformation in the industry is significant, especially in the context of fierce global competition. Companies that successfully implement digital transformation can achieve several benefits, including:
- Increased operational With process automation and the use of technologies such as cloud computing, companies can reduce costs and increase productivity.
- Good customer Digital transformation allows companies to interact with customers more effectively, providing faster and more responsive services.
- Product and service By utilizing data and analytics, companies can develop new products and services that are more tailored to customer needs.
- Adaptation to market Digital transformation helps companies to adapt faster to changing consumer trends and behaviors, so as to remain relevant in the market.
Overall, digital transformation is not only about technology, but also about how companies can transform to meet customer demands and expectations in this digital era.
Packaging Specification Management
Packaging specification management is an important process that involves managing all aspects related to product packaging, from design to delivery. This process includes several key steps which are:
- Packaging design. This initial stage involves gathering information about the product and market needs, as well as creating attractive and functional designs. Packaging design should consider aspects of product protection and visual appeal1.
- Material Choosing the right packaging material is essential to ensure product safety and quality. The material must be in accordance with the type products and are able to protect against damage during transportation.
- Production Process. Once the design and materials are determined, the production stage begins. It includes cutting, printing, and assembling the packaging. Every step must be done with precision to ensure quality.
- Testing and Quality Control: Before the product is shipped, the packaging must go through a testing process to ensure that all specifications are met. This includes physical inspection and label verification.
- After all the steps are completed, the product is ready to be shipped to the customer. This process must be managed properly to ensure that the product arrives in good condition Although the packaging specification management process may seem simple, there are many challenges that must be faced, including variations in product size and shape, errors in labeling, fluctuations in order volume, regulatory compliance, and material costs. By understanding these processes and challenges, companies can develop better strategies for packaging specification management, including the application of digital technologies to improve efficiency and accuracy.
PowerApps
PowerApps is a no-code app development platform developed by Microsoft, designed to enable users, including those with no technical background, to create custom apps quickly and efficiently. The platform is part of the Microsoft Power Platform, which also includes Power BI and Power Automate, and provides an environment that supports application development to meet specific business needs. PowerApps capabilities include:
- Rapid development. PowerApps allows users to build apps in no time by using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. This makes it easy for users to design apps without the need to write code.
- Data integration. The platform can connect with a variety of data sources, both cloud-based and on-premises, such as Microsoft Dataverse, SharePoint, SQL Server, and more. It allows users to access and manage data from multiple sources within a single
- Responsive Design. The app is designed to work well on a variety of devices, including desktop and mobile devices. Business Process Automation. PowerApps allows users to automate business processes that were previously done manually, improving efficiency and reducing the likelihood of errors.
- Flexibility and
With these capabilities, PowerApps democratizes the app development process, enabling more people in the organization to contribute to innovation and efficiency
RESEARCH METHODS
This study will use a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the user experience and impact of PowerApps in packaging specification management. The research was conducted by conducting direct interviews with the relevant team on the Staff, Supervisors, and management of the Production Control Division with the aim of digging up in-depth information about the collection process in the management of packaging spec documentation from suppliers.
Poorly organized document management can lead to a variety of serious problems, especially if maintenance and storage are done manually. Documents that are not properly organized are easily lost or misplaced, which can hinder productivity due to wasted time searching for specific documents. Additionally, manual storage often does not provide adequate protection against physical damage such as moisture, fire, or insect damage, which can make documents illegible and important information lost.
To overcome this problem, some more effective document management methods can be implemented, such as document digitization. Document digitization allows document storage, searching, and retrieval to be easier and more efficient. By utilizing the existing tools provided by the Company by creating an application from powerapps, hopefully it will help in organizing, storing, and tracking documents efficiently, as well as provide strong security features to protect sensitive information. By implementing these methods, organizations can reduce the risk of document loss and damage and improve efficiency and security in document management in the work area.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Problem Identification
Document management is the process of managing documents electronically or physically, which includes Creation storage, organization, use, tracking, and destruction of documents. The ultimate goal is to manage information effectively and efficiently, enabling secure storage, fast search, version tracking, access control, improved collaboration, and automation of document workflows. A good document management system helps organizations or individuals in managing information in a more structured and organized manner.
However, the current condition of the collection of physical packaging documents from suppliers that is still done manually presents various significant problems. This process is prone to human error, such as loss or destruction of documents, and takes a long time to International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No: 2456-2165
archiving and information retrieval. In addition, the reliance on physical documents hinders operational efficiency because it is difficult to share information quickly and accurately between departments. This also increases data security risks, as physical documents are more easily accessible to unauthorized parties compared to digital documents that can be protected with more sophisticated security systems.
The following are the conditions of the document process flow that hinder information to several departments due to manual document management :
Figure 3.1. Flow Process Before Improvement From the above conditions, several obstacles were found in Document management process flow and information sharing with other departments:
- Long Time: The process of searching and archiving physical documents takes longer as compared to digital
- Risk of Loss or Damage: Physical documents are susceptible to loss, damage, or
- Human Error: Manual processes are more prone to human error, such as misplacement or duplication of
- Low Efficiency: The distribution of physical documents between departments requires more time and effort, hindering the flow of information.
- Storage Costs: Physical document storage requires significant physical space and maintenance
- Data Security: Physical documents are more difficult to secure compared to digital documents that can be protected with encryption and access control.
By paying attention to this background, after the implementation of digitalization using the PowerApps application, it is hoped that it will increase the efficiency and productivity of the process in the work area.
Data and Material Collection
Prior to the implementation of PowerApps, document collection was managed by related PICs in one file with various parts/numbers, models, and many suppliers, then when there was a request from other departments that needed the document, the PIC took a long time to find the required document. The time required for the process can reach 10 minutes for once
Process. The following is the state of the document that when the management process is carried out manually, it can be seen in the image below:
Figure 4.1. Packaging Documents with Manual Management
Implementation of Digitalization Implementation
After making improvements in the form of creating applications using PowerApps, here is what the application looks like:
Figure 4.2. Home Screen Display Application Features contained in the application include:
PSA Document Input Screen: A page to input specification data contained in the
Figure 4.3 Input Screen Display
PSA Detail Screen: An information page to find out the specifications of document data that have been input into the
Figure 4.4. PSA Detail Screen Display
Screen Edit PSA: The page contained in the application to change data in case of input errors
Figure 4.5. Screen View Edit
Screen List Part Supplier: The main page of the Application where there is a list of data from the documents that have been inputted.
Figure 4.6. List Part Display
SharePoint Online Database: For storing the database of data that has been inputted.
Figure 4.7. Optional
The following are some of the benefits after the use of Power Apps applications for packaging documentation management from suppliers as document centralization can have several positive impacts. Here is an analysis of the impact:
Data Centralization and Accessibility:
- With Power Apps, all packaging documents from suppliers can be uploaded and stored in one centralized This makes it easy for various teams (manufacturing, quality control, logistics) to access anytime and anywhere.
- Minimize the risk of document loss or duplication because all data is stored digitally and
Process Automation:
- Power Apps enables process automation such as sending notifications to teams when a document is newly uploaded, a document is expired, or needs an update.
- Automatic validation of document inputs, for example to ensure that the format and completeness of documents are up to standard.
Improved Operational Efficiency:
- Reduce the time spent searching for or validating documents from
- Simplify decision-making as data is available in real-time in a single
Integration with Other Platforms:
- Power Apps can be integrated with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, or tools like Power Automate and Power BI for further data analysis.
- Enable automatic reporting of supplier performance based on document submission
Cost Savings:
- Reduce reliance on physical documents and manual management, which means savings in paper, printing, and physical storage costs.
- Minimize the risk of production delays due to lost or misplaced
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
Conclusion
After using PowerApps, the level of data accuracy improved significantly, with 90% of respondents reporting that document access became easier. PowerApps helps ensure that the information entered conforms to the specified specifications, improving data reliability and eliminating time in the search process so that it becomes more efficient and effective. The following is the Process Flow after the document centralization application is created:
Gambar 5.1. Flow Proses After Improvement
The implementation of PowerApps also has a positive impact on team collaboration. With easy sharing and access features, team members can communicate and collaborate more effectively. 75% of respondents noted that communication between teams improved, and they felt more involved in the specification management process. PowerApps enable teams to share information in real-time, reduce misunderstandings, and speed up the decision-making process.
Suggestion
To maximize the benefits of implementing Power Apps in packaging supplier documentation management, companies are advised to first identify specific needs, such as frequently used document types, required workflows, and individual user roles. In addition, integration with other tools such as SharePoint or Power Automate can strengthen the functionality of the application, for example through automation of expired document reminders or real-time supplier performance reporting. Adequate training for employees and suppliers is essential to ensure smooth adoption, as well as the implementation of data security measures such as multi-factor authentication to maintain the integrity of the system. By starting through a pilot project, companies can evaluate effectiveness and overcome obstacles before implementation in Total.
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