Despite the much-publicized threats to business continuity , many firms continue to operate a patchwork of core systems with either little to no integration with each other . They are often developed piecemeal with inhouse fixes or manual workarounds . While this may help maintain the status quo of day-to-day operations , it is highly vulnerable to disruption and far from agile compared to more digitally mature competitors .
Disparate data predominates legacy systems
Thankfully , the latest wave of digital transformation has placed an
increased focus on the safety of cloudbased solutions and customizable implementations for core platforms such as ERP systems . However , other , more legacy systems or manual processes are equally critical to operational success – yet often neglected in the grand scheme of ‘ digital transformation ’ projects . This lack of integration is especially noticeable among businesses operating in highly-regulated industries such as pharma , medical devices or chemicals , despite these being prime candidates for short-notice impactful disruption .
Integration is critical to artwork , labelling and packaging
The disconnect is particularly noticeable in siloed product assets , where labels , artwork and symbols are often subject to minimal version control or global insight , and where integration with print requests and data flows from the ERP system , for example , are yet to be embraced as part of an integrated system .
But these label and artwork management systems play an increasingly critical role in ensuring product consistency , consumer safety and regulatory compliance . As a result , having these operations and assets siloed is non-negotiable . Integration with other platforms such as regulatory systems is a must .
Underestimate it at your peril
Take a label for a simple medical device intended for the EU market . This must pass through extensive review and approval processes to
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