Year-end approaches. For many companies, this means one thing: inventory.

Warehouse closed for several days. Team with papers and pens counting successive shelves. Hours of data entry into system. Errors to catch and correct. Recounting items where results don't match.

Sound familiar?

For most companies, inventory is a process nobody likes. Costly, time-consuming, and frustrating. But it doesn't have to be this way.

In this article, I'll show you why traditional inventory consumes so much time and money, and how automation can change it.

True costs of traditional inventory

When I ask business owners about inventory costs, I most often hear: "Well, we employ 8 people for a few days, that's X amount."

But that's only tip of iceberg.

True costs are:

• Warehouse closure - for several days you don't accept deliveries, don't pick orders, lose sales
• Team pulled from normal work - warehouse workers who should serve customers are counting boxes
• Transcription errors - someone misread label from bottle, confused digits, forgot to record item
• System entry time - hours of manual transcription from papers to warehouse program
• Recounting - because discrepancies are too large and everything must be checked again

One of our clients - medium building materials wholesaler - estimated each inventory costs him about 4 days of normal warehouse operation. That's not just team cost, but primarily lost earning opportunity.

Why do inventory at all?

Before we move to solutions, reminder of basics. Inventory is done for two main reasons:

1. Legal requirements
If you run company and have warehouse, you must legally conduct inventory at specified intervals. This isn't option - it's obligation.

2. Inventory control
Sometimes it happens that you sell goods which during order picking turns out... aren't there. Customer waits, you lose credibility. You simply need to count goods and check what's actually in warehouse.

3. Chaos to organize
Many personnel changes, goods rotation, repackaging - after some time warehouse becomes chaotic. Inventory is way to "reset" - recount everything, check what's there, and start working again with clean data.

Where are most problems?

From experience I know biggest difficulties appear in three places:

1. Data transcription

Warehouse worker stands with paper and pen. Transcribes product name from label, from box, from bottle.

"ACRYLIC PAINT WHITE 2.5L" becomes on paper "ACRYL PAINT WHITE 25L".

Error? Of course. But completely understandable - it's tenth box in row, hand hurts from writing, names are similar.

These errors appear ALWAYS when there's manual transcription element.

2. Closing warehouse

If you don't have any system supporting order picking or goods receipt - you must close warehouse to conduct inventory.

That's first gigantic cost. You must refuse delivery acceptance. You must tell customers that for several days you won't fulfill orders. You lose revenue.

3. Entering results into system

You already have counted papers. Now someone must transcribe this data into warehouse system. More hours of manual work. Another chance for error.

And then it turns out discrepancies are large and counting must start over...

How does automation solve these problems?

When together with clients we started analyzing what hurts most in inventory process, we reached conclusion: most problems result from manual data entry.

We created application in Microsoft 365 that eliminates these pain points.

End of name transcription

Application imports product data directly from your warehouse system - Subiekt, Optima, Insert, or other program.

Warehouse worker no longer transcribes names from labels. Simply scans barcode with phone, tablet, or regular reader.

One beep - product recognized. Enters quantity. Done.

Effect? Zero errors in product names. Counting process proceeds several times faster.

You don't need to close warehouse

With modern warehouse management systems, you don't need to close entire warehouse during inventory.

Our application works in cloud, so you see results live. You don't need to wait until everyone counts all shelves to know first results.

Warehouse works normally, and inventory happens in parallel. Of course this requires good organization, but it's possible.

Multiple counting where needed

Here's real magic.

While your team counts goods, you see in real time differences between system state and what's been counted.

You see 50-unit discrepancy on "white paint" item? You can immediately send second person to recount only that one item.

You don't need to wait until end to discover problem. You don't need to make them count entire warehouse again.

You order recounting only where there are doubts.

This saves hours, sometimes days of work.

Automatic documents for accountant

End of inventory usually means more hours of work - you need to generate RW (internal release) and PW (internal receipt) documents, i.e., documents showing losses and surpluses.

Our application generates them automatically. Accountant gets ready documents for booking. Inventory sheets can be exported to PDF or left in electronic version.

No manual transcription. No errors.

Real-life example: food wholesaler

One of our clients - food products wholesaler - did inventory twice yearly. Each time same thing:

• 4 days closed warehouse
• 10 people counting goods
• Stacks of papers with handwritten notes
• 2 days for system data entry
• Always found discrepancies requiring recounting

After implementing our application:

• Inventory lasts 1.5 days
• Warehouse works normally (with minor restrictions)
• 5 people with phones and tablets
• Results visible immediately in system
• Multiple counting only for doubtful items
• RW/PW documents generate automatically

Most important? Owner knows in real time how inventory progresses. Doesn't need to wait 4 days to find out if there are any major discrepancies.

What do you need to start?

Good news: you probably already have most of what you need.

Equipment:

• Phones or tablets (those your team already has)
• Possibly barcode readers (but not necessary)
• Internet access in warehouse

Software:

• Microsoft 365 (you probably already have it)
• Your current warehouse system (Subiekt, Optima, Insert, or other)

Preparation:

• Import product data to application
• If goods don't have barcodes - we can generate special codes and print labels

You don't need to buy expensive warehouse terminals or change your current system. Application works as "overlay" that supports inventory process.

Where to start?

If reading this article you recognized your company's problems, worth considering inventory automation.

First step is always analysis:

• How much time and money do you lose on current process?
• What are your team's main pain points?
• Do you have barcodes on goods (or need to generate them)?
• How often do you conduct inventory?

Second step is demo:
Best to see application in action. We show how process looks from beginning to end - from importing goods, through counting on phone, to generating documents.

Third step is implementation:
Preparing application for your needs, data import, team training. Usually takes a few days.

Summary: inventory doesn't have to be nightmare

Inventory automation isn't revolution - it's evolution. Instead of papers you use phone. Instead of transcribing names, you scan codes. Instead of waiting until end, you see results live.

Benefits are obvious:

• You save team time
• You eliminate errors
• You don't need to close warehouse
• You have real-time control
• Documents generate automatically

And most important - your warehouse workers will stop fearing inventory.

Process becomes simpler, faster, and more user-friendly.

Want to see how this looks in practice?

We prepared detailed video showing inventory application in action - from goods import, through code scanning, to document generation.

👉 Watch video: Inventory automation in Microsoft 365

Want to check if this solution will work in your company?

Schedule free consultation. We'll show you exactly how application works, answer all questions, and help evaluate what savings you can achieve.

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AI isn't the future. It's the present.

"Automation isn't a cost. It's an investment."

I repeat this quote at every client meeting. Often met with laughter. Then tears, when they see how much time their teams waste.

The truth is: in every company there's a mass of tasks NOBODY does because there's no time.

• 4 people spend 120 hours monthly on copy-paste
• Finance department generates the same report 8 times
• Nobody knows where current document versions are

Sound familiar?

In this article, I'll present 10 practical AI applications that solve real business problems. This isn't theory – these are solutions I implement in Polish companies every month.

Why now is the best time to implement AI in your company

Just 2-3 years ago, AI technologies were expensive, inaccessible, and required specialized knowledge. Today they are:

1. Accessible - can be implemented in days, not months
2. Affordable - cost starting from a few hundred zloty monthly
3. Secure - full data control in Microsoft Azure environment
4. Easy to use - don't require specialized knowledge from end users

Additionally, Microsoft integrated AI with tools your company probably already uses (Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint), which radically lowers the entry barrier.

10 practical AI applications in business

1. Smart company knowledge base

Problem: Employees waste average 36 minutes daily searching for information in company documents.

AI Solution: Assistant that knows all company documents and answers questions in seconds.

How it works in practice:
Imagine you can ask: "What are the warranty terms in the contract with company X?" or "Find invoice from Grzegorz Szymański" and instantly receive an answer with source document link. No more folder and file searching.

Benefits:

• Time savings (from minutes to seconds)
• No frustration from document searching
• Easy knowledge access for new employees
• Eliminates "Only Anna knows where it is" problem

2. Customer service automation

Problem: Repetitive customer inquiries take support team time.

AI Solution: System analyzing inquiry content and suggesting responses based on previous interactions.

How it works in practice:
When a customer sends an inquiry, the system automatically categorizes it, finds similar historical inquiries, and suggests a response to the consultant. Doesn't replace humans, but makes them respond faster and more consistently.

Benefits:

• Faster customer responses
• Greater communication consistency
• Reduced support team load
• Ability to focus on complex problems

3. Legal document analysis and automation

Problem: Manual contract and legal document analysis takes enormous time and is error-prone.

AI Solution: System detecting potential risks in contracts and documents.

How it works in practice:
After uploading a contract to the system, AI identifies key clauses, compares them with accepted standards, and indicates potential risks or inconsistencies. Additionally can monitor regulatory changes and alert about necessary document adjustments.

Benefits:

• Minimized legal risk
• Lawyer time savings
• Faster document analysis
• Higher contract quality

4. Automated invoice database

Problem: Manual invoice data entry into financial systems.

AI Solution: System automatically reading invoice data (AI-assisted OCR).

How it works in practice:
Invoice enters system (email, scan), AI reads all essential data (date, amount, supplier, cost category), enters it into system and categorizes. Additionally can send payment reminders and flag discrepancies.

Benefits:

• Eliminated manual data entry
• Fewer errors
• Quick document access
• Better cost control

5. Smart recruitment and HR

Problem: CV analysis and candidate matching to position requirements.

AI Solution: System evaluating candidate fit based on CV and position requirements.

How it works in practice:
System analyzes dozens or hundreds of CVs, extracts key skills and experience, then ranks candidates by requirement fit. Additionally can indicate competency gaps and suggest interview questions.

Benefits:

• Recruiter time savings
• More objective candidate evaluation
• Better position fit
• Faster recruitment

6. AI in cybersecurity

Problem: Threat detection in IT systems becomes increasingly difficult.

AI Solution: System monitoring network traffic patterns and detecting unusual activity.

How it works in practice:
AI analyzes normal network traffic, learns typical patterns, and quickly detects anomalies indicating cyberattack or security breach. Additionally can analyze source code for potential vulnerabilities.

Benefits:

• Early threat detection
• Reduced false alarms
• Automatic response to simple threats
• Better data protection

7. Marketing and sales personalization

Problem: Generic marketing campaigns with low conversion.

AI Solution: System analyzing customer behavior and personalizing communication.

How it works in practice:
AI segments customers based on behavior, preferences, and history, then automatically adjusts content, timing, and communication channel. Additionally can predict conversion probability and suggest most effective actions.

Benefits:

• Higher conversion
• Better customer experience
• More effective marketing budget use
• Deeper customer needs understanding

8. Supply chain optimization

Problem: Inefficiencies and delays in supply chain.

AI Solution: System predicting potential problems and suggesting solutions.

How it works in practice:
AI analyzes historical data, identifies patterns, and predicts potential delays or bottlenecks. System can suggest alternative supply paths, optimize inventory levels, and predict material needs.

Benefits:

• Reduced delays
• Minimized logistics costs
• Optimized inventory levels
• Greater supply chain resilience

9. AI in production and quality control

Problem: Difficulties detecting production defects and predicting failures.

AI Solution: System analyzing sensor and camera data, predicting potential defects and failures.

How it works in practice:
AI monitors sensor data in real time, detects anomalies indicating potential failure or production defects. System learns from historical data, becoming increasingly accurate at predicting problems.

Benefits:

• Preventive machine maintenance
• Reduced repair costs
• Higher product quality
• Fewer downtimes

10. Reporting and data analysis automation

Problem: Time-consuming report creation from multiple data sources.

AI Solution: System automatically combining data and generating reports with AI commentary.

How it works in practice:
AI pulls data from various systems, harmonizes it, then generates reports with key metrics and insights. System can also proactively alert about significant changes and trends.

Benefits:

• Time savings
• Always current data
• Deeper analytical insights
• Proactive trend detection

How to start implementing AI in your company?

AI implementation may seem overwhelming, but doesn't have to be. Here's a simple process that worked for my clients:

1. Start with problem, not technology

Begin by identifying most time-consuming processes in your company:

• Where do employees spend most time on repetitive tasks?
• Which processes generate most errors?
• What tasks do your employees hate?

2. Describe process before automation

As I tell clients: "You can't automate chaos. Automating chaos results in chaos."

Before implementing AI or automation, always:

• Write out all process steps
• Define process participants
• Identify tools used

3. Start small, but think long-term

Choose one well-defined process for automation. Quick success builds momentum and trust in organization.

Simultaneously, develop long-term automation strategy that includes:

• Integration between systems
• Data management
• Team competency development

4. Measure results

Always set measurable goals before starting implementation and consistently monitor progress:

• How much time saved?
• How much did error count decrease?
• What's return on investment?

5. Invest in people

Automation and AI don't replace people – they change the nature of their work. Invest in training and development so your team can fully leverage new technologies' potential.

Summary: AI isn't the future. It's the present.

Artificial intelligence stopped being an abstract future technology. It's a practical tool that already now solves real business problems.

Companies that quickly adapt these technologies gain competitive advantage not through workforce reduction, but by unlocking their teams' potential.

As one of my clients once said: "AI didn't replace my employees. It replaced tasks my employees hated."

Want to learn more? Download the full list of 100 practical AI applications in business at erait.pl/100 or watch my YouTube video showing these applications in practice.

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Funkcjonalność

W dzisiejszym dynamicznie rozwijającym się świecie biznesu, efektywne zarządzanie informacjami o produktach (Product Information Management, PIM) jest kluczowe dla sukcesu przedsiębiorstwa. Narzędzie PIM oparte o SharePoint listy to rozwiązanie, które umożliwia przedsiębiorstwom wszystkich rozmiarów skuteczne zarządzanie danymi produktowymi, od informacji statycznych po multimedia, takie jak zdjęcia. W tym artykule przyjrzymy się, jak narzędzie PIM na platformie SharePoint może przyczynić się do optymalizacji procesów biznesowych i ułatwić zarządzanie asortymentem produktowym w Twojej firmie.

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Dlaczego SharePoint?

SharePoint, będący częścią pakietu Microsoft 365, oferuje bogaty zestaw funkcji, które wspierają efektywną współpracę i zarządzanie dokumentacją w firmie. Użycie SharePoint jako podstawy dla narzędzia PIM pozwala na wykorzystanie istniejącej infrastruktury i integrację z innymi narzędziami Microsoft, takimi jak Microsoft Teams czy Excel, co zapewnia płynne i zintegrowane środowisko pracy.

Kluczowe Funkcjonalności PIM na SharePoint

1. Centralne Repozytorium Danych: SharePoint listy działają jako centralne miejsce do przechowywania wszystkich danych produktowych. Możesz łatwo zarządzać informacjami statycznymi, takimi jak opisy, specyfikacje, ceny, oraz dynamicznymi, jak zdjęcia produktów czy instrukcje obsługi. Centralizacja danych ułatwia dostęp, edycję i udostępnianie informacji o produktach w całej organizacji.
2. Integracja z Multimediami: SharePoint umożliwia łatwe dodawanie i zarządzanie plikami multimedialnymi, które są niezbędne w nowoczesnym handlu, np. zdjęcia produktów, filmy instruktażowe czy materiały marketingowe. Dzięki temu PIM na SharePoint to nie tylko baza danych, ale również efektywne narzędzie do zarządzania zasobami cyfrowymi.
3. Automatyzacja Procesów: Możliwość tworzenia zautomatyzowanych przepływów pracy, takich jak automatyczne generowanie katalogów produktów w formacie PDF zgodnie z jednolitym szablonem, znacznie usprawnia procesy biznesowe. Automatyzacja tych procesów redukuje ryzyko błędów, oszczędza czas pracowników i pozwala na szybsze reagowanie na potrzeby rynku.
4. Elastyczność i Skalowalność: SharePoint listy są wysoce konfigurowalne, co oznacza, że narzędzie PIM można łatwo dostosować do specyficznych potrzeb Twojej firmy. Niezależnie od wielkości przedsiębiorstwa czy branży, system może być skalowany wraz z rozwojem firmy, co czyni go długoterminowym rozwiązaniem do zarządzania informacjami o produktach.
5. Bezpieczeństwo i Kontrola: Korzystając z SharePoint, możesz być pewien, że Twoje dane są bezpieczne. Platforma oferuje zaawansowane opcje zarządzania dostępem i zabezpieczeniami, co jest kluczowe przy przechowywaniu wrażliwych danych produktowych. Kontrola dostępu, zarządzanie wersjami i możliwość śledzenia zmian zapewniają, że każdy element danych jest chroniony i zarządzany w odpowiedni sposób.

Podsumowanie

Implementacja PIM na platformie SharePoint oferuje firmom możliwość efektywnego zarządzania wszystkimi aspektami informacji o produktach w jednym, zintegrowanym miejscu. Jest to szczególnie wartościowe w kontekście rosnącej konkurencji i wymagań rynkowych, gdzie szybkie i precyzyjne zarządzanie informacjami produktowymi staje się krytycznym elementem sukcesu. Dzięki PIM na SharePoint, firmy mogą lepiej zarządzać swoimi produktami, co przekłada się na lepszą obsługę klienta, efektywniejsze działania marketingowe i ostatecznie – wzrost biznesu.

Zobacz jak to działa na demo.