Icertis, the contract intelligence company that pushes the boundaries of what's possible with contract lifecycle management (CLM), and World Commerce & Contracting, the global provider of independent research in commercial and contract management (CCM), have published the 2023 Benchmark Report titled CCM: The Journey to Operational Excellence.
Automatic Identification/Datacapture, AIDC, RFID
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) refers to the process of automatically identifying and collecting data about objects/goods, then logging this information in a computer. The term AIDC refers to a range of different types of data capture devices. These include barcodes, biometrics, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), magnetic stripes, smart cards, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and voice recognition. AIDC devices are deployed in a wide range of environments, including: retail, warehousing, distribution & logistics and field service. The first RFID solutions were developed in 1980s. It has since been deployed in a range of markets including Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI) systems due to RFID's ability to track moving objects. RFID is also effective in challenging manufacturing environments where barcode labels might not prove resilient enough.
There's data and there's data-driven insights
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By Marc Boileau, Senior Vice President Sales and Network Operations at FourKites.
Supply chain data can give businesses real-time insights into their operations, helping them navigate challenges, optimize processes and drive competitive advantage.
BBVA Spark backs Twinco Capital with new €50 million debt facility to serve growing demand for sustainable supply chain finance
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There is a staggering $2.5 trillion global trade finance gap that mainly affects SMEs in emerging countries, limiting their ability to access new business opportunities.
Positive jobs growth overshadowed by late payments for UK small businesses
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Despite tentative jobs growth, small businesses experienced slow sales growth and rising late payment times in the three months to September, according to the latest data from global small business platform Xero.
Syndeo unveils AI Experience apps for retail
Oct 25, 2023
Syndeo, the Conversational AI solutions provider, has launched its Experience Apps for Retail, designed to transform the way consumers shop and interact with their favourite brands.
SymphonyAI announces retail copilots with transformational generative AI
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SymphonyAI has announced its suite of software copilots for retailers and CPG manufacturers, bringing powerful generative AI capabilities to its intelligent merchandising, supply chain, and store and space product suite.
Teva leverages temperature and theft tracking from FourKites to deliver critical medicines globally
Oct 23, 2023
FourKites has announced that Teva, a global provider of generic medicines, has achieved a 0.005% incident rate by leveraging FourKites’ global carrier visibility solution, NIC-Place.
UK retailers lagging behind US When it comes to consumer experiences
Oct 17, 2023
New research from Kin + Carta, the global digital transformation consultancy, has revealed that UK retailers are falling short when it comes to coherent experiences across their physical and digital footprints, potentially leading to loss of revenue. A stark contrast to retailers in the US.
From raw data to riches: unlocking value in manufacturing
Oct 11, 2023
By Cindy Maike, Vice President of Business and Product Solutions at Cloudera.
Ongoing margin pressures, shifting trade patterns and supply chain uncertainty mean that manufacturers are always looking to make their operations more efficient. Data and analytics are increasingly a catalyst driving change.
BigChange announces ‘Walkthrough Guides’ to ease new software roll-out
Oct 05, 2023
BigChange has announced ‘Walkthrough Guides’ to make it easier to introduce new software. As companies switch from paper or older software systems, using new software can be daunting for staff, so BigChange has developed simple pop-up guides to take new users through the software step-by-step.
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) refers to the methods of automatically identifying objects, collecting data about them, and entering that data directly into computer systems (i.e. without human involvement). Technologies typically considered as part of AIDC include bar codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), biometrics, magnetic stripes, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), smart cards, and voice recognition. AIDC is also commonly referred to as “Automatic Identification,” “Auto-ID,” and "Automatic Data Capture."
Barcoding has become established in several industries as an inexpensive and reliable automatic identification technology that can overcome human error in capturing and validating information. AIDC is the process or means of obtaining external data, particularly through analysis of images, sounds or videos. To capture data, a transducer is employed which converts the actual image or a sound into a digital file which can be later analysed. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is relatively a new AIDC technology which was first developed in 1980’s. The technology acts as a base in automated data collection, identification and analysis systems worldwide
In the decades since its creation, barcoding has become highly standardised, resulting in lower costs and greater accessibility. Indeed, word processors now can produce barcodes, and many inexpensive printers print barcodes on labels. Most current barcode scanners can read between 12 and 15 symbols and all their variants without requiring configuration or programming. For specific scans the readers can be pre-programmed easily from the user manual.
Despite these significant developments, the adoption of barcoding has been slower in the healthcare sector than the retail and manufacturing sectors. Barcoding can capture and prevent errors during medication administration and is now finding its way from the bedside into support operations within the hospital.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the wireless non-contact use of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data. Unlike a bar code, the tag does not necessarily need to be within line of sight of the reader, and may be embedded in the tracked object. It can also be read only or read-write enabling information to be either permanently stored in the tag or it can be read-write where information can be continually updated and over-written on the tag.
RFID has found its importance in a wide range of markets including livestock identification and Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI) systems and are now commonly used in tracking consumer products worldwide. Many manufacturers use the tags to track the location of each product they make from the time it's made until it's pulled off the shelf and tossed in a shopping cart. These automated wireless AIDC systems are effective in manufacturing environments where barcode labels could not survive. They can be used in pharmaceutical to track consignments, they can also be used in cold chain distribution to monitor temperature fluctuations. This is particularly useful to ensure frozen and chilled foods have not deviated from the required temperature parameters during transit.
Cost used to be a prohibitive factor in the widespread use of RFID tags however the unit costs have reduced considerably to make this a viable technology to improve track and trace throughout the supply chain. Many leading supermarket chains employ RFID insisting that their suppliers incorporate this technology into the packaging of the products in order to improve supply chain efficiency and traceability.
