The 30-Day Implementation Plan
Phase 1: Diagnostics & Foundation (Days 1–10)
Value Stream Mapping (VSM): Map the current order flow from the moment a PO is received to when it hits the shop floor. Identify "Touchpoints" vs. "Value-Add" time.
Root Cause Analysis: Review the last 30 days of "Return Material Authorizations" (RMAs) or order corrections to find where data failed.
Enable System Triggers: Configure the Customer Added/Updated notifications. This ensures the Master Data team validates new accounts immediately, preventing downstream billing errors.
Phase 2: Standard Work & Automation (Days 11–20)
Standardized Checklists: Create a "Perfect Order" checklist for entry teams.
Automate Customer Communications: * Enable Auto Email Shipping Notifications (and the PDF attachment settings) to eliminate manual status inquiries.
Set up Opportunity Close Date notifications so Production Planning can anticipate spikes in demand.
Data Clean-up: Ensure all "Ship-To" addresses have valid email contacts to support the auto-shipping alerts.
Phase 3: Pilot & Feedback Loop (Days 21–30)
Kaizen Event: Conduct a 2-day rapid improvement workshop with Order Entry, Sales, and Shipping to resolve friction points.
Notification Audit: Ensure the right people (and only the right people) are subscribed to the Customer Address Updated alerts to avoid "inbox fatigue."
2. Business Impact & Metrics (KPIs)
Improving order entry has a direct financial impact on the bottom line.
Key Metrics to Track
| Metric | Definition | Business Impact |
|---|---|---|
| First Pass Yield (FPY) | % of orders entered correctly without requiring revision. | Reduces administrative labor costs and rework. |
| Order Cycle Time | Time from PO receipt to "Released to Production." | Shortens Lead Time; improves cash flow. |
| Customer Inquiry Rate | Number of "Where is my order?" calls/emails. | Reduced by enabling Auto-Shipping Notifications. |
| Master Data Accuracy | % of Customer records with complete Ship-To/Email info. | Ensures 100% success rate for automated logistics. |
3. Communication Tools & Practices
To bridge the gap between the front office and the shop floor, implement these "Visual Management" practices:
Daily Tier 1 Huddles: A 10-minute stand-up involving Order Entry and Production Scheduling to discuss "Hot Orders" or data gaps identified by the Customer Updated alerts.
Cross-Functional Slack/Teams Channels: Use automated webhooks so that when a "Customer Satisfaction" alert triggers, it posts to a shared channel for immediate visibility.
Andon Cord for Data: Empower Order Entry to "stop the line" if a PO is missing critical Ship-To data, rather than guessing and pushing the error downstream.
4. Secondary Areas for Improvement
Once Order Entry is stabilized, focus on these adjacent Kaizen opportunities:
Inventory Synchronization: Link order entry to real-time ATP (Available to Promise) logic so Sales doesn't promise stock that is already committed.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI): Move away from manual entry entirely by implementing EDI with high-volume customers.
Shipping Documentation Lean: Use the Auto Email PDF feature to go "Paperless" in the warehouse, saving on printing costs and physical filing.
This Kaizen Diagnostic Worksheet is designed for your Days 1–10 phase. The goal is to move from "anecdotal" complaints (e.g., "Order entry is slow") to "data-driven" facts (e.g., "30% of orders are missing ship-to emails").
Kaizen Worksheet: Order Entry "Perfect Order" Diagnostic
Objective: Identify waste (Muda) and friction in the Order Entry to Shipping workflow.
Team: Order Entry Lead, S&OP Planner, Shipping Supervisor, IT/System Admin.
Part 1: Value Stream Data Collection
Complete this section by observing 5–10 random orders currently in the system.
| Step | Action | Time Taken | Issue Encountered? (Missing info, system lag, etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Receive PO from Customer | — | |
| 2 | Validate Customer/Ship-To Data | ||
| 3 | Input Order Lines & Quantities | ||
| 4 | Verify Pricing & Tax | ||
| 5 | System Trigger: Release to Production |
Total Processing Time (TPT): ________ minutes
Estimated Wait Time (Queue): ________ hours/days
Part 2: Automated Notification Audit
Check the health of your system triggers to ensure the "Business Impact" plan can succeed.
[ ] Notification Subscriptions: Are the right S&OP planners subscribed to Customer Added/Updated alerts? (Prevents scheduling for unverified accounts).
[ ] Shipping Trigger Readiness: What % of current "Ship-To" addresses have a valid email address populated? (Target: 100%).
[ ] PDF Automation: Is the Auto Email PDF Attachments Use setting enabled?
[ ] Feedback Loop: Is there a process for when a Customer Satisfaction alert triggers? Who owns the "Recovery" action?
Part 3: The "Eight Wastes" in Order Entry
Identify where the process is "leaking" value.
| Waste Type | Example in Order Entry | Observed in our Process? (Low/Med/High) |
|---|---|---|
| Defects | Incorrect quantities or wrong ship-to addresses. | |
| Over-Processing | Re-entering data that was already on the customer PO. | |
| Waiting | Waiting for Credit Dept or Sales to clarify terms. | |
| Non-Utilized Talent | Entry team spent 2 hours/day fixing email addresses. | |
| Transportation | Passing physical folders from desk to desk. |
Part 4: The 5-Whys Root Cause Analysis
Pick the biggest problem identified above (e.g., "Customers aren't getting shipping emails") and dig deep.
Why? The customer didn't receive the notification.
Why? The system didn't trigger the auto-email.
Why? The "Ship-To" email field was blank on the Order.
Why? The Order Entry team didn't know they needed to check that field.
Why? (Root Cause): There is no Standard Work or "Required Field" validation for email at the Ship-To level.
Next Steps for the Team:
Print 10 copies of this worksheet.
Shadow an Order Entry clerk for 2 hours (Gemba Walk).
Synthesize the findings into a "Current State" map.