In a busy retail bakery, having all the goodies baked and ready on time is a must to keep up with customer orders and run things smoothly.
A big part of making that happen is generating and printing a “bake list” that outlines the day’s orders.
To make this process easier and cut out any mistakes, one of our clients decided to implement a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution using Microsoft Power Automate.
This case study explores how the bakery automated its bake list printing process, outlining the tools, configuration steps, and the benefits they gained.
Client’s Pain Points in Bake List Document Printing
The client, Julian Pie, is a bakery in San Diego specializing in a variety of apple and seasonal pies. They have a physical storefront where customers can walk in and purchase items, as well as an online ordering system for pickup or delivery.
Their business model depends on efficient daily operations, requiring careful planning of baking schedules to ensure products are fresh and ready for sale at peak times. They rely heavily on timely production to keep shelves stocked, minimize waste, and maximize sales throughout the day.
For standard daily production, the bakery accepts orders until the evening which allows the bakery staff to finalize the bake list and prepare for the next morning’s production.
Every morning, their bakery operations rely on precise and efficient processes to ensure the day starts smoothly.
One of these critical tasks is generating the daily bake list, a production schedule document that provides the bakery team with a detailed schedule of what needs to be baked. This list ensures that the correct quantities and types of products are prepared on time to meet customer demand.
Traditionally, bakery staff would log in to the retail system, review orders, check dates, create the bake list, generate a print preview, export it as a PDF, and print it out every morning.
This manual process was time-consuming, prone to errors, and could be delayed by common issues such as login failures, printing errors, or incorrect file handling.
To enhance efficiency, the bakery sought a solution that would automate this repetitive process to plan and manage daily baking tasks and ensure the bake list was always printed correctly and on time.
Bitcot’s Automated Production Schedule Solution
The Bitcot team implemented an RPA process using Power Automate. The solution automated the end-to-end workflow, from logging into the retail system to printing the bake list, using the following tools and configuration:
Power Automate Setup
Power Automate was essential for orchestrating the entire bake list printing process, from logging into the retail system to executing the print job.
- Flow Design: Creating detailed workflows that outline each step of the process such as logging into the retail system, exporting data, and printing documents.
- System Integration: Configuring Power Automate to interact with the bakery’s retail system, PDF reader, and printers, enabling the automated execution of tasks.
Access to the Regular Retail System
The bakery’s retail system is where the bake list is generated and accessed. The automation process requires:
- System Access: Ensuring that the RPA bot has the necessary permissions to log in, retrieve, and export the bake list. Valid and secure login credentials were required for the RPA bot to access the retail system.
- API or Data Integration: Integrating the retail system’s API with Power Automate for efficient data handling and task automation.
PDF Reader Software
After exporting the bake list as a PDF, it needs to be read and processed.
- Software Installation: PDF reader software must be installed and configured to work with Power Automate.
- File Handling: Ensuring that the PDF reader can open, read, and process the exported bake list PDF as part of the automated workflow.
Printer Setup
To guarantee continuous and reliable printing, the bakery implemented a redundant printer setup. This approach ensures that the bake list can be printed without interruption, even if one printer encounters issues.
- Printer Configuration: Multiple printers were installed and connected to the system. Each printer was configured to be recognized by Power Automate, allowing the system to manage printing tasks effectively.
- Redundancy Planning: The setup included mechanisms to detect printer failures and automatically switch to an alternative printer. This redundancy minimizes the risk of printing delays and ensures that the bake list is always available in a timely manner.
System Date Accuracy and File Management
To support the smooth operation of automated bake list printing, maintaining accurate system settings and efficient file management is essential.
- System Date Accuracy: Ensuring the system date is correctly set to generate the accurate bake list for each day, preventing discrepancies in order processing.
- File Management: Automating the saving of the exported bake list PDF to a designated folder to streamline file access and reduce manual handling errors.
The Automated Workflow That Made Bake List Printing Fast and Fun
Instead of manually creating and printing bake lists every day, the client can automate the whole thing. We set up Power Automate to pull data from their system, create a ready-to-print document, and send it straight to their printer.
Here’s what the flow looks like to use Power Automate to print a document:
Step 1: Start the Process
At a predefined time each morning, the RPA bot kicks into action. This ensures the process starts punctually, without requiring any manual initiation. The automation guarantees that the bake list is generated on time every day, eliminating any delays or dependencies on human availability.
Step 2: Login to the Retail System
The bot logs into the bakery’s retail management system using valid credentials. This secure login process is configured to handle any typical authentication requirements, ensuring that the bot can access the system securely without human intervention.
Step 3: Review All Orders
Once logged in, the bot navigates to the specific section where all orders are listed. It reviews the orders to ensure the list is correctly generated and reflects all the necessary items for the day. This review step is crucial to avoid any mistakes that could impact production.
Step 4: Check Date
Before proceeding, the bot verifies that the bake list corresponds to the current date. If there is any mismatch, the bot pauses and prompts the user for manual intervention. This safety check prevents errors that could arise from using outdated or incorrect data, maintaining the accuracy of the bake list.
Step 5: Print Preview
The bot clicks on the “Print Preview” button to prepare the bake list for printing. This step allows for a final check of the document’s format and contents, ensuring that everything is correctly aligned and ready for the next step.
Step 6: Print Bake List
Next, the bot identifies the appropriate print options and selects them to generate a printable version of the bake list. This involves choosing the correct printer settings to match the bakery’s specific requirements, such as page size, orientation, and color settings.
Step 7: Export the File as a PDF
The bot then clicks the export button to generate the bake list as a PDF file. By converting the document into a universally accepted format, the bot ensures that it is accessible and can be printed without any formatting issues across different devices and printers.
The automation continues by navigating through the file explorer to locate the designated download folder. This navigation is fully automated, following predefined paths to ensure the file is saved in the correct location.
Step 9: Download File
The bot saves the PDF file to the designated download folder. This automatic saving step prevents files from getting misplaced or lost, ensuring easy access for future reference.
Step 10: Open Latest Download
The bot then opens the most recent download, which is the bake list PDF. This step confirms that the correct document has been generated and prepares it for the final printing stage.
Step 11: Print Document
Once the document is open, the bot clicks on the print option to start printing the document. This step automates the task of sending the bake list to the printer, further reducing the need for manual intervention.
Step 12: Check the Printer Status
Before printing begins, the bot checks the status of the first printer, verifying details such as paper and ink availability. If the printer is ready, it proceeds with printing. If not, the bot switches to the next available printer and checks its status. This intelligent decision-making process ensures that the document is printed without any delays.
Step 13: End Process
Finally, the bot confirms that the document has been printed successfully and ends the process. This confirmation step provides assurance that the bake list is ready and available, allowing bakery staff to focus on preparing the day’s products.
To ensure a smooth and reliable workflow, the RPA process includes several layers of exception handling:
- Login Failure: If the login attempt fails, the bot retries a set number of times. If unsuccessful, it notifies the user.
- Export Failure: If the export process fails, the bot retries a set number of times. If unsuccessful, it notifies the user.
The Client’s Major Impact and Success With Production Schedules
By automating the bake list printing process with Power Automate, the bakery achieved several benefits:
Boosted Efficiency
Automation takes care of the bake list tasks on time, every time, without any manual hassle. This means things run smoother and faster, letting the team focus on other important stuff.
Better Reliability
With automated logins and smart error handling, the bakery deals with fewer hiccups and keeps everything running smoothly. It makes sure the systems are always accessible and reliable.
More Productive Staff
By handling routine tasks, automation lets the staff put their energy into making great products rather than dealing with paperwork. This means everyone’s working smarter, not harder.
Fewer Mistakes
Automated checks and balances help keep errors at bay, so the bake list is accurate and ready to go. This reduces the chances of mistakes and saves time and effort.
Final Thoughts
Every ounce matters in the baking industry. For small to mid-sized bakeries grappling with narrow profit margins against giants, it’s almost a losing battle, unless RPA is involved.
With RPA taking care of the behind-the-scenes tasks, bakeries can keep their focus on what they do best – baking up those delicious products. This kind of automation is crucial for staying competitive and doing well in an industry where getting things right and moving fast are so important.
Here’s a testimonial from our client!
As our company continued to grow, our reliance on a heavily coded, custom-built version of Microsoft Access became increasingly inadequate. We needed a more modern technology solution to manage our expanding operations. Skeptically, I turned to the internet to find a programming team that could offer a more robust software solution. That’s when I discovered Bitcot. Bitcot’s impressive reviews immediately caught my attention, and their San Diego headquarters was conveniently close. I reached out and enjoyed speaking directly with Raj, the owner. Raj’s personability and attention struck me; he genuinely listened to our concerns and offered thoughtful, immediate recommendations. His passion for solving our problems was evident, and within days, his team began developing a custom application tailored to our needs. The project was ambitious, involving weekly updates to address new requirements and tweaks as we went along. Thanks to the Bitcot team’s dedication and expertise, we now have a cutting-edge desktop, cloud-enabled and mobile solution perfectly aligned with our evolving business needs. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome. If you’re looking for a top-notch digital solution, I highly recommend contacting Bitcot at (858) 683-3692. You won’t be disappointed.
– Tim Smothers, Head of Operations, Julian Pie
Curious how automation could transform your bakery? Reach out to us for a personalized demo and see firsthand how RPA can free you up to focus on crafting those irresistible baked goods. Let’s chat about how we can tailor this solution to fit your unique needs and help you rise above the competition!
Automating Price List Data Processing with Robotic Process Automation
For the same client, we tackled a different project to automate price sheet data processing. Read the full article
Book a Free Consultation!
