Across industries there are regulations and compliance requirements to manage the distribution of information alongside their products in order to keep end-consumers safe.

It’s why chain of custody and all of its critical components matter, especially traceability- which includes how products are labeled and the information that those labels include.

it’s no surprise that 80% of small- to mid-sized businesses fail within three years of a product recall due to the loss of sales, reputation and resulting loss in market value.

What can be done? How do companies approach their traceability, especially as it pertains to more accurate labeling? You invest in the right solution and that solution is BarTender®, a barcode and label software. BarTender is a tested, trusted, and secure labeling and tracking program that can address these concerns.

“BarTender is the difference between a successful labeling system that simplifies the supply chain and a complicated one that creates costs.”

Read more here. 

CENTRALIZATION

BarTender offers centralized and secure control of your food labeling process. Without centralization and security measures, you have several places for files/data to live with several people having access and ability to amend or change the information; save it to the wrong location; and then must remember where they put the latest file.

With this much versioning, locations for document storage, and human interaction there is an increased likelihood of error and decreased reliability in the accuracy of information being produced for a label. This, in turn, impacts the quality of the trace when ‘said thing’ gets recalled and needs to be tracked back through the chain.

A centralized system eliminates the multiplication of label formats occurring from label duplication and sharing, while also ensuring you are always using the right label with the right data. When you store your labels in one place where they can be accessed throughout the organization— a strategy called “single-source-of-label”— you can make changes to the central data source and automatically push them down the entire enterprise instantly. “Centralized control also enables a complete audit trail by defining user roles and allowing only designated users to ‘check out’ and ‘check in’ labels, alter designs, edit data, or print labels.” Thus, the risk of unauthorized label changes is reduced. By including a version management system, you can undo any unauthorized or errant changes and return to a previous, correct version. If you want to know even more about BarTender’s centralization and labeling this is the best resource.

INTEGRATION

Better yet, it can initiate printing automatically when “trigger” events occur – such as, sending/receiving web services, a saved file, or modification made to records within a database table or view. BarTender also connects to and communicates with clients via TCP/IP, UDP or HTTP and performs basic file operations (like move, rename, delete or copy).

LABELING

BarTender is unmatched in its versatility and control over label design and automation. Among its features are sample labels designed specifically for the needs of the food industry. These include a selection of pre-formatted sample compliance label templates. There are features built in to manage your compliance labeling, prime labeling, supply chain labeling, and weight scale labeling.

BarTender’s automatic ingredient list formatting meets EU regulation No. 1169’s (allergen labeling requirements). And there is a produce traceability label template built to Walmart specifications. This includes automated Voice Pick Code generation which enables regulatory compliance. Most importantly, BaTender’s security features include comprehensive audit trail capture. What does this mean for you? A super quick response time during recalls or site inspections.

Invest, trust and rely in a solution that will meet regulations and requirements and improve your food traceability and your labels.

BarTender will centralize your data and integrate your systems which will impact your effectiveness and accuracy of track-and-trace. As a result, there will be a reduced possibility of inaccurate labels and decreased costs associated with errors. Not to mention you’re limiting the risk to your reputation caused by those instances. Get in touch with us today so we can help you invest in the right solution to improve your traceability, your labels, and therefore, your entire enterprise.

We’ve already made the case that implementing automated baggers increases your productivity and therefore your bottom line. With all kinds of new demands and increased fulfillment quotas to meet, these baggers are more necessity than luxury at this point.  While they are an investment, their ability to increase your productivity is a guaranteed ROI. 

The automated baggers other incredible capability is their ability to keep you compliant by contributing to a secure chain of custody. 

MULTIPLE PROCESSES MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY AND SUPPORT CHAIN OF CUSTODY

Chain of custody is the movement of a product from point of origin to point of sale. Throughout that process the product is prepared for distribution and/or shipping which would require it to be packaged (i.e. bagged), identified appropriately (i.e. tagged or labeled), and appropriately logged (i.e. recorded). An automated bagger can have an eye and hand (so to speak) on each of those processes.

CRITICAL RECORDED DATA AIDS BEST PRACTICES IN CHAIN OF CUSTODY

While it manages those processes, it’s recording all the associated data in quick succession and with accurate results.  No more human error or relying on the labor force to ensure accurate data entry or input. Instead, automated baggers can record the critical data that speaks to how the product moves so that if ever that product needs to be traced all the way back – in instances of recall, for example – there is a recorded digital trail. 

Some of the data that the automated baggers are collecting include date coding, lot coding, what plant it was made in, what facility it then went to, when the product was made, and what line it was made on. 

ADDITIONAL SECURE COMPONENT TO YOUR ROBUST MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Simply stated: automated baggers can increase your productivity while keeping you compliant. 

Automating your bagging process will increase your speed and efficiency and therefore your productivity. It’s ability to perform multiple processes at the same time while also recording critical data along the way gives you an extra level of security that critical pieces of your chain of custody aren’t being overlooked. And, because of their additional features and integrations, auto-baggers are also reliable components of a robust management system.  Get in touch with us to learn more about our automated baggers. 

Across all major industries regulations and compliance requirements are critical pieces to overall business operations. 

Chain of custody, track and trace, the integrity of data, and more are the minute pieces to a very intricate puzzle of systems and operations. Enterprises – no matter the size – cannot afford a lack of oversight on all these moving parts. A lack of compliance or a break in the chain of custody could result in fines or legal ramifications. Typically, that failure to comply is the result of an inferior management system. It doesn’t have to be that way.

You can improve your enterprise compliance with this secure solution: BarTender. 

BENEFITS

With BarTender you’ll have the ability to create (design and print almost anything), automate (print from any O/S, device, or web browser), and manage (centrally control and secure your entire labeling system) a great many parts of your processes. Plus, BarTender grows with your business. 

ACCESSIBILITY

BarTender is accessible via its four editions, making it a possibility for everyone regardless of the size of your enterprise. Starting with its Free version, you can familiarize with this secure and solid solution before moving into the first level edition: Professional. With the Professional edition you have access to templates, the ability to read data and perform easy search and select and encode labels and smart cards. 

Next level up is Automation which includes all of Professional’s features in addition to auto and secure printing and monitoring live print status. Top tier edition is Enterprise with all the features of Professional and Automation plus the ability to print from any iOS or Android, auto-print in response to a web service API or TCP/IP communication, integrate with SAP/Oracle, and centralize your system management. To see a comprehensive comparison of the editions, go here. 

ADAPTABILITY

BarTender is an adaptable and trusted solution for your enterprise. Through BarTender you’ll have better control of your labeling, your track and track, your data and more. Your chain of custody made easier.   

Improve your enterprise compliance, safety, security, and efficiency with this secure solution. 

Schedule a BarTender® demo by getting in touch with us today. 

Chain of custody is that critical course that a product takes from production to the end customer.  

Track and trace, the integrity of data and that data’s security, are vital elements of this process. A process riddled with industry regulations and requirements that companies cannot afford to ignore or not meet. Especially when a product recall happens.

How do you manage these pieces of your chain of custody?

PRODUCT RECALLS

TRACK & TRACE

Traceability means following a product back through the chain, including going so far back as the original source. Every touchpoint along the chain of custody becomes critical in identifying the source of the problem and then containing it. Every hand, place, or system that the recalled product touched is now of concern. This is a lot of data across a lot of systems – but it is vital to minimizing the damage. Bartender is an amazing tool to assist in tracking and tracing your products and its equipped to work for a variety of industries.

DATA & SECURITY

Bartender can more easily manage your track and trace process and security measures thereby improving your chain of custody as a result. 

Don’t let this critical part of your supply chain go unmanaged. Put your trust in this secure software solution that will tell you all the source data for the product being recalled as well as all who interacted with it along its course – from end consumer all the way back to production.  

Schedule a demo of this product by getting in touch with us today. We’ll trace your steps to a successful chain of custody practice.

Chain of custody is at top of mind for professionals across a majority of industries — food, drug, chemical, pharma, and medical.

This critical course that products take from manufacturing/production to the end customer cannot afford to go sideways. Regardless of the size of your enterprise, your business strives to ensure that your chain of custody remains compliant. 

The most errors occurring in chain of custody result from poor systems, operations and management.

The price of not having a better management system in place is huge. Legal ramifications and financial consequences to name two heavy hitters. Your business’ reputation as another.

DEFINE AND BUILD YOUR PROCESS

Defining and building your chain of custody process will likely be based on your industry’s requirements. Regardless of industry specifications, you want your chain of custody process to include an unprecedented level of transparency to discourage improper handling or lack of compliance with procedures. Additionally, you want that process to include the ability to pinpoint the source of any problem or diagnose any original cause or history of a product if something seriously affects a customer. A robust chain of custody of affected goods/products reduces recalls, disruptions, costs, and impact on the company’s reputation.

Once you start to define your process within the context of your industry, you’ll want a solution that can already account for those requirements. BarTender® allows you to define and build your process based on your industry’s standards. For example, the interoperability and communication that is required within the food supply chain can be complicate and unique, but BarTender® can help to simplify that with easy deployment and technical support. BarTender® is also set to work within the definitions and requirements of the chemical and medical-device industries.

ENSURE YOUR PROCESSES INTEGRATE WITH YOUR EXISTING SYSTEMS OR OTHER WORKFLOWS

Chain of custody includes a combination of policies, processes, and procedures. As such, it touches a variety of other systems and workflows, including material flow (think, packaging, transportation, receipt, etc.); financial flow; and information flow (think, digital data trail). Beyond that, your chain of custody also interacts with scheduling processes, shipment planning, and more. With that many interconnected processes and a ridiculous amount of data, you need a solution that can integrate with all the moving parts and pieces. 

BarTender® integrates with your existing systems and/or workflows, offering centralized control.

Just think, the right system in place – one that is secure, proven, reliable – that also works with your other existing systems and processes, and scales and adapts with your business, could be the difference between successful labeling which simplifies the supply chain or a complicated one that comes at a cost. It integrates with your ERP system (from Oracle, SAP, IBM Websphere, and more) which enables automation and provides increased labeling accuracy. This results in improving efficiencies through the chain of custody process. 

CENTRALIZE YOUR DOCUMENT STORAGE

Librarian is a companion application to BarTender®. With Librarian, you can: store files in a unified database rather than on variety of hard drives; define custom-named workflow states for files in different stages of the publishing process; and create rules to govern that workflow. Now you have single source data management with improved operational efficiency.

Ultimately, a better management system with better processes also means better chain of custody. It’s that simple.

In using a trusted and secure software solution (like BarTender®), while also achieving greater workflows, you’re reducing the possibility of human error and improving your accuracy and efficiency.

BarTender® understands the competitive, rapidly changing and complex operating environments of today’s chain of custody which is exactly what your business needs.

Schedule a demo of this product so you truly understand how it can benefit your business. Get in touch with us today. We want to help you better manage your chain of custody.    

What do leaders in the medical manufacturing, food and drug, chemical, and pharma industries all have in common?

Appropriate barcodes and labelling become a critical piece to running a successful chain of custody for your product – no matter the industry. Systemization and security around track and trace that takes these processes out of human hands is a necessity. So, how can you solve your company’s worry about chain of custody? You get BarTender®, a barcode and label software. BarTender® is a vital element of the logistics, compliance, and traceability labeling approaches of the world’s supply chains.

MANAGEMENT & SYSTEMIZATION

BarTender® allows you to define and build your process based on your industry’s standards and requirements. BarTender® integrates with your existing systems and/or workflows (think your ERP system), offering centralized control. With a companion application, Librarian, you can store files in a unified database rather than on variety of hard drives. With all documents in one place, there is greater ease in tracking and managing documents. Beyond that, you can use Librarian to define custom-named workflow states for files in different stages of the publishing process and create rules to govern that workflow.  Now you have single source data management with improved operational efficiency. What’s that equate to? A reduction in the possibility of human error. In standardizing the labeling process across your chain of custody, you achieve greater accuracy and efficiency and worry less about complications that may cost you.

SECURITY MEASURES & TRACK AND TRACE

From food service, production and processes, to pharma, personal care and medical device manufacturing, BarTender® has layers of configurable settings with a ton of security features. These configurations change depending on your industry’s needs. BarTender® was also built with todays’ rapidly changing and complex environments in mind, so of course they built in a range of security options: application-level security, including password protection for documents; systemwide permissions checks; revision control (to prevent multiple users from overwriting each other’s data and so you can track the progress of a document); print-only settings and restrictions; role permissions; label format encryption; and more. The purchase of the right edition also includes audit trail capture, enabling quick response and management during a recall with accurate and specific track and trace. Not to mention that you now have record of anyone who has come in contact with the product with limited ability for that record to be altered or misappropriated. That’s more accountability for everyone involved in the chain of custody.

ACCESSIBILITY & AFFORDABILITY

The best part is that BarTender® is available to you regardless of your company size. Are you a small business? Doesn’t matter. Your legal liability is just as important as your industry giants’. And you’re still required to be compliant with your industry’s standards. It’s time to toss out the paper files and folders and stop placing the onus of solid, secure, and successful chain of custody entirely on the shoulders of your labor force. For a touch under $600 your business can have its own Professional Edition of a software that you can rely on and trust to help you manage your chain of custody with less human error. That’s basically $50/month for peace of mind and your business’ legal compliance. Both of which are invaluable.  If the Professional Edition doesn’t meet your needs, you can choose from other packages. The point is, BarTender® is accessible to you and would be an essential part of your business process.

So, how do you solve a problem like chain of custody and get more sleep at night? Now you know.