NOVEMBER 202419MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTSefforts in creating new efficient processes, as well as allowing our people to focus on finding the next big innovation. Most processes in place today have been designed with the limitations of the human workforce in mind. What is the delay in generating this report? Why are there errors in the data set? When can we expect the payment to be processed? These are all valid constraints of the human workforce that automation can solve ­ processing the simple repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on more important work. Through automation, we can improve processes and also create new, more efficient processes with automation in mind. What if a report is generated and distributed as soon as new information is published? What if the data is error-free? What if the payment is processed as soon as it is received? These are the types of questions we can ask with automation in mind, driving value through new-found efficiencies. At this point, we are only at the tip of the iceberg regarding our automation efforts. Since we began our automation journey a few years ago, there have been countless learnings and advancements in the digital automation arena. Additionally, we have been learning ourselves. We have built out a strong, well-functioning internal automation team with the tools and processes in place where we can take the next step in scaling automation at Weyerhaeuser. We envision becoming more strategic with available technologies, continually evaluating and understanding "what is possible ." We believe there is enormous potential to expand and scale automation across the company, especially in operational areas where real-time data and insights are the most valuable. Using RPA, we have been able to automate and improve processes, including capital asset entry and tracking, inventory management, write-off processing, report generation, and control monitoring
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