Digitization of paper documentation in production — the key to efficiency and quality

In the era of digitalization of production processes, I was surprised by the fact that as many as 38% of large and medium-sized manufacturing companies in Poland still use paper documentation — according to the latest Comarch report (2024).

Job instructions, technical documentation, quality forms - they are still printed, stored in binders, updated manually. And yet we are talking about a sector that competes not only in quality, but also in operational efficiency.

The scale of the problem: paper still rules in many establishments

A report by Webcon indicates that digitization processes have involved around 71% of manufacturing companies — but this means that one in three companies still rely on printed documents.

In practice, this means:

• manual signing and forwarding of forms,
• lack of control over the version of documents,
• difficulty in quickly searching and reporting data,
• time-consuming training of new employees.

Let's look at what savings can be given by moving away from paper

Digitization of documentation is not only a matter of modernity — it is concrete, measurable savings.

I even have a specific example for this:

One of our clients estimated that thanks to the implementation of electronic document flow on the Meltemee platform, he saved about PLN 100,000 per year — only during the team's work time.

They no longer need to:

• look for instructions in binders,
• print and distribute paper versions,
• update documents manually with each change.

These are real working hours less — both on the part of operators and support teams (OSH, quality, process engineering).

To this they come:

• Fewer production errors,
• faster deployment of new employees,
• lower printing and archiving costs.

What does the digitization of instructions and procedures really change?

From the perspective of cooperation with many manufacturing companies, I noticed one thing: documentation problems are common and expensive, but they can be solved - effectively and without revolution.

• Employees have access to up-to-date instructions on monitors, tablets or smartphones — exactly where they need them.
• Well-designed step-by-step procedures eliminate ambiguities and reduce cognitive load — especially for complex surgeries.
• Standardization and repeatability allow the team to operate according to a single, standardized scheme.

As a result, companies gain not only time, but also greater predictability, operational safety and quality — and it just pays off.

Meltemee helps businesses with digital transformation

Our low-code platform supports companies in the transition from paper to electronics — without the need for costly implementations or programming. We help you create:

• digital workplace instructions,
• electronic document flows,
• interactive checklists and forms.

These are tools that speed up work and reduce errors — and you can start implementing from just one department or process.

If you are interested in this topic, let's talk.

You can write to me directly or leave a comment - I will be happy to show you specific examples of applications.