Case Study | Top life science major uses Crave for Non-Returnable Gate Pass (NRGP)

Let’s just jump in. We will talk about our Non-Returnable Gate Pass (solution) deployment for a globally renowned life science company. So, what is a non-returnable gate pass (NGRP)?

A plant has products, samples, parts, supplies, etc. that come in and move out. These can be hundreds and thousands every day. There must be an account for every single item, especially within the life science industry. Compliance is critical, and real-time accountability is essential to maintain compliance.

The scientist/user creates a gate pass for every item that is moving out or coming into the plant. The item can’t enter the plant premises without this validated gate pass. Similarly, it can’t leave the plant without the same.

There are two types of gate passes. Returnable Gate Pass (RGP) and Non-Returnable Gate Pass (NRGP). As the name suggests, the returnable gate pass indicates that the item would eventually come back to the originating plant. The non-returnable gate pass is for the items that would be going from Point A to Point B but not come back to Point A.

Challenge

The client had samples and other non-stock items moving from one of its plants to another. It could also go to a different plant/location altogether. The scientist/user had to file a written (paper or email) request with the required details. This was time-consuming and error-prone.

The required data was stored across multiple databases. There were product, unit, and batch details. There were unit cost and cost certificates. Tax certificates and details depended on the destination. There were different compliance and document requirements for the crossing of state or national lines (export). Special economic zones (SEZ) had their compliance requirements.

The user had to compile all relevant info for a single NRGP request. The request would be reverted if there were any errors. This further delayed the process.

After the request, the user had to manually file the Tax documents and update the relevant master databases.

Solution

Crave InfoTech created a complete non-returnable gate pass solution for the client. These were intuitive apps easily accessed via SAP launchpad. The workflow was fine-tuned to fit exactly into the use case of a pharmaceutical/life science company. It covered all the aspects and guided the user through the creation of a complete, fully compliant, and zero-error NRGP request.

The product, unit, batch, cost, and tax details were auto-populated in the form. The user simply chose the desired mode of transport and apt storage conditions from a dropdown.

The NRGP request, prior to Crave, took 20-30 mins on average. It is now 3-5 mins. Even taking the higher end of the range, it saved 83.33% time. The entire process was streamlined with zero stress for the user.

The filled NRGP request was directly sent to the approver (as per the Direction of Approval – DOA) for validation. This was automated and didn’t require any effort from the original user.

Challenge

Prior to Crave, the approver had multiple requests pending in their inbox or on their desk. The approver had to reference multiple databases to cross-check every detail. This was tedious with the risk of oversight.

Oversight and errors can have huge consequences within the life science industry. So, the information in the request needed to be properly validated. This took a lot of time.

There were indications for incoming or pending requests. This added to the delay. This was a problem as timeliness was important in the transport of the items.

Solution

Crave built an intuitive NRGP request approval app, directly accessible from the SAP launchpad. The approver could view all the pending requests in a single dashboard. They could navigate through the form and digitally validate all information in one place. The system was in-sync with the central master database.

The entire process was streamlined, optimized, and automated with the right transparency and accountability. The approver could approve, return, or reject the request within minutes saving 85%+ time (previously spent).

Challenge

Before the optimization, the manual request would reach the warehouse. If the manager had to edit any details (based on the unit price, availability, etc.) they had to manually return the NRGP with the edits for approval (as per DOA).

They would, then, manually create further transportation documents with the required vendor and location details. All printouts were sent out through excel without any standardization.

The security had to manually verify the approved NRGP request during the outward movement. All the while, the original user had no real-time updates about the status of the NRGP request.

Solution

Crave had a third intuitive app for NRGP request processing. The warehouse manager would see all the active NRGP requests in a single dashboard. The request could easily be returned to the approver with possible edits within a few clicks. It’s all in a single platform and a simple dashboard.

The standardized documents with the relevant details would be printed out from the SAP system.

The security would simply scan the QR code on the NRGP request to verify the status in seconds. The scanning would auto-update the central system with the details and time-stamp. The original user would also be notified in real-time.

Similarly, the inward movement of the item at the client’s destination plant would be verified through the QR-code scan. The user would once again receive a real-time notification.

• 85%+ (approx.) time and resources saved that could be aptly reapplied
• 100% compliance and automation within a single system/platform
• Fully UI/UX optimized (SAP Fiori) for fast adoption with a flat learning curve
• 100% paperless digitization with real-time sync with the database
• Custom NRGP and finance reports for detailed and timely analysis

This is a direct and simple explanation of just one of our solutions. We are specialists in the life science industry, partnered with SAP and Zebra technologies. If you require solutions within the life science industry, just reach out to us. We would love to be of help.