Optimize paper-based business processes that cannot be eliminated. Reduce labor and workflow errors by automating the printing of forms in a cloud environment.

Overview of article

A cloud sales management service, FLAM, and Epson Connect work together, eliminating bothersome print settings and setting errors.
Automate printing invoices and delivery statements on different paper types with the Epson Connect API's assigned tray printing.
Send commands to print forms for work from home, eliminating the waiting time for printing when you get to the office and improving work efficiency.

A high-speed cloud sales management service, FLAM, enables centralized management of sales, purchases, and inventory. In February 2023, the servicer of FLAM, FlipLogic, Inc., began integrating FLAM with Epson Connect, a cloud-based printing service provided by Epson. This integration allowed Epson and FlipLogic to recruit trial users to participate with a printer (recruitment period: February 22 to May 30, 2023). Companies already using FLAM or planning to do so within the period were given a chance to experience the API integration feature of FLAM.

This article explains how this trial use case improved operational efficiency.

FLIPLOGIC, Inc.: https://www.fliplogic.co.jp/

FLAM: https://www.flam.jp/

■Hiroki Ishihara (center)
Chief Operating Officer, FlipLogic, Inc.

■Kohei Shiratori (right)
P Strategic Planning Department, Seiko Epson Corporation

■Interviewer: Tomoyuki Kurata (left)
P Strategic Planning Department, Seiko Epson Corporation

Epson Connect is a good fit for the operational efficiency of sales management cloud services.

─What made you decide to integrate Epson Connect in FLAM?

Ishihara: FLAM is a cloud service, so our target customers are moving toward a paperless environment. However, in talking with our customers, we found that although paper use is decreasing, its use has yet to be entirely eliminated. Paper-based instructions and communication remain.

If paper is still going to be around, then we should see how we could improve its use and increase the efficiency of paper-based processes. It was at that time that Epson approached us. By visiting Epson and touring Epson showrooms and other facilities, we gradually began understanding what Epson's printers could do. As we continued to explore the possibilities, we began to see that we could improve operational efficiency and reduce costs by enabling FLAM to support Epson Connect.

For example, legacy office computer systems from 20 years ago could print automatically from an assigned printer tray. However, this feature was lost with current cloud services because the paper type and tray have to be set when PDF files are previewed. This reduces operational efficiency, which leads to higher costs. But if you use Epson Connect, you can automate printing from assigned trays. This feature has been very well received, and customers who print forms in a cloud environment are very appreciative.

Here are interviews with two companies participating in the printer trial about their actual use.

Use Case 1: Reducing printing time and effort with automatic tray designation printing

Company name: ING Medical Company, Ltd. (Yoshioka-machi, Kitagunma-gun, Gunma)

Business activities: Sales of medical equipment, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Who we interviewed: Aya Hasegawa

─Why did you participate in the trial? What did you want to achieve?

Hasegawa: We have to print many of invoices, delivery statements, and other forms on a specific type of paper, but we sometimes specify the wrong tray. Then we'd have to make another printout, wasting time and paper. We joined the trial to see if we could resolve this issue.

─Did you resolve the issue by using FLAM with support for Epson Connect?

Hasegawa: FLAM allows us to set which tray to use in advance according to the printed form, eliminating human tray specification errors. For example, we load A4 plain paper for invoices in tray 1 and A4 4-hole perforated paper for delivery statements and receipts in tray 2. From FLAM, you can now automatically print forms without displaying the tray-selection print settings screen by selecting the type of form to print, whether it be an invoice, delivery statement, and or other form.

This enables us to operate more efficiently because it eliminates some of the time and trouble involved in printing invoices, allows us to print more forms in the same amount of time, and frees us up to allocate our time to other tasks. We have also eliminated both tray designation errors and paper waste. We're satisfied with how smooth and easy it is.

FLAM Printer Selection Screen
Save printing time and trouble by pre-setting the printer and trays to use for the forms to print.

Use Case 2: Using remote printing from work from home, eliminating the wait for printing at the office

Company name: Caretech Corporation (Gamagori, Aichi, Japan)

Business activities: Sales of equipment to nursing care facilities

Who we interviewed: Hikari Kabeya

─Why did you participate in the trial? What did you want to achieve?

Kabeya: We were considering replacing our existing printers with inkjet printers because the number of sheets printed was increasing, and we wanted to see whether remote printing would make remote work feasible.

─Can you tell us what you concluded after looking into the feasibility of remote work?

Kabeya: We wondered whether we could introduce remote work to give employees more flexibility. The challenge was to shorten the time between when we came to work and when we left to deliver care equipment. FLAM with Epson Connect integration enables us to print delivery statements and invoices from home, pick them up on the printer at work, and then immediately go out to deliver the item.

We confirmed the feasibility of remote work thanks to remote printing and are satisfied that the system eliminates the downtime spent waiting for prints before heading out on deliveries.

This trial enabled us to demonstrate that the Epson Connect API can provide value by enabling remote work via remote printing and automatic tray selection.

Epson will continue to contribute to the operational efficiency of form printing through co-creation with partners.

This interview was conducted in August 2023.

Note: All information on organization names, affiliations, titles, and interview content were correct as of the time of the interview.