The digital age is ushering in changes in how people manage their lives. Businesses are introducing electronic tools to facilitate those changes. Undoubtedly, people are resisting giving up what they consider control over their finances, media viewership, and lifestyles. They are fighting the changes because they feel threatened to lose control of their lives. Businesses must think not only about those resisters but also about how to introduce technology that appeals to younger people who are comfortable managing their lives digitally.

In the corporate world, digital financial management is being embraced. They must overcome numerous challenges, one of which is handling the volume of paper documents they deal with that is fraught with risk and expense. Human handling of paper is open to increased mistakes as incorrect data is entered into financial spreadsheets leading to disputes with suppliers over quantities of goods delivered and invoice balances. Such mistakes require investigation and resolution which take time and add to costs. Additionally, these mistakes can disrupt operations.

With respect to paperwork, could it all be handled electronically? Supervisors would have less need to review invoices for approval if measures were established that electronically scheduled routine purchases or service calls, validated delivery of the supplies or completion of the services, and approved the payment of invoices assuming each step falls within pre-approved limits. This can overcome worker mistakes from boredom or carelessness in dealing with routine tasks. Paperwork digitalization becomes an efficient tool for handling these transactions. Management by exception becomes an important efficiency and profitability tool resulting in reduced staff “pushing paper” or performing “routine tasks.”

Delivery of invoices electronically in a format that fits with the financial management systems of recipients has already led to back-office staff and expense reductions. Consumers often benefit from similar systems by accepting “e-bills” that are linked with financial accounts for direct payment. Gone are the days of awaiting bills by mail, writing checks, and mailing payments. E-bills are more efficient for companies and less worrisome for customers. Just as for consumers, expanding the digital handling of operational and financial management by businesses will lead to more efficient operations and reduced costs, everyone’s goal.

For this Company Spotlight, we interviewed ENGAGE’s Co-Founder and VP of Product (Jeremiah Henson) about how they synchronize complex field workflows with authenticated business logic and financial processes. ENGAGE drives business intelligence by automating industrial workflows end-to-end. Simply digitizing paper processes has been commercialized by many solutions, however, ENGAGE is the first to use predictive scheduling and data validation to reduce touchpoints and eliminate redundant processes, thus changing the way transactions are scheduled, managed, and approved. For more information on ENGAGE, please visit engagemobilize.com.

Background: Before co-founding ENGAGE, Jeremiah Henson was a mechanical engineer designing and managing critical logistical processes related to commercial and Army medivacs, which led to him being hired to analyze non-productive time (NPT) for the energy industry. Jeremiah found that…. READ MORE

Ojjo is an industry leader in developing and manufacturing next-generation solar foundations. Ojjo's patented Earth TrussTM System offers a fast and efficient way to secure ground mount solar systems, typically requiring significantly less steel volume and labor than customary pile foundations. Ojjo's system has been contracted or constructed in over 1.6 gigawatts of solar projects to date, including on the nation's largest standalone solar and storage project, Gemini Solar. The new funding will accelerate Ojjo's growth and execution of its 9-Gigawatt active project pipeline.

Iontra Inc, founded in 2013, is a Denver-based battery innovation company that improves the charge speed, cycle life, capacity utilization, and safety of all Lithium batteries. Iontra will initially commercialize its product for use in power tools, smartphones, and drones, and expects to quickly develop its product for larger-scale battery systems found in EVs, DC fast chargers, grid storage, and other industrial applications. The funding will be used to help accelerate the commercialization of Iontra's technology.

4M Analytics is a subsurface infrastructure mapping company focused on developing a comprehensive map of the United State's subsurface infrastructure. 4M Analytics has developed a digital repository of comprehensive utility data that is reliable, ready to use, and constantly updated, which will help engineers identify and pinpoint underground utilities early in the project lifecycle, accelerating and optimizing their projects. The funding will be directed towards the 4M Analytics' expansion into the United States, growing their team, and scaling the platform.

Powin is a global leader in the design and manufacture of safe and scalable energy storage solutions. Powin has delivered over 2,500 MWh of BESS in over 8 different countries and has a contracted pipeline to supply over 10,000 MWh of energy storage systems globally over the next three years. EKS is a designer, manufacturer, and system integrator of advanced power electronics and energy management solutions for distributed energy generation/storage and grid management to address energy market challenges. Powin’s acquisition of EKS will give Powin direct access to an industry-leading team, power conversion technology, advanced controls, and a decade’s worth of experience, enabling Powin to offer a fully wrapped solution to further enhance the customer experience.

Net Zero Marketplace, built on Salesforce's Commerce Cloud, connects buyers and ecopreneurs, who lead and drive climate action worldwide, offering a catalog of third-party rated carbon credits and a seamless eCommerce experience for purchasing them. Net Zero Marketplace also features a climate action hub where anyone, businesses or individuals, can learn about climate issues. At launch, Net Zero Marketplace will offer nearly 90 projects across 11 countries throughout Africa, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Buyers will be able to see project descriptions, alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and, for many, official third-party ratings.

Energy Technology Musings

Our Paper World is Rapidly Moving Online