Volume Software is preparing to integrate artificial intelligence agents into its management software for the packaging and printing industries. The software publisher, based in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, plans to integrate a first tool called VoluAgent Assist into its VoluPack and VoluPrim ERP systems, as well as into its Direct Planning scheduling solution and Reflex Client CRM, this coming July.
VoluAgent Assist, the AI agent for querying your software
This first agent, VoluAgent Assist, will answer users' questions. An operator, administrator, or support staff member can ask it how to perform a task in the software or configure a setting without having to consult documentation, a menu, or a procedure.
"Our goal is not simply to add a chatbot to our software. We want to integrate agents that are truly useful?ones capable of understanding our users' business context and their specific software configuration, and of assisting them with their daily tasks," says Jean-Christophe Orsoni, CEO of Volume Software.
Two more artificial intelligence agents are in the works
The French software publisher is already developing two other agents: VoluAgent Orders, which will generate an order in VoluPack based on a received customer order, and VoluAgent Quote, which will generate a quote based on information provided by a prospect or customer.
The key difference from other existing solutions is that these two agents will use information received in unstructured formats. By analyzing the history of quotes and orders already on file, they will be able to prepare and generate a VoluPack order or quote without the need for manual re-entry.
"Requests sent to packaging manufacturers still very often come in a variety of formats: emails, spreadsheets, PDF documents, or various attachments. Artificial intelligence now makes it possible to interpret this content and convert it into data that can be used directly by the ERP system. This is a very practical use case with considerable productivity potential for sales and order processing departments." (sales administration, Ed.) " , says Jean-Christophe Orsoni.
Future AI agents to be developed in collaboration with pilot industry partners
Volume Software plans to involve customers in the functional development and pilot phases of VoluAgent Orders and VoluAgent Quote. The relevant manufacturers will be able to contribute to use cases, validation rules, and integration methods within their workflows.
The publisher is also considering other modules for sales management, purchasing, production, planning, inventory, quality, and business management. Development of these modules will proceed in phases, based on the priorities expressed by users.
