When Excel Spreadsheets Will Be Replaced by Automation

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Moreover, until foreign IT products were popular in many industries, and businesses began to pay attention to domestic systems not so long ago. The market lacks deep awareness of existing offers, their capabilities, and features. Trust in domestic products is also in the process of formation, so the tests are cautious.

Lack of readiness or fear of large expenses . If the transition to EDI or connecting a platform for logistics management still seems like an inexpensive undertaking, then the implementation of multi-level automation systems already requires large budgets. In such conditions, managers may think that Excel tables and other conservative methods are cheaper for them and help save the company's budget.

But the volume of expenses only increases if the company's infrastructure is not ready for new technologies in logistics. This is a fairly common problem when implementing AI-based solutions, as shown by the K2 NeuroTech survey . Businesses need to increase computing power. At the same time, security issues and the need to allocate additional resources for information security systems become more acute.

Employees are not ready for the new . Systems that are connected with AI and neural networks often encounter resistance: attitudes towards them are gradually improving, but there are still many conservatives. Almost 20% of respondents to a survey commissioned by VTB feel apprehension and anxiety about modern AI. People are afraid that technologies will replace them, although IT tools are being introduced to help logisticians, not to take their jobs.



It is impossible to say for sure that by 2026, the majority of logistics companies in Russia will abandon their conservative beliefs and master digital products for organizing and increasing the efficiency of transportation. How quickly this transition will occur is influenced by a huge number of factors, including the general economic situation.

However, if we analyze the current dynamics in the industry, we can expect an active digital transformation of Russian logistics in the coming years. First of all, this will be facilitated by government initiatives: both in relation to the already mentioned GIS EPD, which can be scaled up and made mandatory, and in relation to other projects.

For example, on August 1, 2024, an experiment began belarus phone number lead to create the National Digital Transport and Logistics Platform (NDTLP). It is being developed to eliminate paper documents. The experiment participants included major market players such as Eurosib-SPb Transport Systems, FESCO and others.

A large number of industry events dedicated to the digitalization of the transport and logistics industry will gradually increase business awareness of existing IT solutions and their capabilities. Among such events, it is worth highlighting the Technoprom forum, where the logistics of industrial enterprises was discussed at a round table in 2024 .

The emergence in the media space of a greater number of successful practices from market participants, primarily industry leaders, will also gradually accelerate the dynamics of the overall digitalization of logistics.

Companies such as Russian Post, Delovye Linii, Gruzovichkof and others have long been showing by their example how information technologies increase the efficiency of cargo transportation, reduce the share of human errors and financial losses, reduce the mileage of vehicles and dependence on personnel, transferring tasks to the system.

Today, Russian logistics companies find themselves in a situation where digitalization is more of a necessity than a whim. The growing burden on cargo transportation, the shortage of qualified personnel, and budget optimization tasks require restructuring processes and development strategies. In our opinion, in the near future, the dynamics of logistics digitalization will accelerate, and Excel tables will no longer be needed.