ERP and Accounting System Integration
EXTENDING ERP TO THE PLANT FLOOR
The popularity of ERP systems in the manufacturing world seems to be ever increasing. In a day and age when data equates to dollars the more relevant data that can be generated the better. Larger food processors dedicate full-time staff to maintain, collect, and analyse data coming into their ERP systems. A good ERP system will enable a food processing plant to take an in depth look at their processes in order to maximize their efficiencies and streamline the flow of production.
With all the emphasis on collecting data it begs the question, how can an ERP system effectively send and receive production data to and from the plant-floor? ERP systems don’t normally integrate well with plant-floor hardware like scales or other data collection devices. Symphony MES can be the bridge between the ERP system and the plant-floor. With seamless integration to the plant-floor Symphony MES augments the standard ERP system.
Symphony MES was designed to give complete control of the plant-floor to the ERP user. For example, through Symphony MES the user can created and edit production orders, product files, label formats, tare weights, and more. Communication between Symphony MES and the production facility’s ERP system allows Symphony MES to receive production orders from the host ERP system. Symphony MES then sends the orders to the scales on the plant-floor where the orders are received by the iCap Production Order Filling application. Operators use iCap Production Order Filling to fill orders by weighing and labeling product. Once product has been labeled those transactions are sent back to the host ERP system through Symphony’s MES database. With Symphony MES and ERP integration, plant floor operations can be optimized through better automation, increased productivity, improved communication and enhanced traceability.
Benefits of Integration
Most ERP systems have slowly evolved into becoming a Jack of all Trades. ERP systems cover a large territory including inventory, manufacturing, order management and fulfillment, accounting, HR and customer relationship management (CRM). While it is great to have one system manage so much, it can be difficult for those systems to provide depth in all those areas. Integrating with Symphony MES allows a plant’s ERP system to focus on what it does best, while allowing Symphony MES to handle the plant-floor weighing, labeling, and data-collection. Simply put, Symphony MES was built for the plant-floor. It’s robust architecture was designed to communicate directly to plant-floor equipment.
Enhance Data Accuracy and Reduce Errors
By seamlessly integrating with existing plant ERP systems Symphony’s MES eliminates double data entry and the associated errors. Automate the sending and receiving of product files, production data, inventory details, and customer/vendor information between Symphony MES and the host ERP.
Symphony MES works in conjunction with the iCap Production Order Filling application. iCap was designed to receive production orders from the host ERP system through Symphony’s MES and fill those production orders. On the plant-floor, iCap reduces errors by removing the complexity for plant-floor operators. Touch friendly applications allow operators to select jobs or products to work with. Scanners remove the need for manual data entry. Onscreen prompts guide operators through their next steps. Or simply automate the entire process with iCap’s operator free automated weighing and labeling solution.
Boost Productivity
Symphony MES provides real-time visibility by offering production goal-setting, production dashboards and reports. Visibility into plant-floor production gives management the tools necessary to boost production and improve product throughput. Set production goals and produce against those goals with Symphony MES Goal Setting. Production dashboards allow staff to visualize their progress against the set production goals. Designate multiple lines to fill the same order to help expedite certain orders. View production reports either directly on the plant-floor or up in the office.
Augment ERP Traceability
The question isn’t whether an ERP system can provide quality traceability. The bigger problem is extending the ERP system’s traceability to the plant-floor. Symphony MES lot tracking allows product to be weighed and labeled against lot numbers received from the host ERP system. Serialized product labels provide traceability down to the individual piece if required. Detailed traceability reporting can be viewed in Symphony MES or in the host ERP system. Symphony MES is key in helping food processing plants fully complete the traceability chain. With Symphony MES the processor has insight into where product came from, what product manipulations were made during production, and where that product was sent.