Thomas R. Cutler Manufacturing Journalist Details Food QA Role in ERP Selection

Authored by leading manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler, the impact of Food QA Managers’ role in ERP selection is profiled in the recent feature for Manufacturing & Logistics IT (www.logisticsit.com).  The complete article can be read at http://www.logisticsit.com/absolutenm/templates/article-critical.aspx?articleid=2255&zoneid=31. 

According to Cutler, “More than half of all quality assurance (QA) managers in food manufacturing do not currently interface with their company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The Bioterrorism Act, in the USA passed in 2002 is being replicated throughout Europe to ensure the safety of the food supply from a terrorist attack; these regulations are quickly changing the role that food quality professionals play in the selection and utilization of ERP software.”

ERP selection was often left to a small committee that included the CEO, CFO, operations and purchasing managers. ERP packages were designed to integrate all departments and functions across a company onto a single computer system that can serve all department needs. ERP software, at its best, combines the enterprise into a single, integrated solution that runs off a single database so various departments can easily share information and communicate. When running at an optimum, this integrated approach has a tremendous payback. Until regulations were mandated by the various governments, QA and quality control (QC) managers were rarely considered in the ERP selection process.

According to Rebecca Gill, vice president of Technology Group International: “Complete reporting on lot genealogy, showing all usage of lots from vendor to manufacturing to end-user is a must. The system should provide the ability to query end-user sales orders and see all raw material and finished good lots used for specific shipment; evaluate lots from vendors or manufacturing to see all the end-users who received shipments; and track lot properties with allowable 'criteria' for each lot.”

There are other functionalities that support food manufacturing audits and quality assurance concerns without being a direct response to bioterrorism regulation compliance. Those functionalities include automatic quality assurance of incoming products; various product grades with or without usage/holds; tracking of original country for raw materials; and complete data warehouse for 24/7 ad hoc reporting.

About Technology Group International, Ltd.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Technology Group International is a proven technology leader delivering Tier 1 application software functionality at a price performance level that can be readily accepted by organizations of all sizes. Specializing in software solutions for small and mid-market manufacturing and distribution companies, TGI’s integrated Enterprise Series software suite is a complete business process management solution. The product offering includes Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Warehouse Management System  (WMS), Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS), Decision Support System (DSS), Business Intelligence, Manufacturing Execution System (MES), and eCommerce. TGI implements, maintains, enhances, and supports its packaged distribution and manufacturing software solutions directly and via its channel partners.

Technology Group International

www.tgiltd.com

Rebecca Gill

rgill@tgiltd.com

800-837-0028