Shop Control Software

[ron22]

A company I do consulting for is look at having custom shop control software written for them.
They figure since I do some work with computer I would be the person to ask.
All they are currently using Job Boss and hate it. They have looked at other canned systems but of course nothing does everything they want.
From what I currently know is they want a system that will track the status of current order and keep track of the hours per job. They want the operators to log into the job when they start and out when they are finished. I am guessing they would need about 20 stations from operators to office staff. I am sure they want it to much more. But this is all I know right now.
Their main question (currently) is what should the database be. All they know is they do not what something written in Access.
So any sugestions?
My suggestion was to find a company and tell them what you want and let them make the call. They really did not like this suggestion so I said I would ask some people I know for advice. So I asked:wink2:

 

[SCCutler]

Just use a bunch of Macs. I hear you plug 'em all in, they automagically do what you want, even when you do not know what it is that you want.

 

[murphey]

There's a free version of MySQL. Access really isn't a good idea because at its heart, it really is just a one-person-at-a-time program.

What exactly are their requirements in addition to keeping track of each step in the operation? What type of operation is this? If each task/step is relatively short in time (minutes) then each login by an operator for start & stop is very time-consuming. On the other hand, if the task is rather lengthy, the start/stop logging is a small fraction of the time, albeit still annoying to the operators.

I just finished a small project making an in-house sales ordering system play nicely with Microsoft Dynamics (nee Navision). That's definitely overkill.

Choosing a database before defining requirements is foolish and will only lead to more heartache down the road.

Greg, Nate - howzabout we re-invent ourselves and go after this business? I'm thinking a simple workstation for each operator, touch panel with "Task" (list of tasks for that operator) "Start" and "Stop" with an entry field for comments or such. Since the clock is built in, all the operator needs to do is touch the task, then Start. When finished, touch "Stop". Then repeat as needed.

Networked, of course, so the office has real-time data.

Hm...need an inventory module, too.

But without more info about the process and industry, little hard to do more. But a really quick search turns up categories of

Discrete Manufacturing
Mixed Mode Manufacturing
Process Manufacturing
Repetitive Manufacturing
Engineer to Order
Make to Order
Job Shop / Shop Floor
Distribution
Light Assemby
Services ( Non-MFG)
and software vendors

Abas Software
BatchMaster
Consona
ECi Software
Epicor
Exact Software
Global Shop Solutions
IFS
Infor Solutions
IQMS
Microsoft
NetSuite
Oracle
Plex Systems
ProcessPro
CDC Ross ERP
Sage
SAP
SolarSoft
Syspro
TGI
VAI
For a reasonably fee, I'll happily spend some time with your customer learning the operation (that means being on the floor learning from the operators), help them develop the requirements, then assist with evaluation (there's demo software everywhere).

The cherokee's going in for an engine overhaul, so I have lots of spare time and need lots of extra money.

(*eeeevil laugh*)

 

[JesseD]

My old boss does this. He uses Terminal Services to link a SQL DB with a custom front end with Access I think. The company runs 22 physical stores off if it (more if you count the stores generated to keep the bookwork straight for other stuff; like the ISP) and each store has 3+ Terminals linked over DSL or Tx lines, plus it's PCI compliant. Isn't cheap to do.

Probably be simpler if it's all one location.

 

[ron22]

Spike, I forgot to mention it has to run on Windows. I know they could replace all their PC with about half as many Macs and get twice the work done.
To everyone else yes I know it was a dumb question. I told them I would ask and did not want to lie and just say I did.
I think they were hoping I would do it when they asked. I have done something similar to this years ago but that was in dBase 3. Not sure it is something I want to take on again.

 

[SCCutler]

Spike, I forgot to mention it has to run on Windows. I know they could replace all their PC with about half as many Macs and get twice the work done.
To everyone else yes I know it was a dumb question. I told them I would ask and did not want to lie and just say I did.
I think they were hoping I would do it when they asked. I have done something similar to this years ago but that was in dBase 3. Not sure it is something I want to take on again.

Ron:

Do your requirements include not only tracking time spent by the tech / worker, by customer/job, but also tracking unique pieces of work or equipment (ie, audit trail of work on rotables, etc.)?

Many perfectly decent multiuser time-trackers for the former; integrating the tracking of "stuff" at the same time would be a pretty significant change.