ERPlite Overview
1.0 Executive Summary: What is ERPLITE?
ERPLITE offers a truly complete and integrated manufacturing management system for small manufacturers. All of the features needed to successfully run discrete manufacturing operations are available in ERPLITE at affordable price point. In addition, the familiarity of Microsoft products makes the ERPLITE manufacturing management system quick to learn, use, and successfully implement. The ease of learning and use of ERPlite dramatically reduces the need for outsourcing implementation to expensive consultants. Many customers download ERPlite via the internet and implement it themselves over a few weeks rather than the industry norm of months. Internet distribution and support dramatically reduces the overhead costs at erplite.com inc., thus making profitable a selling price that is an order of magnitude lower than equivalent functionality competition.
ERPLITE includes the basic cycles of manufacturing, including: Inventory Control, Orders ( Sales, Purchasing, Receiving, Work, Shipping), Bill of Materials (multilevel, where-used), MRPlite, serial number tracking along with links to most commercial accounting packages(often the existing system) to create a total solution for small manufacturers. For companies who need additional features, ERPlite offers : Job Scheduling, MasterProductionScheduling, Capacity Planning, fast MRP, Field Service Management, and Engineering Change Control.
ERPlite is designed specifically for engineer-to-order, build-to-order, build-to-stock and startup repetitive manufacturing companies.
100% Microsoft Products
Built to run exclusively on Microsoft products, ERPLITE takes advantage of the tremendous power and state-of-the-art technology provided for industry by Microsoft Corporation. The functionality and graphical technology of Access 97 and Windows95/98/NT. The robust nature of SQL Server, and the sheer power of Windows NT can be added to provide the most advanced automation solution for the manufacturing marketplace.
Year 2000 Compliant
ERPLITE and its Microsoft platforms are designed to accommodate the year 2000 and beyond. Enter the next millenium with the PC-based MRP system for small manufacturers.
Interconnectability
Because ERPLITE runs on Microsoft Peer to Peer Networks and Access 97 (VBA code base), it interfaces seamlessly to a variety of other Microsoft products, including Excel, E-Mail, Project, Word, etc. This expands the capability of the system to provide for sophisticated graphing, networking capabilities, and total office connectivity. In a small system, there is no need to dedicate a PC to the server function. One PC can be both a client for one user and the server for all the other users. This reduces the getting started cost dramatically compared to most other MRP systems. Of course , a Win95/98 PC can be dedicated to the server function. As load increases on the server, you can easily upgrade to WinNT and SQLserver transparently to the users.
Ease of Use
ERPLITE is easy to install and use because of its Graphical User Interface and its PC-based format. The learning curve for new ERPLITE users is reduced to well below that of other manufacturing systems. Built on Microsoft Access, generic training on using the software is widely available in bookstores and community colleges. Many college grads already have the skills and expect to use them to get their jobs done effectively.
Streamlined Operation
Special emphasis has been placed on making ERPlite easy to implement. Documentation is available to assist with implementation. This enables the customer to do a great deal of the implementation internally. Many ERPlite users, who already have Microsoft Access skills, have brought up the system with fewer than 20 hours of outside help(30% have required no outside help). The necessary Microsoft Access skills are learnable from the tutorial information and on-line help that comes with Microsoft Access.
2.0 ERPlite Features
Inventory Control allows for complete visibility into the current, past, and future inventory status of each item and its value.
Full item (part) master for each item
Copy item capability, including copying the bill
Two types of costing: standard and actual cost reporting
Inventory valuation by item and location
Image capability which allows the display of an item (drawing, picture, image, etc.) whenever the item is accessed
Cycle counting, calculated on usage and/or current inventory value
Manual inventory adjustments
Complete inventory transaction history reporting
Full stock valuation reporting
Physical Counts
Purchase and Work Order status reporting
Triggered email to inform those who need to know about the status of orders and inventory.
3.0 Sales Order Management
Sales Order Management incorporates all aspects of customer maintenance, sales order processing, and shipping. Integration with the Return Material Authorization option makes a complete order maintenance cycle.
Complete customer master record maintenance
Multiple shipping addresses per order.
Revisions can be made to all sales orders up to shipment time.
Unlimited lines per order and deliveries per line
Creation of a work order directly from a sales order
Serial number tracking
Complete shipping module, including finished goods picking lists (shipping lists), packing slips, and bills of lading
Triggered email to inform customers and those who need to know about the status of orders and shipments.
4.0 Production Planning and Management
Multiple currency capability throughout the production cycle begins with information generated from MRP, and continues through the full manufacturing cycle from purchasing , to work order entry and shipping.
Complete vendor record maintenance
Full revision control on all purchase orders
Unlimited lines per order and deliveries per line
Full receiving capability
Multiple currency capability
Work order maintenance
Backflush capabilities to minimize clerical work
Maintenance of the bill for a specific work order
Explode/deduct and individual item component issues
Unlimited levels of bills of material for each parent item
MRPlite calculator facilitates listing parts availability, shortages and order status
Triggered email to inform those who need to know about the status of orders and inventory.
5.0 Engineering Change Control (BOM, ECO, ECR, ECD)
Engineering Change Requests (ECR) maintenance
ECRs converted into Engineering Change Orders (ECO) or Deviations (ECD)
Open work orders and purchase orders data maintenance
Bills of material (BOM) and item revision levels tracking to specific ECO
Disposition decisions re inventory
Links to detailed documentation
Electronic online documentation hyperlinks
Electronic signature signoffs
Note: the ECO module is optional , but is included in the evaluation copy. This module can be an addon to another MRP system
6.0 Automated Shipping
Converts a Sales Order to a Shipping Order.
Eliminates double data entry , ensuring consistency
Shipping documents printed from database data
Packing list, Commercial Invoice, Shipping Picklist, FCC, FDA, shipping labels
Fedex like online shipment tracking via the internet and email
Shipping status emailed to staff and customers who need to know
Full or Partial shipments.
Integrates seamlessly with the Field Service Tracking Module
7.0 Field Service Management
Complete return material capability (RMA)
Material accepted into inventory, scrapped, returned to an outside vendor, or reworked internally
Track product to customer site by serial number and/or revision
Look up revision of equipment at customer site, while talking to the customer
Track warranty status by customer
Track customer service requests (CSR): trouble reported, action taken.
Convert a CSR into an RMA or a Customer Sales Order (CSO)
Email CSR status to staff with a need to know
Track inventory in transit
Note: this module is optional, but included in the evaluation software.
This module can be an addon to another MRP system.
8.0 Accounting System Links
ERPlite can be linked to most existing accounting systems via file transfer (ascii, odbc)
File transfer SQL queries exist for: Business Visions, ACCPAC and Quickbooks, Peachtree, Simply Accounting.
9.0 Source Code
Source code available (option) for customization of ERPlite
Custom Reports.
Custom applications
Microsoft Access programmers are widely available to perform customization
The DbM Group will do contract customization.
10.0 MRPlitePlanner: MPS, fast MRP, CRP (optional module)
Used for Production Planning and Control.
Performs Fast MRP (a few seconds) for your whole production programme.
Configurable to your MPS (Master Production Schedule) - bucket size of days, weeks, months or quarters.
Recommends Purchase Orders and Work (manufacturing) Orders.
Inventory outlook projects future planned inventory levels.
Used for Capacity Analysis - calculates loan on machines and work force.
So fast that different scenarios can be tried in quick succession.
Drills down to analyze what parts are causing most load on a resource.
Runs on a standard Win PC.
Plans can be time-phased in multi-stage manufacturing.
Computes the effect of rework and scrap on capacity.
Different shift patterns can be entered for each resource type.
Allows for equipment outage.
Management reports and graphs analyze capacity in various ways.
Analyses material flow through complex job shops.
Easy to use, with online HELP and tutorials.
This module can be interfaced to most MRP systems as a standalone product
11.0 Shop Floor Control
Work Order Routing Lists
Bills of Operations
Actual labor cost data entry and reporting.
Can be used as front end to enter and load data in MRPlitePlanner.
12.0 Project/Job Costing
Project/Job numbers (PP) can be entered for each transaction.
Labor and materials costs can be rolled up for each Project/Job.
13.0 ERPlite Design Summary