ERPlite PRO Overview

1.0 Executive Summary: What is ERPLITE  Pro?

ERPlite Pro 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 Pro at affordable price point. In addition, the familiarity of Microsoft products makes the ERPlite Pro manufacturing management system quick to learn, use, and successfully implement. The ease of learning and use of ERPlite Pro dramatically reduces the need for outsourcing implementation to expensive consultants. Many customers download ERPlite Pro 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 Pro 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 Pro offers :  Job Scheduling, MasterProductionScheduling, Capacity Planning, fast MRP,  Field Service Management, and Engineering Change Control.  

ERPlite Pro 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 Pro 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 Pro 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 Pro 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 Pro is easy to install and use because of its Graphical User Interface and its PC-based format. The learning curve for new ERPlite Pro 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 Pro self-implementing with proper training and guidance. Complete documentation and training programs are available to assist with implementation. This enables the customer to do a great deal of the implementation internally. Many ERPlite Pro 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 Pro 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
• TwoFour types of costing: standard, average, loaded and actual cost reporting
•  Inventory valuation by item and, location, stores / WIP sublocations, and third party manufacturing
• 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, Sales, and Shipping Order status reporting
• Triggered email to inform those who need to know about the status of orders and inventory.
• Serial number tracking throughout the entire manufacturing process

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.
• Partial shipping and up-to-date balances on orders

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.
• Partial receipts of work orders
• Controlled explosion of manufactured items when generating picklists
• Routing lists specifically tailored for each work order

5.0 Engineering Change Control (BOM, ECO, ECR, ECD)

 ERPlite Pro gives users the capability of tracking changes to specific inventory items and entire BOM's, especially important for companies that are consistently upgrading component parts and redesigning manufactured items.

• 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

 The powerful shipping functionality in ERPlite Pro provides users a wide variety of tools to use, depending on the needs of the company. Available to the user are features such as serial number tracking, standard shipping documents, and line-by-line customizable shipments.

• 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
• Up-to-date shipment history

7.0 Field Service Management

ERPlite Pro provides full inventory tracking and customer service capabilities, allowing users to decide and track the appropriate action in dealing with each customer service situation.

• 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 Pro is capable of linking with many of the mainstream accounting packages (including Quickbooks and Peachtree), and is easily adjustable to be compatible with other accounting packages, allowing users to import / export data from their accounting software into ERPlite without maintaining duplicate databases.

• ERPlite Pro 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

When ERPlite Pro is purchased, the source code is provided to allow users to customize the software based on their company's needs. Users have full access to the ActiveX components provided by ERPlite Pro to create custom functionality not included in the general package. For example, all reports can be modified to display the information that fits the user's needs.

• Source code available (option) for customization of ERPlite Pro
• Custom Reports.
• Custom applications
• Microsoft Access programmers are widely available to perform customization
• The DbM GroupERPlite.com Inc. will do contract customization.

10.0 MRPlitePlanner: MPS, fast MRP, CRP (optional module)       

John's blurb here…

• Used for Production Planning and Contrrol.
• 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 Analyisis - calculates loan on machines and workforce.
• So fast that different scenarios can be tried in quick succession.
• Drills down to analyse 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 analyse 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

The shop floor functionality within ERPlite Pro supplies the user with the capability to track all inventory on the shop floor, down to the individual routing steps on a work order. The functionality provides detailed scheduling information for each work order, and can report back to the user actual data reports to evaluate shop floor efficiency.

• Work Oorder Rrouting Llists that can be easily customized based on user requirements, includes job scheduling information and inventory tracking through every routing step
• Bills of Operations
• Actual labor cost data entry and reporting.
• Full and basic shop floor reports for a specific work order or all work orders in the system
• Can be used as front end to enter  and load data  in MRPlitePlanner.

12.0 Project/Job Costing

There are instances when multiple orders need to be grouped together for costing reasons, perhaps for a specific customer, billing period, etc. ERPlite Pro allows users to assign project plan numbers to specific orders, then print costing reports based on the project plans in the system.

• 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 Pro Design Summary

• Thank you for using ERPlite Pro, the Microsoft Access based MRP software designed for small companies.
• This release includes an mdb FrontEnd(ie source code or open source). Forms, Reports, Macros, Queries and Modules are customizable.
• The regular 30 day ERPlite Pro evaluaton copy that is downloadable from our website  is split into a backend (DbM_be.mdb) and FrontEnd (DbM_fe.mde). The backend contains the data and resides on the server PC. The FrontEnd is stored on every Client PC and connects to the BackEnd via the LAN in order to share data with all users.
• The *.mde version makes the Forms ,Reports, Macros and Modules read-only (Tables and Queries are read/write). Any VBA code is not visible, nor is it changeable.
• Since ERPlite is designed as a complete solution, the mde frontend is all that many companies need. In fact, it reduces support needs because users cannot change it.
• However, sSome companies needchoose to customize ERPlite Pro to better exploit the database in making their company more efficient and competitive. The source code version of ERPlite Pro allows creation of custom queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules using standard Microsoft Access wizards and/or programming.
• ERPlite Pro also contains many ActiveX components that you can use to create new functionality. These components include methods and properties to: update the dynamic count, exploded BOM's, manage the site license etc. Use of these components is very simple VBA programming. Thus, your staff can customize ERPlite Pro without having to learn or do complex Visual Basic programming. Perusal of the visible VBA code in ERPlite Pro will give most programmers all the information they need to use these reusable components to add functionality to ERPlite Pro.  Live Long and Prosper!!!