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A Behind the Scenes Look with IQMS' Director of Quality Assurance

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:43:00 +0000

Today we continue our latest blog series offering a peek into the daily lives of IQMS’ directors. From human resources to testing and training to development, meet the key department leaders who are molding our company’s future and continually advancing the EnterpriseIQ ERP and MES software.

Meet Christina “Tina” Jolicoeur, Director of Quality Assurance.

Tell me a little about the testing and quality assurance department:
My department works with just about every department in the company to make sure that the EnterpriseIQ ERP and MES software works. Our overall responsibilities include testing issues and escalating them to programmers, then receiving the fixes back and either pushing them out to customers or back down to support. We are also in charge of translations, third party software validation and a little bit of developing. We are basically the one stop shop. If somebody has a problem with something that anyone uses in the company, they come to us.

Tina, you’ve been with IQMS for an impressive 13.5 years. Care to share any memorable experiences from your years here?
For me personally, growth and change have always been very rapid here at IQMS. Before I worked here, I wasn’t really a proponent of change, but now I almost have to have it. I’m addicted to it because we change so often. For example, I started at IQMS in October of 1999 and by December, I was already tapped to be a training specialist and traveling to Chicago every two months to do ERP training. And then I got to move into testing, then got to be the manager and now the director.

On a company level, there was also an exciting time when, about seven or eight years ago, we changed our internal infrastructure and things really took off. The economy had started to go downhill, but Randy [Flamm, CEO] was a huge proponent of growing the internal infrastructure of the company, knowing that once we made it through, things were going to explode. And he was absolutely right. While other people were laying off and not growing, we didn’t stop. We weren’t hiring all the time, but we didn’t stop programming. It is really exciting to reap the benefits of those structure and software improvements. If you are around long enough, you can look back and reflect and see that not only did we make it through a tough time, but we are better for it.

What are you passionate about?
I absolutely love to read. I also love to learn, which is very nice in this company because we are constantly developing new things and trying out different software. So I guess you could say my passions would be learning and reading.

I’m excited to read a new book called Mary Coin [by Marisa Silver]. It’s based on a famous dust bowl picture of this woman who was really only in her later 20s or early 30s, but she looked like she was 50. So someone wrote a whole story around a picture. I think that if you don’t know enough about history, you’re not going to be able to use that to better yourself in the future.

EnterpriseIQ is very complex. Does your department utilize any internal tools to help you test the software?
At IQMS, we are encouraged to embrace something, even if we aren’t sure that it is going work. For example, we just implemented a new internal system called YouTrack. It’s a way to easily track all of our issues and share information with everyone involved (like programmers, developers and testers), so rather than sending emails back and forth, it’s all in one spot.

I have other internal products we have used in the past that have changed my life. One of them is Perforce and the other one is FinalBuilder. If we didn’t have those, we wouldn’t be able to manage everything that comes through this department. That’s why I am embracing YouTrack, even though it means changing something that we have done for the last 20 years.

Are there any mottos you and your department live by?
IQMS uses the EnterpriseIQ software to run our business and the employees are typically the first to experience the new enhancements. So we have this little cheer in my department:

I like to update,
Yes I do.
I like to update,
How about you?

It’s a little sarcastic, but we update three to four times a week and our customers update once a year, so it’s a whole totally different mindset.

Your department has been growing rapidly. What traits do you look for when selecting a new team member?
I always look for new team members with curiosity, an aptitude to see the big picture and the ability to grasp that a minor change could have huge effects across the software. I also appreciate the ability to follow rules and know when to break them. We gain all of our new employees from technical support, so they have to have a pretty good understanding of the software.

Tina, your knowledge of the EnterpriseIQ software is extensive. Can you please give us a quick tip that our readers should be sure and know about?
I love the Knowledge Center. I use that all the time. And of course, our help files. I guess the tip is: You can’t remember everything that the software is capable of, but we have excellent help files and that’s the first place I go to.

IQMS Continues to Expand Mobile ERP and Manufacturing App Offerings

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Not content with only offering the core ERP software basics for mobile devices, IQMS delivers extended ERP and MES functionality to a mobile platform

Thriving on Challenges: Meet Jason Slater and IQMS' Automation Team

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:48:00 +0000

Meet Jason Slater, Director of Automation, who oversees IQMS’ award-winning team of automation developers and programmers.

Tell me a little bit about your department and its day-to-day activities:
The Automation team is responsible for a lot of the custom projects that IQMS creates and integrates with the EnterpriseIQ ERP and MES software. Generally, the products are collaborations with our customers to solve a particular need, such as a scheduling application for specialized ink jet printing.

We’ve also recently done a project involving complex manufacturing type integrations for process monitoring situations, where we have a customer that has multiple PLCs accumulating cycles and so they are going to bring all of those cycles into a single PLC and use our production and process monitoring modules to count their production counts. That’s just another example.

The projects we take on really range across the board. That’s the appealing part of being a member of IQMS' Automation department and the aspect I believe my team enjoys the most: Every day is a new day. You are not going to sit in front of a computer writing test suites like at a lot of other software companies. You are not pigeonholed into a single daily task where you are doing the same thing day in and day out. The team jumps around, they might do a web application one week and then a couple of weeks later, they might be doing an Android or desktop application or something that is integrating with a scale or has to do with a handpunch. So that’s the fun part, the part that I love and why I have been here so long: The diversity of challenges. It keeps the days going by quickly.

On a personal day-to-day basis, I have recently been focusing on how to best organize my fast growing department across multiple projects. Development is very challenging because each project involves immersing yourself in the eyes of the end user without actually being there. There are times when automation involves new hardware, new technologies and new ideas that our team has never worked on before and we just have to figure it out. So rather than adopting the traditional "team lead" structure, we have taken the approach of learning the specialized skill sets of my team members and pairing the right individuals with each other on a per-project basis. This method seems to be working out a lot better than saying, "Trevor, your team leader is Weston, period." Flexibility and adaptability is essential because the next project might require a different mix of talent. It is also rewarding for a technical team who thrives on new challenges.

Any upcoming projects you can offer our readers a sneak preview of?
Right now, one of the biggest projects that I am most excited about is our RTCharts application that accompanies our RealTime™ Process Monitoring system. Process Monitoring analyzes each cycle as it’s coming in and RTCharts allows you to analyze data collection points in real-time (my temperature needs to be within this range or the pressure needs to be within a set range) with gauges or charts on the screen displaying that data. Prior to this upcoming release, RTCharts was pretty rigid as far as what you could display and it was not easy to manipulate. We re-engineered it to be much faster and much more flexible. We’ve exposed additional ways to do analysis where you can now combine data from multiple sensors onto a single RealTime chart. Configuration has been a big focus where you can now use drag and drop to position charts and merge them together. Additionally, you can also zoom in instantly on charted data points with just simple clicks. Before, we had older technology where we would create an image on the server side and upload that to the webpage so you couldn’t do anything with it. It was fixed. Now it is looking really nice.

Where do you find your inspiration to continue innovating and pushing the capabilities of our software every day?
The challenge is what excites me. I like figuring things out, so that’s a big motivator, and I also like seeing a product or an idea come to fruition. A lot of these projects might seem like a simple idea, but to make them into software that runs on your computer or mobile device - it’s incredibly complex. So when you get to this point, like we’re looking at with the RTCharts, where your months and months of development are coming together - the anticipation of impressing the users is exciting. It’s really exciting when the users go nuts over it.

What would a typical morning in the life of Jason look like?
Usually I wake up in the morning, get my daughter a bottle of milk and then check my phone for emails. I always stop by Starbucks on my way into work and grab a coffee. Then it’s usually following up on end of day tasks from the prior day and answering incoming emails. Being on the West Coast, we usually have a pretty good backlog of emails by the time I get in at 8 AM. So I respond to those and I check in on priority projects with the team.

Are there any specific IQMS products you see gaining ground and popularity over the next year?
I feel like our RealTime™ Process Monitoring product is growing quite a bit as IQMS moves more actively into the MES sector. As the product continually matures and integrates throughout the rest of the EnterpriseIQ ERP system, it becomes a more solid product. We also have an exciting new piece of technology entering the Process Monitoring mix this year (sorry, no spoilers yet!) that will really amplify our MES offerings and I think it is going to surge momentum for the product.

IQMS Case Study: Profile Extruder Realizes 0 Shipping Errors for 3 Years

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:08:00 +0000

Custom Profile, a profile extruder based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has a notable company motto: It strives every day for zero product defects and 100 percent on-time delivery. With only three late customer shipments in 2012, Custom Profile is pretty darn close, boasting a current benchmark of 99.99+ percent on-time delivery for the past year and zero shipping errors from incorrect quantity or item selection for the past three years!

But it was not always that way. Custom Profile’s journey to excellence began in late 2002 when they started searching for a new manufacturing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software system. Condensing from four different software systems into one comprehensive manufacturing ERP and MES solution, EnterpriseIQ from IQMS, has allowed Custom Profile to realize enterprise-wide savings and increase its operational excellence while supporting growth. Please click on the link below to read the entire case study and learn more about Custom Profile's success:

http://www.iqms.com/company/custom-profile/index.html

Managing Growth: Interview Spotlight with IQMS Director Elizabeth Alflen

Thu, 30 May 2013 15:28:00 +0000

Meet Elizabeth Alflen, Director of Administration and Human Resources, who has helped guide IQMS’ growth and development for the past 16 years.

Can you share any exciting upcoming projects that are happening in your department and with the company?
Obviously our growth is the big story. We’ve got a new building going up right now. We started planning that two years ago and it should be completed in November. In conjunction with that, we made a five and ten year projection at that time and two years into it, we’re ahead of our projections for this point in time. So we will probably start planning a third building within the next year.

Additionally, we are hiring as fast as we can (IQMS has doubled its headcount in the past 2.5 years), so we will be full up in our current building before we get a chance to expand into the second building. We made our future projections department by department, so anticipating the needs of where we are going to be is a big project. For instance, development and testing go hand in hand, so they both need to grow concurrently. We are seeing that track pretty well. Sales and marketing are tracking right on the money. As for support and implementation – we are hiring literally as fast as we can because we are developing those individuals into greater potential. So it’s been very challenging.

What inspires you, Liz, on a daily basis?
For me, it’s a positive, can do attitude. I like to come in with that every day and I like everyone in my department to follow suit. I encourage everyone to smile regularly and to say yes instead of no. It is easy to get bogged down with reading the daily emails and having the conversations, but what we’re doing is important. We provide head of household jobs, we provide challenging work and through doing that, we are helping manufacturing companies improve their processes every day by giving them the tools to succeed so that they’re competitive on a worldwide basis.

One of my favorite quotes is: “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

This quote encourages me to evaluate the day one day at a time because tomorrow you get to start all over again.

After 16 years with the company, are there any milestones that are particularly memorable?
Moving into our current building was a very big deal. It was the first time we had owned our own property, built our own building and moved out of leased space. It was very exciting. It snowed on moving day. It was March 13^th. It never snows in Paso Robles and it snowed that day.

And then there are the continual milestones. Our 20^th anniversary was just amazing, plus lots of frequent milestones now: Every time we have a record month or a record year. It’s still exciting. And that’s what’s kept me here for 16 years.

With all of the rapid hiring that your department has been facilitating recently, do you have any tips to share with prospective applicants?
I try to tell everyone this: Be able to articulate what you have to offer. That includes your technology skills and your problem solving skills. You also need to be willing to learn new things. I am always interested to learn in interviews: “What have you aspired to and achieved? What have you learned that you are then able to apply in your life in the last few years?” When my mother got her bachelor’s degree at age 77 and her master’s degree at age 82 (she just got an iPad this past weekend), I realized that if my mother can be achieving her goals and learning new things and excelling, then I can expect that of anyone here as well.

On a larger scale, are there any trends related to your department or the manufacturing industry as a whole that you are experiencing?
Internally, it is the changing workforce. We have to continue to build, adapt and address both incoming employees and existing employees and their needs. As far as manufacturing goes, manufacturing is not going away, so we are here to continue to develop tools to help manufacturers worldwide in their success.

I always enjoy talking with the implementation candidates in interviews about what they are seeing out in the field. Their stories are very interesting, especially about manufacturers in the Midwest and how business and the product lines have changed. The fact that our customers (by and large) are so successful, to me, is so indicative that either they are smarter than their competitors or they are using better tools. Because I hear a lot of sad stories during the implementation interviews and we are happy to be able to come in and say, “Well, the good news is, we can help you. We’ve got the best product line.” A lot of people ask me in interviews: So you’ve been at IQMS 16 years, what keeps you there? It is primarily the product line and the well run company.

Embracing Technology: An Interview with IQMS Director John Asi

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:49:00 +0000

Today we continue our new blog series offering a peek into the daily lives of IQMS’ directors. From human resources to testing and training to development, meet the key department leaders who are molding our company’s future and continually advancing the EnterpriseIQ ERP and MES software.

Meet John Asi, Director of Data Services, who oversees IQMS’ eCommerce, System Administration and IT teams.

John, you manage three separate departments at IQMS. Tell me a bit about each one.
At the most basic level, all three departments are support teams that address issues for their specific client base. Beyond support though, each team also does development of processes and concepts to better facilitate support and client goals. The System Administration team assists clients with installing, updating and troubleshooting their EnterpriseIQ and Oracle systems. In addition, the team develops scripts to assist in their daily tasks or for rolling out new processes.

The eCommerce team handles all EDI related functions within the EnterpriseIQ software. This includes implementations, EDI template/script development and client support. And from the IT side, the internal IT team is handling everything related to keeping the company running, from my mouse doesn’t work to we need to put in a new disaster recovery process in order to handle retention of information and data for the company’s ongoing success.

My day to day is pretty much handling questions and decisions related to all three of these areas. Typically on the side of IT, it’s trying to figure out what processes need to be put in place company-wide and getting approvals for certain purchases that might need to be made. For System Administration and EDI, it’s going over what we are seeing out in the field with the clients and trying to make sure that any situations that are coming up are contained and well understood.

And then on top of that, I do a little development on my own regarding IQMS’ data import tools to support the PSG team, while also assisting the testing department and sales teams with questions regarding different aspects of our software.

Recently, all of your departments have grown significantly. What qualities do you look for when adding someone new to your team?
There are a couple of key things that we look for. One is a very, very highly motivated person, someone who has shown that they have initiative and who is a go getter. I look for people who are able to think on their own and to direct themselves in their processes and what they are doing, while also having the good work ethic of, “We’re here to get a job done and that job is to make sure our customers are happy. And we will go to whatever lengths we need to make that happen.” As far as skills, when you look at it, really the aptitude is a small portion. It’s the attitude that’s the big portion.

Who do you admire or look up to?
I would have to say that’s my Dad. He’s been a very strong influence in my life. Really, I look at his dedication to the family when I was growing up and that’s really what’s driven me to go as far as a I can with what I have. He was a very strong role model: He was never demanding and he always had this quiet patience with us that allowed us to make our mistakes, to learn from them and then to try again.

After seven years with IQMS, you have probably experienced a few memorable moments. Any in particular that stick out in your mind?
I would say getting hired into the eCommerce support team and later becoming manager of the team were memorable. User Group is always a memorable - meeting face to face many of the people I have the opportunity to work with is a highlight. From the project side, there is one IQMS customer implementation that is especially memorable. The client had a number of plants that relied on its legacy system and was not in a position to move all of the plants into EnterpriseIQ at the same time. The integration allowed them to move plants away from the legacy system in an orderly fashion while implementing EnterpriseIQ over the course of a year. This was my first large scale project at IQMS and it was foundational in the development of the data import/export tools that we have today. It was very satisfying to develop the tools and see the project through to a very successful completion.

You and your departments are intimately involved in the continually advancing technology environment. Any trends or big picture changes you see in the next year?
In terms of the trends, we do see certain things. For example, in EDI, XML is the current trend. That’s been around forever, but now it seems to be something that more and more of our client base is talking about working with, so we are working to expand our product a little bit more to best handle that.

On the System Administration side, we are focused on the new versions of Oracle that are coming out and how those tools work with our product, including what we are able to incorporate and expand into. For example, we are currently looking at how we can provide another layer of protection and data robustness in terms of valid backups. Not to circumvent or to displace what we currently do, but to add to that layer. There are technologies that are being developed through Oracle and some of the clients that may help us push tools out to our client base a little bit easier.

Of course, on the IT side, we are always looking at the new technologies out there and what kind of products are available to help us better manage the users that we have and the growth we are experiencing within IQMS. We spent quite a bit of time establishing and expanding our VM infrastructure to help accommodate growth. We just went through the expansion of the phone system and our fiber optic line and are looking at options to better link our remote sites. We can definitely see there is a lot of technology out there that we can get our hands on and it will help push in the direction we need to go for continued growth.

IQMS Customer Wins Manufacturer of the Year Award

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

The Manufacturing Leadership Manufacturing Community recognized Nicolet Plastics, Inc. as its 2013 Manufacturer of the Year; IQMS brings home Presidents Award for advancing manufacturing technology

5 Questions with Glenn Nowak, IQMS Vice President

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:48:00 +0000

Today begins a new blog series offering a peek into the daily lives of IQMS’ directors. From human resources to testing and training to development, meet the key department leaders who are molding our company’s future and continually advancing the EnterpriseIQ ERP and MES software.

Meet Glenn Nowak, IQMS’ Vice President, who just recently celebrated an impressive 15 years with the company.

Tell me about your department, Glenn, and your day-to-day activities.
I oversee the sales department, which is comprised of inside, outside and presales people, who work as a team within a territory in the country to generate new sales and sales to existing customers. The presales people are the heavy lifters of the sales department. They are the people who can do a two or three day demonstration on their own where it goes into the nuts and bolts of the software.

We also work with the other departments, like professional services and training, to include them on sales when necessary. The majority of the battle is the sale of the software, but there is also a component of demonstrating to a company that they can implement it well. Because new prospects often wonder, “How are we going to do this in our company?”

Are there any parts of your job that you particularly enjoy?
I’ve done every job there is here at IQMS with the exception of development, from support to training to implementations to sales. My favorite part of my job is to win deals. We’re here to sell software and we are here to compete really well in the ERP environment. And we’re also here to help manufacturing companies. So in some cases, if we encounter a company that would really benefit from our system, we will actually work very hard to make sure that they get the right system and keep them from making a bad decision by going with a company for financial reasons that we will know won’t fit them or allow them to grow - It is kind of nice.

I like to think that we have a really good software system and you can see the companies that are using it are doing really well - they are doing a lot of acquisitions and a lot of growing. The mantra that the money is made on the shop floor is something we all buy into at IQMS. We firmly believe we are helping manufacturing in America by helping companies be more competitive because we have a good system and we tie into the shop floor and all that. Sounds like sales pitch, but there aren’t too many companies that do the things we do.

Tell me about some of the recent projects IQMS has developed that you are excited about.
Our new SolidWorks add-in is pretty interesting. We think we have a cool way of doing the SolidWorks integration that is a little different than what other people are doing, but I think it is going to work out nicely for our customers in the long run. I am also still excited about our Android and mobility development. The more we get on mobile devices and less expensive hardware devices, the more people can use the system at a better price point.

And our automation development is pretty cool. When we work with customers that want to tie in their work centers via PLC – well the sky’s the limit on that. The developers don’t want me to say that, but they always seem to be able to figure out a way to do it.

Glenn, you’ve been with IQMS for 15 years. Any memorable experiences that stick out in your mind?
I can think of three big milestones that put IQMS on the map. The first one was winning a deal with Tessy Plastics Corporation. Tessy was the flagship customer of our biggest competitor at that time and we were able to take them off that system and make them a reference customer for us. As a milestone, it put us ahead of our competitor and allowed us to move forward quickly. A nice story there is that when Tessy hired a new IT director five or six years ago, he said, “We have to get rid of this little ole IQMS. We’ve got to go with SAP.” He came from an SAP shop and he didn’t know enough about us, but now, today, he says that he would never want to convert off of IQMS.

Another big event was when Phillips Plastics came out here in their private jet and signed the paperwork at our office. It was really a big event for us and they’ve been a great customer and a great reference from the beginning. The final milestone was IQMS’ move away from a hyper plastics focus about five years ago. We are not specific to the plastics industry anymore; we can handle a lot of other industries and manufacturing processes, as well as plastics, and we meet their requirements and do a heck of a job for them.

Being promoted to Vice President was nice, too.

On a larger scale, what do you think the future holds for ERP and the manufacturing industry as a whole?
As far as manufacturing in general, it boils down to consumer confidence. If people are buying things, meaning people think confidentially that they will have a paycheck, then that drives manufacturing. We are seeing a lot more trend toward reshoring, so a lot of the products that were produced overseas are being brought back to the country. To watch people bringing manufacturing back to the country and having my company being committed to helping manufacturing - it’s a positive for me.

I also see the ERP market shaping up in a positive way. Our automation group really sets us apart from the other ERP companies because anyone that is work center based and wants to hook up their work centers to ERP to get their information directly from them in real time will find we are one of the only companies, if not the only company, that’s meshing that ERP and MES solution so intimately off of a single database. People have talked about doing that for years, even some of the big ERP companies, and they just haven’t gotten there.

So I’m pretty bullish. When the sales people are excited, because they are the ones seeing the activity, then I am excited.

Information Transparency is Key, But Only With Strong Analysis

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Social media and the authentic transparency of modern communication lend a certain casual intimacy to our information. We already know it all. What is posted as information can be assumed to be true and everyone can look up everything they need to know on the computer. But one still has to use some analytical skills to discern validity and proceed to make intelligent decisions.

This transparency extends to human resources and recruiting, where an Internet search on almost anyone and anything results in some morsel of information. It may or may not be accurate, but any results are considered public and relatively true and authentic. A person is somewhat in control of the "content" (one can even engage a "reputation tracker" to monitor any information posted), but never completely. This transparency also naturally extends to marketing where a company's reputation can be built or destroyed in moments by more or less authentic customer testimonials.

Over the course of the last century (give or take a half-century), there has been a philosophy about the efficiency of the market economy called the efficient market hypothesis. This philosophy states that everything that could be known or assumed was already or instantly accounted for (the market being "informationally efficient"). This is a way of justifying certain stock market moves in advance or in the wake of analyst pronouncements or financial news.

But a skeptical person may reserve judgment on all these topics. People can be very creative when fact-checking is lax (or even when it's strict, as in the SEC's role in the Enron debacle). It's important to read and analyze information on its own merits, rather than ride the bandwagon of organizational group think.

For example, there is a new marketing approach circulating through unsolicited emails that begins with a very friendly tone, such as, "Hi! How are you? It has been awhile since we have been in touch, and I wanted to let you know about (this new development)!" In my case, as I proceeded to read the email, I was met with disappointment. I thought it might perhaps actually be an email from someone I knew personally with whom I hadn't recently been in communication - this heightened my anticipation, and further, my disappointment. The solicitor got my attention by portraying a false intimacy with me, using information about me (my name, company affiliation and email address) to get my attention. However, the attention was short-lived; they did not get any further attention from me on my busy work day.

This led me to consider the assumptions we make when we embrace information brought to us so casually. If an unknown person walked up to us with the same greeting as that email, we would likely step back and ask, "Who are you?" or "Do I know you?"

While still a skeptic about personal and casual information, I am a fierce and staunch believer in the use of quantitative data to derive important business decision making data. No offense to marketing (or recruiting, much the same), but there is a strong motivation in those areas to get the audience’s attention. There must be content to follow in order to sustain the relationship (between buyer and seller, employer and employee). With business management information, content is primary.

Visibility into your business operations is about data and facts. It is “transparent” in that (according to Wikipedia) it is: “Operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed.”

Visibility and transparency are important, but information is only a key to decision making for business operations. Further analysis, and with experience, good insights lead to a deeper understanding and improved decision making. A good ERP system can give you visibility into your operations, but an excellent manufacturing ERP system can provide analytical tools to accompany the visibility for better decision making.

Improving Shop Floor Control and Transparency: The RTStation 10.1

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Now that we have numerous customers using our new RTStations in their manufacturing facilities, I would like to take a moment and discuss the many uses this device offers. The second iteration of IQMS’ shop floor device, the RTStation 10.1, was soft launched a few months ago to our customers based on their valuable development feedback to the legacy RTStation (for example, the more modern version offers a larger screen (10 inch versus 7 inch) and wireless capabilities to allow more flexibility on the shop floor - Manufacturers can now mount the RTStation to a forklift for improved inventory tracking and warehouse management). Much of the success of a program like this is not possible without our customers’ valued input and it is always a great feeling to provide our users with products that resulted from their direction and feedback.

Now that we have several customers using both the legacy and new RTStations in their manufacturing facilities, I would like to remind everyone of the many uses this device offers. The RTStation is just another example of the multiplicity of tools available for all levels of employee interaction, whether on the production floor or in the highest level of executive office.

The RTStation runs on Android technology, just like the same mobile applications that our manufacturing ERP and MES software, EnterpriseIQ, delivers to your smart phones and tablets. I know in the past I have talked about understanding the tools you are using and to think in terms of, "What’s in your toolbox?" Well, this technology should become a standard for all toolboxes in the future.

How many of us are already adapting to the information available at the touch of a finger, literally?! With IQMS’ mobile technology, apps can be loaded on your RTStation that can empower the operators to perform actions such as entering downtime codes while still fresh on their minds, all but eliminating the need to remember what happened hours ago.

With an RTStation at each work center, anyone can find work instructions, leave important messages on IQLog, enter reject codes, perform quick inspections, view production on any job running and much more. Where was this stuff when I had to run around every half hour checking the machines and looking in the scrap bin to get "real-time" data?!

I mean, if this doesn't get you exited, check for a pulse, please! Due to the integrated nature of EnterpriseIQ, charts can be created in the main system and then accessed on your RTStations and other Android devices so people can watch and anticipate issues before they become disasters. Cycle times are right there in your face and you can't hide it! Your operators will become more proactive and information will become transparent across the board.

The functionality offered on the RTStation is just the beginning! IQMS’ Automation Department is actively creating new apps and looking into the future for the benefit of you, the customer, by making data accessible to every level of the company from every module we offer (OK, Neil, don't overdo it). I mean most modules: We don't need to see the Payroll module going out to every RTStation just yet!

With a combination of IQMS’ intrepid Automation team and our customers’ valuable feedback, we can dream of tomorrow today and have it ready this afternoon.

A&D Power Connector Manufacturer Selects IQMS ERP Software

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Rebling Power Connectors desired an extended, single database ERP and MES solution with industry-specific functionality to address the highly regulated aerospace and defense industry

Time & Attendance Clock In Options for Manufacturers

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:42:00 +0000

One of the most common questions the hardware group at IQMS receives from customers is: "How can we clock in our employees?" There are several technologies available to perform the clock in process in our manufacturing ERP software, EnterpriseIQ, but first I want to provide a little background on what is happening behind the scenes.

The EnterpriseIQ Time and Attendance module has the capability to clock in employees for both payroll purposes and also for task tracking purposes. Due to the comprehensive, extended nature of our ERP software, the payroll clock ins can easily pass into our optional Payroll module and the task tracking clock ins can post to several different areas in the software. Some of the common uses of task tracking clock ins include tracking employee time to a work order, a project or a user defined task. There are a total of 10 different task clock in options, depending on which EnterpriseIQ modules are owned.

The clock applications can be run on a PC, mobile device or our shop floor control device, the RTStation. Regardless of the purpose of the clock in, there are several different "punch" technologies that will accomplish the task. In order to have a successful punch, the devices mentioned below all need to be directly connected to a local PC or RTStation that is running the EnterpriseIQ clock application.

Option No. 1: Keyboard entry. This is the simplest method, but also the least secure. The employee simply enters in their employee ID or badge number (depending on your system setup) at the PC or RTStation that is running the EnterpriseIQ clock application. Most customers start out with this method due to its low cost and ease, but eventually graduate to a more secure punch method. The biggest concern with keyboard entry is employees can punch in for a fellow employee.

Option No. 2: Barcode scan. Employees can be issued a badge with a barcode on it that represents their employee ID or badge number. You simply need a barcode scanner attached to the PC or RTStation that will scan the barcode. Once the employee has performed the scan, the clock application will punch them in/out. IQMS sells either tethered USB scanners (works with either PC or the RTStation) or fixed mount scanners on an RTStation. The security risk here is that employees can photocopy their badges and the barcodes will still work. Once again, there is a risk of fellow employees punching in for one other, but they will need to have the physical card or copy available to scan.

Option No. 3: Magnetic stripe (mag stripe). This method is similar to the barcode technology above, but now the badge has a magnetic stripe on the back that contains the badge number. This is the same technology that is employed on your credit card. USB tethered mag stripe readers are readily available to connect to a PC or RTStation. An RTStation can also be ordered with a fixed mag stripe reader. Mag stripe cards cannot be photocopied. Obviously, employees can still have someone else punch for them if they give them their card. An additional concern with mag stripe cards is the loss of the encoded information on the magnetic stripe.

Option No. 4: RFID/Proximity Cards/Fobs. These cards have electronics embedded in them that transmit a badge number to a reading device. The card needs to be placed near to the reading device in order to register the “scan." Reading devices are typically tethered USB devices that can work with either a PC or RTStation. One of the more common uses of proximity cards is for building access. The proximity card cannot be photocopied and has a long usable life (does not lose its coding). As above, there is still the risk of employees giving their card to someone to clock them in. If this card is combined with building access, typically that practice diminishes.

Option No. 5: Biometrics. This is the most secure clock in method. Common collection methods are fingerprint scans and palm geometry. All biometric methods take an image of the body part, convert it to data and compare the data in a database to see if there is a match. The validation database can reside on the scan device, a local PC or on a centralized server. Since the EnterpriseIQ clock application is simply looking for an employee ID or a badge number, the scanning device needs to be able to output this data once the scan is confirmed. Therefore, scanning devices need to act as a keyboard wedge to output the required data to the EnterpriseIQ clock application. Typically, a centralized database will not be able to provide the proper output to the clock application.

Fingerprint scanning is the most common biometric input device available. A USB fingerprint reader can be connected to a PC and typically requires the installation of software on the PC that does the image validation. Fingerprint read reliability is the biggest issue with this technology.
Palm geometry scanning is a more robust scan technology due to the image being larger and the capability to handle slight differences in the employee’s palm over time. Recently, IQMS integrated a device called the Handpunch 3000 with the RTStation’s clock application. The employee will enter in their ID on the HP3000’s keypad, place their palm in the device and if there is a match, the employee ID will pass onto the RTStation to clock in/out the employee.

Overall, the ability to track your employees' time for payroll or task purposes is easily combined with several input options. Depending on your needs (multiple shifts, temporary and regular employees, etc.), IQMS offers a variety of punch technology options to best solve your unique clocking in and out requirements. For IQMS customers out there using the Time and Attendance module, which punch method are you using and what have you found gives you the most success?

An IQMS Employee Perspective: The Best Marriage I’ve Ever Had

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:45:00 +0000

This week’s blog post was written by Training Specialist, Gabby Morris. Gabby recently celebrated her 12th year with IQMS and has helped, advised and celebrated the successes of hundreds of customers and employees with her compassion and talents.

In this day and age, we have just about come full circle with phrases such as, “built to last,” “trade in for a newer model,” “new and improved,” and then finally, “recycle/reuse.” I would like to propose a new concept: “Continuous Progress.”

It seemed that for a while, everything was disposable. If you didn’t want it, toss it. Your car, your home, even your job could be exchanged for something new. Now we are into being green (reuse, fix it and keep it). Just like anything of value, we need to take care of and maintain those things for the benefit of the “lifetime return on investment.”

So what does this have to do with My Marriage? I recently celebrated my 12th year with the growing company called IQMS. Every year that I celebrate my anniversary hire date, I often joke about this being the best marriage I’ve ever had. Truth be known, I wish all my relationships were as rewarding as the one I have with this company.

In 2001, I was hired to answer the phone and help out around the office. When there was an opening in the Technical Support Department, I was asked if I wanted to become a more permanent addition to the growing IQMS family. I accepted, knowing that I would have to earn my keep, prove my worth and face the daily challenge of growth while learning new things.

Like all new relationships, that was a challenging time. Lots of trial and error, and try some more. I assumed that once I understood all there was to know about our manufacturing ERP and MES software, EnterpriseIQ, I would be able to relax and take it easy. (Yeah, right).

I discovered that in this company, we never stop growing. We are always improving the product, we are always striving to be better as a company and better as individuals and we always learn something new every day. Continuous progress means not being stagnant. Either you grow forward or you fall back.

What this helped me to realize about myself is that I don’t want to be complacent, nor do I want a job that doesn’t challenge me. I work in an environment where you find encouragement, support and acknowledgment. The opportunities that I have are the ability to grow, improve, contribute and continue to challenge myself. I even get paid to do that! That is a rewarding and healthy relationship. That is an ideal marriage.

Oh sure, you are saying, but what about the crabby co-worker or the boss that is difficult to please. What about the customer that wants to unload on you? What about the work load? Yes of course, that’s my job too. Just like any relationship or marriage, it’s always a work in progress. Here is where it gets real for me: I meet the challenges head on, do the best I can, try to understand others’ positions, admit and apologize when I make a mistake and know that it really does get better.

Here I am 12 years later, celebrating the best marriage I’ve ever had. So what does this have to do with a manufacturing ERP system and making your business successful?

Stick with me here, I’m about to let you in on a well tried, but least understood truth. On a personal level, happiness starts within. It grows when one gives of one’s self. On a business level, success starts within as well. Value your people, encourage them, challenge them, acknowledge and reward them. Sometimes it’s just saying thank you, or a pat on the back. Let them know what they do matters.

My current position at IQMS is as a Training Specialist. If you’ve ever sat in one of my classes, you may have heard me say something like the above: Motivate, encourage and celebrate your team. Our new company tagline says it the best: By your side, every step of the way, from start to finish. For me, the part of the tagline that is most important is the word start: By your side from the start!

With a company that puts the customers at the center, takes care of its employees like family, and promises to grow with you on your road to success, why would you want anything thing else?

Discourage Knowledge Hoarders in Your Manufacturing Business

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:10:00 +0000

A group of my friends get together once or twice a year to split wood. I live in a "many hands make light work" community, and as a bonus at the end, I get to go home with a pallet of wood. I've observed that, like a lot of day-to-day activities, you can liken splitting wood to repetitive manufacturing.

On the shop floor, you bring the material (logs) to the work center (splitter), you split it into two or more smaller logs, you palletize it and the skip loader comes in to put away the palletized wood.

Our core work group is usually the same, but sometimes we have a substitute. Most often it's their first experience splitting wood and they learn by observing. First they learn to most efficiently palletize and shrink wrap, followed by when to bring the logs to the splitter and determine when the split log is the right size to take off the splitter, until eventually, if they want to, they get to run the splitter. Once everyone is cross-trained, they can step into just about any position to help out.

I think that is a lot like how manufacturers train their employees and it's a lot like how all of the departments are run at IQMS, in particular my Quality Assurance department. In the beginning, we train the newbie, trying to go over the basics without overwhelming them (but really, this is quality assurance for robust manufacturing ERP and MES software - realistically it is somewhat daunting with software of this size and capabilities).

Then we give them minor tasks to do, including testing the software in an area they are familiar with and working on customer reported issues. Each activity allows them to use different tools and resources until at about three weeks, they are flying solo a good part of the day and producting smart, thoughtful questions.

Eventually, my Quality Assurance specialists cross-train on most modules (and by cross-train, I mean one day they are handed a task to work on, because it's best to learn by doing). This allows me to pool resources so if a specialist is particularly busy, another can step in to seamlessly help out.

On a larger scale, all departments at IQMS follow the "many hands make light work" dictum. The majority of us start in the Technical Support department to get our training and we are able to help out in just about every department as we gain experience.

What about your business? Are you encouraged to share knowledge and experience, or do you have hoarders amongst your departments? If there are knowledge hoarders, encourage them to share. They won't lose their job and they just might get to take a vacation!

IQMS Case Study: Nicolet Plastics’ Strategy to Manufacture Time

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:54:00 +0000

If someone gave you a week of time, what would you do with it? A whole seven days is exactly what Nicolet Plastics, Inc. is delivering its customers with its innovative Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) program. Through an enterprise-wide initiative that relentlessly emphasizes lead time reduction, Nicolet Plastics is revolutionizing time-based competition and make-to-order strategies to ensure manufacturing excellence (With impressive results - 2012 will be the best year in Nicolet Plastics' history, both in terms of revenue and earnings).

Nicolet Plastics credits a large portion of its QRM success to the flexibility, depth, user-defined fields and forms, process and workflow design and database integrity of its manufacturing ERP and MES system, EnterpriseIQ from IQMS. Without it, the QRM strategy would be very difficult to deploy on a day-to-day basis. Please click here to read the case study in its entirety and learn more about Nicolet Plastics’ innovative quick response manufacturing initiative and the results its customers are experiencing.

Easily Access EnterpriseIQ From Within SolidWorks

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:37:00 +0000

For those of you who have read some of my past blogs, you've heard me mention the IQMS SolidWorks add-in. I explained some of the integration our Automation department has done within SolidWorks, but I didn't go into much detail about what exactly the add-in does. In the past month, this application has seen some significant advancement in functionality that I can see being a huge benefit to our SolidWorks users. However, before I get into these new features, a little more detail of how the SolidWorks add-in works is in order:

The SolidWorks add-in is exactly what it is called, an add-in. If you've worked with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel or any of the other Microsoft Office suite of applications, you may have seen buttons or tabs related to other applications in the toolbars of these Office products. These are called add-ins, which have been developed to interface with Office products so the user can easily work within a single application. The nice thing about add-ins is that they often provide integration features that will allow the user to transfer data between the application that it is hosted in and the other system with little work for the end user.

The IQMS SolidWorks add-in is a great tool for allowing your SolidWorks users to take full advantage of both the SolidWorks application and our manufacturing ERP software, EnterpriseIQ. The greatest benefit that separates IQMS' add-in from other vendors' non add-in based tools is that the user does not have to work between three separate applications; they simply work within SolidWorks with all of the relevant functionality available from EnterpriseIQ.

Let me clarify what I mean through an example. Other vendors' products often claim that the benefit of their SolidWorks tools is that they're synchronizing data between SolidWorks and the ERP system. This means that the user is working in two systems and relying on the input or some delayed timed service to synchronize the data between the two applications. The user must also resolve data conflicts and merge conflicts when the synchronizations take place.

With the IQMS SolidWorks add-in, the end user simply works within what appears to be a single, fully integrated system of SolidWorks and EnterpriseIQ. There is no data synchronization that takes place because the SolidWorks files are linked right into the EnterpriseIQ ERP system and the SolidWorks user can easily enter their ERP data directly into EnterpriseIQ! This eliminates the need for synchronization and provides a real-time update of the data as the user enters it without leaving SolidWorks.

Now for the fun part! I love explaining the cool features our development team, in conjunction with our customers' feedback, has come up with. The IQMS SolidWorks add-in features that interest most people are the following:

SolidWorks document control with revision tracking and approval
PDF file generation upon check-in
System-wide access to PDF documentation that any user (without SolidWorks) can view. This is great for your shop floor and other users who need to see accurate real-time documentation
Version management for exclusive check in and out of files between developers to prevent overwriting changes between employees
Quick access and multi-linking to inventory, bills of materials (BOMs) and preventative maintenance
Create Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) upon check-in for all inventory or BOMs associated with SolidWorks files
Easily link individual SolidWorks configurations to different inventory items, BOMs, preventative maintenance equipment and projects
Mass check in and out of SolidWorks files at once

These features should entice any SolidWorks user to take a serious look at the IQMS SolidWorks add-in as the bridge they've been missing between SolidWorks and EnterpriseIQ.

SolidWorks and IQMS Form Joint Venture

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0000

IQMS manufacturing ERP software, EnterpriseIQ, can now be easily accessed from within SolidWorks for data consistency and secure document control

3 Small Features in EnterpriseIQ That Deliver Big Results

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:54:00 +0000

Have you ever used something for years and then one day, out of the blue, you see someone do something with it that you didn't know was possible? You don't know whether to feel silly that you never figured it out or elated that you now know. It's not usually a major feature in the overall scheme of things, but it still would have been nice to know.

A few weeks back, I experienced this with my car. I drive a GMC Yukon. I've owned this car for many years. We've gone on numerous long distance trips with my kids in the back and I can't count how many times they said some version of, "I wish these seats reclined." So you can imagine my surprise one day when we picked up my son's friend who was going to be driving with us on a two-hour trip to go watch a football game. This young girl hopped in the car, put on her seatbelt, grabbed the headphones for the movie they were going to watch on the trip and reclined her seat. Everyone else in the car was awestruck. You would have thought she had turned into a little green alien by the way we all stared at her with our jaws on the floor. In case you missed it, she reclined her seat! Those seats recline??

Now, unless you drive a Yukon, I don't know any cool features about your car to share with you. However, I do know a thing or two about our manufacturing ERP software, EnterpriseIQ, and I would love to tell you about three small features that you may not know about. This way, you can be the guy or gal using all the cool features and pointing them out to others.

Tip No. 1: Managing Purchase Orders from Material Exceptions
If you are purchasing materials from EnterpriseIQ, then a good part of your time in the software is probably spent in the Material Exceptions screen. If it's not, we should talk. However, how many of you still go into Requisitions or Purchase Orders (PO) to create your PO? You don't need to. Directly from the Material Exceptions screen, you can right click on any line item and say "Add to PO." The system will allow you to create a new PO or choose an existing PO by vendor or item and add the new line automatically. Using the multi-select feature on this screen allows you to select all of the requirements for an item in one step and as long as you have your item lead time, PO Scope and PO Safety values set up to meet your specific needs, it will choose the correct release dates to request items from your vendor.

Tip No. 2: Exporting Data from EnterpriseIQ
Occasionally, the need arises to export data from EnterpriseIQ out to a file. Did you know you can do this quickly and easily, from any pick list and many grids, within the EnterpriseIQ software? Go to the screen that you want to export information from, right click on the pick list or grid and select the Export Data option. You will be able to choose either XML format or Excel format. You will be prompted to provide a path and file name and the selected file will be created.

Tip No. 3: View SQL
For the "techy" readers out there, here is one for you. From most pick lists and some grids within EnterpriseIQ, you can use Alt+F1 to view the SQL used to display that data. This is handy when you need to create a report and aren't sure what tables to use or as a starting point for creating your own SQL statements to run in IQAlert. You might see your favorite support specialist use this occasionally to troubleshoot a problem you are experiencing. You might not need this every day, but when you do, is a great tool to have in your pocket.

I hope one or all of these tips will be beneficial for you. For assistance using any of these tools, feel free to contact the Technical Support Department at IQMS (support@iqms.com) and stay tuned for more tips like these in the future. Now, take your newfound knowledge and go impress your friends.

IQMS User Group 2014 - A Road Map to Planning

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:10:00 +0000

It is just about the second quarter of 2013 and nearly five months since IQMS' last User Group. Believe it or not, we are already receiving requests for when the next User Group event will be! This is wonderful news because it reiterates the success of the last event and, more importantly, the validity of continuing this conference. But what goes into the preparation of User Group and when should clients plan to participate? Good questions.

First and foremost, there are two critical pieces when initially planning User Group: the date and the location. These two items are planned in conjunction with each other. We could pick any location we wanted, but if the hotel doesn't have availability during the dates we need, it won't work. Conversely, we could select any date we want, but if the hotel is already full (some are booked three years in advance!) or doesn't have capacity to handle our group, then we are out of luck. Fortunately, at our last User Group, attendees provided us great feedback on potential locations for the next event. Along with a couple of suggestions such as Denver and New Orleans, the vast majority of votes went to two locations: Las Vegas and Chicago. Thanks to those comments, this is where we shall begin.

So, when do we plan to start this process? We already did! In January of this year, we sent out our first Requests for Quotes (RFQs) to the city of Chicago, followed last month to Las Vegas. These RFQs include requirements like anticipated attendance (always an increase from the previous event!), number of rooms needed, hotel block quantities and special requests (wireless Internet!). We've already started hearing back from these requests! Now we go through all of them and review everything, placing premium consideration on the cost to clients: hotel room block cost, food and beverage cost, facility cost and basically everything that goes into setting the conference price and potential travel expenses attendees might incur. We anticipate having the location and dates confirmed by May 2013.

Once this critical step if completed, the other tasks fall into place in a schedule that begins more than a year before the event and concludes the week after the event. Small things like date announcements, all the way up to larger tasks such as menu selections and head counts are all tasks that require time and in some cases, careful consideration. Here are just a few "to-do's" on the planning schedule:

At one year before the event, we try to send out "Save The Date" information and confirm the date is posted on all event calendars. There is nothing like a lot of advance notice to get a conversation started.

At approximately nine to ten months in advance, we create and send out a User Group topics survey to all clients. This survey helps set the agenda for User Group. What topics do people want to discuss? To allow maximum feedback, this survey always includes multiple choice as well as fill in the blank questions. Be sure to watch for an email and notification in the IQReport about this survey. We open it up for about 30 days so there is plenty of time to get a good sampling of our clients.

Beginning at six months out and going up until, well to be honest, the very morning User Group begins (and even through the end), a lot of items come into focus. Namely the agenda, the IQMS staff, registration, partner invites, the menu, presentations, registration packets and more. Little tweaks are sometimes made even as the event is occurring!

What about after User Group? Yep, we are still working on it. We not only compile the comments and suggestions for next year and compare budget to actual spend (and hope there is not a big surprise!), but the IQMS team also has a meeting to discuss what worked well and what could have been improved. We also compile the list of attendees and forward it to all who opted in to share their information. The goal after User Group: Access and make the next event even better!

Now that you know all this and understand that we already have a preliminary review of locations and dates, what are the plans? Well, we are shooting for Fall 2014. Chicago has, so far, proved an expensive prospect ($250 per night hotels!) so we are attempting to counter for some better rates. We may be back in Las Vegas, but it is too early to tell! One thing we can assure you is that we will do our best to make it a successful event for all attendees.

Stay tuned to find out more!!

Medical Device Thermoformer to Capitalize on IQMS ERP Solution

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

A vacuum/pressure former that serves the transportation, aerospace, industrial and medical markets, C.W. Thomas partnered with IQMS based on positive customer references, industry specificity and lower overall total cost of ownership.

How to Safely Run Anti-Virus Software on Your ERP Server

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Corporate environments contain an extensive mix of software components such as security applications, database servers and productivity software. With the diverse number and types of applications that can exist within the infrastructure, it is inevitable that some sort of interaction will occur and, in some cases, cause serious issues.

Supporting the EnterpriseIQ ERP software solution, and the Oracle databases they run on, has introduced the IQMS System Administration team to quite a few interesting situations related to software interactions. One of these situations is the easily overlooked interaction between a database server and anti-virus software. On most desktop systems, the interactions between the anti-virus software and client software is fairly localized. On the other hand, when anti-virus software is installed on a centralized corporate server such as a database machine, the effects of a misconfigured anti-virus package can be globally felt if things go wrong.

By design, databases and their associated control files are under constant and heavy use, meaning that any interference with these files could create issues (read corruption) within the database environment. Now introduce an anti-virus solution that has not been configured to take into account the application of the machine it is being installed on. It is conceivable that everything may run smoothly for a period of time before there are signs of trouble.

For example, passive anti-virus software scans targeting any active database files may not pickup any suspicious looking data signatures and then a single small entry into the database could alter the data signature enough to look like a virus, causing the data files in question to be quarantined. Not a good scenario for an active system. The end result is usually the database goes offline, or worse, corrupts the control files needed to keep the system synchronized properly.

Active scanning can cause even more subtle issues both with performance of the database engine and corruption. When anti-virus software is actively scanning transaction files, there is an overhead introduced when the scan takes control of the file in question. Then depending on the action being performed against the database, it is possible that critical data can be lost if the active scan has locked a needed file for examination. Effects of this can be structure synchronization issues, data loss or data corruption. Recovery of these issues, if at all possible, can be costly and very time consuming.

So does this mean that database servers are doomed to be virus infested security issues? Of course not. There is a requirement, however, of knowing the database environment, what files are active and where they are located, and having some contact with the database or anti-virus provider to determine what exclusions are recommended. While every database server is a little bit different, for the Oracle environment, the following exclusion recommendations have been suggested by Oracle:

Oracle data files
Control files
Redo-log files
Archived redo-log files if database is in archive log mode
Files with extension '.ora'
Password file
Files with extension '.log' under ORACLE_HOME

Oracle also notes that the anti-virus vendor may have other recommendations based on how the anti-virus product scans files. In addition, Oracle does note that anti-virus packages can consume significant operating system resources that may impact database performance, but if the performance is acceptable, there are no other restrictions to having anti-virus software run alongside the Oracle server.

Two IQMS Customers Honored for Manufacturing Excellence

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

DeKALB Molded Plastics and Plastic Molding Technology were recognized with Excellence Awards by Plastics News at its annual forum last week.

ERP Implementation Success: The Importance of Management Buy-In

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:22:00 +0000

When it comes to successful manufacturing ERP implementations, people and processes matter most. Without management buy-in and the adoption and usage of the new software across the entire organization, implementations cannot be sustained and will not deliver the best results. When you consider factors of ERP implementation success, long-term organizational change management ranks among the most important components.

Troublesome software implementations are typically a taboo topic in the ERP world and unless they dissolve into lawsuits, cases of implementation struggles are commonly swept under the rug. ERP software implementations typically fail for two primary reasons:

No. 1: The manufacturing company does not buy into the new ERP software system and fails to embrace the implementation fully, with lackluster employee or management support.

No. 2: The ERP software is not a good fit.

But don’t take our word for it. IQMS customer, Tribar Manufacturing, was struggling with its use of EnterpriseIQ. Tribar Manufacturing humbly admits that its implementation challenges were a direct result of the first reason – a failure to embrace organizational adoption of a new software system – so they recently made a concentrated effort to better utilize the ERP software.

While most ERP vendors would hide this story, IQMS is proud to celebrate the renewed efforts that Tribar Manufacturing demonstrated and its impressive achievements. Both Tribar Manufacturing and IQMS knew the software was a good fit, so neither business gave up on each other and worked hard to ensure success.

The result? Tribar Manufacturing is being lauded by the manufacturing industry for its dedication and success, including being honored as a recent winner of a 2013 Manufacturing Leadership 100 award. Please read below for a brief recap of Tribar Manufacturing’s story.

Tribar Manufacturing specializes in the production of cost effective, high quality decorative badge assemblies for the automotive industry. At its 70,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility in Howell, Mich., Tribar Manufacturing offers complete plastic decorating, multiple decorative applications, complex assemblies and chrome plating for automotive giants such as Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.

In February of 2010, Tribar Manufacturing was experiencing rapid growth in its assembly and outsource operations. Looking for a manufacturing-specific ERP and MES software system that could address multiple manufacturing types and grow with its business, Tribar Manufacturing invested in EnterpriseIQ from IQMS. But due to rapid company expansion at the time, Tribar Manufacturing ran into challenges with the implementation – time constraints prevented a dedication to training, inadequate testing time and a shortage of data input resources. This lack of total ownership of the software resulted in insufficient organizational change as employees still relied on their old ways and were not using the software to its fullest potential.

Driven by the need to eliminate its incorrect data, maintain premier supplier status and supply accurate, timely information to its client in order to maintain their business, Tribar Manufacturing made a concentrated effort to embrace, utilize and re-implement its ERP software to fully take advantage of all it has to offer. The results have been impressive as a renewed, company-wide participation with the ERP software has returned a multitude of benefits.

Establishing Realistic ERP Re-Implementation Goals:

The goals of the initial ERP rejuvenation project began plainly: Conduct a post implementation audit of EnterpriseIQ to improve inventory and maintain acceptable automotive supplier delivery scores. But after rave success of the first two goals, Tribar Manufacturing has grown its initiative to include the integration of as many of its processes as possible into EnterpriseIQ to capture the stability and consistency that expanded use of the system could provide.

Tribar Manufacturing sought out the resources that it needed from IQMS to succeed: The company’s employees attended detailed classroom training courses and one-on-one Internet-based training with IQMS staff, as well as brought in application specialists from IQMS’ Professional Services Group (PSG) for process and usage advice. Since the beginning of this project, Tribar Manufacturing has achieved many goals:

Fully implemented Ford Motor Company ASN requirements through IQMS’ EDI capabilities
Fully received 830 and 862 release information through IQMS’ eCommerce EDI module
Eliminated all paper releases in favor of keeping and adding release data in IQMS
Improved inventory records in IQMS to allow for more robust use of system data
Improved use of the Outsource Central module to communicate demand to its vendors
Improved use of the scheduling module in the tooling department
Implemented use of the scheduling module for assembly operations
Improved receiving efficiency by making better use of the receiving module

Immediate Tangible Benefits Reap Rewards:

Following the re-embracement of EnterpriseIQ, Tribar Manufacturing saw an immediate increase in its automotive supplier relations, allowing Tribar Manufacturing to maintain its ratings so necessary to doing business with its major automotive companies.

Tribar Manufacturing also experienced a $350,000 decrease in the amount of inventory variance at its last physical inventory compared to the previous two physical inventories due to the significantly more accurate and reliable data that IQMS offers. Additionally, Tribar Manufacturing freed up scheduling time with EnterpriseIQ’s assembly-specific scheduling module and it is experiencing a 20 percent improvement in assembly productivity.

As an unforeseen benefit, Tribar Manufacturing realized a cultural change across its organization. Employees that previously resisted change began to demand an investigation of what proper system use can do for them and the dissolving of an indifferent attitude toward controlling processes through IQMS was critical to this project’s success.

For Tribar Manufacturing, the future looks bright indeed.

Think You Know All About Cloud-Based ERP Software? Think Again.

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:59:00 +0000

Selecting a new ERP software system used to be about fit and function. But today, prospective clients also have to perform an extensive appraisal of the method of deployment. There are two primary ERP software purchasing options: Software as a Service (Saas) and Traditional Purchased. What are the differences between the two and which software delivery method is best for you?

Download this whitepaper, SaaS Simplified: Five Things to Consider Before Deploying a Cloud-Based ERP Software Solution, to better understand the differences between delivery methods and the pitfalls you should avoid. Whitepaper topics include:

Validation and Access to Your Data
Total Cost of Ownership
Cost Over Time
Customization

A good ERP vendor will offer a software solution that is flexible in its delivery. Armed with the knowledge in this whitepaper, find the ERP software solution that is best for you.

Is Your Legacy ERP System Lacking MES Functionality? IQMS Can Help.

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 +0000

This week's guest blog post was written by Inside MES Sales Specialist, Quentin Cate.

While the struggling economy has touched us all, it has especially affected the manufacturing industry. Difficult economic conditions have forced many consolidations through mergers and acquisitions, and while new partnerships are a common occurrence in the world today, there are some negatives that accompany the consolidation process.

For example, when companies merge or are acquired, they may be required to use a legacy ERP system that may not be manufacturing-specific, which creates additional challenges for the management team. But what if you discovered an option to gain the benefits of manufacturing-specific software, while still using your corporate ERP system? Would you think it was too good to be true?

IQMS understands this problem that manufacturers face and has developed a solution. IQMS now offers a stand-alone Manufacturing Execution System (MES) package for companies with corporate mandated ERP systems that do not offer MES functionality. As the concept of a stand-alone MES solution is fairly new to the manufacturing industry, many people have different ideas of what it means:

First, a MES is not a full ERP system; A MES is designed to bring better shop floor awareness to the front office. A good MES packages focuses on the aspects that you consider most important to your manufacturing processes, such as how your work centers are running on the floor, how many parts are being produced and the quality of parts being manufactured. An MES solution takes the guesswork out of your shop floor.

Another significant benefit that an MES solution offers is the ability to view all of your production and process data and information in real time. That means no more waiting around until the end of a shift to see how many good parts have been made and estimating how your equipment performed on a job or noticing that a process was out of specification hours after it first went out. The MES application will give you real-time information and data analysis, allowing you to make proactive adjustments that ensure your manufacturing operations produce higher quality parts at optimum production levels.

Those benefits are just tip of the MES iceberg. An MES program such as IQMS’ allows companies the ability to immediately view how their equipment is performing on an individual work center basis or larger plant view. IQMS ensures this functionality of instantaneously capturing your information by tying directly to the machine’s controller, PLC or relays on the plant floor. Additionally, to ensure a successful integration with your plant floor, IQMS has teams ready to help you integrate your equipment to the MES application with no third party software.

At some point in this blog, you may have thought, “Is a system like this worth the money?” The answer is yes! After installing an MES solution, manufacturers have seen a return on investment (ROI) almost instantly due in large part to the real-time data that is delivered to them, allowing them to proactively make the best decisions possible with the most accurate information.

Stop thinking: “If my current ERP system could only give me more shop floor information, it would help me make the correct decisions!” Consider integrating a stand-alone MES solution, such as IQMS’ MES package, and take the guesswork out of the management of your shop floor. It is time to give your legacy ERP system a boost with an industry-specific MES application by IQMS.

Record-Breaking Number of IQMS Customers Receive ML100 Awards

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Eight different Manufacturing Leadership 100 awards will be presented in May recognizing six innovative IQMS customers

The Scoop on Four Upcoming IQMS Android Mobile Applications

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:44:00 +0000

IQMS' Automation Group is working on four new mobile applications that are bound to be popular: Bill of Lading Signature Capture, Carton Builder, Inventory Transactions and Maintenance and Repair Operations (MRO) are joining IQMS' suite of mobile apps and the IQMS Application Manager!

These applications are in the final stages of development and set to be released to the quality assurance team in the coming weeks. So stay tuned to the MyIQMS website for the latest news on when these applications will be available. Each of these applications integrate several sophisticated technologies that are noteworthy and provide end users a real value (Not to mention that they are just cool to play with!):

The Bill of Lading (BOL) Signature Capture application is an advancement in technology both in hardware and software that EnterpriseIQ has offered for some time now. The current hardware for this feature in the BOL module allows a user to click a button that triggers the computer to read the signature for a hardwired tablet device that carbon copies (electronically) the signature on the BOL paperwork (*Cringe.* Sorry, yes I said paperwork. I know this is so 20th Century technology. My apologies).

Fast forward to tomorrow. Actually, fast forward to weeks from now when you have this in hand. You will be able to click a button on the BOL screen and transmit a request to a specific tablet in your shipping area to capture a signature for a particular BOL. Once the driver signs for the BOL, the electronic document and signature can also be automatically emailed to the customer. No paperwork, choose whatever tablet you own (or even a wireless RTStation)! As one of our taller Automation team members would say, “Awesomeness abounds.”

Carton Builder for the RTStation is also an advancement in our Android application offerings that should be popular for users who would like to weigh parts on a scale and determine the quantity of parts by weight. With a weight scale (please contact IQMS for recommendations on scales) connected directly to the RTStation through a USB port, the application will display the current box count on the screen based on the weight so that users can ensure they are filling the box to spec.

When the box quantity is correct, the number shows up in green and the user can click a print button that allows for a customized label to be printed and the goods to be transacted into inventory. IQMS also offers a desktop version of this application that has been around for some time now, but having the application on a small touch screen RTStation with all the other RTStation applications provides a unified, easy-to-use experience for your personnel.

Another in-demand Android application that is close to release is the Inventory Transactions and Locations application. This new app will allow users to select and view information regarding a master inventory item and all of the current locations that the item resides in. Additionally, the user can modify the location and transaction information associated with the inventory item.

Lastly, the Maintenance and Repair Operations (MRO) application is due for release as well. This application allows a user to quickly enter maintenance or repair information about the tooling, equipment or the work center itself right at the RTStation or from a tablet near the work center! The interface is unbelievably simple and easy to use and should allow maintenance personnel to keep up-to-date with the repair information as they are doing their work.

With mobile technology use on the rise in manufacturing plants across the nation, IQMS' Automation Group is working hard to ensure that our clients are outfitted with the most state-of-the-art technology that increases workplace productivity while simultaneously helping make aspects of manufacturing easier. I would love to hear your feedback on the new applications we are developing in the comments section below.

Prominent Packaging Producer, Airlite Plastics, Selects IQMS ERP Software

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Airlite Plastics Co. to switch from a combination of custom built and off the shelf software systems for the single-source, extended ERP software solution from IQMS

The 5 Benefits of Direct Services versus VARs for ERP Implementations

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:10:00 +0000

There are several models for implementing ERP software in the market. The two most common methods are the direct services model (where the ERP vendor sends its dedicated team of in-house professionals) and the value-added resellers model (where the ERP vendor contracts with a third party company to implement your new software system). Since IQMS’ inception, we have believed that the direct services model is the best solution to serve our customers through their implementation and beyond. The benefits of selecting manufacturing ERP software with a direct services model are numerous and below are just a few:

Benefit No. 1: Direct services personnel are dedicated to a single ERP software. Other ERP software organizations that sell indirectly or through value-added resellers (VARs) can also be selling competing ERP solutions. Therefore, the services personnel may not be fully dedicated to one ERP product. With the breadth of functionality in ERP solutions today, it is hard enough keeping up with one offering, let alone staying on top of several products. Having implementation personnel dedicated to one product also improves their knowledge with applying the system to different business processes. This ultimately benefits the customer by having a more efficient implementation.

Benefit No. 2: Direct services personnel are trained by the company that develops, sells and supports the software. Who better to train the implementation services personnel than the company that develops the software they are implementing? Beyond the initial training, continuous education is conducted to keep up with the changes to the different versions. Additionally, IQMS professional services personnel are constantly impacting the future of how the software looks and operates. They are in on the ground floor when determining the need of the new functionality.

Benefit No. 3: IQMS direct services personnel have access to the development team. This allows for direct feedback for software enhancements and fixes. In several recent examples, IQMS has had services personnel on site at active implementation customers where the customers were requesting software enhancements to improve the efficiency of end user tasks. In one instance, our development and testing departments turned around an enhancement within seven hours. With the help of IQMS professional services, the customer had the enhancement in place within 24 hours. The end result was, because of the professional services direct link to the IQMS development team, an enhancement was developed that reduced an eight hour task down to one hour per day. Can you expect that kind of turnaround with a VAR?

Benefit No. 4: IQMS builds all customizations to ensure future “upgradeablity.” Many VARs like to build one-off customizations during ERP implementations. This will ensure additional billable services when the customer chooses to upgrade to the latest version of the ERP system they are on. At IQMS, all customizations either become part of the software that all customers receive or become a new module/utility. This ensures that when IQMS customers upgrade, they don’t need to upgrade multiple third party customizations along with the ERP system. We have encountered several businesses that have fallen into the customization trap with their legacy systems and were forced to use an antiquated system due to not being able to upgrade.

Benefit No. 5: Cost effective implementations. IQMS is an ERP software organization with a professional services group. We are not a VAR that is a consulting company that sells ERP software. They may sound similar, but the difference is that consulting companies make their money on consulting first and software second. VAR ERP software implementation service dollars to software dollars tend to be closer to a 1-to-1 ratio (If you spend $10,000 on the software, you also spend $10,000 on implementation services).

The typical IQMS implementation is at or under 50 percent of the software portion of the project. The IQMS model relies more on the customer project team to learn the system, make decisions, load data, etc. This also provides the added bonus of creating power users inside of your company, as opposed to leaving behind consultants to run your business for you after you have cut over to the new ERP system.

From the five benefits listed above you can see the value in working with an ERP company that directly develops, sells, implements and supports with dedicated personnel.

Improve Your Assembly Operations with ERP Software

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:17:00 +0000

Assembly Magazine recently ran an article penned by IQMS in its February 2013 issue regarding the benefits that assembly-specific ERP software can bring your manufacturing operation. From real-time visibility into production, improved customer service and increased inventory control to full financial management, quality control and streamlined processes and workflows, assembly-specific manufacturing ERP software can ensure consistent quality and greater traceability throughout your organization.

To read more about how ERP software can benefit you, please visit Assembly Magazine: http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/90912-improve-your-operation-with-erp

Better Manage Injuries and Illnesses in Your Manufacturing Plant

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:07:00 +0000

Business owners are familiar with taking risks, including financial, development, marketing, sales or personnel-related issues. But some risks can be managed or mitigated, including health and safety issues, reducing further risk. Your commitment, support and participation in the safety and health of your employees will set a good example and generate greater success in the program and in your business.

To better manage and mitigate health and safety risks, your commitment should include establishment of objectives, emphasis on safety and health by supervisors and managers, recognition of accountability, reporting methodology and allocation of resources to achieving these ends.

Additionally, Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPPs) are required by both state and federal laws to ensure that employers provide and maintain safe working environments for employees. IIPPs can be audited and any errors reported can result in fines to the employer. An IIPP is important not only to protect your employees, but also your business profitability. Any error in IIPP record-keeping can result in major fines. Accidents cost money, and for every dollar you spend on the direct cost of an illness or injury, there is even greater expense in hidden and indirect costs.

Since safety is everyone’s responsibility, employers’ and employees’ policies and responsibilities to prevent accidents and losses must be clearly stated in writing and easily accessible. Record-keeping and reporting are resultant of an active program and there is no better repository for the required IIPP record-keeping than an enterprise-wide, extended manufacturing ERP software system such as EnterpriseIQ from IQMS. EnterpriseIQ aids as an efficient information resource, easily accessible, with required data fields related to employee records and system-generated reports. This can lead to improved costs and outcomes for workers’ compensation claims.

Since injuries and illnesses inevitably occur in all environments, how can EnterpriseIQ help you? The EnterpriseIQ Workforce module with IIPP functionality can:

Track injuries and illnesses
Track injury statistics and calculate incident rates, per plant or company-wide
Track lost days, injury locations, injury type classifications and costs
Associate internal and external documents for specific injuries and illnesses

Proper reporting also ensures that you have access to medical benefits and compensation for lost wages that arise out of your work-related injury.

With properly reported data, the EnterpriseIQ Workforce module will also help you generate the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300, 300A and 301 forms for reporting injuries and illnesses, as well as a log of work-related injuries and illnesses. These are used to classify work-related injuries and illnesses and to note the extent and severity of each case. When an incident occurs, enter the information in this module to record specific details about what happened and how it happened. You can also print this out as a report.

Your information and reporting systems can save you money when immediacy and accuracy matter. Health and safety risks are reduced by your commitment as a business owner or manager to strong policies, procedures and actions including record-keeping and reporting necessary to ensure employee confidence and compliance. You can use EnterpriseIQ with confidence knowing you are investing in information that can save money and lives.

Video: What Makes IQMS Different?

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:33:00 +0000

What makes IQMS different from other ERP and MES providers? The fact that we put everything you need into one single-source, extended manufacturing ERP solution! With a core ERP software system, but also comprehensive extended functionality (such as CRM, MES, quality, preventative maintenance, eCommerce and warehouse management) all from one set of programmers, you gain everything you need to run every aspect of your business from a central provider.

Watch our 90-second video to see what extended ERP software means for you and your business!

IQMS 2012 Year in Review

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

An aggressive development year in nearly every aspect of the company, IQMS experienced its eleventh consecutive year of double digit growth with an organic increase in revenue of 24 percent over 2011.

Why All Single-Source ERP Software Systems are NOT the Same

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:31:00 +0000

There are two leading buzz words in the current ERP software market today: “Single-source” and “extended.” It seems like every ERP vendor is claiming that their software offering is either extended, or a single-source solution for all your enterprise needs, but very few of them can claim the two terms together.

If you dig deeper into the single-source offerings available, you will find that most ERP vendors have actually only designed and developed the core ERP modules themselves and require additional systems to cover other areas of the manufacturing business. Everything else that the company offers, the real meat of the functionality manufacturers need, is contracted with a third party and interfaced to the native software.

When working with new prospects, too often we see bottlenecks and challenges as a result of these single-source systems that reveal to the manufacturer after the fact that the capability they require isn’t native to their application, but requires third party software and additional costs

Even if the programs are all contracted with the same software provider, when you have separate program developers (such as an independent quality management system, EDI provider, MES solution, wireless warehouse management system, preventative maintenance program, etc.), the challenges increase exponentially. Bolted together systems traditionally bring higher implementation costs associated with integrating the different programs, a time delay or batch transfer process required between programs, multiple databases that create inconsistencies, problematic system architecture, difficulties with customization and reporting and incompatible upgrades.

We understand why “single-source” sounds enticing. But there is a better option available. Set your company apart with a not only a core ERP software system, but also comprehensive extended functionality, all from one set of programmers. This preferable choice is an option called single-source extended ERP software.

Single-source extended manufacturing ERP software is a solution completely developed by one company on a single database that offers the core needs like bills of materials (BOMs), shipping and accounting in addition to every possible module you might need to run your business, from human resources, time and attendance, CRM and financial management to quality, MES, preventative maintenance, EDI and warehouse management.

Single-source extended ERP software is the ultimate solution and truly different than the now overly hyped single-source software offering. The benefits of a single-source extended manufacturing ERP system, such as EnterpriseIQ from IQMS, are plentiful:

A single development team and vision for all MES, ERP, quality, EDI, CRM and supply chain requirements
A consistent user interface for employee ease of use
A single point of contact and accounts payable record, just one phone number to call, for all technical support regardless of the module
Complete enterprise-wide visibility with transactions updated instantly throughout the entire system in real time
Lower overall cost of investment, lower maintenance costs and a single maintenance agreement

When searching for new manufacturing ERP software, don’t sell yourself short. Find the ERP vendor that offers all the design and development of extended functions that your company requires to run every aspect of your business. Single-source PLUS extended equals everything you need in one single-source, extended ERP system for enterprise-wide visibility.

IQMS Opens 2013 with Latest ERP Software Release for Manufacturing Companies

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

IQMS latest release features useful and technologically advanced developments that offer solutions to its customers various manufacturing challenges.

Packaging Thermoformer Switches to IQMS

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 08:00:00 +0000

LINDAR Corporation finds a fit with EnterpriseIQ, a comprehensive, industry-specific manufacturing ERP system from one central vendor.

IQMS Breaks Ground on a Second Corporate Headquarters Facility

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Reinvestment into the company is timely as recent and forecasted hiring prompts an urgent need for additional space

IQMS Takes Las Vegas by Storm at User Group 2012

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

More than 300 IQMS users gathered for an interactive three-day event to network, learn and collaborate

Plastikos, Inc. Wins the 2012 IQMS Manufacturing Success Award

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

IQMS bestows the highest achiever honor upon Plastikos, Inc. for their commitment to continuous improvement through advanced engineering, internal R&D and IQMS technology integration.

Bead Industries to Implement IQMS Manufacturing ERP Solution

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Worldwide manufacturer of precision contact pins for the telecom and electronics industries to gain increased operational visibility and full integration with IQMS

IQMS and EnterpriseIQ ERP Software Win an Impressive Three American Business Awards

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:00:00 +0000

IQMS Automation Group won a silver medal for Product Development Team of the Year; Latest ERP software release wins twice, including coveted Peoples Choice Award

Refractory Supplier Selects IQMS ERP Software to Cement Future Success

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Riverside Refractories discovers a user-friendly, flexible manufacturing ERP software partner with IQMS

IQMS Again Named to the Prestigious Inc. 5000 List

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 07:00:00 +0000

For the second year in a row, Inc. magazine honors IQMS as one of Americas fastest growing private companies.

IQMS Founders Recognized as Roblans of the Month

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Randy and Nancy Flamm honored for their significant contributions to the local community.

IQMS Manufacturing Success Award Finalists

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The top five nominations for IQMS inaugural award impress with innovative, state-of-the-art projects that demonstrate advanced manufacturing leadership

Automotive and Office Furniture Assembler Selects IQMS

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Ventura Manufacturing adopts an industry-specific ERP solution to fuel growth and deliver enterprise-wide data accuracy and transparency

IQMS 2012 Half Year in Review Reveals Healthy Growth

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000

First half of 2012 was focused on reinvestment in R&D to further manufacturing, ERP, and MES software offerings

IQMS Technical Support Department Expands

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000

IQMS continues its pursuit to hire the best and brightest team members on the Central Coast of California

IQMS Hires Jeff Overwein to Aid Expansion of MES Department

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Appointment of Industry Veteran Further Underscores IQMS Increased Focus on Delivering MES Shop Floor Solutions

IQMS New Customer Spotlight

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000

A Small Sampling of New IQMS Clients Illustrate the Industry-Wide Value of One Comprehensive System

Screw Machine Shop and IQMS Stand Together for Success

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Contract manufacturer, Standby Screw Machine Products Co., switches from five separate operating systems to one total manufacturing ERP solution from IQMS

IQMS Medical Customer Honored With an Medical Device Excellence Award

Wed, 30 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Aribexs revolutionary hand-held dental X-ray device, the NOMAD Pro, receives a silver Medical Device Excellence Award

IQMS Named a Best-In-Class Logistics Provider

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Inbound Logistics magazine again recognizes IQMS as a leader for its supply chain technology that works in concert with its total ERP and MES software system.

Three IQMS Customers Win Manufacturing Leadership Awards

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Aribex, Inc., Mar-Bal, Inc. and Tessy Plastics Corp. recognized for their innovation and operational excellence, with Tessy Plastics receiving the Highest Achiever honor in its category

IQMS Announces its User Group 2012 Conference

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The interactive three-day event will feature the presentation of the inaugural IQMS Manufacturing Success Award

Manufacturing Shipping Management Simplified with IQMS

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The unprecedented new module, Shipping Manager, integrates FedEx® and UPS® with EnterpriseIQ in real time for increased shipping efficiency

IQMS Releases Its Innovative Shop Floor HMI Device: RTStation

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000

IQMS announces its latest development in a line of MES applications that push the boundaries of shop floor control

A Much-Anticipated New Manufacturing ERP Software Release from IQMS

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000

IQMS Unveils More Than 1,000 Enhancements and Reports Specifically Designed to Solve Its Clients Manufacturing Problems

Relationships Matter: A New IQMS Community Experience

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The new MyIQMS website features a virtual learning environment and central location for all IQMS-related community activities

Global Medical Manufacturer Ditches the Cloud for IQMS Software

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Tired of slow Internet-based software, medical manufacturer selects total manufacturing erp software solution from IQMS

Three IQMS Customers Win Manufacturing Excellence Awards

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Steinwall Inc. received the Plastics News Annual Processor of the Year Award, plus two other customers were recognized for excellence in manufacturing

Nearly a Dozen New IQMS Customers Go Live at the Start of 2012

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Ten IQMS Manufacturing Customers at 12 Different Locations Ring in the New Year by Going Live on EnterpriseIQ ERP and MES Software the First Week of January

Gill Industries Launches IQMS' ERP Software as a Long-Term Solution

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Industry leading automotive company selects a reliable, single-source partner for all its global enterprise needs