Automating data collection.

Improving the efficiencies of data collection can help improve a company's bottom line.

It's no secret that woodworking companies operate in a dynamic environment where jobs, schedules and personnel are constantly changing. Tracking production, job costing, employee labor and the status of individual jobs are constant challenges to management.

Recording labor, materials and payroll data with time cards has also proven to be costly for wood manufacturers. This cumbersome process takes valuable time away from the production floor.

Automating this process with an automated data collection (ADC) system can improve a company's ability to estimate and update standards and rates and improve invoicing if a system is implemented that fits the company's unique requirements. Until recently, most companies could not cost justify or afford ADC.

But as the cost of computer hardware and software has come down over the past few years, automating the collection of production information has become more cost-effective for even the smaller companies.

There are many potential benefits of automated data collection. They include:

* Saving clerical and production time because of the elimination of time cards.

* Increased productivity due to improved employee accountability.

* Improved customer service because of real-time production tracking and feedback.

* Accurate time and attendance for payroll.

* Improved job costing due to greater accuracy of production information.

* More up-to-the-minute information for scheduling.

HOW IT WORKS

A typical data collection system consists of a personal computer (PC), shop data collection terminals, optional bar code wands, a network controller, the data collection and reporting software, plus the necessary cabling and connectors.

Personal Computer: The specifications for a PC depend on the amount of data that must be collected and the number of employees in production. A 386 or 486 PC can handle data collection for most any company, whether it has five or 500 production employees.

Shop Terminals and Bar Coding: The data input terminals that are placed out in the shop should have a digital readout and keypad, even if they are equipped with a bar code wand. The digital readout is necessary for employees to know what data is to be entered and for feedback of invalid entries.

Data collection shop terminals should be rugged enough to withstand daily abuse with a membrane keypad to prevent dirt and sawdust from entering the unit. Data input terminals should be placed in various work centers, departments or cost centers for employees to record their production with a keypad or bar code wand.

Network Controller and Cabling: Shop terminals are connected to a PC with a network controller unit. Systems that use telephone cable and modular connectors will make the installation as easy as plugging in a phone.

Data Collection Software: After all the terminals are connected to the PC via the network controller, the software needs to be personalized to the user's unique requirements. The procedure in setting up a typical ADC system is to first determine what job information needs to be collected, such as employee number, job number, operation number, material, etc. This data usually parallels the information written on time cards, time sheets, material sheets or other paperwork.

Each department may require different sequences of prompts. For example, the production department might ask for employee number, operation number and job number, while the shipping department could prompt for employee number, job number, carrier, quantity and date shipped.

The next step is to decide which fields need to be verified, and in what way.

As data is being collected, entries are time-stamped and stored on the hard drive of the PC and/or communicated to a host computer.

If there is a host computer running job costing, scheduling, payroll or inventory, the user must also decide how often the data should be transferred to the host computer. The two types of communication from a PC-based data collection system to the host are either real-time or batch.

Even if collected data is transferred to a host computer, real-time reporting from the data collection PC can be advantageous.

Real-time reporting of jobs, employees, equipment, materials, etc., is helpful for production control and customer service. Historical reporting offers the ability to analyze productivity and the strengths or weaknesses of each department.

Automated data collection works because it simplifies this cumbersome recording process while improving the accuracy and timeliness of production information.

James W. Jones III is president of Data Specialties Inc., a software systems company located in Minneapolis, MN. He can be reached at [phone].