18 Reasons formula-manufacturers need to consider Vicinity
Vicinity is a scalable technology partner serving formula-based manufacturers in the chemical, food and brewing markets and is known for introducing the first software product for formula or recipe-based manufacturing in the Microsoft Dynamics reseller space.
Vicinity’s scalability makes it a top choice among chemical manufacturers, food producers and brewers. It integrates easily with key platforms including QuickBooks and Microsoft Dynamics (GP, NAV, SL or BC) to deliver a comprehensive software solution that grows with your business.18 Reasons formula-manufacturers need to consider Vicinity
1. Experience: Vicinity software was written and developed specifically for formula-based manufacturers. We’ve been helping our customers streamline their processes and improve efficiencies since 2001.
Check out this infographic highlighting the last 20 years.2. Labor tracking: Compare budgeted time to actual time for each production stage to pinpoint and correct productivity variances.
3. Streamlined formula management: View formula management as integral to your operation rather than an afterthought. Lab formulas can be segregated from production formulas to ensure experimental formulas do not make their way into production. Each formula can be assigned its own set of searchable attributes, so formulators can quickly find formulas they need, whether managing 30 formulas or 30,000. More about formula management here. Or, click here for info about lot trace and tracking, recall and food safety.
4. Formula version control: Track multiple versions and revisions and dynamically switch between versions as needed to provide greater flexibility in production control. Read more here.
5. Multi-facility support: Easily modify formulas and routing for each facility and then develop production and capacity plans that reach across all facilities.
6. R&D project tracking: Maintain R&D projects including formula comparison, search and costing. Centralize the process of developing and selecting formulas to match a customer requirement. Learn how chemical manufacturers use this feature.
7. Hosted in the cloud: No need for servers on-premise. Vicinity can be hosted in the cloud reducing investment in hardware and software costs on upgrades.
8. Simplified control system integration: Stream data to other systems with instant insight into actual production results, in real-time. Whether the system is a simple handheld, intelligent dispensing system or sophisticated PLC, Vicinity has you covered.
9. Proposed cost analysis: Review potential cost changes to formulas for finished goods by maintaining a “Proposed Cost Schedule.” As material costs are anticipated, get ahead of the curve by revaluing production costs using these anticipated material costs.
10. SSRS Reports: Reports are built on the industry-standard MS SQL Server Reporting Service (SSRS) allowing reports to be viewed in a browser, on a device or at a workstation. Learn more here.
11. Automated lab calculations: Any calculation driven from material specifications can be viewed during formula entry and assist the formulator in developing a formula based on desired specifications. Examples include nutritional analysis, material composition and industry-specific formulaic values.
12. Automated GHS/SDS: Streamline the authoring of GHS/SDS, eliminating the labor and costs involved in producing a GHS/SDS. Each formula GHS/SDS can be generated on-demand, or a version can be approved by the lab and archived for subsequent distribution. Once done, the GHS/SDS can be pulled on-demand by authorized users within Vicinity, your ERP system or over the internet. Hazard categories can be assigned by a compliance officer or automatically calculated by a number of third-party services. Want to read more…click here.
13. Comprehensive production scheduling/MRP: Dramatically reduce investment in safety stock without the risk of coming up short. By assisting in developing, maintaining and exploiting your master production schedules, we help increase scheduling accuracy and reduce inventory levels. Learn more here.
14. Production calendar: Visualize the production schedule similar to an Outlook or Google calendar. Manipulate start and stop dates and reassign to available equipment with drag and drop functionality.
15. Certificate of analysis generation: Automatically generate, store and forward Certificate of Analysis for any customer and lot for raw materials or finished goods.
16. Powerful business intelligence: VicinityView allows a user to query data in real-time by selecting columns and filtering rows without programming or report writing. Sorting, grouping and totaling are all powered by drag and drop technology. All data can be exported to Excel for further presentation. More info here.
17. QC test by process: Track QC test results at every stage of the manufacturing process and resolve formulation or production problems faster. More about QC here.
18. Microsoft Dynamics integration: Microsoft Dynamics is at the core of Vicinity. Sharing CRM, inventory, sales and purchasing data rounds out Vicinity to be a world-class ERP solution. Find out more here. ————————————————————————–
If you are not a customer of Vicinity Software, contact us today for a demo and to learn more about how we can support your business.
Vicinity Software serves manufacturers in the chemical, food and brewing markets.
Want to know more? Check out a few recent case studies to see how our friends utilize the Vicinity product.
Intelligent Blends – Taking technology to the next level
Highland Brewing – Seamless software integration for the Southeast’s largest independent brewery
Engineered Custom Coatings – Growing with a growing company
Crowley Chemical Company – Ease of software integration streamlines aromatic oils business
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