Tag: Shop Floor Data Capture

Data Capture on the Shop Floor

The numerous different types of software available for business departments has drastically grown over the years and now includes Time and Attendance systems. Ceequel Time and Attendance eliminates the need to record information using pieces of paper and storing them within filing cabinets. The system gathers accurate clocking information in real time, thus saving both time and money.

Big data software has developed from accounting, sales, marketing, and manufacturing project management to now include Shop Floor Data Capture systems. Ceequel® Time and Attendance software works with your corporate Microsoft SQL Server technology to seamlessly handle many of the tasks previously handled with piles of paper forms and painful hand calculation by the human resources department. The system will gather information and make calculations in close to real-time using data from continuous input. Gone is the punch clock, replaced by RFID information systems and easy-to-read ATM type terminals at work stations.

The employee can clock in at terminals located anywhere in the facility, once the employee clocks in, the reading cannot be modified, so you always have the assurance that the records are complete and accurate. Bradford Factor scores are continuously calculated for a running period to aid in the supervision of employees. Automatic adjustments can be made for disabled employees in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Virtual terminals simulate conventional clock-in systems, using a convenient graphical interface. They run on Windows-based equipment. Since they are software based, they are very flexible allowing users to monitor themselves, getting updates in real-time regarding their hours and other noted features of their performance. Security features allow modifications only by authorised personnel.

The system output identifies employees with photographs, it even designs photo-identification cards and badges. The Human Resources Department receives continuous updating of attendance, hours worked, overtime, calculation of flexi-time to be allotted, and holiday allowances that take account of length of service.

The system also handles shift patterns and outputs graphical shift rosters and rotations. An auditory notification to mark shift changes can be programmed into the system. Data capture provides aids in labour planning, records absences and manages absence allowances. The system simplifies supervision by recognising exceptional bookings-in, recognising when clocking activities are outside of normal, no clockings, or patterns of missed clockings, more or fewer hours than expected, patterns of lateness, or unplanned attendance.

Elf Productivity LTD. supplies and adapts time management and attendance software and terminals to meet your needs. Please contact us for more information.

Shop Floor Data Capture Saves You Time And Money!

Modern day technology now makes it possible for businesses to record and transmit employee data in real time making it easier for managers to make accurate decisions quickly. A shop floor data system has the ability to do the above and much more.

One of the most important things business owners can have is information, and the fresher that information is, the better. Thanks to modern information technology it’s possible to record and transmit business data in real-time, which means that it’s possible for businesses to make decisions more quickly and accurately than they could before. This process is often referred to as shop floor data capture.

What Is Shop Floor Data Capture?

Shop floor data capture is, in short, the process of capturing data as projects and events are unfolding in real-time. Whether it’s recording the hours that employees spend on certain tasks, or compiling the number of units produced by a given machine, all of that information is recorded and transmitted instantly. It allows business owners to get a good look at what’s happening on the floor, and they can make decisions and implement policies quickly to make sure problems are swiftly corrected.

Examples often work best to explain how this process works, so let’s take a hypothetical situation: there’s a manufacturer with five machines that all make wire ties. In the past the numbers would be tallied at the end of the day, compiled in a computer, and then printed out at the end of the week. So if there was an error in the third machine that was subtle, and which could only be detected in its slightly reduced output (which has become a largely reduced output by the end of a week) then it will take up to seven days to notice it. A shop floor data capture program would point out those numbers quickly though, and the problem could be brought to management’s attention by the end of the first day. This saves time, and more importantly money that would have been lost due to wasted energy and a depleted product.

Just One More Feature Elf Productivity Ltd. Offers

At Elf Productivity Ltd. it’s out goal to give businesses the best possible tools to get the job done. Our software suites are designed to be simple, organic, easy-to-learn, and to provide clients with all of the features they need to keep productivity up, waste down, and to serve their customers better. We offer shop floor data capture, but we also provide features like employee self-service, automated time clocks, and dozens of other helpful tools that will make sure your business never misses a step.

For more information about how Elf Productivity Ltd. software can help your business simply contact us today!

Performance-Based Incentives need Hard Data to Work

Paying employees bonuses for hard work is a system that has come under scrutiny for many years now. People believe that if employees are aware that they will be getting paid more money if they work harder, then they are more likely to do so. However the truth behind this is much more complex as there are many potential issues with performance based pay.

Performance-based pay has come under a lot of scrutiny in recent years. There appears to be a basic logic in tying pay or incentives to performance – if you promise rewards for hard work, people will work harder – the truth is much more complex.

The Real Story Behind Performance-Based Pay

There are many potential issues with performance-based pay. True high-achievers are often driven by motivations other than money, and offering money for achievement can actually decrease a person’s internal motivation to work hard and well. But on the other hand, good employees expect to be paid fairly for their work, and rewarding employees with raises or bonuses is a common way to acknowledge and show appreciation for them.

Given these contradictory facts, is there a right way to use performance-based pay?

Performance-Based Pay That Matters

A key to creating a performance-based pay system that actually works is to make sure that the system for giving rewards is fair and transparent. Many employees have become disgruntled by a perception (true or otherwise) that one employee is rewarded because he or she is liked better by management, not because of actual performance. Other employees become unmotivated because management sets production goals that are out of touch with reality.

In order to work, performance-based pay systems need to be absolutely fair and administered according to clear guidelines: here’s where using hard data on performance can help.

Shop Floor Data Reveals True Performance

Our Shop Floor Data Capture system can provide the data needed to make a performance-based pay system work. Data captured by the system doesn’t depend on a manager’s perceptions of employee performance. It provides a true picture of productivity. This makes assigning performance-based raises or bonuses more fair and transparent.

Also, capturing shop floor data gives management a clear picture of what is actually being produced in a given time period. Setting a realistic goal with a clear reward for meeting it is a proven way to increase motivation for both individuals and teams. Using real shop floor data can help management set realistic goals based on past performance.

If your organisation uses performance-based pay and incentives, you need to have hard data backing up your rewards, or your incentive system could do more harm than good. For more information about the benefits of shop floor data capture, please contact us.

Razor-Thin Margins demand Shop Floor Data Capture

A business’s biggest expense is the paying of employee wages and tracking these hours should not become the second biggest. That is why it is crucial for businesses with multiple shops to implement an efficient shop floor data capture system, specifically designed to effortlessly record hours worked meaning less time is spent processing information about individual employee wages, saving you both time and money.

Do you know what the biggest expense is for most businesses? Wages and compensation. Don’t let the costs of tracking employee hours become the second highest! When you have a shop that requires employees to clock in and out, the only way to keep costs down is through an efficient method of Shop Floor Data Capture.

A good program designed to effortlessly log and store hours an employee has worked translates to less time processing payroll, and an immense cost-saving to you. These programs provide comprehensive coverage of the following:

  • Shifts and Roster Scheduling
  • Holiday & Absence Management
  • Payroll and Exceptions Reporting
  • Calculations

Profit margins in retail and manufacturing can be slim enough. The technologies you need to keep the production line moving shouldn’t have to compete with payroll. Endless data entry, editing, and payroll complications can keep you from seeing the revenues you deserve.

Don’t you want to know the performance of your employees in real-time? A great Shop Floor Data Capture program delivers near-instantaneous reports on:

  • No Clockings
  • Missed Clockings
  • Hours More than Expected
  • Hours Less than Normal
  • Late Clockings
  • Unplanned Attendance

With Ceequel® Time and Attendance software, you’re able to sift through to the pertinent details you need to keep your production moving smoothly. Employees are an essential part of your business plan and you can now manage them effortlessly and spot any gaps in coverage due to vacation, holiday, or any other event that brings one of your employees off the line.

There are many advanced features that Shop Floor Data Capture adds onto this versatile software suite to enable you to capture your shop floor data in real-time. Don’t hesitate – contact us today so we can identify your business’ needs and keep you on your track to success.

Accurate Shop Floor Data enables Targeted Training

Having accurate information about your employees productivity levels through every task can be massively beneficial when it comes to implementing training days or development programs. Knowing who needs what, help saves your business time and money. Without an accurate system in place, management will often only have a rough idea of where the slowest parts of the manufacturing processes are and often have no idea how to improve it.

Shop Floor Data Capture gives companies the most accurate data possible for measuring productivity across all workers, as well as productivity of individual workers. As well as knowing what’s getting done, and by whom, smart companies can use real-time data from their shop floors to create targeted training and development programs for increased worker productivity and flexibility.

Identifying Key Points for Improvement

Without an accurate data capture system, management may only have a fuzzy sense of where the slowest parts of manufacturing happen. With a good data capture system on the shop floor, any issues with productivity quickly become clear, which enables management to take direct action; for example, if the data captured by the system shows that all new employees tend to take the longest period of time to come up to speed on one particular task, or in using one work station, that’s a clear bottleneck to focus on for overall performance improvement. Maybe more training, or a new training program, would help employees gain proficiency faster. Perhaps a mentoring system which pairs a new employee with an experienced one to learn that task would be beneficial, enabling experienced workers to demonstrate any “tips and tricks” which speed up the process.

Individual Evaluation and Improvement

As well as making improvements in overall productivity, a good data capture system is beneficial for evaluating and training individual employees. Individual worker data can be used by managers during performance reviews, to acknowledge where workers excel and find the places where they most need improvement. Using this kind of data can help managers train and mentor workers to reach their best personal levels of achievement.

Good training is necessary for good productivity. Using real time shop floor data to enable targeted training can help managers design and refine the most effective training systems to get workers up to speed fast and working at their best.

For more information about how shop floor data could work for your business, contact us!

Time and Motion Studies for the 21st Century

Originally, time and motion studies were carried out by an observer who would watch someone complete their work whilst timing the process and making notes. However, as you can imagine not many people like being watched as it often leads to serious stress and tension between management and staff. Unions are also often likely to pressure monitors into changing their data, meaning the accuracy of the study is poor.

Traditional time and motion studies were greatly beneficial to streamline manufacturing across many industries. The methods by which such time and motion studies are conducted have inherent problems, however, which modern technology can help to alleviate.

Costly Procedures

The original method of conducting a time and motion study was dictated by the technology available at the time. An observer watches someone do their work, timing their actions with a stopwatch, and making notes.

With a careful observer and a well-designed study, accurate data capture is possible with this system. Even so, the potential problems are not difficult to identify. Few people enjoy being watched closely on the job, and this can have a real impact on performance. Having monitors on the shop floor with stopwatches and clipboards can lead to serious tensions between workers and management. Influence from unions can pressure monitors to change their data, reducing the overall accuracy of the study.

Even in instances where a traditional time and motion study doesn’t result in extra tensions on the shop floor, it still requires personnel to observe and measure actions, personnel who need to be paid for their efforts. The study must also be designed in advance so the monitors know what to watch. The high cost of such a study can push companies away from engaging in them, which means inefficiencies in the manufacturing process go undiscovered. Also, a badly-designed study can waste large amounts of time, effort, and resources.

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Keeping it Real with Shop Floor Data Capture

All businesses need to be prepared for change, the reality is that at some point consumer interests will change and the marketplace likely to shift. Shop floor data capture systems have been designed as a way for businesses both large and small, to monitor worker productivity as well as providing real-time information on the production and profitability of ones business.

In today’s business climate, one must plan for uncertainty, for the reality that consumer interests will shift, and with it so will the marketplace. Fortunately, an enterprise-level solution is available for large and small businesses, in the form of Shop Floor Data Capture. The knowledge provided by Shop Floor Data Capture can help to keep business running “lean” by monitoring worker productivity. It can also provide real-time data on the goings-on and profitability of one’s business in a dynamic and ever-changing business climate.

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Are your ID Badges Simplifying Shop Floor Data Capture?

Smart ID cards are slowly becoming paramount for companies who wish to simplify their shop floor data capture process. The ID badges that are provided when you implement the Ceequel time and attendance system allow your employees to accomplish a number of important day to day functions such as the ones listed below.

It used to be that the multi-purpose ID pass was the stuff of science fiction. These days, however, smart ID cards are becoming a common tool for simplifying the process of shop floor data capture. With the ID badges that come standard with time and attendance systems from Ceequel, your employees can accomplish a number of important daily functions with the same clip-on badge.

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Shop Floor Data Capture: Enabling continuous improvement

If within your organisation you would like to implement a formal lean or six sigma program having accurate data from your manufacturing process is key. Invoices and purchase orders lay the trail for analysing your inventory costs. The costs associated with labour needs to also be collected.

It is a frequently cited management truism that “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” From the earliest days of the quality movement within manufacturing, from Taylor to Ford, or Deming and Shingo, and on to Womack and Jones – the simple premise of “measuring everything” has been at the root of continuous improvement. Without a vehicle for enabling Shop Floor Data Capture, however, the amount of labour expended in any manufacturing process is either subjectively measured or likely to experience wide variation and anomalous data.

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Using Software to Solve Common Problems with Shop Floor Data Capture

Having the ability to switch between tasks can often be a huge headache within manufacturing companies as it makes it almost impossible for the employer to track which of their employees is doing what task and for how long. Implementing a shop floor data capture system will allow you to track what your employees are up to at all times as well as help to solve the common problems that appear when workers often switch between tasks.

Technological advances and shifting market demands have made flexibility more important than ever before for manufacturers. Your employees’ ability to switch quickly from one task to another is an incredibly valuable feature of your company. However, this flexibility can be a double-edged sword. Keeping track of which employees are working on what projects, and for how long, can be a nightmarish task in the modern manufacturing shop. Fortunately, the right Shop Floor Data Capture technology can make it easy for you to solve a few of the most common problems that arise when employees must frequently switch tasks

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