Discovery is just the first step in assessing which Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or production software is right for your shop. We’re making the process easier by providing a series of guides to help you through every stage of your search. If we can simplify your buying process, you’re one step closer to managing your production faster, more efficiently and more profitably.
Most manufacturers focus on the issues they can see – delayed schedules, inventory shortages and overstocks, or cost overruns. These things are all important, but fixing surface-level problems (or doing what you think will fix them) only takes you so far. True improvement comes from understanding and optimizing the process itself, how work gets done from start to finish.
The way your team performs each actual step determines how successful your operation will be. Even the simplest changes in the process can alter the outcomes. Think of a race between two children collecting bottles along a path, two rows of bottles extending along a line, each several feet apart. The children each stand at the head of one of these lines, with a bin at their feet. The task is to run to a bottle, pick it up, and run back to the bin and put it in. The fastest one to get all 5 in the bin wins. One child grabs the nearest bottle first and works their way outward. The other starts with the farthest bottle. The one who goes farthest first might fall behind initially but wins in the end, because they tackled the hardest work first.
Different strategies. Different approaches. Different outcomes. The same principle applies to manufacturing: the process determines the result. Now, you don’t need to A/B test every process on your floor (that’s neither productive nor affordable), but you do need to understand how your team works, not just what they produce. A routing or drawing can’t tell you that. Tracking, analyzing, and refining process steps are where the newest MES systems deliver real value.
Many manufacturing software tools begin by asking your team to “clock on” and off jobs. It’s a simple process, an operator goes to a central location - usually a PC or sometimes a work center - and selects a job to start. Clocking in is primarily a timesheet exercise. It helps with payroll and may show job or task completion. But beyond that, it’s often just a checkmark in a box. Think of it like the teacher standing at the door after recess, checking off names as students return to class. The system tracks presence, but it doesn’t tell you much about what actually happened on the playground, or in this case, your shop floor.
If you want to make money on the products you produce and the jobs you accept, you need visibility into each step of production. Where do processes slow down? Where are they working smoothly? Where are things going wrong? Sideways? Or right? Who performs better or faster, and more importantly, why?
Without that level of detail in your data, it’s easy to make assumptions. You might think one operator is simply more motivated because they finish faster. But is that truly the case? Maybe they’re using a different process that saves time, or maybe quality is slipping to make up for speed. With data on rework, returns, or quality misses by person, it’s impossible to know for sure.
Compared to other areas of production software, evaluating process management capabilities is often more straightforward than some of the others we’ve discussed (you can explore those here). Quite simply, that’s because not many MES or production tools out there dive deep into how your team actually performs work. This is where you’ll find real differentiation between systems. When speaking with MES vendors, here are the key questions to ask:
These questions will help you uncover whether a system truly supports process management, not just job tracking.
If you’ve been following our series on how to buy a production system, you’ve already seen how critical it is to ask the right questions before making a decision. We want to give you all the tools you need to buy the right system for you. If today’s discussion feels familiar, or if you’re ready to explore how a modern MES can improve your visibility and control, we’d love to connect. Our team can help you evaluate your current systems, identify gaps, and determine whether an MES is the right fit for your shop.
Takeaway: The right MES software doesn’t just track time or jobs, it connects data, people, and processes across your entire operation. Reach out and ask us how we can help
Connect with us or continue reading the series for more insights into buying and implementing an MES solution that fits your business. Subscribe down below to be updated as we explore!