Food & Beverage ERP

Inventory and Warehouse Management 

Inventory visibility capabilities:

• Access inventory location information from anywhere in the system; sales order, item Card, etc
• Track inventory at location, zone, bin (rack) and container (pallet, tote, tub) level
• Inventory availability in addition to quantity on hand provides users access to forecasted Availability; useful for planning or committing inventory
• inventory information can be drilled down upon to see inventory by lot and expiry
• Expiration analysis provides visibility on inventory that has expired, as well as inventory that may be approaching expiration based on item-specific parameters
• First expiry principals can be enforced for picking and consumption
• Visibility on​‘partials’ to ensure that partial bags/cases/pallets are used first, unless certain conditions such as same lot full pallet orders, etc
• Inventory lookups available on handheld or mobile devices
• Physical and cycle counts available on handheld devices.

Manage bin level inventory transactions through radio frequency (RF) and mobile devices connected wirelessly to the network. Functions include:

• Receiving and warehouse put-away
• Inventory picks and shipments
• Inventory movements and pick bin
• Physical counts
• Production output and consumption
• Quality audits
• Product lookups by item, bin and lot number
• Label printing

Track, manage and record the picks and put away the process for an accurate inventory reporting. Lot tracking functionality and bin management ensures that all materials are managed and accounted for throughout the warehouse life cycle. 

• Picks and put-aways
• Expiration date management (FEFO)
• Physical count
• Shipping and receiving
• Lot tracking
• Serial tracking
• License plate / pallet licenses
• Catch weight / variable weight
• Same-site, multi-site inventory transfers
• Planning by sku by location
• Bin management
• Custom per-item reorder policies (quantity, lead time, handling time, safety stock)
• Logistics planning
• Third-party logistics (3PL)
• Add on: EDI

Food Safety and Compliance

Comply with food safety requirements with traceability, quality and preventative functionality. Account for all of their raw materials and finished goods throughout the production process and be fully recall ready.

• Bi-directional ingredient and product traceability and recall
• Quality hold management
• Allergen management
• Quality checks and audits
• Preventative maintenance
• Pre-receipt inventory entry compliance

Traceability & Lot Control

• Aptean’s Food & Beverage ERP’s lot algorithm can be set up on the item card; finished goods, intermediate items, and even raw materials can be assigned a lot algorithm that is then transferred to an item’s label for barcode scanning
• External lot numbers can also be tracked, in the case of vendors assigning lot numbers
• Lots are consumed in order of expiry, picking controls are in place to prevent products being consumed out of rotation unless otherwise approved by the supervisor
• Bi-directional traceability is available at the click of a button; any item/lot combination can be traced providing information related to purchase, consumption, output, shipping as well as any other items that may have been cross-contaminated

Recall Process

• Bi-directional lot trace can be extended to the recall process
• Recalls provide a list of all customers impacted by a concerned item and lot combination
• Recall data can be exported to Excel for manual manipulation
• For recalls, an auto-generated Word template letter that can be emailed or faxed to customers
• Recall letter can communicate impacted lots, and provide information related to the shipment number, date, quantity shipped prompting response from customers for next actions.

Quality Management

• Setup unlimited quality procedures related to items, customers, assets, employees, or other entities in the business
• Quality procedures can mandate certain steps that need to be carried out, providing work instructions to employees
• Expected results can be defined, if during a quality audit, results are outside of range, certain actions like product quarantine can be initiated
• Quality audits can be initiated at certain material movements like receiving, pick, consumption, output, or shipping
• Quality audits can be captured electronically and in real-time using RF barcode scanners, tablets, or computer carts
• A quality specific role center provides a view of quality audits in a matrix format to make it easy to see what quality audits are due to be performed

QR Codes

Aptean Food & Beverage ERP has some clever applications for QR codes – matrix barcodes that can be read by mobile devices and other readers – specifically around food safety. Customers, and even consumers, can scan an item’s QR code to access a website that directly links to Aptean Food & Beverage ERP’s database. Consumers or customers can find out additional information about that item or even the specific item lot such as nutritional information, ingredient declarations, allergen declarations. Additional information related to production facility, supervisor or staff, and quality audit results can be presented as well. Integration to Facebook and Twittere can be included allowing for easy product feedback,​‘likes’, or re-ordering.

Plant

• Plant provides an alternative to recording output and consumption in real-time
• Optimized for either a wash-down touch screen computer located on the floor, or alternatively tablet computer
• Presence close to the floor makes it easier for timely data capture
• Touchscreen interface is simplified for employees not familiar with computers
• Functions include recording of output and/or consumption
• Real-time views of important KPIs like expected-to-actual output, and other metrics
• Visualize production schedule for a given machine center or even shift

Manufacturing / Production Module

Manage production scheduling and planning through to batch processing and consolidation. Integrated production data breaks down barriers between departments and allows for more efficient production and distribution.

• Master production schedule (MPS) planning
• Batch / item production consolidation (grouping similar items into same production window)
• Capacity and bottleneck management
• Define and execute equipment operation steps
• BOM
• Reverse BOM
• Net BOM requirements and calculations
• Multi-plant production management
• Co-packer management
• Co-product management
• Production cost analysis
• Yield reporting
• Allergen management
• Production forecasting
• Activity based costing (labor)
• Add-on: advanced reporting and analytics
• Add-on: JustFood Plant: recording of manufacturing execution

Preventative Maintenance

• Integrate full maintenance planning and corrective action into Aptean Food & Beverage ERP
• Work orders, MRO purchasing, fixed asset management, and production scheduling is fully integrated with the PM module
• Track and record calibration results, analyze fault reasons and fault effects
• Fully track cost of maintenance per unit of measure (cycle, hour, etc.)
• Group work orders by group allowing for instant trendscape analysis by day, month, quarter, or year

Production Execution

• Record production in a variety of ways; using either flushing methods or the more accurate method of actuals recording; production can be entered in sequence of consumption and output, or out of sequence depending on a customer’s requirements
• Consumption and output can be recorded manually from paper off the floor (preserve existing processes with limited impact to employees)
• More timely options including barcode scanning and touch screen recording 
• Integration to machine execution systems (MES) or PLCs for ingredient consumption
• For variable weight scenarios, integration to scales
• Instructions for machine centers or workstations can be printed or displayed using touch screens

Production Metrics

• Visualize key performance metrics in real-time or via exception reporting
• Our production KPI module is optimized for Windows Surface tablet or large screen monitor running Windows
• Production metrics that are visualized can be tailored for each specific customer to communicate metrics that are important to the company
• Production statistics by shift or by production order including expected to actual output, expected to actual costs, yield, capacity, labor efficiencies, and more

Production Scheduling

• Graphical production scheduler makes scheduling your production lines easy using an intuitive, color-coded drag and drop interface
• Production schedules can be defined by priority sequence to minimize sanitation, change over and production downtime; for example, light to dark, allergens last, etc
• Production schedules and capacity overviews can be viewed in a grid format or visually
• Incorporating the concept of routing, each recipe can identify production steps
• Each step is related to machines or work centers which are defined by capacities
• Capacities help determine production schedules and potential conflicts

Quality

Set up mandatory quality audits and checks from pre-receipt of materials all the way to output and shipment. Customize quality audits and checks so that they meet the unique needs of your production process.

• Support SQF/ BRC/ FSMA / GFSI / HACCP initiatives
• Quality audits and checks (pre-receipt-to-entry-to-exit)
• Pre-receipt inventory entry compliance
• In-process quality checks and audits
• Control release and delivery of goods (based on audit)
• Date-based audits (GMP, food safety, premises, etc.)

R&D and Product & Development

Use production and recipe management data to experiment with new formulas and ingredient amounts. R&D teams are able to compare current recipes and processes with new combinations to unlock new products, recipes or cost effective formulas.

• BOM costing
• Custom item attributes (new)
• Nutritional information calculation
• Ingredient declarations
• Lab and production formula management
• Formula version costing and comparison
• Customize workflow to manage item product introduction and approval (new)

Forecasting

• Support a collaborative approach to sales forecasts.
• Convenient Excel plug-in is fully integrated.
• Generate sales forecasts using a tool that your employees are familiar with. Support dozens of algorithms including a ProCast option that selects the best method based on history.
• Feed forecasts from historical sales or purchase data. Integrate sales forecasts with the Planning Engine for material requirements planning and what-if scenarios.

Order Management & EDI 

• Manual spot orders make order taking easy with quick reference to order history, copying from past orders, order statistics, item substitutions, pricing, rebate calculations, and inventory information on the fly.
• Quick order screens available for high volume environments; quick orders strip out advanced posting functions and minimize tab or mouse clicks allowing customer service reps to process thousands of orders per day.
• Integrated EDI for order processing and invoice creation; hundreds of pre-mapped documents for over 60 trading partners available out-of-the-box.
• Order rules with full order approval available; rules can be setup by the customer, item setting minimum quantities, weights, partial pallet or full pallet order rules.

Pricing & Commissions

• Pricing rules built right into the system supporting bracket pricing, delivered pricing, pricing campaigns (integrated into marketing engine), as well as pricing supporting calendar features.
• Sales brackets include customer buying groups, price list groups and support for specific sales hierarchies.
• Cost plus pricing available for customers who deal with volatile commodities; sosts could be based on inventory costs, fixed costs, or alternative costs.
• Item surcharges and document surcharge functionality to support freight and fuel surcharges, or even temporary commodity price fluctuations.
• Zones functionality allows prices to be applied to specific zones of delivery; delivery charges are itemized and easily reconciled against the incoming logistics or freight costs.
• Extended pricing matrix allows item charges to be applied in combinations of customers or customer groups.
• Invoice printing can roll-up prices or itemize prices from surcharges.
• Estimates functionality allows sales reps to put forward accurate estimates based on a specific recipe; worksheets allow marketing costs or other fixed costs to be factored into the pricing equation.
• Commissions are highly configurable and can be calculated on price, margin, and quantity as well as advanced rules such as first-time sale, new item, new customer, unique items.

Purchasing

Manage purchase orders, gauge vendor performance and create new orders from your own historical data. Granular purchasing inputs ensure that you are able to account for all purchased materials from any vendor.

• Vendor management
• Purchase pricing management
• Purchase order management (individual orders / blanket orders / contract orders / quotes)
• Material requirements planning (MRP) based on demand or re-order points
• Custom per-item reorder policies (quantity, lead time, handling time, safety stock)
• Purchase rebates
• Purchase approval Workflows
• Pre-built reports and templates
• Customize report layouts in other Microsoft products
• Ad hoc distributed queries
• Scheduled reports
• Access reports from any device (laptop, tablet, smartphone)
• Generate reports from any module
• Add-on: Aptean EDI 
• Add-on: Aptean Business Intelligence for customizable, real-time reporting on finance, production, scheduling, purchasing and sales

Rebates & Trade Promotion 

• Create sales rebate structures based on customers or items.
• Rebates support minimum quantity rules as well as start and end dates.
• Automatically create accruals to the appropriate G/L account.
• Apply cash or payments against outstanding rebate accruals making it easy for finance to reconcile accounts.
• Trade promotion management works hand in hand with rebate functionality, allowing sales managers to plan, track and match promotion spending using a variety of methods.

Sales

Better manage your customers and sales team with detailed pricing configurations, accurate sales commission programs and trade rebate initiatives, allowing for better planning and forecasting.

• Customer management
• Contact management
• Pricing (price list management, customer tiers, volume, promos)
• Sales order management (individual orders / blanket orders /contract orders)
• Direct store delivery (recurring / standing orders)
• Preset customer orders (same order, enter it once)
• Sales and broker commissions
• Customer rebate management (quantity, accrued, lump sum)
• Sales approval workflows (new)
• Trade promotion management / trade spend

Web Portals

• Allow your customers, brokers and sales people to access a secure web portal
• Create new sales orders
• View sales order history
• View account status and statement information
• Access product specifications online

eCommerce

• Aptean eCommerce with fully integrated shopping cart application
• Allow consumers to browse and buy your products online
• Fully integrated with Aptean Food & BeverageERP; item information, inventory levels, order processing, credit card processing

Cash Flow Forecasting

• Understand your current cash position, forecast short-term cash flow, and monitor cash receipts and disbursements
• Create multiple cash flow forecasts for different time periods
• Deliver role appropriate cash flow information via role center screens
• Analyze cash flow and take action quickly

Cost Accounting

• Gain greater visibility and insight into how your business is performing by monitoring budgeted and actual operating costs, departments, products, and projects
• Synchronize cost information with the general ledger and allocate costs to different cost centers and objects
• Spot budget variances as soon as they occur and take appropriate action

Costing

• Ability to automatically allocate costs from production cost centers to work centers and products for ingredients, direct labor, and overhead
• Setup as many cost drivers as needed and link them with the supply chain
• Allocate cost from work centers to products with a number of methods like quantity, time, or weight
• After the execution of the product costing, you can analyze the cost of products to their cost components, which are defined according to your needs
• Alternate cost worksheet supports the ability to maintain, track and compare costs over time using definable cost factors
• Item charges and document charges allow you to accrue expected costs; item charge assignment functionality then allows you to associate realized costs against items or documents for reconciliation; handy for freight, duty, storage, and other associated costs
• ‘What-if’ analysis for purposes of sales quotes or pricing
• Standard cost worksheet for standard cost updates
• Analysis reports
• Item budgets
• Jobs management and resource management

Financials

In addition to the billing, invoicing and budgeting functionality present in leading accounting software, Aptean Food & Beverage ERP incorporates data from other departments such as sales, costing and manufacturing into a single system, providing for more accurate and consistent accounting.

• Billing and invoicing
• Accounts payable and receivable
• Budgeting
• Fixed asset management
• Inter-company consolidation (multiple business lines)
• Customer credit management
• Custom approval workflows (new)
• Cost analysis
• Cash flow forecasting
• Multi-currency
• Payroll integration
• General ledger provides ability to set up a company and post to the general ledger including setup of chart of accounts, general journals, tax facilities, recurring journals and source codes
• Full data export to Word or Excel using style sheets and adding links to external documents
• Allocations, budgeting, account schedules, consolidations, responsibility centers and XBRL financial reporting standards, change log, intercompany transactions, dimension, bank reconciliation, and multi-currency support
• Accounts payables is integrated with general ledger and inventory and is required for the configuration of all other purchasing and payables granules
• Accounts receivable is integrated with general ledger and inventory and is required for the configuration of all other sales and receivables granules
• Support for electronic funds transfer, MICR encoded checks, positive pay, and other advanced features
• Track assets such as buildings, machinery and equipment posting various fixed asset transactions: acquisitions, depreciation, write-downs, appreciation and the disposal of assets. 
• For each fixed asset, you set up depreciation books in which depreciation methods and other conditions used for calculating depreciation are defined

Reporting

• Support for tactical and operational reporting
• Detailed reporting in real-time via Excel reduces user’s learning curve and removes the dependence on IT departments for report writing
• Schedule reports for automatic distribution via email
• Easy-to-use report designers that integrate Excel functions like charting, pivot tables, and conditional formatting
• Add-on: Aptean Business Int

Logistics

• Provides the ability to manage two important aspects of logistics planning: shipment load consolidation, and logistics run planning
• Shipment load consolidation helps combine sales orders that are ready to be shipped
• Orders are consolidated based on a number of criteria including weight, cubage, etc
• Logistics run planning defines the transportation route that a shipment agent should follow for successful delivery
• Manage the loading dock, driver, stop sequence and times, as well as trailer and seal numbers for compliance
• Optional integration to freight rate shopping for FedEx or UPS
• Add-on: Aptean Routing & Scheduling for advanced route planning and optimization to build efficient, cost-effective delivery routes

Plant Maintenance / Preventative Maintenance 

Preventative maintenance functionality allows food companies to monitor the performance and use of all their plant equipment with real-time usage data. Plant managers are able to schedule the planned maintenance based on usage, so equipment is getting maintained in advance to avoid any mechanical failures and allow production to continue as scheduled.

• Maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) work orders (unplanned)
• Machine center asset allocation
• Preventative maintenance scheduling and planning (planned)
• Maintenance cost and time tracking
• Parts inventory management

Shipping & Receiving 

• Receiving functionality linked to purchase orders; blind receive for quantity to ensure your receivers are counting
• Quality audits on receipt including hold process, truck inspection, and any other checks required dependent on vendor or item
• Link paperwork electronically to receipt
• Receive manually or through the aid of wireless scanning devices
• Print labels at time of receipt
• Receive by case or track by pallet
• Receiving and shipping support for catch weight products to ensure accurate weight-based costing and pricing
• Vendor compliance and exceptions are automatically recorded
• Put-away rules based on allergens, kosher, or other handling/storing requirements
• Pick for shipments manually or by handheld device
• Break inventory bulk for pick process
• Pick using single scan barcode license plates
• Support items that require specific paperwork such as CofA, or proof of incubation

Customer Management – Better manage your customers with contact management, preset customer orders, and direct store delivery.

Add-on Options

Companies that require additional features, such as advanced warehouse management, handheld device support, production scheduling and EDI, can choose from a number of available upgrades that can be added to the system at any time.

• Aptean Process Manufacturing OEE for manufacturing execution; leverages real-time, shop-floor data for complete visibility into quality and production to optimize OEE and plan attainment
• Aptean EAM to control maintenance costs and maximize asset performance,
• Aptean Business Intelligence empowers your team to access critical operational information for actionable insights and to make more informed business decisions
• Aptean EDI is fully integrated with our Food & Beverage ERP, automating and streamlining data transfers.
• Aptean Pay provides a user-friendly online payment platform so you can get paid faster and streamlines manual accounting tasks
• Aptean eCommerce creates a user-friendly shopping experience for your customers 
• Aptean CRM better manages and nurture your customer relationships 

• Aptean PLM manage your whole product portfolio with efficiency and ease

• Aptean Routing & Scheduling provides advanced route optimization and planning capabilities to reduce transportation costs