Encompix

Inventory Management Module

Inventory Management without Item Numbers

Because most materials are purchased to the job, you don’t want the constraints of an item-based system, which requires all item transactions to go to/from inventory. 

One key differentiator of Encompix is that the job and bill of material structures do not require the use of an item number. 

You may choose to enter a part first in the item master or not. If you elect to use the item master, you can define a standard description, long description, units of measure conversions, preferred vendors, cross references and many other fields. By specifying stocked or non-stocked, the system will manage your inventory accurately. 

Complete lot and serial tracking, for both stock and non-stock items, multiple inventory locations, multiple cost types, cycle counting and physical inventory are all supported. As opposed to most ERP systems, Encompix inventory replenishment is driven by simplified min/max and reorder point logic, which is not constrained by a long, centralized MRP run. If necessary, you can also view the total on hand, allocation and on order quantities, allowing you to replenish the part through the dependent demand planning. 

Job Costing Module

Manufacturers of highly engineered or complex products demand true actual job costing. Encompix is not an item-based application, therefore you can buy, sell and ship items not pre-defined to an item master. Encompix collects actual material costs at the time the purchase order receipt is vouchered. Actual labor costs are collected as reported to the system. All job costs may be viewed individually, or collectively rolled up into a parent project. Jobs may also be defined as projects, allowing the actual costs to be applied directly to COGS, with full Revenue Recognition accounting to support long lead-time production. 

Purchasing Module

Purchase directly to stock or to a project.

The Encompix Purchasing system supports company-wide activity, including the purchase of direct and indirect materials, MRO and services. The system supports requisitions with specific approvers, based on authorization levels. Material requisitions can be consolidated into a Request for Quotation (RFQ) and easily converted in to a Purchase Order (PO) based on the response. 

The Purchase Order management provides multiple ways to create a PO. Orders can be entered manually or created as a result of Dependent Demand Planning (DDP) which creates suggested purchases on a time-phased basis.

Purchase Orders can be for stock or directly for a project. On receipt the material goes directly to Work-in-Progress (WIP) and the cost is allocated to the job as WIP or COGS.

Vendor Performance ranks suppliers based on delivery, quality and price. If designated, a PO line item can be received directly into Inspection for quality verification and, if necessary, returned to the vendor.

Using Workflow triggers, individuals can be automatically notified of exception conditions, e.g. ​“Production order awaiting material.” 

Shop Floor Data Collection

The Encompix Shop Floor Data Collection system is designed to improve and simplify the collection time and quantity. It reduces the clerical effort needed to input time data, while providing accurate real time job status and cost tracking.

Automating time collection eliminates the need to manually calculate time cards and separate out job time. The time is collected with the simple act of signing on to the system and logging on to the job. The elapsed time for the operation is calculated and posted to the job. Supervisory control allows for the checking of a transaction before it is posted to the job. Management reporting is based on real-time data, without the delays associated with manual time cards.

Progress Billing Module

Another key financial ingredient for To-Order manufacturers is the ability to invoice their customers based on contractual payment agreements or milestone completions. These payments help to offset the expenses associated with a long-term project, rather than waiting until the shipment is completed to generate an invoice. 

Encompix supports flexible, user-defined progress billing and typically retains the accounting transaction in an unearned revenue account, waiting for either the revenue recognition transaction or for the shipment to occur.

Revenue Recognition Module

Companies who manufacture products with very long lead times may need the ability to recognize revenue based on the percentage of actual expenses incurred, rather than against shipment of the product(s) produced. The Encompix Revenue Recognition Reporting provides visibility by first calculating the percentage complete by comparing actual costs to budgeted costs. User defined thresholds are used to determine whether or not revenue can be recognized. If the percentage complete falls within the defined threshold, the allowable dollar value is automatically posted to the appropriate revenue account(s).

Shop Floor Control Module

Shop Floor Control: Immediate Feedback

One of the keys to running a profitable job is collecting actual costs throughout the job. Encompix Labor Tracking and Collection offers a range of possibilities from bar code readers and data collection devices, to online employee time cards with concurrent job allocations. Shop Floor tracking records, labor (both direct and indirect), material and scrap. The sooner management receives feedback from the shop floor, the faster it can respond to changes. Immediate and complete visibility of the project plan and job progress tells you if your project is on target to make a profit at any point in the job. 

Workflow Management Module

Manage your workflow in real time

Encompix Workflow Management simplifies production. Real-time data automates workflow management for processes used by engineer- and made-to-order manufacturers. 

Based on their security clearance, Encompix offers employees real-time data they can use to perform daily tasks.

Encompix has been designed around the expected workflow of engineer-to-order and make-to-order manufacturers, making it simpler for people to perform normal business processes.

For example, once the job BOM is established the engineers have the option to release the BOM to purchasing. The parts become immediately available to the buyer so he can place the purchase order.

Upon receipt of the purchased goods, those goods flagged for inspection divert immediately to the inspector’s ​“What Do I Need to Inspect Today?” screen. Material is either assigned to WIP or inventory or immediately returned to the vendor.

In addition to the real time foundation, we also provide an ​“Alert Messaging System,” to facilitate communication among users throughout the work flow process. Encompix includes many standard alerts that may be activated for one or more users of the system. For example, an alert can be activated if production planning doesn’t want to release the job to the shop floor until all direct materials have been received. And another alert will be sent upon P.O. receipt of the last material. Alerts may be sent via the internal Encompix messaging system or to a MAPI-compliant email system such as Microsoft Outlook.

Additional alerts can be setup and customized to your specific workflow tasks.

Advanced Planning & Scheduling Module

Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS)

The Encompix Advanced Planning and Scheduling module is based on Theory of Constraints (TOC) concepts eliminating the restrictions of older generation MRP-based scheduling systems. 

One of your constraints might be the amount of space required for assembly. In other cases, you may have available machines to do the work, but no available operators. Encompix allows for multiple constraint management with a variety of scheduling options and analysis reports. 

APS allows you to plan your production based on your business policies (customer priority, least slack time, reduced set-ups, order due date etc.). APS takes into account constraints such as capacity, materials, tooling and labor pool to determine the ​“best” possible schedule. You can run APS in simulation mode, with or without material constraints to see the effect of various scenarios before committing the production plan. The planning board display shows visually the capacity vs. load profile, and, with drag-and-drop features, allows the user to model changes interactively.

Customer Relationship Management Module

The primary goal of every business must be to satisfy and retain customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an important tool for Engineer-to-order companies to achieve those goals. That’s because ETO companies interact with their customers through every stage of the business cycle. From the initial estimate and quotation, to design and manufacturing through installation, and finally, service and repair. 

Most of the leading CRM packages today are designed for the company with a product catalog, sold by hundreds of sales representatives, to thousands of customers. Engineer-to-order companies typically work in a very different environment with a few sales engineers and a few customers working on projects with long lead-times and high value. In this environment many of the features provided by the leading CRM vendors do not add any value.

Encompix’s CRM module was designed with considerable input from our ETO customers. Encompix CRM allows sales representatives, sales administrators, and engineers maintain a common history of all customer activities. Encompix CRM provides contact management by establishing the account/contacts relationship. All activities relating to customer communication (telephone, fax, email) are maintained in the customer history record. In addition to these traditional features, users can access service information as well as quotations and orders.

CRM empowers employees with easy-to-use tools that help them manage the customer relationship. They’ll communicate faster, develop deeper understanding of a customer’s business, and, ultimately, create a more profitable relationship. 

Payroll and Human Resources Module

For Payroll and HR Encompix partners with Sage Abra and offers their ABRA Suite of products. ABRA is the leading payroll package for midsize companies. ABRA is fully integrated into the rest of Encompix in particular shop floor control and general ledger. Labor transactions are easily transferred to ABRA from shop floor bookings. ABRA calculates the total payroll and posts to the appropriate payroll account in the General Ledger. 

Help Desk

The Encompix Help Desk is available via telephone, fax or email. Encompix can also dial into your system remotely to resolve any problems without the need for onsite consulting expenses. 

Unlike most support organizations, Encompix uses a ​“touch and hold” method rather than a ​“front line-back line” method. This means that your initial Encompix contact person will manage your issue all the way through to its resolution. You won’t waste time communicating your issue repeatedly as it is handed off from one level to another.

Implementation

An implementation methodology focused on your business objectives

Encompix will personalize its implementation strategy to the needs of your business. An eight stage implementation process insures that components most important to your bottom line are up and running first.

1. Project Kickoff 

It all begins at a formal meeting with your Encompix implementation team. You’ll discuss the business reasons for selecting a new system, and your objectives and timeframe for the implementation.

2. Orientation

A detailed education session to explore Encompix’s capabilities in-depth.

3. Detailed Planning 

You’ll review the results of the orientation session, and develop a detailed implementation plan, including specific tasks, personnel assignments, and milestones. Your consultant will be available throughout this period to help you manage the project.

4. Conference Room Pilot 

As you use the system to process an order from beginning to end, your implementation team and functional managers can see the overall flow of the system and review its effectiveness at processing your data.

5. Production Pilot 

By processing your actual data through Encompix, you can ensure that all procedures have been properly mapped to the system, and that the data conversion is accurate and appropriate. Completion of the production pilot verifies that you are ready to go live with the system as soon as the users are trained.

6. End-User Training 

Our training goes beyond simply teaching users which keys to hit, but includes an explanation of the business reasons for new procedures and the benefits, including hands-on exercise with real data familiar to the users.

7. Go Live 

This is the time when you turn off your old system and begin to run your business with Encompix. Your Encompix consultant will be right there by your side, ensuring that everything runs smoothly for this important event. Should any unforeseen issues arise, your consultant will address them immediately.

8. Post-Implementation Review 

After you have been using the system for several months, your consultant will return to meet with you. Together you’ll evaluate how you are using the Encompix system, and identify and correct inefficient procedures or processes. The improvements achieved with Encompix will also be compared against baseline measurements.