Integration of IT systems is a requirement in almost any business these days. System integration itself is beneficial in several ways. First, productivity can increase significantly, as data only needs to be entered and kept up to date in one place, instead of manually re-keying the data into two or more separate systems. Second, because data needs to be entered only once, human typing errors and delays related to manual re-keying of data are minimized, thus data integrity is enhanced. Third, it gives the business transparency and in manufacturing, a full plant view which can enable management to make better decisions to run the plant more efficiently. Fourth, it allows for easy location of necessary documentation for audits, compliance to internal standards of excellence and regulatory requirements. There are more benefits, but let’s stop here.
Even still with all of these fantastic benefits of system integration in mind, many times, calibration software and maintenance management system (MMS) integration projects do not get budget approval because they are considered too costly and risky. But why? Most often it is because someone has heard or even experienced a “horror story” where it’s been near impossible to stay within the original project budget and timetable during the implementation of the new system—so it’s just not worth it. This “it’s not worth it” mentality is usually because the process in which the software will be utilized in day to day operations was not totally thought through or planned. Many times, there is a change in the user specifications and scope of work that causes the suppliers to react by creating a totally customized solution. Then, afterward, the highly customized solution turns out to be difficult to maintain and use as well as expensive. This article will outline a standardized approach to integration to help avoid these types of unnecessary situations. But, first let’s talk about the benefits of using calibration software.