Datacor has many exciting developments coming your way later this year – all offering users effective ways to streamline processes, digitize their workflows, and improve productivity.

Our development team is always working to deliver new and updated tools and applications needed by forward-thinking process manufacturers and distributors. What company doesn’t want to get the best out of its operations, whether in the back office or on the shop floor?

In this blog, we shine the spotlight on what’s lined up for 2023!

Efficiency Gains with Datacor ERP

Datacor’s new Developer API Portal will allows customers to easily integrate their existing Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems with other third-party applications, so that all the software in your ecosystem is working from the same Datacor ERP “single source of truth”.

Often, different departments are working across differing software systems – for instance, customer relationship management (CRM) for sales reps, or payroll systems for accounting teams. Without the proper integrations in place, key information can often go missing – meaning companies don’t always have full visibility of their processes. The Developer API Portal provides companies and third-party developers the ability to build the integrations most relevant to their business.

Product launch is due in the second half of 2023.

Additional Features for Accounts Payable Automation

Launched last year, Accounts Payable Automation will receive additional updates and functionality in 2023. This popular feature automates the Accounts Payable three-way match process, saving significant time and effort when working with supplier invoices.

This year, customers can expect more advanced invoice routing and approval capabilities, together with additional automation of non-purchase order – or expense – invoices. Improved algorithms will also allow more invoices to become fully automated.

These exciting new features are being rolled out throughout 2023.

Make Light Work of Sales Orders with Rapid Order Entry

Another new product that promises to save sales and customer service teams hours each day is our brand new Rapid Order Entry add-on. Rapid Order Entry cuts the time it takes to enter orders into your ERP by using advanced optical character recognition and artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms to extract data from a document and automatically create new sales orders. Even better? The algorithm improves over time, becoming even more effective the more you use it!

Due for release in the second half of the year.

Task and Report Automation

Task Service takes care of highly repeatable and predictable tasks, saving you valuable time so you can turn your attention to other more pressing jobs. This powerful tool automates report generation and delivery, data import/export, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transactions, and FTP file exchanges.

That means it can be used to automate common tasks, including:

• Emailing Daily Orders Report, Orders by Salesperson Report, or custom reports;
• Exporting and emailing daily spreadsheets including management information and KPIs;
• Applying price and costing updates; and
• The exchange of AR Lockbox Files.

Until now, Task Service was installed only on request. It will be rolled out to all Datacor customers throughout the year.

Improving Productivity with Datacor MES

Datacor is planning multiple enhancements to our Manufacturing Execution System (MES), all of which focus on optimizing production, performance, and efficiency. Through seamless integration within the Datacor software, the MES provides the precise control and capabilities needed to automate the manufacturing process and improve productivity.

Upcoming features include:

• The Plant Dashboard. A powerful dashboard that gives real-time visibility into how production is running and the status of orders.
• Production Work Center Status. An indicator that shows whether the work center is running or has stopped, helping to measure manufacturing availability within the plant.
• Downtime Tracking. Closely monitors Work Center status and identifies the reason behind an unexpected stoppage, helping to improve performance and minimize downtime.
• Availability Tracking. A key performance metric that calculates Work Center Up time versus Downtime.
• Shopfloor Automation Integration to MES. Datacor is also in the process of implementing an industry-standard communication infrastructure that allows the functions of Work Center Status, yield counts, and performance data on the shopfloor to automatically feed into the MES system.
• Batch Material Staging. Extra functionality for our Warehouse Management System (WMS) with the ability to pick or move materials to a specific Work Center location based on a specific Batch Order. This helps guide the material handler in supplying the raw materials for specific orders.
• Order Fulfilment Dashboard. Provides real-time visibility into warehouse operations. The software can be displayed via desktop, the mobile app, or on a large screen in the warehouse itself – updating automatically on the status of orders being fulfilled.

Not only will these improvements eliminate both paperwork on the shopfloor and manual data entry, they aim to provide a real-term view of what’s actually taking place with regard to production and inventory. Process manufacturers and distributors can use this valuable insight to optimize staff levels, enhance machine utilization, and improve production scheduling.

Looking Ahead

There's much more to come in 2023 and beyond. We’ll also be adding enhancements that will focus on Available-to-Promise capabilities and augmenting Material Resources Planning (MRP) Action messages to make better decisions for expediting, de-expediting, adjusting, and cancelling purchase orders and batches, along with scheduling batches for production.

Our graphical production scheduler will also get extra functionality this year, with real-time visibility into the production status of a batch, along with more flexibility for staff to build and adjust production schedules.

There’s plenty going on in the coming months, so be sure to keep an eye open for updates as the year progresses and these new products become available. Your business will thank you for it!

Want to find out more? Click here to find out more about Datacor's product offerings or to request a demo.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What type of manufacturing operations does Datacor support? 
They include batch/process manufacturing, lab management, quality control and plant maintenance.  

Why is an automated process beneficial?
Automation can significantly reduce the time needed to perform certain jobs – leading to faster internal processes and fewer errors. It also enables staff to focus on more essential, value-added tasks.

Why is real-time visibility so important to production operations?
This capability improves efficiency and performance by giving manufacturers accurate insights into their production volumes, manufacturing and inventory status, and raw material procurement.