Risk management as part of the purchasing strategy

We live in turbulent times. Uncertainties, crises and wars are on the rise and jeopardize the functionality of supply chains. But even in a changing world, risks must remain manageable. Many companies are looking for alternative sources of supply, raw materials or specifications. All of this contributes to risk diversification. But they are complex. With two simple Connected Worker tools, the complex approval and qualification processes can be simplified and carried out in a standardized, process- and audit-proof manner.

Events such as the corona crisis or the situation in Ukraine have serious consequences for the ability to supply raw materials that are essential for production. In order to maintain security of supply and thus production capability, it is important to diversify risks – for example in the form of alternative sources of supply (“second source”) or substitute raw materials. However, the evaluation processes are complex and cost time and money, and it is precisely this effort that can be minimized with the help of digital checklists. They support simple, standardized and (revision-)secure approval and qualification processes for a variety of qualifications.

One digital checklist per qualification

Structuring and controlling the individual qualifications via a project management system has proven to be simple and practicable in use cases. The qualifications themselves are created and managed as digital checklists within the system and can be assigned to different areas for processing thanks to the support of multi-level workflows. This can also include the classification of all materials relevant to production as part of risk management – categorization according to risk groups (technological risks, legal risks and supply chain risks) and risk level (low, medium, high) – as well as automatic calculation based on certain factors. This allows targeted processing according to priority. In this way, comprehensive planning and fulfillment control of all commodity-related activities is possible via a central dashboard.

Eliminate potential risks in advance

In practice, it looks like this: Purchasing initiates the approval and qualification process. Associated tasks and activities are defined in a checklist and assigned to the relevant responsibilities. The checklists can be structured thematically and organized hierarchically in work steps. The list is only finalized and an alternative supplier approved as a “second source” after a comprehensive check has been carried out across all process steps.

Thanks to the digital checklist, all individual steps are now available digitally and can be transferred to other IT systems such as ERP/SAP. In ERP, for example, the new specification is stored in the purchase order text or it is checked that orders can only be placed with the new supplier. Complicated Excel lists are a thing of the past. Thanks to risk management, it is possible to minimize or eliminate many potential risks in advance.

Your added value

  • End-to-end digitalization of all raw material and supplier qualifications as part of structured project management
  • Platform capability, integration into a wide range of systems, such as asset management, project management, ticket, reporting, shift book systems, etc.
  • Mapping of dependencies and links: A checklist comprises a complete qualification, it is cross-process
  • Cross-company and cross-national risk management is supported, multilingualism of checklists

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Comprehensive planning and fulfillment control for major industrial projects

Large-scale industrial projects such as the development of a new braking system are impressively complex: they consist of hundreds of often heterogeneous sub-projects and sub-sub-projects with countless dependencies, each of which must be meticulously monitored, analyzed, approved and documented. But how can comprehensive planning and fulfillment control with end-to-end documentation be achieved without complicated Excel lists? This requires a user-friendly project management system that maps all review and approval processes digitally and in multiple stages right from the start.

Whether the specification of a new system meets the customer’s requirements is monitored and resolved as part of critical design reviews (CDRs) for major projects. The CDRs ensure that the planned product or service meets the performance requirements. This takes into account technical conditions, costs, schedule and risk. A CDR consists of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of individual questions, each of which must be answered in a sustainable manner and documented in a comprehensible manner.

When the global view of things is missing

A typical use case for large-scale industrial projects is the development of a new braking system. A project of this size is subdivided into a large number of sub-projects, each of which undergoes a critical design review. The respective worklist of a CDR is available in the form of task and open item lists, which are processed one after the other in different areas. For example, if the material density has been checked satisfactorily in area A, the material flexibility is then checked in area B, and so on. Corresponding lists, which are often created in Excel in a very complicated way, often comprise hundreds of processes and activities, including queries to other departments or organizations. With so much complexity, the global view of the project is quickly lost.

Planning and fulfillment control in project management

Structuring and controlling the individual CDRs via a project management system has proven to be ideal in various use cases. The CDRs are created and managed as digital checklists within the system. And thanks to the support of multi-level workflows, they can be assigned to different areas for processing. This enables comprehensive planning and fulfillment control of all sub-project-related activities from a central dashboard, including sustainable and traceable documentation of each individual work step.

Perform individual checks easily

While conventional Excel lists can be useful for smaller projects, this is no longer the case as projects grow in size. Here, digital checklists have proven to be a flexible tool for recording, evaluating and documenting a huge number of tasks and questions (catalogs) as part of individual audits. A new project is created for each CDR process, which is subdivided into sub-projects. Associated tasks and activities are recorded in digital checklists. The checklists can be structured thematically and organized hierarchically in the individual projects. Once the checklist has been completed, it is finalized. All individual steps are then already digitally available and can be transferred to other IT systems such as reporting, ERP/SAP etc. at any time. The overall view of the project becomes clear. Complicated Excel lists are a thing of the past. This also makes it easier to search for detailed information at a later date.

Integration with ticket and reporting systems

If questions remain unanswered when processing the digital task lists, the user will find an open item list at the end of the checklist, the points of which flow directly into a ticket system. The tickets are forwarded to the responsible departments for processing. Here, too, checklists are generated which are used to check whether the items have been processed satisfactorily. Once this has been done, the feedback flows back into the higher-level checklist. Various reports can be generated on all activities, whereby corporate design specifications are also taken into account.

Your added value

  • End-to-end digitalization of all types of individual analyses as part of structured project management, e.g. for product or process development, prototype construction, etc.
  • Cross-company and cross-national projects are supported, multilingual checklists
  • Platform capability, integration into a wide range of systems, such as asset management, project management, ticket, reporting, shift book systems, etc.
  • Mapping of dependencies and links: A checklist comprises a complete review, it is cross-process

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Manage assets and equipment

Maintaining values

Technical devices, be they fire alarms, elevators, notebooks, laboratory equipment, pumps or entire plants and power stations, should not only function smoothly; they must also pay off on the bottom line. In addition, their operation must not violate applicable laws, directives or occupational health and safety and environmental regulations.

Synoset helps with this: the software structures, controls and enables the monitoring of all asset-related activities. A cost-benefit analysis of the assets is possible down to device level. The software provides a database that helps you to identify potential risks at an early stage so that you can take targeted countermeasures, allowing you to manage assets and equipment simply and efficiently.

Industry Asset Management
Mobile access at any time

Inventory

Hierarchical recording of objects/devices of all kinds. Optionally with manufacturer, type, serial number, location, etc.

Contract management

Recording of contracts with suppliers. Terms etc.

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Resubmissions

For warranty and maintenance periods, contract terminations, monitoring

OTIF

Overview - My account

Personal account statement with assigned assets and services.

Business data

Owner, customer, holder, department, account assignment, contract numbers, etc.

Cost allocation

Source-related cost allocation in group structures.

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Revision security

Logging of changes in accordance with FDA 21 CFR 11, ISO 22000, etc.

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Flexible processes

Paperless processing through the use of digital workflows. Electronic storage of documents and checklists.

Fast processes

Use of barcode & RFID scanners for data capture or asset identification

Deadlines at a glance

Synoset stores when a device/system was purchased or rented, which warranty periods and service levels (SLA) have been agreed with the supplier and when the next scheduled inspection and maintenance interval is due. Thanks to active resubmissions, you never miss a deadline and are always on the safe side when it comes to legal requirements or deadlines.

Internal and external cost allocation

Synoset supports you in defining and invoicing technical services – regardless of whether they are provided for internal or external customers.

Cost-benefit analysis

Would you like to know whether the operation of a device or system is worthwhile? Synoset’s “Asset Explorer” provides you with a detailed overview of your assets and operating costs, broken down by user, department, system or location.

Efficient, paperless workflows

With Synoset, digital documents and information can be assigned precisely to the departments that need to process them within the scope of operational processes.

The system maps workflows electronically and assigns deadlines to tasks and process steps so that you can monitor response times. It is also possible to regulate substitutes within the workflows. Synoset thus ensures fast and reliable processes.

Audit-proof documentation and archiving

All data is recorded and archived in an audit-proof manner. Thanks to Synoset’s close integration with common document management systems, changes are updated on an ongoing basis. The system supports you in complying with relevant industry norms and standards such as FDA CFR, ISO and ITIL, etc.

On all devices in all languages

Regardless of whether your IT infrastructure consists of Windows computers, Apple devices or smartphones with Android, Synoset can be used on all platforms. The software already supports a large number of languages. In addition to German and English and many European languages, Chinese, for example, is also available as a language package. Practically any language is possible on request.

Very easy to use

Synoset is optimized for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Operation at the swipe of a finger via self-explanatory icons. The graphical user guidance makes Synoset intuitive to use, even for semi-skilled or less tech-savvy users.

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Global asset management helps to meet critical infrastructure requirements

Critical infrastructures (“CRITIS”) are subject to special rules within the EU, such as the NIS Directive. In order to comply with these rules, and indeed to have an overview of all assets that fall under these rules, it makes sense to use a global enterprise asset management system.

With NIS 2, the EU will significantly expand its list of “critical infrastructures” (“CRITIS”) in the future. Companies that fall within the scope of the directive will, for example, have to record, manage and document all of their automation and security-related OT (operational technology).

A global enterprise asset management system in which data, dependencies, workflows and access authorizations are maintained in an object-oriented manner, i.e. in relation to each individual asset, has proven to be useful in numerous use cases. Several objectives can be achieved with such a tool:

  • Process security, i.e. ensuring reliable and stable running systems
  • Compliance with the NIS Directive and national legal requirements
  • Passing audits
  • Rapid processing of incidents and security problems

Overview, structure, documentation

Especially in the automation and control technology (OT) of industrial companies, there is often a lack of overview, structure and documentation. Neither are all hardware and software components, network participants and dependencies known, nor is there clarity about the up-to-dateness of operating systems, the assignment of authorizations or the allocation of IP addresses and much more. The complexity of a company’s technical operations cannot be mapped in conventional Excel lists, let alone kept track of.

Openness of the system, object-driven structure

As a company’s technical infrastructure is usually individual, an asset management system must in principle be open to everything, but still provide a clear structure and a good overview. Our system focuses on the object – be it machine XY or laptop XZ. Each object is first recorded with the most important basics – e.g. model, year of manufacture, serial number.

It is then enriched with extensive detailed information, such as responsibilities, dependencies and other metadata. This creates an agile object structure that provides a global overview of all technical assets and enables active monitoring of inspection, maintenance and warranty periods. Our asset management system remains responsive even with very large volumes of data – millions of objects/assets.

Your added value

  • More transparency. Your employees get an overview of all assets and can see everything they are authorized to see
  • More simplicity. Our system removes complexity. Employees only receive the information they need to continue working effectively. Everything else is hidden.
  • Less workload. Extensive automation streamlines and accelerates processes. The system does what can no longer be done manually.
  • More sustainability. Once the process chain has been defined, deadlines are adhered to. Process reliability through multi-stage approvals.
  • More legal certainty. EU regulations are stored and compliance is supported by global asset management

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Cleanliness and food inspections in supermarkets

Cleanliness and food inspections in supermarkets are extremely important, as a lack of cleanliness not only leads to image problems, it also puts customers and employees at risk. To avoid this, inspections are carried out at regular intervals. However, these inspections are often documented on paper, which slows down the process and leads to unnecessary costs.

Our customers rely on our combination of asset, service and checklist management, including reporting options, to carry out all inspections reliably and document them at the same time. The entire inspection process is supported by our electronic checklists. This begins with the creation of recurring inspection tasks, which are automatically escalated via email. It continues with the execution of the inspection and documentation and ends with the creation of further tasks to rectify defects and update reports.

Inspection processes using checklists

Within the checklist, certain fields such as the name of the inspector, date and time of the inspection are automatically set so that time is saved and no incorrect entries are made.

The different areas are then checked and problems can be quickly documented and photos of problems can be taken using simple touch operation. You can provide the inspector with various types of assistance via image overlays.

During inspections, temperature violations at counters, for example, can be stored directly with rules in the checklist. For example, when an entry is made, a further task to check the counter is created directly for the service technician. The technician can then take care of the problem by a certain time, otherwise it is escalated automatically.

Reporting and reviews

By using a digital solution, it is only a small step to turn individual completed inspection reports into clear and comprehensive reports. This helps to quickly understand the correlations between individual inspections and to derive appropriate measures, so that cleanliness and food inspections in supermarkets can be carried out quickly.

Typical evaluations in this context are how many inspections were carried out in a period of time with how many defects were discovered or whether there are particularly frequent anomalies in an area. If, for example, the number of defects increases or stagnates over time, you should adapt your processes. Cross-location evaluations are also possible; if location A uses a different cooling system to location B, the number of associated problems will probably also differ.

Filling out dynamic checklists by touch

User-friendly control of the protocol by touch, directly with dynamic changes in the document and color support. If a problem has occurred, for example, the form expands to include a comment line.

Input options range from simple radio buttons and drop-downs to free text fields and signatures

Documentation of errors with image

A picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why many of our customers use the option of taking photos directly in the checklist to better document any problems that occur.

  • Simply click on the photo function
  • Possibility to draw directly in the captured image
  • Image is displayed directly in the inspection report

Reporting options

Requirements and recurring duties can be transferred to responsible employees for processing using checklists.

  • Visualization of measurements
  • Display of process limits and exceedances
  • Automatic calculation of trends

Various types of visualization

Here, for example, is a bar chart showing how many inspections were carried out by location and how many of them were deemed to have been passed. This gives you a quick insight into how the locations compare with each other and allows you to identify differences.

Cross-location reports

Here, for example, is an evaluation of the microbiological findings. Which areas show problems particularly often across locations? Where does it make sense to think about cross-site measures?

Search for inspections already carried out

A wide range of search options to find individual inspections carried out, for example in a specific period, by a specific inspector, even a direct search for entered answers is possible.

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

How the calibration of measuring and testing devices can be carried out digitally

Calibration of measuring and testing devices should be carried out regularly as part of internal quality management. Ideally, the process should be initiated from within asset management. At the same time, the tester receives a device-specific, digital checklist that guides them through the calibration process and calculates measurement uncertainties independently and in real time.

Be it through wear and tear, thermal, mechanical or chemical changes. The accuracy of measuring instruments such as industrial and laboratory scales deteriorates over time. They are therefore calibrated regularly. They are therefore checked to see whether and, if so, how far they deviate from the target value. With hundreds or thousands of such assets, in-house ISO calibration is often associated with considerable effort and costs.

Asset Management

The process can be standardized and thus carried out more easily, reliably and transparently if it is triggered directly from the device management (IT Asset Management, ITAM) – as in one of our use cases. This increases product quality and productivity in equal measure because the data collected on the functionality of the measuring and testing devices flows directly back into ITAM and can be used for subsequent processes.

Error-free process

In our use case, employees are supported in calibrating their work equipment by receiving an up-to-date, device-specific digital checklist for each test interval, which guides them through the calibration process. This ensures that the process is error-free and time-saving, and that all relevant information is recorded and immediately available in electronic form. There are no more media breaks in the form of paper.

Complex formulas in the checklist

The accuracy of industrial and laboratory scales is calculated using various mathematical formulas. This results in values such as the standard deviation, the minimum weight, etc. The formulas are stored in the digital checklists so that the employee only has to enter the measured values in the fields provided. The system then calculates the values automatically in real time.

Digital factory calibration certificate

The result of the calibration is the factory calibration certificate, which is then available in digital form in Asset Management. By integrating the signature of the tester and, if necessary, other persons, it can be stored in an audit-proof manner and also forms the basis for any DAkkS calibration.

Your added value

  • End-to-end digitalization of business processes and the implementation of Industry 4.0 initiatives in production and quality management
  • High product quality thanks to the regular inspection of measuring and testing devices as part of quality assurance
  • User-friendliness, as the digital checklist provides even less experienced employees or beginners with a kind of guide through the calibration process
  • Mapping of multi-stage processes in an IT system without media disruptions

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Managing large-scale plants for renewable energy projects

Oil and gas are more expensive than they have been for a long time. Alternative energy sources are benefiting from this. Not only companies, but also numerous countries and local authorities are trying to cover at least part of their electricity requirements with wind and/or solar energy. Wind and solar parks are currently springing up like mushrooms. For their investment to pay off, the administrative costs must be manageable from the outset. Maintenance work must also be carried out quickly, safely and efficiently. In both cases, web-based asset management and checklist tools can help.

From the outset, operators of wind or solar parks have to deal with a large number of technical assets spread over large areas. Whether turbines or solar modules – all components of the green infrastructure must be recorded, documented, invoiced and serviced at regular intervals from the day they are purchased to the day they are decommissioned. The associated “paperwork” in the form of purchase and rental contracts, maintenance and warranty periods, inspection logs and service requests is time-consuming, labor-intensive and error-prone, and information often has to be transferred and archived by hand.

Advantages: Asset management and checklist tools

Minimize administrative effort

With an asset management system, the green infrastructure can be managed much more efficiently – including the services required for operation. All data relating to technical assets, faults and service requests is stored centrally in such a system, yet employees can maintain it locally and use it worldwide. Plausibility checks ensure uniform and correct data collection. The integration of barcode or RFID scanners further simplifies the recording of asset inventories. All purchase, rental, maintenance or service level contracts are also stored in the system as electronic documents and are therefore available at all times. Access to the data is restricted by a sophisticated authorization concept.

Active resubmission

Asset Management stores when a device/system was purchased or rented, what is specified in the warranty periods and service level agreements agreed with the supplier and when the next scheduled inspection and maintenance interval is due. Thanks to active resubmission, park operators never miss a deadline and are always on the safe side when it comes to legal requirements or deadlines. The system even automatically indicates possible notice periods.

Complex maintenance process

The maintenance process itself is supported by customizable, digital checklists and workflows. This begins with the registration of a maintenance activity at the control center, includes all inspections and extends to the subsequent deregistration. All inspection points are stored in an audit-proof manner. Points that are marked as “not OK” can be documented on site with a photo and then used as a ticket. The list of defects and inspection report are sent by e-mail.

The problem-solving process is also documented using digital checklists, creating a history of problems that have occurred and how they were resolved. It is also possible to see at any time which defects still exist in which turbines or solar modules. Changes can be made to the inspection log without any programming knowledge.

Your added value

  • Workflow functionality: Electronic workflows, tasks and process steps are provided with deadlines, response times are monitored and deputization is regulated
  • Customizable and expandable: Modular system, basic functionality can be easily expanded and adapted to individual requirements
  • Greater transparency: overview of all assets including cost allocation and reporting
  • User-friendly and mobile: intuitive and self-explanatory, optimized for mobile devices, multiple language versions

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Data collection for infrastructure projects: How digital checklists improve transparency, safety and process reliability

Large infrastructure projects such as the 5G network expansion have one thing in common: they consist of hundreds of construction and testing measures that are scattered across the country. How can cross-measure quality management and central project controlling be established with little effort? Digital checklists and project management are useful tools here.

It usually takes one to two years for a new mobile communications site to go online. It is much quicker to expand a site, but either way, the central project management team manages and controls hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller and larger construction projects in parallel. Depending on the location, trade or antenna technology, a wide variety of requirements have to be taken into account – from municipal building law and the topography of the location to the question of how much data traffic should ultimately pass through the mobile phone mast.

Precise site preparation

Switzerland is currently leading the way in the expansion of its 5G networks. One use case in which digital checklists accelerate project processes may play a role here: The intelligent forms, which can be completed online as well as offline on any mobile device, support site managers in preparing construction projects. During the site inspection, they carry out a thorough analysis of the conditions and document all details precisely with the help of the digital checklists.

The digital checklists react dynamically to inputs and branch out into various subsequent processes, as the following example shows: if the new 5G antennas are to be installed on a building, for example, the system asks whether it is a flat or gable roof. Can you stand on the gable roof? No. How many roof hatches are there? Is a crane with a lift truck required? Yes. Can it stand in front of the house?

Route and construction site inspections with image documentation

Route and construction site inspections are also carried out in Switzerland with the help of digital checklists. Quality managers check on site at regular intervals whether the respective trade has been carried out properly by the contractor and whether the construction phase has been completed correctly. Any defects are documented by photo and integrated into the checklist. In this way, Central Quality Management ensures that all steps have been carried out properly and that errors have been avoided. Those responsible always have notice that the overall project is being implemented according to plan and can react quickly if problems arise. Nothing gets lost.

Transparency, security and process reliability

If the data for site preparation and route and construction site inspections is recorded digitally right from the start, this ensures a high degree of transparency, speed and process reliability: no task is forgotten and the collected field information is automatically synchronized with the central project database. It can then be read out immediately and used for construction project-specific and cross-project evaluations and reports. The data is available centrally and can be used for subsequent project steps just as quickly: for example, the crane and lift truck mentioned above can be ordered and the official road closure can be requested for the day in question. Necessary safety precautions can be taken in good time, which increases the safety of everyone involved.

Your added value

  • Simple, intuitive operation. Create electronic checklists in a standardized form, manage them centrally and make them available to authorized employees. Adapt to new requirements or legal changes at any time with just a few clicks.
  • Interactive forms. Adapt dynamically to all types of stationary and mobile IT devices and can be completed using a keyboard, pen or touchpad. Platform-independent.
  • Fast and reliable workflows. Electronic checklists are assigned to the departments that need to process them as part of the operational processes. Assign deadlines to tasks and process steps, monitor response times.
  • Multi-stage processes. Digital checklists support cross-departmental and cross-company processes.
  • Multilingualism. Checklists can be created in several languages at the same time. In Switzerland between German, Italian and French, language selection by user.
  • Electronic signature. Signature pads for integrating the name of the employee responsible for the check. This also enables audit-proof filing without additional paper printouts. Time and cost savings
  • Audit-proof archiving and documentation. All changes are continuously updated and the data is archived in an audit-proof manner in a central database. The data can be exported in various formats, for example to Excel, for evaluation. Connection to common master data and reporting systems possible

Technical details

  • Intuitive designer interface based on the drag & drop principle for self-created, high-quality checklists
  • Online and offline-capable app for Android, iOS and Windows, optimized for use on the construction site, without an existing Internet connection. Automatic synchronization.
  • Web application for central management of checklists, assignment to employees and reporting
  • Interfaces to Excel, ERP and reporting systems. Integration of technical plant data, SAP plant structures, external further processing

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Global complaint management creates a common basis for discussion

As part of its global complaints management, an automotive supplier communicates intensively with suppliers without granting them direct access to its quality management software. Communication is largely automated, quality-oriented and legally compliant with the help of digital checklists. The content flows directly into the CAQ system.

In the automotive industry, the quality of the end product depends crucially on the quality of the supplier parts. However, in a world where supply chains span several continents and companies do not even know many of their sub-suppliers, transparent and consistent complaints processes are difficult to implement. Among other things, restrictions with regard to the company’s own IT infrastructure prevent the direct integration of suppliers.

Complaints process complex and error-prone

Obtaining feedback in the complaints process therefore involves a great deal of effort, and the information has to be entered into the system manually. This takes time and effort, is error-prone and sometimes causes quality managers to make the wrong decisions because things are misunderstood or not interpreted in the right way. Problems reach those responsible too late to be able to react appropriately. The recording of complaints is often tied to a particular location.

CAQ system + digital checklists

The combination of CAQ system and digital checklists supports a different, promising approach: If a part is faulty, the supplier must be informed. This is done by creating a new complaint case (ticket) in the CAQ system. In order to communicate with the supplier, the system automatically sends him a web-based checklist form containing the most important case-related questions. The supplier opens the link and can now answer the query directly.

Unlike in the past, he no longer receives a standard form that he has to print out, fill in and scan again; instead, all communication takes place via the digital checklists. The supplier is thus given a certain procedure to follow through catalogs and mandatory fields. In addition, different displays are possible depending on the context and workflow. For example, the system allows the complaints process to consist of several sub-steps.

Companies and suppliers benefit equally

By integrating web-based, digital checklists into an existing quality and complaints management system, it is possible to map the global complaints processes of automotive manufacturers or other industrial companies using IT technology and to integrate all (sub)suppliers in a paperless, transparent and, above all, audit-proof manner. This means that no additional infrastructure is required on either the customer or supplier side. The (sub)suppliers also benefit from the checklist-based complaints management. They can rely on a standardized complaints process. The system can also be used for internal processes, such as supplier support.

Data flows in both directions

The extended quality and complaint management system is easy to use and scalable, offers case-by-case notification functions and can be used on stationary and mobile devices. Data is recorded independently of the CAQ client, from any location and at any time – both inside and outside production or the company premises. Employees use the corresponding app on their mobile devices via a browser (smart phones, tablets, etc.). Entries can also be made offline. As soon as the mobile device is online again, automatic synchronization takes place in both directions.

Features of our solution:

  • Online and offline complaint recording via browser or app
  • Mobile data collection directly on site with “Checkware 4” for IOS, Android or Windows
  • Supports current HTML 5 browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge and co)
  • Easy to configure checklists in the drag & drop designer tool
  • Master data management is centralized in the CAQ system
  • Notifications via email, SMS, smartwatch

The quality solution for you

The QDA solution supports integrated and automated supplier complaints, dynamic sampling plans and skip lot procedures. Companies also use it to generate automated 8D and PPM reports and analyses. Integration into the ERP enables individual supplier evaluation, which can be used in the purchasing process. The bottom line is that companies develop their own supply chain in a constructive and structured way.

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

Planning and fulfillment control through global audit management

Audits are inspection processes. They are used to detect deviations in processes, products or systems and to identify potential for improvement. The spectrum ranges from mini-audits, which are carried out at every shift handover, for example, to very extensive audits in which the entire company is checked. Global audit management consolidates audits of all kinds on one platform and presents complex issues in a simple way.

Audits are used to regularly check whether legal, contractual and internal rules are being adhered to with regard to compliance, performance or process quality. The more numerous the audits and the more extensive their scope, the more difficult it becomes to implement comprehensive planning and compliance checks, largely automated business processes and end-to-end documentation.

An audit management system ensures that all audits are mapped digitally and in multiple stages right from the start. With the corresponding benefits for analyses, reporting and documentation.

Control and evaluate “mini” audits at every shift handover

Sometimes “audits” are an expression for regular checks that take place anyway. For example, when the shift supervisor ticks off the most important points in his mind or on paper at the end of a shift. What is habitual can be used directly for a cross-shift and cross-plant quality and improvement process via audit management.

This is shown by the use case “Audit at shift handover” at one of our customers: This customer has established a dynamic audit process for its plants. At the end of their shift, each shift supervisor answers 30 questions on topics such as machine, material, method and people with “ok”, “sufficient” or “not ok”. The questions are selected at random from a standardized pool of around 340 questions, which is maintained centrally.

The questionnaire is “intelligent”. It reacts to the shift supervisor’s answers, asking, for example, about the causes of “not ok” and what measures have been taken. It checks information for completeness and plausibility and automatically triggers single and multi-stage workflows as required.

Texts can be integrated as well as associated photos, which in turn also provide security for the person filling out the form if questions arise later. Over time, these shift handover audits generate a lot of data that can be collected, aggregated, analyzed and summarized into meaningful reports across shifts and plants. In this way, weak points in production can be identified and improvements initiated.

Plan, control, carry out and export very large audits

If, on the other hand, an entire plant or value chain is audited, the audit is less regular, but all the more extensive. The same applies to audits within supply chains where certain (social) standards need to be complied with. Such audits consist of thousands of individual questions, each of which must be answered in a sustainable manner and documented in a comprehensible manner.

The worklist is available in the form of thematically or process-related structured task and open item lists, which are processed one after the other in different areas. Sub-areas are created and managed as digital question catalogs within the system and can be assigned to different areas for processing thanks to the support of multi-level workflows. Communication is automated, even without direct access to the company network. The audit participants do not have to fill in anything by hand, but can check off the points directly on their computer or smartphone.

Once the audit has been completed, the lists are finalized and all individual steps are already available in digital form and can be transferred to other IT systems such as reporting, ERP/SAP, etc. at any time. In addition, the audits are consolidated on the user-friendly audit management platform, including all audit notifications, agreements, condition tracking and documentation. It provides a transparent overall view of all audits and at the same time simplifies complex issues for users. External audit participants such as inspectors or suppliers can be digitally integrated into the audits in this way.

Integration with ticket and reporting systems

If questions remain unanswered when processing the audits, the user will find an open item list at the end of the list of questions, the points of which flow directly into a ticket system. The tickets are forwarded to the responsible departments for processing, and their responses are checked on an ongoing basis. In this way, comprehensive planning and fulfillment control of all sub-project-related activities is possible via a central dashboard, including sustainable and traceable documentation of each individual work step.

Your added value

  • End-to-end digitalization of all types of audits as part of structured audit management
  • All types of audits are supported: Process, system and product audits, multilingualism of questionnaires
  • Platform capability, integration into a wide range of systems, such as asset management, project management, ticket, reporting, shift book systems, etc.
  • Mapping of dependencies and links: A question catalog comprises a complete review, it is cross-process
  • Simplification of complex issues for users, personal user interface with the audits relevant to the user, question catalogs are always available in the latest version

Get in touch!

Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.

Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge

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