Business-Critical SharePoint solutions connect employees, business processes and line-of-business (LOB) systems, making information visible and useful in the front office, on the shop floor and across the manufacturing value chain.

Here are the top 10 benefits for manufacturers:

1. Connect the Front and Back Office

Information in ERP, PLM and CRM line-of-business systems is surfaced through a single presentation and collaboration tool that everyone knows how to use.  Shop floor information is distributed and collected in real-time with mobile devices.

2. Add Visibility into Business Processes

Managers have real-time, cross-departmental views of sales, engineering, and operations.  Rework and scrap are reduced by identifying challenges earlier.  Dashboards provide the data necessary to continually improve operations flow.

3. Automate your Value Chain

Customers consume the information they expect at every step along the value chain, reducing your costs and building customer loyalty. Interactions with suppliers and vendors are optimized - from purchasing through operations to third party logistics.

4. Be More Flexible and Agile

Your organization reacts quickly to changes in resources, customer demand and opportunities to keep your competitve edge.  No more time-consuming searches on the shop floor or shuffling paper work for orders, shipments or invoices.

5. Create Distribution Channels - Profitably

Internal processes and systems are extended through the Internet so your dealers and distributors can effectively sell your products.  You have visibilty of sales to maintain profitability and your partners have the tools they need to service their customers.

6. Simplify your Workflows

Automated workflows replace manual processes and spreadsheets - no more duplicate data entry. Estimating, sales approvals and scheduling are automated to meet your unique processes. Your business grows without always growing your staff.

7. Give Employees the Tools to be Successful

Employees focus on productive work instead of administrative chores.  Ownership and accountability are built into work processes, interuptions to employees are minimized and nothing falls through the cracks.

8. Efficiently Manage ISO Quality Requirements

All information to efficiently manage quality is delivered when and where it is needed to ensure your products and services meet customer, statutory, and regulatory requirements.  Continual improvements of your QMS are cost-effective.

9. Eliminate Reports and Reduce Emails

Employees view operations information inherent in automated workflows, eliminating the costs of creating and supporting dozens of "one-off" reports.  Job status is viewed real-time and decision-making is quick.

10. Drive Higher Return on IT Investment

Employees access information through a familiar interface, so IT administration and training costs are reduced.  ROI of other line-of-business applications increase by surfacing information locked in those applications for licensed users.

TwinEngines is a member of the Microsoft Business-Critical SharePoint program with over 18 years experience working with small/mid-market manufacturers and industrial services companies.  Join us in the conversation on ways to become more effective, agile and connected.

The Georgia Department of Revenue posted an update to 2013 state sales tax collection on December 19, 2012.

A new 1% Special District Transportation Sales and Use Tax (generally referred to as TSPLOST) will go into effect in 46 counties in Georgia on January 1, 2013.

Click Here for the link to access the updated Informational Bulletin.

The Informational Bulletin clarifies that the sales tax exemption for certain food is only an exemption from state tax and that food is not exempt from the TSPLOST and other local taxes.

Additional information regarding the Georgia Department of Revenue or taxation in Georgia, including Department contact information, may be found on the Department's website at www.etax.dor.ga.gov.

Recenty I helped a company implement a solution that included an intranet housing new Operations and Sales tools plus an extranet for customers placing orders.  The solution leveraged the SharePoint 2010 Foundation technology platform with custom tools and a database to meet the unique processes in their manufacturing value chain.

One of the early discussions involved the software licensing and hardware server needs for the solution.  Regarding SharePoint licensing- it is not a straightforward table of information, and it depends on a number of factors including your current situation for employees accessing Windows Servers.

What follows is an example outlining the licensing options and what worked best:

Basically you have to figure out 2 licenses: 

• 1 for access to the Windows Server at the OS level
• 1 for SQL Server data access

There are 2 licensing models for Microsoft software:

• Server/CAL model
• Connector/Per Processor (Core) models

You have to consider any differences in the information accessed between the employees and the external customers. In our case the employees and customers did not have access to all of the same information.

Our solution required 2 computer servers, a SQL Database Server with a custom database and a SharePoint Foundation Web Server with two web applications.

At the time we were building our custom solution,

• A SQL CAL was $200 per user/device
• A Windows CAL was $25 per user/device
• An External Connector for Windows was $2000  (only external users, no employees)
• A SQL Per Processor License was $2000 for each quad-core processor (for external users and employees)

If you have a few external customers and employees the Server/CAL model makes sense.  When the numbers rise there is a breaking point where the external connectors and per processor model is more economical.

For customers accessing the extranet portal: each person/device needs an OS level license for both servers and a SQL Server license

For Employees accessing the intranet: each person/device needs an OS level license for both servers and a SQL Server license

When all that was put into the Microsoft licensing blender here is what we found to work best in our case:

For the employees:

1. Windows Server CAL - in our case, there was a current license for each employee so no additional cost
2. SQL Server per Processor License - $6000 for the new 2 quad-core processor server

For the 100+ projected customer users:

1. External Connector for Windows Server for both servers - total = $4000
2. SQL Server per Processor license - use the one license above - $0

Click below to see a list of organizations and government funded initiatives specifically for manufacturers in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The list contains the name, description and the website link leading to information on assistance ranging from training credits, tax incentives, logistics, information tecnhonology to government advocacy.

Manufacturing Business Resources

We recently reviewed personal data terminals, bar code scanners and mobile devices with BarCode ID Systems.  They are the experts on the best devices to fit the unique challenges on the shop floor that we solve for manufacturers.

Here is a good overview list of links to the latest mobility devices from bluetooth scanners, to rugged tablets, and mobile computers.

Bluetooth scanner:  http://ww1.socketmobile.com/products/bluetooth-scanners.aspx

Very rugged tablet: http://www.ruggedtabletpc.com

Sled for iPod:  http://www.honeywellaidc.com/en-US/Pages/Category.aspx?cat=HSM&category=EnterpriseSledsForAppleDevices

Windows 7 tablet:  http://www.honeywellaidc.com/en-US/Pages/Product.aspx?category=FieldComputers&cat=HSM&pid=Marathon

Fork truck mount computer:  http://www.honeywellaidc.com/en-US/Pages/Product.aspx?category=VehicleMountComputers&cat=HSM&pid=Thor

Android tablet: http://motorolasolutions.com/et1

Wearable computer: http://www.motorola.com/wt4000

Rugged cell phone style (Light scanning/duty/features to rugged/most advanced): ES400, MC55, MC75, MC65:  http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Mobile+Computers/Handheld+Computers/MC65_US-EN

Rugged mobile computer (Light duty to rugged): MC2100, MC3100, MC9190:  http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Mobile+Computers

Proactive wireless security: And this helps to proactively engage, identify, and mitigate threats:  http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Software+and+Applications/WLAN+Management+and+Security+Software

If you haven't heard of it yet, you may also want to take a look at RhoMobile from Motorola. It's an HTML 5 application development platform that is OS agnostic. It's still in the newer stages. http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Software+and+Applications/RhoMobile+Suite

Wireless infrastructure: Barcode ID Systems has a CWNE on staff and are one of the few Motorola Elite Wireless partners in the US - meaning they can do WLAN surveys and installations.: http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services/Wireless+LAN

What Is SharePoint?

SharePoint is Microsoft's web platform for collaboration and information management that offers an easy way for companies to have a single view of business information across their entire organization.

It includes many predefined 'applications' for commonly requested functionality, such as intranet portals, extranets, websites, document and file management, collaboration spaces, social tools, enterprise search and business intelligence. When customized for your operations, SharePoint can provide a single, secure view of all the business information for your entire organization.

TwinEngines leverages SharePoint to develop manufacturing operations management applications and web portals that connect the shop floor to the enterprise, and allow companies to view, analyze and control operations in real time for the best competitive advantage. For example, we build on top of SharePoint to manage business processes and automate workflows across departments for your unique operations, including order configuration and production scheduling, and develop web portals to connect your customers, partners and employees across your supply chain.

SharePoint and TwinEngines

SharePoint is useful out of the box, but TwinEngines can help you connect it to your line of business systems to address these areas and needs:

• Cost Estimating and Quote Management Tools
• Product and Sales Order Configurators
• Dealer-Distributor Portals to Place and Track Orders
• Operations Visibility Tools
• Production Scheduling and Forecasting Tools
• Shop Floor Data Collection
• KPIs and Management Dashboards
• Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Systems
• Quality Management - Workflow, Task Routing, Alerts and Audit logging
• Shipping Management

We recently refreshed our website to more accurately align with the products and services we offer to manufacturers and industrial services companies.  While we were at it, we updated to the latest version of the umbraco content management system (CMS).  Following our lean web methodology, we have relied on the umbraco CMS for over 5 years now, and find it the best fit and value for us and our customers.

We invite you to:

• Browse our website and learn how TwinEngines works with manufacturers and industrial service companies to create the strategic roadmap, improve operational work flows, and help you make it easier for customers and partners to do business with you.
• View our case studies to see how we create operations management systems, shop floor data collection, mobility and SharePoint and eCommerce portals.

We have spent more than 17 years delivering solutions that address the gaps left by MRP/ERP and spreadsheets. Our tailored solutions are built on our SharePoint manufacturing technology platform. We enable manufacturers to run the shop floor the way they want, and provide the visibility of manufacturing operations from the front office to the shop floor and across the supply chain via the web.

Our Approach to Implementing Manufacturig Information Technology

The way TwinEngines works with companies is a departure from typical short-sighted and disconnected technology implementations. We provide a strategic roadmap that matches your growth and maturity. We spend the extra time it takes to learn your culture and get to know your people.

The results are integrated systems that enable the seamless flow of customer, partner and operations information throughout your organization, improved workflows for your employees, and a more effective, agile and connected company.