Integrating event-based production information with financial and purchasing systems in product manufacturing

Abstract

Integrating event-based production information with financial and purchasing systems in product manufacturing. Some of the disclosed embodiments include a method of tracking production information, a method of analyzing event-based production information to provide financial reports, a method of adapting an online production documentation system to provide financial report data, and a production documentation system. Also disclosed are computer-readable media for storing a data structure representing an event-based delay or waste record populated during manufacturing, and a method of automatically generating an alert and providing an associated financial report in a process for manufacturing a product associated with an event-based information system. The embodiments are operable in an intelligent manufacturing system including a process for converting raw materials to a product, a process control system including one or more sensors capable of generating an alarm in response to an event that results in one of waste, machine delay, or decrease product quality, a data logger associated with the process control system for obtaining event parameters associated with the event, a database on a server for recording event parameters obtained by the data logger, and a reporting system cooperatively associated with the database for reporting productivity parameters regarding the process derived at least in part from the event parameters.