An architecture for production management in SMEs based on a dynamic link between project management and accounting packages

The effective production management for enterprises operating to customer order can’t be based only on the simple functions of planning and requirements explosion, but also requires a more dynamic control of production activities and a monitoring of real work loads relative to current orders. The {ERP} {(Enterprise} Resource Planning) systems, widely utilized in large enterprises, are often too onerous in terms of investment and implementation complexity for {SMEs.} The result is the creation of a parallel “informal” system composed by commercial, general, “low-cost” software packages, utilized in “stand-alone” mode. Our proposal of architecture is based on the features of managerial/accounting and project management packages, and aims to create an integrated structure able to surmount the limits and the inefficiencies that result from their isolated use. The resulting system offers an effective solution to the problem of {WIP} {(Work} In Process ) control, supports the management in {CTP} {(Capable} To Promise) definition in order to furnish reliable and direct answers to customer’s requests and monitors work loads of production departments. It also allows simultaneous management of different orders, work loads levelling and control of individual job progress. The proposed architecture has been finally trial-tested in a factory operating in the {ATO} {(Assembly} To Order) environment, a leader in the sector of metal shelters prefabrication; the satisfactory results have led the factory to request a further improvement of our proposal.