The integration of COSS Manufacturing with award winning accounting software packages provides you with a feature rich integrated ERP solution. COSS delivers flexible front-to-back solutions that operate as one complete integrated solution. In addition to providing top-notch manufacturing from COSS, the accounting engines deliver capabilities and reporting not found in other manufacturing packages. This best-of-breed approach gives you an extensive range of features and flexibility in applications right out-of-the- box, eliminating a dependency on highly customized and proprietary software.

COSS currently integrates with ACCPAC and Intuit to provide you with options, and the ability to grow into the package you desire.

Information is provided in detail and in summary formats, giving you a range of reports to stay on top of your business.

Quick access and information flow from within manufacturing to sales order, purchase order and inventory control
Data captured by the time and attendance module is easily downloaded from the shop floor directly into the internal payroll modules
COSS provides a General Ledger interface between the manufacturing WIP reporting and the accounting GL
Estimating and planning are integrated with the purchasing side, providing the user with the most accurate up-to-date material costs
Supports costing at weighted average, standard, and last cost received in purchasing
Work order entry triggers the material requirements, which can then trigger the Auto PO generator to create the purchase order required to fulfill the material requirements
Manufacturing and accounting come together to provide you with many profitability reports to run your business, such as Work in Progress and Open Order listings
Employee wages are verified in COSS when employees perform job updates creating an actual true costing scenario

APS Scheduling

APS Scheduling, or Advanced Planning and Scheduling, allows manufacturers to plan their production activities taking into account the constraints to the production process, including materials, labor and capacity.

Traditional methods of handling this task will no longer maintain or enhance competitiveness, as customers demand more and more from their suppliers.

New software is needed to deal with last minute changes in specifications, changes to delivery schedules, shortened product life cycles, the need to cut production times and costs, and manage these in a global market. COSS Manufacturing deals with the constraints you face in scheduling decisions. This includes materials, labor, machining and tooling.

COSS APS will allow you to schedule production activities and take into account the real world problems you face. Developed with finite capacity, COSS Scheduling enables manufacturers to cut production times, reduce excess inventory and overages in WIP, and better control costs in all areas.

Sales Orders are fully integrated with Work Orders to balance operating efficiency with customer demands. Best of all the scheduling and planning components of COSS are fully integrated with the other modules allowing timely and accurate planning to occur.

Bill of Materials (BOM) Module

COSS Manufacturing includes a powerful Bill of Materials processing module. The COSS BOM tracks the commitment and assembly of all raw materials, sub-assemblies and finished goods to handle material requirements planning.

The BOM processor can process multiple stages of assembly including infinite sub-components. Manufacturers can determine 100% of their material requirements through the COSS BOM, while utilizing unlimited notes.

Integrated into the COSS Work Order process the BOM has been designed to account for backorders, scrap, and assembled inventory. Features such as multiple units of measure, and full comprehensive reporting give users flexibility and comprehensive tracking. The system can relieve inventory in real-time, and through a series of standard reports can provide details on each step in the material assembly process.

With full Lot and Serial number control the COSS BOM is ideally suited to small and mid sized manufacturers.

Computer Aided Design (CAD) Viewer Module

COSS Manufacturing includes a 3D CAD viewer to review designs for estimating and work-orders. This assists with documentation and viewing of CAD designs in an integrated manner. The 3D CAD viewer integrates one of the most advanced viewer engines on the market into COSS Manufacturing software. Optional interpreters for CAD files from AutoDesk, Solid Works, Catia, IGES are also available. Features include 3D rotations, cross sections, and part measurements.

In addition to allowing 3D CAD data to be attached and viewed within COSS for items, Estimates and Jobs, the system can also attach bitmap graphics, MS Word Documents and URL links to files and the Internet. This allows for better documentation and future review of online electronic documents, a considerable advantage when you can add as many pictures and links as needed

Data Collection Module and Barcoding Module

The Data Collection Module provides essential operating information for use as inputs to guide future decision-making. Data Collection is a tool for improving workflow and monitoring a wide range of manufacturing information, giving you a means to respond to customers instantly. The Barcoding module automatically updates data.

Quick and accurate information about jobs on the floor delivered in real time provides manufacturing with costing, scheduling information and customer service with status information. This provides up-to-the-instant information that can be used to respond to customers and to improve performance at the core of your business.

Included with the data collection module, is a full fledged time and attendance package providing instant access to employee information. Time and attendance is designed to allow flex shifts, automatic downloads to the payroll module plus many human resource reports.

Different technologies for data access, including PC’s, hand held scanners and new technological interfaces such as Palm Pilots, RF technology
Feeds into job costing, scheduling and time and attendance directly from the shop floor
Subcontracts/outside operations can be monitored along with estimated return date and all vendor information
Generates the payroll hours of the floor staff and automatically downloads this information to internal payroll systems or external payroll services like Ceridian and ADP
Produces discrepancy reports for all employees that have a difference between the job hours and the payroll hours
Supports costing at weighted average, standard, and last-cost-received in purchasing
Generates shop floor routings with encoded bar codes including raw materials and operations
Simultaneous machine time can be tracked along with set up and run times and quantities tracked from the shop floor
Machine times and costing can be calculated for machines that run unattended
Company-wide messages can be sent to the shop via the barcoding stations
Employee specific messaging provides an instant communication stream to employees
Job queuing informs employees of what jobs are lined up for them each day
Interactive data screen displays jobs currently logged on plus payroll hours for the week for shop staff
Lot and serial control at the barcoding stations provides traceability of the heat number assigned to a particular job
Scannerless software has been designed to be loaded on the machines that run a Windows platform
A series of human resource reports provide real-time employee information

Document Control Module

In all manufacturing processes numerous documents are used to ensure everyone involved in the process completely understands what is required, what their role is, and when it is needed. Historically these were manually stored in job folders, so that all the documentation associated with a manufacturing job was kept in a single location.

With the COSS Manufacturing Document Control capabilities this can be handled electronically, replacing the need to manage a high flow of paper transactions.

Documents can be scanned into the system, assigned to a specific job, and maintained. Acting like an ýelectronic filing cabinetý information can then be accessed or edited from anywhere in the world. These documents can be printed if needed, with dates and times assigned to each document.

Complex files, such as CAD drawings or digital pictures can be stored directly with the job. Combined with Process and Revision control, COSS provides a complete set of tools to manage the manufacturing process.

Estimating Module

The Estimating Module within COSS Manufacturing captures the pertinent details to define your estimating requirements and assist you to scope the bid. It is fully integrated with the other modules in COSS. Estimating provides you a tool to define the processes, calculate the costs, and track the communications with the customer. Status settings assist with workflow and statistical data provides answers for strategic decision-making.

The estimate provides the backbone of manufacturing as the information is transferred automatically to the work order and process plan, eliminating data duplication. This value-added data flow saves time, streamlines activities and provides you with valuable statistical data.

Generate quotes efficiently and accurately. Use templates, and copy and paste capability from other quotations or templates
Calculate the quantity and costs of required items through user-defined calculators. Captures all the dimensions and decision inputs used to achieve these results
User-defined calculators for materials assist in calculating the quantity and costs of required items
Details pertaining to material, operations, specifications and pictures can be viewed in an explorer-like overview
Estimates can include multi-quantity and multi-margin calculations
Phantom scheduling provides estimated delivery date based on current operating schedule
Extensive quote management and tracking allows you to monitor quote status and provide hit/miss ratios in percentages of quotes and value
Customer accounting and estimating information can be downloaded to contact management systems
Quote details and margin mark-up for materials, labor, and subcontracting
Quick search, sort, filter and retrieval by customer, part number, and drawing number
Integrated with purchasing for accurate up-to-date material costs, costing at weighted average, standard, and last cost received in purchasing
Estimate operations by using set-up time and run-time using various time resolutions: hrs/hrs, hrs/min, hrs/sec, hrs/parts per hour
The estimator can override defaults and fine tune particular processes
Tracks pertinent information like RFQ numbers, part and drawing numbers, responsible estimator, contact information and all the detailed estimate information
Interfaces to MS Word for formal quotes allowing user defined formatting and communication capability as provided by MS Office products Can receive detailed layout from configurator to allow fine-tuning of parameters by experts

Job Cost

COSS Manufacturing provides comprehensive job costing and job tracking capabilities. These capabilities are built into COSS Manufacturing to provide you with a management control system to run your business.

Both costing and tracking activities are done in real-time, allowing users to completely monitor activity on the shop floor.

Information is provided in detail and in summary formats, giving you a range of reports to stay on top of your business.

On line updates from the shop floor deliver real time job costs and tracking
Flexible system allows for manual time card entry or real-time barcode entry or a combination
Single screen for checking status of job, and remaining time
Job status can be viewed as a Gantt Chart by customer, project or part type, depicting quantity completed and in WIP, start and completion date of each operation
Contact and job issues tracking
Note tracking by operation, date and time sensitive
Job cost by operation is based on either a fixed hourly cost or based on a percentage of labor
Parameters built into costing accommodate one employee working on multiple machines simultaneously
Capability to cost out machinery at overhead only, and run unattended
Job costing at the weighted average, standard or the actual cost if purchased directly for job
Work in Progress reporting, detail and summary

Sample Reports

Job Status displaying quantity in WIP and completed; start and completion dates by operation
Job listing reports, Active, On Hold, Complete
Listings sorted by multiple parameters
Work order report comparing actual vs. planned vs. estimate
Progress report by customer, part, job type
Summary comparison reports, estimate, planned vs. actual
Data mining, employee, date, operation
Detailed Job History
Work In Progress
Profitability by job, part
Multi Job value summary
Completed jobs, profit and loss
Where used report for material tracking
Lot and Serial Traceability
Manufactured parts report

Lot/Serial Control Module

COSS Manufacturing generates Lot and Serial Numbers for Completed Parts. In this way finished goods can be tracked and accounted for in future uses.

This is done via the job completion screens within the software, with numbering auto generated to number in a sequential manner, or manually generated.

Certificates of Compliance can also be generated and notes added via the system to record and track test results.

MRP

To further streamline manufacturing activities, COSS generates purchase requirements and reports this information in real time. This can be crucial as manufacturing lead times are being cut down. Our auto purchase order module reviews material allocations and will generate purchase orders based on preferred vendors. Features of this application include MRP reports tied to actual scheduled requirements and allocations based on sales and manufacturing data.

Preventative Maintenance Module

Preventative maintenance scheduling reduces the risk of lost production and costly downtime. This feature set triggers and tracks maintenance requirements easily and efficiently, right within the production schedule. Inherently flexible, maintenance can be scheduled on a calendar basis, after a certain number of shots or parts, or a combination of both. This supports quality standards such as QS9000. Fully visible to the scheduling system, the time required for maintenance is directly allocated and scheduled into the workflow as a high priority order for dispatch purposes.

Reports Module

Providing you with a reporting system that takes you from the shop floor to the boardroom, COSS Systems understands your requirements to run the day-to-day business and to strategically plan the future. Management control reports required on daily, weekly and monthly basis are available at your fingertips on a secure basis. These reports can then be reviewed in summary or detail. A brief description of the variety of reports is listed below.

Over 150 report views are available from quote and estimate stage to post production analysis reporting
Quoting tracking reports, depicting acceptance and rejection rates by customer, part type, and salesperson are built-in
Statistical quote reports analyzing the average acceptance time in days and the average amount of days until jobs are started from the order acceptance
Job status reports by material and operations providing start date, complete dates and quantity produced at each stage
Progress reports detailing the status of a group of jobs and project overviews
Employee reports for payroll and human resource functions, productivity functions and efficiency reporting
Executive summary reports and management exception reporting of important business measures
Reports can be modified by service providers without the use of source code to fit unique requirements
Production and scrap reports for shop and status analysis

Scheduling and Advanced Planning Module

Scheduling and Advanced Planning optimizes production throughput on your shop floor. COSS Manufacturing gets jobs out on the floor and completed in the most efficient manner based on due dates, priorities, resources and capacities.

The underlying methodologies minimize the amount of manipulation needed after schedules are run, yet provide the flexibility needed to handle critical jobs and shifting customer priorities. Seamless links to material planning and Auto PO generation, and real time updates from the shop floor further streamline activities and improve productivity.

Schedules material and operations to provide a true Advanced Planning System
Finite resource-forward schedulers with alternate routing, conflict and bottleneck resolution. True capacity scheduling from the department/class level, featuring 3 shift, 7 day capacity matrix
Individual tasks can be set for Parallel, Non-critical parallel and Pure sequential processing, accommodating discrete and cellular manufacturing as well as processes such as inline inspection
Material planning and requirements are set based on schedule and vendor lead times. Auto PO generation with scheduling input provides an efficient method to order materials when they are required on the floor
Scheduling priorities are based on a mathematical function using the due date for the job and the planned work load plus a user defined status code
Multilevel scheduler with material lead time evaluation provides an efficient route for all components rolling up into the master part
Graphic schedule representation includes Gantt charts and surface model load charts with selectable views by work centers, departments or the entire company
Color coding within the various charts depicts late, tight and on-time jobs, with zoom in capability to review details
Exception reporting exists for late and tight job deliveries
The data collection interface provides real time, on line updates from the shop floor
Built-in Interface to MS project allows for special project management or for reporting to customers using this standard
Process planning system adheres to high level ISO9000, QS9000 standards
Jobs can be started as active, planned, or other custom status. Each status can be set be to Scheduled/Not Scheduled can be put on hold or cancelled while maintaining full history
Subcontracting specifications are defined in the process plan and individual lead times can be scheduled

User Defined Calculators

COSS Manufacturing includes numerous calculators as a standard feature. For those with unique requirements calculators can be user-defined for materials and resources. Material calculators can be used for any requirement calculations including parametric calculations and unit of measure calculations. Resources calculators can be used for performance and time calculations primarily to determine time requirements on available resources. Once set up it becomes a matter of simply inserting dimensions or parameters. This provides flexibility during estimating and planning to deliver precise calculations of materials and operation run times.

Wireless Module

The COSS Wireless Application is a fully integrated wireless data collection program that uses hand held devices called Pocket PCs to connect to a database on the COSS server to execute several actions and manipulate the database without the use of a desktop computer.

The Wireless Application is vital in manufacturing environments where it is necessary to collect the data from plants, bins or shelves where the quantity of items is changing rapidly and has to be continuously updated.

The Pocket PC and the COSS Server use a new XML (Extensible Markup Language) Web Service Technology as a bridge to connect and communicate the data between them.

Businesses can use COSS Wireless Application to manage their operating environments, maximize their productivity and profitability while executing their day-to-day jobs. For example, they can search, count and transfer inventory items, keep track of their Purchase Orders, Job Materials and Times in addition to making better control of their shipping and receiving departments. All this and more can be achieved by using the COSS Wireless real-time data collection capability that provides current and accurate information updates.

Pocket PCs can use this application to search for items and purchase orders by either scanning the bar code of that item and purchase order, or by typing it in using the Pocket PCýs keyboard.

COSS Wireless consists of several modules, each of which has several sub modules that allow for a real time job update and inventory tracking. The major modules are: Login, Inventory, Purchase Orders, & Job Module.

Inventory: The Inventory Module consists of three sub modules that work together to control and manipulate the inventory database using different searching and updating procedures.

Purchase Orders: The Purchase Order module focuses on retrieving the details of all scanned or entered Purchase Orders (POs) and concurrently updating the received items in the database in a real time. It also focuses on quickly receiving the listed items in the PO.

Job Module: Works in conjunction with the COSS database. It contains two different sub modules, Job Material and Job Time. The Job Material sub module has been developed to allow users to update allocated materials on jobs in Real Time mode without the need to be physically at the Inventory or Production location.

Work Order Module

The Work Order module provides many advanced features inherent throughout the COSS software, such as a flexible user interface that has been developed to fit naturally into the manufacturing environment. The work order module was designed with customer driven performance demands in mind, including the flexibility to make work order changes on the fly, access to specification databases and extensive traceability features.

The work order module accommodates make-to-order or engineer-to-order and make-to-stock discrete manufacturers. Features have been developed and enhanced after years of input from the shop floor, serving a wide cross-section of industries in the discrete manufacturing environment.

Automatic transfer of information from the estimating module, the Configurator and/or a Sales Order eliminating duplication of entry
Detailed process plans and shop routers can be created from the estimate, templates or other work order
Detailed process plans combine the bill of material and shop operations to improve the method of manufacturing and scheduling
Work Orders can be made on-the-fly at any point during the manufacturing process, with true revision tracking
Project control is used to manage multiple jobs for status and profitability reporting
Copy and paste function within the detail of the work order allows you to create process plans from previously defined work orders
A specification library is accessible for all operations, allowing standardization and quick entry
Multi-level jobs and BOM with multi-level allocations are automatically created with linked job numbering schemes
Lot and serial control on materials and finished goods, provides full control over heat numbers and subcontracting certificates
Costing at weighted average, standard, and last cost received in purchasing is supported
Notes can be tracked at the job level and down to the operation level. All notes are stored in chronological order and allow operators to store all inspection comments online
Process planning system adheres to high level ISO9000, QS9000, and Aerospace traceability requirements
Jobs can be entered for planning purposes or immediately assigned an active status
To reduce bottlenecks when scheduling, alternate routings can be defined by job. Alternate materials can be maintained, including weights, quantities and material sizes.
Subcontracting specifications are defined in the process plan and downloaded to the purchase order when required
Standard and custom calculators are available for materials and labor
Process plans can be previewed on the screen before printing and can then be printed in their entirety or in departments

Auto Work Order Module

Auto WO operates with scheduling and material planning. Work Orders / Jobs are generated based on on-hand/on-order quantities, on order on Sales Orders and required by multi-level manufacturing order to meet manufacturing requirements. Default BOM definitions are read and work orders are generated; even multi-level triggers and iterations are accommodated, as well as timing requirements for limiting order requirements to far forward in time. However, built-in flexibility allows for approval purposes and a very visual approach for cause and triggers.