Project manager

1990 to 1995

Completing the loop: No sooner had we installed the final ‘link’ to the Controllers’ Office, the Controllers were standing inside my office pounding on the desk going “The system doesn’t work..!” The cost of items, that went on equipment, that had already shipped, was missing. Missing cost meant incomplete profit/loss statements. P&L’s are like the Holy Grail. Hearing this sent a shock through my system. I told myself to stay calm and went searching online, with the Controllers right behind. Starting with the customer order, we looked back in time to see when the components were due. The trail ended at the receiving dock. It looked as though the items were ordered but never received. They shook their heads “..no way.” They couldn’t have delivered incomplete equipment. OK, the parts were installed at no charge. We gave the customer a discount (!?) “Not funny”. OK, the receiving dock is the point of entry for component cost. Obviously, the items had been physically available so, it looks like they bypassed receiving/inspection. We went out to the warehouse and sure enough, the paperwork was there but hadn’t been entered to the system. A Production Manager had picked up the package but left the packing-sheet behind. A Warehouse Inspector saw a packing-sheet without a package and put it in suspense. Since it didn’t stop production; no one complained and it never cleared suspense. Until now that is. To me, this was a sign of success. An ERP system was in place and working..! The Controllers’ Office had visibility like they never had before. They just didn’t like what they saw.