Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for automation equipment manufacturers.
A checklist built from how automation equipment manufacturers work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Machine estimate and cost plan
- Machine bill of materials with revision
- Machined part orders
- Component purchasing and receipt
- Assembly and wiring stages
- Buy-off and punch list
- Spares and after-sales support
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For design engineers
- For buyers
- For workshop and fitters
- For project managers
- For service engineers
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Machines on the floor by build stage and due date
- Missing catalogue items per machine and supplier
- Outside machining due and overdue by machinist
- Estimate against posted cost by machine
- Open punch items per machine, oldest first
- Warranty expiry by delivered serial number
- Spares sold by machine model
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- Document storage
- Supplier order email
- Accounting export
- SMS
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Can we see which machines are held by one missing part?
- How does a parts list revision reach the workshop?
- Does it replace our CAD or PDM tool?
- Can outside machinists be tracked?
- How do we manage a customer’s run-off comments?
- Can we compare estimate with real cost?
- Are delivered machines supported?
- How does the quotation for the software work?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- The bill of materials changes during build
- Bought-in parts arrive out of sequence
- Outside machining is tracked by phone
- Buy-off issues are carried in memory
- Real project cost is learned late
Prefer to talk it through? See the automation equipment manufacturers page.