Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for robotic systems integrators.
A checklist built from how robotic systems integrators 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.
- Cell quotation and scope baseline
- Change requests against the cell
- Bought-in kit and lead times
- Workshop build stages
- Programme and backup register
- Pre-acceptance and site acceptance tests
- Commissioning and training log
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For sales and estimating
- For project managers
- For mechanical and electrical designers
- For robot programmers
- For commissioning engineers
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Quoted hours against booked hours by cost head
- Change requests by status, value and cell
- Bought-in arms and servo grippers due and received
- Engineer hours by project and phase
- FAT and SAT results against takt time targets
- Installed cells with contract expiry dates
- Open snag points by customer site
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- Calendar
- Document storage
- Accounting export
- Supplier order email
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Can we keep the original quote and still price changes?
- Does it manage robot programmes?
- How is a late robot shown on the schedule?
- Can acceptance be recorded on a tablet at site?
- Does it handle machine safety documents?
- Can installed cells be supported after handover?
- How do we start?
- Who sees what the customer owes?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Scope drifts after the first site visit
- Robot and gripper lead times are not linked to the build
- Programme backups sit with one programmer
- Acceptance criteria are vague
- Commissioning hours are not tracked
Prefer to talk it through? See the robotic systems integrators page.