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Continuous Improvement Software (CIS) - FAQ

What Is CIS?

CIS is a complete internet based integrated solution (SaaS Cross-Platform Business X-Engineering) solution for managing (paperless) all aspects of an organization including ISO 9001:2008, AS9100, NADCAP, FAA and other business standards and requirements. It is simple to learn, use and maintain and is being used successfully by hundreds of companies.

CIS maintains your business, quality and operational documenation and controls. It maintains procedures, forms, quality records and reports this data in summarized graphical formats. Managing an organization with incomplete and outdated information, no documented management process and paper-based procedures is very ineffective and inefficient in this highly competitive and high-speed era. Managers with outdated and insufficient information end up making decisions based on a perception of the issues rather than fact.

The SaaS (software as a service) delivery method is the standard method of providing customers with CIS Continuous Improvement Software. Because of the ability to share resources, this is far less expensive than having CIS Continuous Improvement Software on your in-house server.

CIS is a SQL Database using a .Net interface to allow CIS to run on a Internet Based Server. This allows for multiplatform access and for many variations on how CIS may be set-up at different locations.

CIS Continuous Improvement Software is designed to integrate seamlessly into any Quality Management System including ISO 9001:2000, AS 9100, HACCP - Food Safety or can be used independently as a continuous improvement tool. Our software is totally integrated, easy to use and is an ASP. Net solution so that it runs seamlessly anywhere there is an internet connection (even PDAs and Blackberries).

CIS may be used at multiple locations and may be set-up as individual CIS Sites or they may be set-up as one corporate site that controls the procedures and forms whereby each sub-site of the corporate site will be separate in all functionality, set-up and data except that it will display the corporate procedures and forms. The following diagrams demonstrate the two different type of corporate set-ups.

What Are Some Of The Salient Features And Benefits Of CIS?

Conformity

CIS conforms to the requirements of ISO 9001:2000, AS 9100, NADCAP and HACCP and can be used in any organization that sincerely desires continuous improvement. The system has special features suitable to the food safety industry as well such as classification of nonconformities and reporting of CCP Deviations.

Quoting and Customer Specific Requirements

CIS combined with our Sales and Marketing Module provides control of the quoting system that also documents customer specific requirements for each process by customer or by product. The system allows for uploading of Outlook V-cards, customer specifications, procedures and/or pictures of set-ups or any other file type that will ensure clarity of the customer’s requirements. The Sales and Marketing will track customer feedback throughout the sales process, establish the next sales steps and send out e-mail reminders to those responsible to complete the sales action items to ensure that each potential customer is serviced completely.

Nonconformity Module

CIS speeds up the recording of nonconformities, near misses and errors and will record them linked to criteria, classification, location, product code and a corrective action record. Pictures and files can be uploaded and will be linked to the nonconformity. In addition, a work order may be issued instantly to assign disposition instructions and record the actual date, time and materials used. The corrective action is assigned to a manager who is automatically advised by e-mail by CIS.

X-Engineering Features

CIS allows for customer and supplier interfaces. For example, a customer may log-into your CIS system and view and research records (only records that pertain to the specific customer) on Nonconformity, Special Requirements, Inspection Results and Corrective Action. CIS can be set-up to automatically notify your customer of any inspection rejects or corrective actions related to their products. Consider that FedEx has 600,000 tracking inquiries each day and it costs them $ 2.14 to track a package using customer service personnel and only $ 0.06 when the customer tracks their own package on the internet (X-Engineering - Providing a Cross-Platform for your customers and suppliers).

Every user who logs into CIS will be presented with their own Unique and Specific Home Page specifically for the user. The home page will outline all actions that are required by that user including their own calendar. In addition, company news, CIS news, a weather report and news RSS feed will be available on the user's home page.

Graphical Dollar Reporting

CIS records the costs per month and occurrences per month of nonconformity, customer complaint, and corrective actions and damaged as received. CIS instantly bar graphs per month and reports this information by Criteria or by location and are real-time and include the very last record entered and are reported. In addition, there are graphs for Quality Objectives achieved. There are more than 30 types of graphs and reports including manager's action reports and a complete financial breakdown of costs due to non-quality and costs due to preventive action and maintaining the management system. These reports may be downloaded in spreadsheet format to be imported into other software programs such as an accounting system.

Statistics

The graphical and spreadsheet reporting provides the much needed statistics required by managers to make informed decisions and by the statistics and analysis requirements of ISO 9001:2000

Customer Feedback

CIS speeds up the recording of customer complaints and will record them linked to criteria, location, product ID and classification and will allow for instant creation of a Corrective Action Request assigned to a selected manager to resolve. Pictures can be uploaded and will be linked to the customer complaints.

Management Meetings

CIS has a module for managing and following up on action items for meetings. A meeting may be scheduled as one meeting or a repetitive meeting and an agenda entered for each meeting. Once the managers (attendees) are selected in CIS, they are immediately advised by e-mail by CIS including the agenda.
Once the meeting is held, action items may be entered and assigned to managers. These action items are followed up by CIS and the managers will be reminded periodically of action items that are due and/or late. Late action items may also be sent to upper management for immediate action by CIS automatically.

Calibration and Maintenance

CIS has a module to manage the calibration and maintenance process including a record for each instrument/equipment with the particulars for identification, calibration or maintenance procedures and calibration/maintenance periods and a corresponding log to enter the specifics of each calibration/maintenance. The log will show a history of each calibration/maintenance and/or repair. This log also records the calibration certificate number for reference.
CIS will automatically recall each instrument that is due for calibration or maintenance one month prior to the calibration due date and send out a notification by e-mail to the responsible manager.

Vendor Management

CIS has a module to manage the vendor control process including a record for each vendor with the name, address, contact, e-mail, approval method, re-evaluation date and scope of approval and a corresponding log to enter the specifics of each re-evaluation The log will show a history of each vendor's evaluation and re-evaluation.

CIS will automatically recall each vendor that is due for re-evaluation one month prior to the re-evaluation due date and send out a notification by e-mail to the responsible manager.
CIS can issue purchase orders by e-mail and logs the purchase orders with the receiving inspection. Accounts payable may view the purchase orders and archive them as they are paid. Issuing purchase orders has never being so easy!

CIS Monthly Calendar

CIS displays a monthly calendar that will show all outstanding management functions including: Meetings that are scheduled, late or due corrective actions, damaged as received, calibrations and vendor re-evaluations. The calendar is an excellent picture of the activity of the overall management system. Each task on the calendar links automatically to the actual module and task for detailed information.

Procedures and Forms

CIS includes a module for your procedures and forms. These can be accessed immediately from this module and the history and revisions are controlled easily and automatically by CIS. This is an amazing document and control feature.

Multiple Site Features

CIS has a super user for corporate offices to have a summary from each location using the CIS software. The executive summary lists each location and the outstanding corrective actions, inspections and outstanding quality objectives. At any time the executive super user may click on any reported information and will be linked immediately to the specific facility's CIS software showing the information in detail.
In addition, the executive super user can view charts of one, all or a combination of facilities using the CIS Software. The super administrator may also control the criteria's and preferences for each facility using the CIS Software.
The head office may also control all of the documentation for the satellite systems. Each satellite system would mirror the documentation and forms section of the head office.

Corrective Action - Automated E-mail Notification

Automatically generates a new corrective action record to be assigned to a manager for investigation and resolution when entering a nonconformity or customer complaint. The manager is instantly informed of the pending corrective action by e-mail and when the record is revised or modified. There is also a date setting that will advise all managers when a corrective action is not resolved within the default due date (i.e. 30-days).

Driving Improvement

The corrective action module tracks the investigation and continues to highlight the issues until the resolution is effective and implemented. Corrective Actions that are not resolved immediately are sent to the attention of a selected group of executive management.

Custom Criteria

The customer's administrator has the ability to enter their own specific criteria, classifications, locations and product codes to be tracked and reported. These include:
• Criteria for each module specific for your business;
• Classification Criteria for each module specific for your business;
• Product Codes specific for your business;
• Facility name or Locations specific for your business.

Custom Preferences

The CIS allows the administrator to customize preferences including the ability to upload their own logos into the system, decide on the day allotments for CIS to consider corrective action late (default due date), select managers who will receive notification of late corrective actions and a complete HTML Editor to modify the e-mail notifications across the system.

User Management

The customer's administrator may enter five levels of user management. Each level of user management has different restrictions. For example, the manager Level may edit records to add information as it becomes available or to enter resolutions to corrective actions. The users may only enter new nonconformities, corrective actions and Customer Complaints. The managers and users may not have access to the criteria set-up or user interfaces.
Also, the administrator can select which screens each user will have access to.

Database Linking

The corrective action database is linked to the nonconformity, work order and corrective action database providing a complete audit trail for ISO 9001 or AS9100 audits and for investigation of problems.

Human Resource Management

CIS includes a complete Human Resource Management system in conformance with Home Land Security Guidelines. This module allows for uploading of the employee’s picture, identifications such as driver’s license and for other files such as certificates and diplomas. The HR module tracks previous employment and reference checks as well as back ground checks.
Standard training may be linked to position profiles and when new employees are entered into the system, CIS automatically schedules the training required and advises the applicable management. Training is tracked and reported when it is late or not done. Additionally, CIS provides for performance review planning including e-mail reminders to the managers.
The HR Module allows for selecting standard training and other types of training and training can be planned for individuals or groups of individuals. As training is executed, the results can be entered into CIS individually or as a group of employees. Training records can be printed. Finally, CIS advises managers in advance of training or re-certifications that are due and will display the due dates on the master calendar.

Customer Supplied Product

CIS contains a complete CSP database to manage customer supplied product

Reporting

CIS allows for printing of all reports for investigative purposes.

Quality Objectives

CIS allows for the establishment of measurable quality objectives for improvement and it has a built in log for recording the follow-up and success of each objective. The system also graphs the percentage of objectives achieved.

Inspection

CIS includes a receiving, in-process and final inspection module that records inspection results and can automatically advises the supplier or customer and issues a corrective action request by e-mail. Pictures and files can be uploaded and associated with each record.

Other Features Include

Procedure Revision Request Module, Outlook Calendar E-mail Format, Total control of all modules in one simple integrated system.

Paperless

The system functions effectively without any paper. No logging of nonconformities, corrective actions or customer complaints. No Forms to lose or forget.

Snippets

CIS Software makes use of snippets that can be created to simplify data entry and also to standardize the information required in certain memo fields.

Work Orders

CIS Software makes use of work orders sent to managers by e-mail to provide instructions of work to be performed and to record man-hours and material.

Simplification of the NCR/CAR Process

Automated routing of any nonconformance and customer complaints through a corrective action process. This eliminates the need for personnel to scan through all nonconforming material reports to determine the next step to resolve the problems. Additionally, the standardization of the NC process eliminates confusion and leads to a faster resolution and provides instant continuous improvement that is measurable (ISO 9001:2000 requirement).