6 replies to this topic

[John Moreton]

HI

 

Can I ask what or indeed if people use specific software for management of their quality systems. I am currently looking at some as we want to introduce quality management software to support the operations of the company.

 

Does anybody have some positive experiences with them ?

 

thanks

 

john

[Philip @ Safefood 360°]

Hi John,

 

Thanks for posting your topic in the Safefood 360 forum.   We are a provider of QMS software so you’re likely to get only one answer around here! Rather than give you a sales pitch, let me direct you towards some previous community discussions on the same topic.

 

You’ll find lots of various recommendations, including our own, in the following;

 

(Simon, if you think John’s question will get a better response elsewhere, please feel free to move.)

• Quality and Food Safety Software/Cloud System
• SQF Implementation Software Package Recommendations
• Vendor compliance tracking software
• Audit Software
• Master Sanitation Schedule Software
• QC Software to track HACCP and all related programs
• Document Management System

 

If you'd like to learn more about what we do, please get in touch with us and we can give you a demo of the system.

 

Thanks,

Philip.

 

[John Moreton]

Hi Philip, Sorry I think I didn't word my 1st post properly, we are all ready implementing 360 today in fact with Bob and George (Very excited) =)

I just wanted to see how other people use QMS software and how they find it helps manage their systems.

I also kept it generic as I didn't want to fall in to the trap of advertising and getting banned.

 

thanks for your reply

 

John

[smaina]

John,

You could try q-pulse or sentinel. I have worked with both in an inflight kitchen and the airline industry and quite useful

Simon

[Philip @ Safefood 360°]

Hi John - of course, I know who you are now. This was my mistake. 

 

From observing discussions on the subject in the past I can say that a significant portion of our peers are fundamentally reluctant to let go of their Excel workbooks, Paper, Access Databases et al. This could be as a result of simply not seeing the benefits software can bring, skepticism on what it can really do, poor past experiences etc. And there are those who may greatly want to utilize a software platform for FSM but for whatever budgetary or other reasons are unable to do so. However those that do adopt software to help manage the process tend to be generally positive about their experience.

 

For our part, we operate a continuous improvement cycle. So feedback from what is effectively our ‘community’ of users is reviewed, analysed and when approved is developed into the software usually within a few days or weeks. Same for changes in GFSI requirements or legislation. Everybody benefits from this, so you could say that our users play a significant role in the development and direction the platform takes. This I believe greatly enhances the experience of using software; you become more invested in it, as appose to simply being a user of it. This concept is relatively new, but is the way the software world is moving.

 

Having said all that, I am admittedly a little biased and as this is our forum I am allowed to express a little bias with reprieve 

 

Hopefully some non SF360 personnel will stop by and give their own experience on using QMS software, good, bad or indifferent. Or their reasons for not using software.

[JAVIWABI]

Hello John,

 

I have used Q-Pulse in the past and Q-Pulse is a great tool, but Safefood 360 is better geared for the food manufacturing industry.  Our SQF auditor said the food industry is heading in the direction of the software based management system and about 5% of the of the US food companies are already using software food management programs.  Personally, I also have found SF360 a fantastic software tool in managing our Quality and Food Safety Programs. 

[Umeda]

Hello John, 

 

 

Hi Philip, Sorry I think I didn't word my 1st post properly, we are all ready implementing 360 today in fact with Bob and George (Very excited) =)

I just wanted to see how other people use QMS software and how they find it helps manage their systems.

I also kept it generic as I didn't want to fall in to the trap of advertising and getting banned.

 

thanks for your reply

 

John

Hello John, 

 

One of the best benefits, in my opinion, of a QMS system is having all data organized in one place.  It is much easier to connect the dots when issues arise and trace back to the root causes when you can search for and chart all relevant data at the same time.  My clients are using a software for managing lab data (micro and chem), calibrations, master sanitation schedules, line logs, internal audits, etc.  Quite a few systems, including SF360, are flexible enough to configure all kinds of tests you need to collect data for and/or tasks you need to ensure were performed.  

 

In short, people are replacing all paper logs and spreadsheets with a software.  This way the data is readily available for analysis/reporting, organized, consistent and free of transcript and transfer errors.