Trace-ability Software Recommendations

Hello Everyone, 

      This is going to sound like a promotion but I do not have any affiliation to this company I am just posting this as a question if anyone has used this software before. All I ask for is does it work and does it help control trace ability.  You are welcome to take down the post if there is an issue of promoting other food safety program that assist.

I have been working as a Food Safety Manager for 3 years now and I have always asked myself if there is a software out there that can do an optimal control of trace-ability of the Supply chain. I have searched at least every 2-4 months time span and have seen several demos of such programs. 

Today I was reading an article in the Food Safety Magazine and saw the author work for FoodLogiQ. Has anyone used this program before does it work and does it help trace-product as it states? 

We use SAP to run the business, and as long as all the relevant documents are attached during the manufacturing/sales process, we have no problems. The first law of information management is "If supposedly the same information is held in more than location, you should assume that none of it is correct!". The more systems you have holding the same information, the less likely they are to be synchronised.

I've got experience with two systems that are ERP systems, not just for traceability:

DEACOM (not originally built for food industry, BUT they are very accommodating and update their system often to any feedback from users). 

• PROS: very quick and easy to do traceability throughout the supply chain.  Can setup dashboards relatively easy to do "one button click" operations.  There is no "add ons" purchases required.  You buy the entire system and pay per licensed user.
• CONS: can be very confusing when first working with the system.  Not very intuitive.  A lot of security restrictions (can be good) which have to be opened up.  Does not play well with other systems or with any lab equipment or process equipment.

Microsoft DAX

• PROS:  The only one I can think of...incorporates well with Microsoft Office (excel and word) which is nice, but a lot of systems you can just export to a CSV file and work with Excel.  Can operate in a cloud environment (this can be a con too depending on your network and IT systems).  You pay a premium for the cloud environment.  You can setup dashboards here too, but I haven't gotten that far yet.
• CONS: not intuitive at all...there is a large learning curve.  Without dashboards it takes multiple clicks to find anything.  The good thing is you can get to various areas you want to go in a few different ways.  Although that can be bad because it just makes it more confusing.  Another LARGE con with this system is you aren't buying all functionality out of the box, you pay for base functionality and if you want to add functionality you pay for it with modules.  Some people may see this as a benefit as it keeps the cost down upfront, but trust me...you end up paying more for it in the long run with the restricted functionality and having to work around it.

If I had my druthers I prefer the DEACOM system but unfortunately in the locations I've worked I inherited the ERP systems.

And...any system is only as good as the information you put into it.  If you put s*** in you will get s*** out.   :rofl2:

We use SAP to run the business, and as long as all the relevant documents are attached during the manufacturing/sales process, we have no problems. The first law of information management is "If supposedly the same information is held in more than location, you should assume that none of it is correct!". The more systems you have holding the same information, the less likely they are to be synchronised.