An Overview of a Business

1. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
YOUR BUSINESS
• What do you do?
• What system do you use?
• How many employees?
• How many clerical staff?
• How much paperwork?
 What is the paper flow?
 How easy is it to retrieve?
 How many Man Hours is Month-End?
o How many days plus?
 How complicated is internal system?
o How many spreadsheets?
o How much “cut & paste” required?
o How long to transfer data?
o How compatible to customer
information
o How much is necessary?
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2. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
PRODUCT
- Structure – BOM – Finished –WIP
- Purchasing – Raw Material – components – MRO - Suppliers
- Inventory – Identification -storage – counting
- Shipping/Receiving – paperwork – equipment
CUSTOMER
- Data – Account Number – Address - Contacts
- Terms
- Credit
- Approved
FINANCE
- Bank – Accounts Receivable
- Customer Orders – Accounts Receivable
- Supplier – Material – Parts – Accounts Payable
- Expenses – payroll – overhead – Accounts Payable
SUPPLIER
- Data – Account Number – Address – Contacts
- Terms
- Credit
- Approved
INFORMATION SYSTEM
- Computer – PC’s – Laptops – software
- Accounting – software
- Other – software
- Back up
- Support – maintenance
QUALITY
- ISO Procedures – Certified
- Renewal – apply for
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3. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
Department/ Process
Each Department or Process needs to be analyzed:
1. Customer Service -Procedures – Paperwork - Software
2. Accounting -Procedures – Paperwork - Software
3. Purchasing -Procedures – Paperwork - Software
4. Service/Operations -Procedures – Paperwork - Software
5. Shipping/Receiving -Procedures – Paperwork - Software
6. Quality -Procedures – Paperwork - Software
7. Other
I. BOM/Product Structure - Procedures – Paperwork - Software
II. Outsourcing - Procedures – Paperwork - Software
III. Inventory - Procedures – Paperwork - Software
IV. Scheduling/Planning - Procedures – Paperwork - Software
V. Product Development - Procedures – Paperwork - Software
Documentation Flowchart
1. Find what is reported,Who requires it?
2. How many copies?
3.Is it necessary?
4.How many Spreadsheets
5. How many Man Hours per month to update?
6.How complicated?
7.Can they be consolidated?
8. Can a Data Base be utilized?
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4. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
Breakdown the Information
General Flow of Procedures and Paperwork
By Department
 Function
 Is required Yes/No
 Is it downloaded or Manual input?
Within Department
 Function
 Is required Yes/No
 Is it downloaded or Manual input?
Flow Analysis
Software
 Is it compatible to “Off the Shelf” Software?
 Can it be up/down loaded into Microsoft Software?
 Can existing Software be utilized?
Manual
 Are Forms and Spreadsheets Compatible?
 Can they be integrated into Database?
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5. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
General Flow/Paper Trail
1. Types of systems?
1.1. Manual?
1.2. Automated?
1.3. Combination (Manual & automated)?
1.4. ISO QS Quality System?
2. How is External Information obtained?
2.1. Mail?
2.2. Fax?
2.3. E-Mail?
2.4. Telephone?
3. How Processed?
3.1. Original Filed after Information entered into a Manual form?
3.2. Original Filed after Information entered into a Spreadsheet?
3.3. Original Filed after Information entered into Accounting Software?
4. How is Internal Paperwork Generated?
4.1. Manual hand written forms?
4.2. Spreadsheet/Doc. Files?
4.3. Accounting system?
4.4. Combination of all or some of the above?
5. Who does External/Internal Paperwork go to?
5.1. Management?
5.2. Sales/Customer service?
5.3. Accounting?
5.4. Scheduling/Planning/Quoting?
5.5. Shop Floor/Warehouse?
5.6. Shipping/Receiving?
6. Summary
6.1. Who processes External paperwork and files it?
6.2. Who generates internal paperwork and files it?
6.3. How often?
6.4. Who receives internal paperwork? Is there enough information? Is it correct?
6.5. Is it Hard Copy or Soft Copy?
6.6. ISO /QS 9000 Quality system?
6.7. Is it Necessary? YES/NO
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6. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
By Department
1) Customer Service/Marketing/Sales
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Customer Records – Updated – How often? – How accurate?
(e) New Orders – Records Updated – How often? – How Accurate?
(f) Sales Orders – Manual and/or Software? - How much detail required?
(g) Compatible with existing Systems?
(h) How many Man Hours spent on Manual work?
(i) Import / Export Paperwork – Manual or Software?
2) Accounting / Finance
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Account Codes – Updated – How Accurate?
(e) What Software? – What Revision Level?
(f) How many Spreadsheets?
(g) How many Man Hours spent on Manipulation of Data?
(h) Percent of A/R Received?
(i) Percent of A/P Paid?
(j) Inventory Cost – Updated - How often? – How Accurate?
(k) Accounting system Compatible with Shop Floor Controls?
3) Procurement / Purchasing / Expediting
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Purchase Orders – Manual or Software? - How detailed?
(e) Purchase Costs – Updated - How often? – Accurate?
(f) Supplier Contact List - Updated – Accurate?
(g) Expediting procedures in Place – How often?
(h) Purchase Orders – How filed? – Easy to Access?
(i) Purchasing System Compatible to Accounting System?
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7. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
By Department
4) Shop Floor / Warehouse
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Sales/Order, Work Order, Picking List – Manual or Software?
(e) What System and/or Methods used?
(f) Sales/Order, Work Order, Picking List – Accurate? - How easy to change?
(g) Inventory Storage – How accessible? - Easy to change Locations?
(h) Location system – Accurate? – How easy to change?
(i) Work instructions / Methods – Accurate? – Updated?
(j) Returns/Service – How handled? - Where stored?
(k) Maintenance – How handled?
(l) Shop Floor System Compatible with other Systems?
(m)How much manual paper work required to fill an Order?
(n) How many Man Hours required to fill an Order?
(o) Out Sourcing – How Handled?
5) Inventory
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Inventory Records - Manual or Software?
(e) Cycle Counts – Accurate? – How Often?
(f) Parts Identification – Accurate? – Updated?
(g) What type of Classification System used?
(h) Inventory Records – Accurate? – Updated? – How Often?
(i) Inventory system compatible with other Systems?
(j) Yearly Inventory – Accurate? – How many Man Hours to complete?
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8. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
By Department
6) Shipping / Receiving
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Shipping – Manual or Software?
(e) Shipping Paperwork – Accurate?– Easy to Understand?
(f) Bills of Lading – Manual or Software?
(g) Receiving - Manual or Software?
(h) Receiving – Accurate? – Discrepancies? – How Often?
(i) Who can Receive?
(j) Shipping / Receiving System compatible with other Systems?
(k) Man Hours required for both Functions?
7) Quality
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Records – Accurate? – How Detailed?
(e) What system – ISO / QS or an other type?
(f) Certified?
8) Engineering / Service / Repair
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) BOM / Parts List – Accurate? – Updated?
(e) Procedures in Place?
9) IT Services
(a) How many People?
(b) Job Functions?
(c) Training?
(d) Internal / External?
(e) Turn around for Problem Solving?
(f) What Software?
(g) What versions of Software?
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9. FLOW PROCESS QUESTIONAIRE
Notes
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