To be effective, a Quality Management Software must be integrated into the production systems it monitors. You can create a truly integrated Quality Management Software by integrating EtQ's FDA Compliance and Quality Management Software applications with your ERP, MES, LIMS, and other production software. The EtQ Integration APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) provide real-time communication to and from 3rd party systems and set the foundation for a variety of cost-saving and productivity-enhancing solutions.
With the EtQ Integration APIs you can:
- Reduce the time and cost of dual-entry in EtQ's Quality Management Software by looking up part, product, supplier, and customer information directly from your existing systems
- Eliminate the quality gap by automatically converting defects identified by your production systems into Nonconforming Material Reports in EtQ's Quality Management Software
- Shorten your inventory cycles by automatically releasing products put on hold in your production systems when the appropriate investigation and release phases have been completed in EtQ's Quality Management Software
- Minimize risk in product releases by scanning systems for open Quality issues prior to release, and automatically preventing product releases if issues are found
Real Time Lookups
Production data is often needed in quality records. For example, a Nonconforming Material Report needs a description of the part of product where the defect was found. A Corrective Action Report needs contact information for the customer or supplier involved. Change Control Requests need to identify the equipment affected by the change. Using a Subform Setting Lookup Formula, part of the EtQ Integration APIs, you can look up this information directly from production systems that run on top of a relational database (e.g., Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server or any database that has an ODBC interface). Instead of retyping the information into EtQ fields, users can pick from a drop-down list (e.g., of part numbers or supplier codes), and all the related information will automatically be copied from the remote database tables to the EtQ form. As a result, operators save time and avoid errors. In addition, consistent use of the codes stored in your production systems will make it possible to produce analytical reports that combine production data and quality data (e.g., compare total product hold time to total production time).
Automatic Record Creation
Quality is an integral part of the production process, but it is often handled as a separate process. Events have to be recorded manually, often multiple times, on paper and electronically. These disconnected processes make it easy for problems to fall through the cracks, or for quality to take a back seat to production. The Scheduled Java Task, part of the EtQ Integration APIs, lets you set up a process in which information flows automatically from production systems to quality systems. Instead of entering quality records manually, they are created automatically, with all the appropriate data copied from the production system, and are placed in a queue awaiting the appropriate handling and execution. Events are never missed and the delays are eliminated.
For example:
- Inspection failures automatically create Nonconformances
- Device usage limits automatically generate Calibration & Maintenance Records
- Equipment changeovers automatically trigger Change Control Requests
The result is that your quality system is always up-to-date and problems are resolved faster.
Update Production Records
Automatic updates to your production systems create a truly closed-loop Quality Management System. They make EtQ an extension of your production process, a complementary system that increases the value your production systems by efficiently closing the quality gap.
Technical Specifications
The EtQ Integration APIs run with EtQ's Quality Management Software on multiple operating systems and database servers. See our system requirements for details about supported platforms. The EtQ Integration APIs are included with EtQ's Quality Management Software and require no separate installation. Communication with 3rd party systems is performed using JDBC or Web Services.
