| Company Name: | First Line Technology |
| Industry: | Emergency Equipment / First Responders & Military |
| Location: | Chantilly, VA |
| # Locations: | 1 |
| Website: | firstlinetech.com |
| Software Systems: | QuickBooks and MISys Manufacturing |
Challenge: First Line Technology is an ISO 9001:2008 certified manufacturer and supplier of out-of-the-box solutions that solve challenges faced by first responders and the military. The products they manufacture can have more than twenty different parts, with an equal number of subparts. Initially, First Line Technology relied on QuickBooks for their accounting needs, but found that the simple methods used by QuickBooks to track inventory did not allow them to track parts effectively.
Lot numbers are assigned to batches of product packaged by a single manufacturer. QuickBooks was unable to separate individual parts from their lot numbers, as recorded on the bill of material, and subtract each part automatically from inventory during the manufacturing of a product. As a result, inventory was inaccurate and First Line Technology had no way to trace faulty or defective parts that had been used in production back to the responsible manufacturer.
Solution: First Line Technology began using MISys Manufacturing software in 2008. MISys integrated seamlessly with QuickBooks and streamlined First Line Technology’s inventory tracking process, enabling them to see the history of every part used in production.
According to First Line Technology president and co-founder, Amit Kapoor, “We work with four different suppliers and it is important for us to be able to track each part back to the original manufacturer in cases where faulty parts affect the quality of our product. MISys allows us to do this and enables us to more easily troubleshoot and solve problems, which has made it possible for us to earn the quality assurance certification, ISO 9001.”
Results:
MISys was easy for First Line Technology staff to learn. The software reduced data entry, eliminated lost production time due to low inventory, and facilitated more efficient manufacturing processes. As a result, First Line Technology experiences a steady return on their investment with MISys.