Production Wizard™ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Production Wizard™ and TechWizard™?
TechWizard™ is a research and development program. It provides least-cost formulation, nutrition labeling, reverse engineering, and other features in one software package. It does offer some simple batching capability. Some smaller operations use TechWizard™ for day-to-day batching.
Production Wizard™ brings the power of TechWizard™ to the plant floor. It is designed to meet all your day-to-day batching needs. First formulas and ingredients are configured to your specifications. Then the operator is provided a simple user interface where he or she answers a few questions. Next, a batch sheet, formatted to your needs is produced. Production Wizard™ tracks raw ingredient usage, tank storage, tank ingredient composition, and provides a great solution for plant floor production. Production Wizard™ provides a completed batch sheet to produce a consistent product even with variable raw ingredients.
If we purchase Production Wizard™, what does that include?
The software, manual, software setup and training are included. Everything you will need to put Production Wizard™ to work is typically included in the purchase price. If you require additional program modification, we will let you know before you purchase the software if this will incur any addition costs.
Can Production Wizard™ track the amount of each ingredient I use to make each batch?
Yes. Production Wizard™ can be configured to track all raw ingredient usage. For dairy plant operators, the necessary information to report dairy ingredient usage such as milk and cream is part of the report.
We already have software to keep track of the composition of each ingredient in our raw storage areas. Can Production Wizard™ use that information to batch product?
Yes. Production Wizard™ is a very flexible program.
We require Production Wizard™ to create a special batch report. Is that possible?
Yes. Creating a batch report that meets your requirements is included in the purchase price.
Can Production Wizard™ communicate with our inventory software, accounting software, and process control software?
Yes. Production Wizard™ can be configured to communicate with a wide variety of software programs.
How much money should we expect to save with Production Wizard™?
This varies depending on the size of your operation. Typically, users save enough money to pay for the software in just a few months. This is especially true if you are currently using spreadsheets or hand calculations. The savings is due to reduced ingredient losses, reduced product losses, and reduced labor costs.
The raw ingredients we obtain vary in composition from lot to lot. Can Production Wizard™ calculate consistent batches?
Yes. Production Wizard™ is designed to recalculate your recipe amounts based on real time compositional data for your raw ingredients. Formulas can be configured to allow users a choice. For example, if you run low on condensed skim, a formula can be configured to automatically switch to skim milk powder. If one tank is running low, Production Wizard™ can seamlessly switch to a new tank while taking into account any difference in ingredient composition between the two tanks.
Some of our ingredients come in bags and other units of measure. How can Production Wizard™ make the job easier on our production technicians?
Production Wizard™ can use any type of unit to create a batch report. For example, if your sugar comes in 50 pound bags and you would like to report the number of bags to add to the batch and the remainder as pounds (for instance, 2 bags 5 lbs). Production Wizard™ can do this. Or, determine how much the composition is altered if you round off the amount added to the batch to the nearest bag.
Can Production Wizard™ be used to batch ice cream, frozen desserts, and cultured products?
Yes. Production Wizard™ was initially designed to batch these types of products. It can handle any situation including reworking salvage ingredients or re-standardizing a mix that is out of the acceptable composition range.
Can Production Wizard™ be used to batch processed cheese?
Yes. Production Wizard™ has features that make it a good choice for day-to-day processed cheese least-cost formulation and batching.
Can Production Wizard™ be used to batch processed meat?
Yes. Production Wizard™ has features that make it a good choice for day-to-day processed meat least-cost formulation and batching.
Can Production Wizard™ be used to batch dry blends?
Yes. It is a great solution for this product type.
Can Production Wizard™ be used to batch beverages?
Yes. It is a great solution for this product type.
Can formulas and ingredients created in TechWizard™ be imported into Production Wizard™?
Yes. With the click of a button you can import TechWizard™ formulas into Production Wizard™.
Can Production Wizard™ communicate with other software programs such Oracle®, SAP®, Wonderware®, Microsoft® NAV, etc.?
Yes. Production Wizard™ is an excellent fit for use with these types of software applications. Production Wizard™ provides day-to-day batching tools that these software packages do not offer and a data bridge can be created to communicate with any of these programs. This provides you with the best overall solution at a reduced cost.
How does Production Wizard™ provide tighter control over the batching process?
The administrative and configuration tools allow management to determine exactly what is allowable in each formula and what is not allowable. Furthermore, security features limit a particular user to that level of access that he or she requires. During daily batch creation, each formula is created using only what is allowed. Formulas can be configured to allow savage ingredients to be used as long as the finished product meets preset requirements. Formula re-standardization is one area where formulas can be thrown off track to try and meet lab results for components such as total fat and total solids. With Production Wizard™ re-standardization is a simple process for the user and the result is a formula that meets all compositional requirements.
Can Production Wizard keep track of ingredients stored in tanks and other raw storage areas?
Can it keep track of the length of time the ingredients have been in those storage areas and the composition?
Yes. Production Wizard™ is designed to do all this and more.
Do I have to enter a recipe for every variation of a formula?
For example, today my 12% fat white mix is using 35% cream but tomorrow it will be using 40% fat cream. Since the fat content varies the amount used will vary.
Do I have to create a recipe for each situation?
No, definitely not. If needed, you can create a formula where the exact amount of each ingredient you wish to use is set. But for most formulation situations, we will show you how to enter the required composition and Production Wizard™ will decide how much of each ingredient is needed to meet your needs while minimizing cost.
A mistake was made while dispensing the ingredients in a batch and we do not want to dump the product. How can Production Wizard™ help?
The Fix-a-Mix™ feature will quickly determine what needs to be added to the formula to put it back on track.
We have a great deal of salvage ingredients that we need to use up in new product. We need to make sure that the salvage ingredients do not introduce new allergens or other components that would adversely affect the product. How can Production Wizard™ help?
Production Wizard™ allows you to use salvage ingredients to their fullest. Production Wizard™ can consider all the contributions of a salvage ingredient (fat, solids, sugar solids, stabilizer solids, etc.) not just fat and solids like other batching programs. This saves you money and reduces the chance of a product recall.
Can Production Wizard™ be used to manage multiple plants?
Yes. With our Enterprise version you can set up a user account to simulate the exact processing conditions at multiple locations. This allows you to administer operations for multiple locations from one central location.