Eclipse provides two methods for collecting time and material cost for a job (i.e. actual cost):
Manual entry using the Job Costing Module
Data entry from the shop floor using the Data Collection Module
The main purpose of the Data Collection System (DC) is for the system will check for various entry errors such as invalid job numbers or process codes as time and material data are entered.
This method can be used in 2 capacities; as a method of directly entering in time and material data from shop floor personal (paper time sheets) or a more useful way is to correct information entered via the Shop Floor Data Entry modules.
The Shop Floor Data Collection Module allows an employee to input data directly from the production shop floor. To use Data Collection, networked terminals will be required throughout production areas. Alternately, if purchased, the Web Data Collection modules can run on any modern browser based device.
Using the Data Collection Module, an employee will log-into the system at the start of the day, and as the day progresses the employee will continually enter time and material data using a computer keyboard. All labor processes and materials that will be entered may be conveniently selected from lists that will be displayed on the computer screen. Setup and definition of processes and material must be accomplished before the Data Collection Module can be used effectively. Setup is required in the Job Costing Module and Shop Floor employees are assigned in the File Management module File Management/Employees/ShopFloor.
At any time during the workday, the employee may review data entries for the current day, but the employee will not have editing capability from the shop floor. However, an employee with access to the Job Costing Module may edit, add or delete labor and material entries made in Data Collection.
A bar code scanner can be setup to automate the process of inputting the information required into the Data Collection desktop module.
This process will require;
a bar code scanner,
knowledge of the bar code scanning software in order to program the scanner to capture the bar code and translate that information into the input required for the Data Collection module,
report customization to include the bar codes to be scanned
The setup of such a system is beyond the scope of this documentation and may require assistance from support.