Cost centres: The building blocks of PSL Datatrack production control software

Time management, sales oversight and maintaining a steady cash flow are critical tasks for subcontract precision engineers. For many SMEs in this industry, tackling such challenges can be overwhelming without the right tools. This is where PSL Datatrack says its ‘Cost Centres’ module shines. The Cost Centres module provides a structured way to define and manage resources, ultimately allowing users to streamline operations and improve profitability. 

What is the Cost Centres module?

The Cost Centres module in PSL Datatrack production control software is a tool that simplifies how engineering firms manage resources, assign costs and optimise workflows. At its core, the module allows users to define work areas, such as individual machines, groups of machines, entire departments or even people. These cost centres are the building blocks for calculating quotations and job costings, ensuring the accurate pricing and progression of every project.

How does it help?

The Cost Centres module helps in three principal ways: accurate cost management, optimised resource allocation and better cash flow.

Precision engineers often face challenges managing the costs associated with setting, production and overheads. The Cost Centres module helps by allowing users to assign different costs per hour, per resource, for setting and production. This detailed breakdown ensures that users can account for every aspect of the job, helping businesses avoid potential impacts to their profit margins due to an underestimation of costs.

With tight schedules and high demands, efficient allocation of resources is vital. The Cost Centres module enables engineers to assign specific machines or groups to a cost centre, making it easier to manage and schedule work. Grouping cost centres into departments provides a structured framework for organising shop-floor activities, It facilitates the creation of detailed work-to-lists and enables fast, accurate shop floor data collection (SFDC) while minimising errors. By integrating with the ‘Sequential Scheduler’, the Cost Centres module helps in determining the availability of resources, ensuring that subcontract manufacturers do not overbook machines and miss deadlines.

For many subcontract precision engineers, maintaining a steady cash flow is a constant struggle. By utilising PSL Datatrack’s Cost Centres module, businesses can accurately manage their costs, providing the foundation for precise quotation calculations. This capability leads to the raising of works orders at the correct price and more predictable payments. The module supports the tracking of these costs across different jobs, making it easier to understand where costs accumulate and where savings can be made.

Tackling industry pain points

Subcontract precision engineering is an industry with many business challenges, including time constraints, complex job costing and the need for precise quotations. The Cost Centres module addresses these pain points head-on by providing a structured approach to managing costs and resources. The benefits include:

• Efficient scheduling through defined work patterns linked to cost centres, reducing downtime and maximising machine use
• Clear cost definitions that enable accurate, competitive quotations, driving sales while safeguarding profitability
• Accurate cost calculations that support better pricing strategies, ensuring expenses are covered and cash flow remains healthy.

For subcontract precisions engineers, the PSL Datatrack Cost Centres module is more than just a tool, it’s a strategic asset. By addressing key challenges like time management, sales oversight and cash flow, it enables businesses to streamline operations, enhance profitability and stay competitive in a demanding industry.