he automation in manufacturing companies has significantly improved in all areas of processing, but at the same time it has also

created a staggering amount of data. Though IT departments have taken advantage of hardware improvements to economica lly store the increased data, there never seems to be enough time or resources t o meet the needs of factory managers who face the fact gap that exists between the dat a and the usable information required to make real business decisions. For manufacturing/operations companies, getting the right information to the rig ht people in a timely manner has never been more important than it is today to red uce hidden costs, to increase production, and to maximize profits. Manufacturers have to manage the complexity of their supply chain, internal manu facturing, and operations along with meeting their distribution and customer req uirements. Manufacturers today are faced with making extremely complicated decis ions in real-time, on a daily basis, with limited information. Manufacturers fac e increasing globalization, more competition than ever, and customers whose dema nds reflect their own knowledge and expectations of a global market. Every manufacturing company is different like different processes, different tra cking systems and different challenges. All of these variations add up to the fa ct that you need a management information system (MIS) that caters to the specif ic needs as well. While looking for a MIS solution you may define your needs and formulate a list of requirements that simplify the adoption of information tech nology for improving performance. In the manufacturing industry, information quality issues exist throughout the s upply chain. One reason for this is that manufacturers depend on data from suppl iers, contract manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers in order to effectively and efficiently source raw materials, forecast demand, make and mar ket their products. Very seldom will manufacturers have control over the quality and format of this external data. Through incremental improvements in data qual ity throughout the supply chain, however, manufacturers can realize significant performance improvements, including improved speed and efficiency of product man ufacture, improved ability to perform demand analysis, improved channel partner effectiveness through timely and accurate product and pricing information, and i mproved customer satisfaction through timely and accurate customer information. Measurement and verification are needed to ensure the information quality progra m is reaching its objective.