QMS Software vs Food Manufacturing Software in the Restaurant Industry

Introduction

From the production processes to the sales stages, there are a number of regulations that must be followed in order to comply with the policies that have been set in place when it comes to food quality control.

With these regulations typically comes a stack of documentation pertaining to such policies and procedures. And like many decision-makers in the food and service industry, you may be looking to eliminate these paper-based quality processes in hopes of substituting with an automated solution.

Moreover, when it comes to food manufacturing businesses, you must possess various documents related to procedures, policies and more, to function to avoid being penalized.

In order to meet today's stringent FDA (Food and Drug Administration) compliance standards, converting to food quality control software would be greatly beneficial.

With this kind of software, it will be easy to not only meet FDA regulations but you will also have a firm grasp on other related standards, as well, like defining the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) standards.

QMS (Quality Management System) software is designed to manage a number of various tasks that will improve your restaurant's level of standard, including managing documentation as well as record organization and retention.

You can also expect to see an improvement in employee workflow and performance, as this type of application typically focuses on customer satisfaction and employee learning and training.

If you are not a fan of QMS software, you can also choose from food manufacturing applications, as they are often loaded with features like built-in quality management, inventory management, FDA compliance, warehousing, scheduling and more.

It is important to understand that although very similar, there are some differences between QMS software and food manufacturing software. All strong food manufacturing applications should possess GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices). That is to say that when it comes to the food industry, it is imperative all supported processes be relevant and beneficial, as the capabilities have a direct impact on quality and the longevity of your restaurant.

QMS Applications

Here are the key features and functions that can be found in QMS applications.

Audit Management
Audits are very important especially if you want to know what exactly is going inside the company. Luckily, both QMS and food manufacturing applications allow audit management and this can make reporting operational tasks, manufacturing data and key documents much easier.

These applications make sure that all of the above operations are done in accordance with the standards.

Change Management
QMS applications are mainly document management systems, which is why these applications focus more on notifying changes that are made to existing data and historical audit logs.

Change management is also a part of food manufacturing software, but it is only limited to control recipes and packaging specifications.

Document Control
As mentioned above, QMS applications are mainly used to manage documents, and that is why the document control features in such applications are much more streamlined.

If you try utilizing a QMS application, you will find options, such as document routing, scanning, and approval. Aside from these features, you will also find options for document retrieval so that they may be audited and inspected.

Food manufacturing software on the other hand normally manages external documents such as equipment and product certifications. These documents are then distributed through workflows.

CAPA
CAPA stands for Corrective Action and Preventative Action, and with this feature, the application records all the information related to any incidents that might have occurred.

It also takes note of the changes that may have taken place in existing procedures and policies. It is important that you understand HACCP by definition so that you know how this feature works.

Adverse Events
When you are running a food manufacturing business, adverse events are sure to occur and that is why you need software that can easily handle the documentation when this kind of situation arises.

If you encounter an issue, due to negligence or failure to follow compliance, the software can generate non-conformance records that may require investigations in the future. So, you need to make sure that if this kind of situation arises you are able to handle it in the best possible way.

Deviations
Deviations are termed as the changes that may occur in any of the data presents. In terms of a food manufacturing application, this means handling any changes in the formulae and packaging procedures.

Multi-Level Workflows
Food manufacturing applications record notifications to selected users, whereas with QMS applications, the user can offer approvals, notifications and document routing across all departments.

Food Manufacturing Applications

Here are all of the features that are found in food manufacturing applications.

Supplier Management
Plan sample inspections and checklist against vendor deliveries to make sure you collect all numerical data such as trailer temperature and paperwork accuracy.

Equipment Management
Food manufacturing applications allow you to create checklists related to equipment and facilities, you can also collect numerical data regarding these things.

Reports & Business Intelligence
With the help of reporting and analytics, the users can dig deeper into the manufacturing data and make more calculated decisions so that you can improve the quality levels.

Standard Operating Procedures
Aside from just standard quality control tests in a recipe, customer-specific quality procedures can also be added to the specifications for better results.

Conclusion

In the food industry, it is very important that you prioritize quality in the kitchen not just for your business's sake, but for your customers as well.

When choosing an application, it's important to first understand what your business requires and set your priorities from there. This will help you make a well-informed decision, highlighting which type of software is best for your restaurant.

Make documentation and quality management a daily priority because only then can you make sure that your business runs smoothly for as long as possible.