Written by Zach Clarke
In our work with modern machine shops, we consistently see a focus on improving efficiency and throughput. One area that we identified as a common source of friction is the inspection process. Specifically, we wanted to implement bulk work order process imports for First Article (FAI) and In-Process (IPC) reports.
When an inspection report from a CMM contains hundreds of dimensions, the process of transcribing those results one by one into an ERP is very time-consuming. It’s a workflow that’s prone to error and pulls skilled people away from more valuable tasks.
As a product team, our goal is to identify these kinds of operational hurdles and develop straightforward, effective solutions. We believe that simplifying this frustrating data entry task helps shops run smoother while unlocking valuable time for their teams.
Bulk Work Order Imports: Why It Matters
The existing workflow for inspection data is often a purely manual one. A quality inspector gets a digital report from a CMM or other device. Then, they open the corresponding Work Order in ProShop and begins transcribing the results, dimension by dimension.
We observed that this process could take a significant amount of time, sometimes hours for a single, complex part. This creates a bottleneck that delays the flow of information and negatively impacts overall throughput. More importantly, it represents a considerable amount of skilled labor being spent on a low-value task.
The core problem we aimed to solve was this reliance on manual transcription. It’s inefficient and introduces an unnecessary risk of data entry errors. The objective became clear: to create a digital bridge for that information to flow into ProShop.
Immediate Imports of FAI, IPC Records
Our solution is a purpose-built bulk work order process import tool. It uses standard CSV files to load CMM results directly into an FAI or IPC inspection. We chose the CSV format to ensure the broadest compatibility across various CMM softwares and non-CMM digital metrology tools.
The design goal was to turn an hours-long task into a process that takes less than a minute. We focused on making the tool both simple and reliable.
When a user uploads a file, the tool provides a clear interface to map the columns from their report (like the dimension number and the result) to the fields inside ProShop. This guided process helps ensure data integrity.
To prevent errors, the system also reviews the data during the import. Then, it flags any inconsistencies for the user to look at before the data is finalized. This way, the team can trust that the information is accurate while still saving a considerable amount of time.
Impact on Job Tracking and Visibility
A key part of the design process was thinking beyond the import itself. We considered how this feature would fit into the larger quality workflow. It’s not just about getting data in faster; it’s about what you can do with it once it’s there. The feature creates a much cleaner, more traceable digital record by linking inspection data directly to the job.
We also saw an opportunity to streamline the quality management process. If an imported value is out of tolerance, the system now gives the user the option to immediately create a Non-Conformance Report (NCR) for every out of tolerance value from the import at one time.
If they choose to, the NCR is generated and linked directly to that inspection record. This simple step connects the problem to the corrective action process in a much more direct way than a manual workflow allows, improving traceability and simplifying quality audits down the line.
Conclusion
The FAI/IPC import feature was designed to address a very specific and common bottleneck: the manual transcription of inspection results. By providing a simple tool to upload CMM data via CSV, we’ve made the process significantly faster and more reliable, giving skilled employees their valuable time back.
This helps improve a shop’s throughput, ensures data is accurate, and creates a clearer, more compliant audit trail. Our goal at ProShop is to provide thoughtful tools that solve real-world operational challenges, allowing you to focus on what you do best.
Interested in learning more about the new bulk work order process inspection feature for your FAI & IPC imports? Book a call with our experts and discover how ProShop can simplify your working processes.