An MIS or management information system is historically software and hardware that acts as the hub of a business’ operations. It gathers data from various areas and provides employees with the information needed to complete tasks such as producing work, updating customer requests, and also enables business leaders to analyse which areas of the business are working and lucrative, and which not so much. This then gives a company all the tools it needs to operate as efficiently as possible, and also reduces the impact of a long-standing and knowledgeable team member leaving as all the information is stored in one place. It also makes the process of onboarding new staff smoother and frees up time for staff to work in other areas of the business. Whilst the terminology in this feature is geared towards ‘print businesses’, many of the features of MIS such as estimating, scheduling, shop-floor data collection, shipping, and fulfilment are all relevant to wide-format print businesses as well as graphics and signage businesses. We take a look at the ways MIS software can add value and highlight the various options available – because as with most things, it’s not a one size fits all approach when it comes to picking the right solution for your business! Ease of use PrintIQ is a web-based MIS solution which acts as a seamless estimating, ordering, e-commerce, and production tool which gives businesses flexibility and control. Paul Bromley helped set up the UK branch of the business in January 2020 and is now the global sales director. Bromley says PrintIQ’s product is unique in the MIS space due to being a visually pleasing interface without the need for an on-premise costly server due to the solution being cloudbased with its own in-house development team in locations covering new Zealand, Australia, the US, and the UK. For Bromley, an MIS solution should be the central source of truth for a business and act as a repository of workflow business processes designed to guide all staff members with information. This information can then be used to produce a job or update a customer request within seconds. An MIS solution then enables a business to digitalise its business intelligence (BI) into reports and dashboards which enable businesses to analyse work that is making money. “A successful system should act as the central element of the company with key A HELPING HAND From job cost estimating to accounting and invoice management, a good quality Management Information System (MIS) can reduce bottlenecks and improve efficiency. The question is, what options are out there? 47 NEED TO KNOW / MIS SOFTWARE www.signlink.co.uk Issue 245 - February / March 2023
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