Your spreadsheets have become the system.
Bring shared records, approvals and reporting into one application, with clear ownership and a history of changes.
01 / Where we start
What needs to work better?
Start with the problem, not a technology shopping list. Sometimes the right answer is a new application. Sometimes it is fixing or connecting what you already have.
Your existing systems leave gaps.
Connect data, replace manual re-entry and build the missing workflow around your current ERP, business software or equipment.
Your prototype needs to become dependable.
Review an AI-built app or early prototype, then address its data model, access controls, testing, deployment and support before it carries business-critical work.
02 / Manufacturing in practice
From incoming quality to connected operations.
Different operational needs. The same foundation: structured data, practical workflows and web-based access. These examples show how custom database software can support the work across your manufacturing operation.
01NS-eIQC02NS-NCMR03NS-TMS04NS-OWI05NS-SMS06NS-CMMS07UNS Navigator08NS-DocNavigator09NS-HPDCA10NS-TRHMS
01
Incoming quality
NS-eIQC
Put inspection records to work.
Manage incoming quality records in a shared system, so inspection information can support supplier quality decisions and day-to-day follow-up.
Inspection records and measurements become structured, searchable data—not another isolated spreadsheet.
Explore NS-eIQC ↗02
Non-conformance
NS-NCMR
See what is outstanding—and follow it through.
See open non-conformances by age alongside the underlying records. Follow the work through investigation, disposition and approval without losing its history.
Keep the issue, its supporting records and follow-up connected.
Explore NS-NCMR ↗03
Training & competence
NS-TMS
Keep training records live instead of in a spreadsheet.
Manage certifications, renewal dates and role-based training with shared records, expiry tracking and audit-ready reports.
Bring training plans and employee records into the same working system.
Explore NS-TMS ↗04
Online work instructions
NS-OWI
Put the right instructions at the workstation.
Create, control and distribute electronic work instructions through a browser. Keep revisions, approvals and operator acknowledgements linked to the instructions people use on the shop floor.
Structured records and web-based access support controlled instructions—not another folder of printed copies.
Explore NS-OWI ↗05
Shift management · Mini-MES
NS-SMS
Know what happened on every shift.
Record production output, staffing, downtime, shortages and quality issues by shift and line. Search the shift history and use reports to see where production time is going.
A focused mini-MES for shift reporting, handover and production-loss analysis—not a claim to replace every function of a full MES.
Explore NS-SMS ↗06
Maintenance & reliability
NS-CMMS
Replace the maintenance spreadsheet.
Track equipment, schedule work, record repairs and produce reports from a shared system—instead of chasing files and emails.
Equipment records and work orders give maintenance a traceable history.
Explore NS-CMMS ↗07
Connected operations
UNS Navigator
Make plant data useful.
Bring live plant data into operator views, explainable alerts and context-aware analysis. Connect MQTT data with the operational context needed to understand what is happening.
A web-based working layer for industrial data, with retained context and governed data products.
Explore UNS Navigator ↗08
Documents & knowledge
NS-DocNavigator
Find the answer—and its source.
Make manuals, procedures and quality documents searchable from one place. Source-cited answers help people find the supporting document rather than rely on an unsupported response.
Connect operational questions to the documents that explain the process.
Explore NS-DocNavigator ↗09
Test data & quality analysis
NS-HPDCA
From test records to decisions.
Collect test data and make it useful through yield reporting, defect analysis, measurements and unit history. Move from individual test records to a view of where attention is needed.
A database-backed web application for exploring the detail behind production test results.
Explore NS-HPDCA ↗10
IIoT & environmental monitoring
NS-TRHMS
Sensor readings become a usable record.
View temperature and relative humidity readings through a web interface. Charts and recorded measurements make environmental data available for review—not just a reading on a device.
A concrete IIoT example: sensor data, stored records and browser-based monitoring.
Explore NS-TRHMS ↗03 / Working with Nick
Direct access.
Practical engineering.
You work directly with Nick, an engineer with hands-on experience in manufacturing systems, databases and integration.
We start by understanding how the work actually happens: the people, records, exceptions and existing systems. That becomes an agreed scope—not a generic set of screens.
Software built around the way your operation actually works—not generic screens from a generic brief.
Map the workflow.
Review the current process, data and constraints. Agree what the first stage must achieve.
Test it against real work.
Review working software together, including the exceptions—not only the happy path.
Deploy with a clear handover.
Plan migration, user guidance and support. Extend the system as requirements develop.
Technology follows the requirement. SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite—selected around your existing environment, workload and support needs.
04 / Before you enquire
A few practical questions.
Do we need to replace everything?
Not necessarily. Sometimes a focused application or an integration can close the gap without replacing systems that already work. We start by reviewing the workflow and existing environment.
Can you work with an existing database or prototype?
Yes. An existing database, internal application or AI-built prototype can be the starting point. We review what is usable and what needs attention before agreeing the scope.
How are cost and timing agreed?
We agree the requirements, constraints and first-stage scope before setting cost and timing. Migration, integrations and support needs are part of that discussion.
What should I send you?
A short outline of the process, your current system, what is causing problems and what you want to improve. Include the number of users and any important integrations if known. Do not email passwords or sensitive client data.
Tell us what needs fixing
You don’t need a finished specification.
Describe the process, the current system and where it is causing problems. We can start there.
Email your project outline ↗customDB@nicks-software.com