Without a supplier management system, maintaining and controlling an approved vendor list is complex and error prone, particularly when supplier quality information is kept in separate systems or tracked manually via spreadsheets.

With MasterControl supplier management software, all supplier management statuses and quality information (such as nonconforming material reports) is automatically contained in a single, easy to access location. In addition to providing an easily maintainable AVL, MasterControl Supplier features a user-friendly interface for accessing all documentation and records related to each supplier.

As engineering teams develop new designs, contract manufacturers and parts must be identified and added to the AVL. To be placed on the AVL, a supplier management system must be monitored on an ongoing basis and must successfully fulfill a number of qualifications, such as supplier surveys, supplier audits, and process validation.

MasterControl supplier management software automatically tracks and stores supplier information derived from audits, non-conformance reports, supplier deviations, and CAPAs. This electronically managed information can then be easily compiled for supplier quality ratings. Furthermore, suppliers can be approved using MasterControl's robust approval workflow technology.

As new parts and suppliers are added and as suppliers' approval status changes, accurate and current tracking of parts and suppliers becomes increasingly more elaborate and difficult.

With MasterControl's supplier management software, goods or services can be added to the “approved to supply” list simply by linking the goods/services to a specific supplier in MasterControl, and the supplier’s identifier can be added for the goods/services. Suppliers, conversely, can be added the same way. If a part is linked to a supplier that is not approved, the link will be disabled until the supplier becomes approved or reapproved. All of this information is easily obtainable via MasterControl's built-in reporting tool.

In a corporation with geographically dispersed divisions, it can be difficult to centralize supplier qualification activities and as a result, multiple divisions end up qualifying the same supplier. Without a proper supplier management system, this results in wasted effort, resources, and dollars.

MasterControl's Web-based platform makes accessing supplier data easy and efficient. Geographically dispersed divisions have the ability to share supplier qualification data with others in the corporation, potentially cutting out costly duplication of effort and speeding time to market.