In a recent technical discussion, Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, joined Tom Skubala of MTDCNC to explain how PSL Datatrack’s Financial modules help subcontractors improve cash flow, gain cost visibility and understand job profitability like never before.

“You may be making money overall as a business,” Geoff says, “but I’m sure there are some loss leaders in there. If you take those out, you’ll make more money.”

The Problem with Disconnected Financial Processes

When financial tasks like invoicing, purchase invoicing and job costing are handled manually – or across multiple disconnected systems – the result is often late invoices, manual errors and poor visibility on whether a job was actually profitable.

Without accurate, up-to-date financial information, you’re left making crucial business decisions based on guesswork.

The PSL Datatrack Solution

Geoff outlines how PSL Datatrack brings clarity and control to the financial side of subcontract precision engineering – automating administration and giving you the tools to track real costs and cash flow with confidence.

• Invoicing that pulls from real data

No more guesswork – invoices are automatically created using data from the works order and delivery note, ensuring the right quantity and price every time

Learn more about PSL Datatrack’s Invoicing module

• Purchase invoice matching that protects your margin

Check that every supplier invoice matches the purchase order and what was actually received – all within one dedicated system

Learn more about PSL Datatrack’s Purchase Invoicing module

• Job Costing that shows true profitability

See the actual cost of producing each batch, including overheads, material and subcontract processes – and use that data to make smarter quoting and production decisions

Learn more about PSL Datatrack’s Job Costing module

“Your quotation is what you quote your customer. Your works order is what you then take the order at. Job Costing gives you the overhead… so you can identify those jobs that do lose you money,” explains Geoff.

PSL Datatrack also offers a Multi-Currency module, ideal for subcontractors trading internationally. It simplifies transactions with overseas customers and suppliers by handling all relevant documents – like invoices and purchase orders – in the correct currency. This not only removes the hassle of manual conversions but also ensures financial accuracy and professionalism when dealing with multiple currencies and exchange rates.

Watch the Video

If you’re unsure how much profit you’re really making on each job – or if late invoicing and poor cost visibility are hurting your cash flow – this short video is a must-watch:

Let’s Talk

Ready to eliminate manual mistakes and make more money with production control software? Let’s talk!

01344 827312             sales@psldatatrack.com

The post Making More Money with Production Control Software appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

What is ISO 9001 and Why Does It Matter?

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognised quality management standard that sets out the criteria for a quality management system (QMS). It ensures businesses have the processes in place to consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements, improve efficiency and support continual improvement.

To achieve ISO 9001 compliance, manufacturers must demonstrate strong control over their operations, particularly in areas such as document management, non conformance handling and gauge calibration processes. This is where dedicated quality/production control software like PSL Datatrack plays a vital role.

How PSL Datatrack Supports ISO 9001 Compliance

PSL Datatrack offers a suite of quality management modules tailored for the precision engineering sector. Here’s how they can help:

Contract Review

• Controlled check and approval of all review elements ensures each job is fully reviewed and approved before production begins
• User access control restricts sign-off privileges to authorised personnel, improving data security and accountability
• Rapid build of tailored reviews enables quick adaptation to customer or component-specific requirements

Gauge Calibration

• Compliance with ISO and industry standards through automatic reporting of gauges due for calibration
• Automatic withdrawal of failed gauges prevents the use of non-compliant measuring tools
• Accurate recording of usage allows full visibility of gauge history for audit purposes

Non Conformance

• Customer satisfaction is improved by ensuring that non conformances are recorded, tracked and resolved swiftly
• Supplier non conformance handling strengthens supply chain accountability and quality
• Trend monitoring and reporting drive continual improvement and support corrective and preventive actions

Integrated Document Control

PSL Datatrack also offers a built-in document management feature, allowing users to store, manage and retrieve important quality records with ease. This supports audit readiness and ensures that the latest versions of procedures, certificates and inspection reports are always accessible.

Conclusion

Achieving ISO 9001 compliance requires more than just paperwork – it demands structured and repeatable quality processes. PSL Datatrack’s quality control software modules provide the tools subcontract precision engineering companies need to implement and maintain robust quality systems.

From contract review and gauge management to non conformance tracking and document control, PSL Datatrack offers everything you need to support your ISO journey and deliver consistent, high-quality results.

Watch ISO 9001-certified customers share their success stories

Book a free, no-obligation demonstration of PSL Datatrack

The post Quality Control Software: Why It’s Essential for ISO 9001 Compliance appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

In a recent technical discussion with MTDCNC’s Tom Skubala, Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, explains how the right system can transform your purchasing process – from Quotations to Goods Received and beyond.

“Purchasing is a common pain point,” says Geoff. “The time it takes to clearly and accurately raise purchase orders can really be excessive.”

The Problem with Manual Purchasing

Every job starts with material – and if you don’t have what you need, when you need it, everything grinds to a halt. But purchasing isn’t just about placing an order – it’s about making sure you buy the right material at the right time, for the right price and with the correct specifications & certifications.

Without automation and integration, you’re stuck re-keying data, double-checking specifications and chasing suppliers. That’s time better spent elsewhere!

The PSL Datatrack Solution

PSL Datatrack’s Purchasing modules take the stress out of procurement – linking everything together so you can raise orders quickly, accurately and with full traceability. Here’s how they help:

• One system, seamless flow

Data flows from quotation to works order to purchase order – meaning no duplication and no risk of error.

• Faster ordering with fewer mistakes

Raise and email purchase orders in just a few clicks. The correct material, quantity, price and specification are all re-populated from pre-existing data.

• Kick-start traceability at Goods In

When materials arrive, book them in through the Goods Received module. Store supplier and mill certificates, generate notes & labels instantly and ensure full traceability from day one.

• Confident stock control

With integrated material stock management, you’ll know exactly what you’ve got, what you need and when to reorder – helping to avoid costly stockouts or overordering.

“That kick-starts your traceability through the rest of the system,” confirms Geoff.

Watch the Video

If you’re tired of time-wasting administration or worried about gaps in your material traceability, take a minute to hear Geoff explain how PSL Datatrack can help.

Let’s Talk

If you’re ready to take the hassle out of purchasing and stay in control of your supply chain, we’d love to help:

01344 827312             sales@psldatatrack.com

The post From Delays To Efficiency: Transform Your Purchasing Process With PSL Datatrack appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

In this MTDCNC Technical Corner episode, Tom Skubala talks with Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, about how subcontract precision engineers can maintain control and reduce risk without micromanaging their teams.

Geoff demonstrates how PSL Datatrack’s User Maintenance and profile controls let managers define who can access each module, with options for read-only access or restricted rights. This ensures:

• Sensitive information stays secure
• Staff can only interact with the modules and data relevant to their role
• Financial and operational controls are respected without slowing down workflow

He also highlights the CRM/Tasks module, which allows task assignments and automated email reminders for audits, equipment checks or project follow-ups – keeping everyone accountable and on schedule without manual intervention.

The modular system means these controls scale with your business. Even with a single module, managers can maintain the same level of security and oversight, helping mitigate risk while keeping operations efficient.

If you’re looking for document management software, ISO 9001 traceability tools or production management software tailored to subcontract precision engineering, this episode shows how PSL Datatrack helps managers maintain control, accountability and confidence across the business.

The post Empower Management with PSL Datatrack: Security & Control Tools appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

Do you know what’s happening on your shop floor right now? In this MTDCNC Technical Corner episode, Tom Skubala talks with Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, about how subcontract precision engineers can gain real-time visibility, control and confidence in their operations.

Geoff explains how PSL Datatrack’s Sequential Scheduler plans jobs in order of priority, giving you a clear work-to list for each machine. Combined with Shop Floor Data Collection (SFDC) and Status Boards, you can track:

• Machine progress and operation status
• Who is working on which job and when
• Available capacity for last-minute or rush jobs

With these tools, you can schedule efficiently, reduce guesswork and confidently commit to delivery dates. Real-world examples, like Jota Advanced Engineering Limited, show how live shop floor tracking can transform efficiency and decision-making.

If you’re looking for CNC shop scheduling software, job tracking systems or shop floor data collection tools built specifically for subcontract precision engineers, this episode shows how PSL Datatrack keeps you in control from office to workshop.

The post Gain Real-Time Shop Floor Visibility with PSL Datatrack appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

In this MTDCNC Technical Corner episode, Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, joins Tom Skubala to explore the latest release of PSL Datatrack and what it means for subcontract precision engineers.

Every user with a maintenance and support contract gets access to this update, which includes around 180 new features inspired directly by customer feedback. Highlights include:

• Bar Wizard in Goods Received – track material at the individual bar level for maximum traceability and cost savings
• Scheduler enhancements – smarter capacity analysis and improved overlap controls for more efficient shop floor scheduling
• Template Contract Reviews – flexible control over quote and works order approvals, tailored to different types of components and customers
• Cybersecurity improvements – the main application file is now digitally signed, providing peace of mind and compliance support

Geoff explains how customer collaboration drives every development, ensuring that updates don’t just add features, but enhance productivity, control and quality management across the entire business.

If you’re a subcontract precision engineer looking for manufacturing process automation, quality control software or works order management tools designed for your industry, this episode shows why PSL Datatrack continues to evolve with real-world needs!

The post PSL Datatrack’s Latest Release: Boost Productivity, Control & Quality! appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

In this MTDCNC Technical Corner episode, Tom Skubala is joined by Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, to answer a simple but important question: why PSL Datatrack?

With over 30 years’ experience developing software for subcontract precision engineering, Geoff explains how PSL Datatrack has been shaped by a unique blend of IT expertise, business understanding and real-world engineering knowledge. The result is a production management system designed specifically for subcontract machining – not adapted from generic manufacturing software.

The discussion covers what sets PSL Datatrack apart, from being a family-owned business with long-term commitment, to developing every part of the system in-house and working closely with customers to guide future development. That focus ensures the software stays practical, reliable and genuinely useful on the shop floor.

You’ll also hear how PSL Datatrack supports subcontractors from quotation through to invoice, with modular tools that grow alongside the business. From quoting and works orders to scheduling, shop floor data collection, quality control and ISO 9001 traceability, everything is designed to help engineers spend less time in software – and more time running machines.

If you’re a subcontract precision engineer looking for a job tracking and production management solution built specifically for your industry, this episode explains why so many businesses choose PSL Datatrack – and why they stay with it.

The post Why Subcontract Precision Engineers Choose PSL Datatrack appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

In a recent technical discussion with MTDCNC’s Tom Skubala, Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, explained how the modular production control software system helps subcontractors to overcome the common challenges of sales order management.

“It’s very easy for subcontractors just to accept orders,” Geoff comments. “But you’ve got to be careful that when you accept them, they’re going to be realistically deliverable on time.”

The Problem with Manual Sales Order Management

Without the right system in place, it’s easy to lose track. Different order types, fluctuating stock levels, poor visibility – it all adds up to missed deadlines, excess stock, unhappy customers and unnecessary stress.

And those excess components produced could end up tying up valuable cash and space – a hidden cost many businesses overlook.

The PSL Datatrack Solution

PSL Datatrack’s Sales Orders modules are designed to take the complexity out of managing your order book. With a fully integrated system, you gain complete visibility over your production commitments and resources. Here’s how they help:

• Organise your entire order book

Get a clear, real-time overview of every job – including make-to-order, call-offs and Kanban schedules – so nothing falls through the cracks.

• Forecast accurately and avoid overproduction

Track trends and stock levels to produce the right quantities at the right time – not too much, not too little.

• Maintain on-time deliveries

With everything organised and visible, you can hit your delivery dates consistently – keeping your customers happy and your reputation strong.

“Make the right quantities at the right time, to the right quality, get them out the door on time – and your customer will be happy,” Geoff concludes.

Watch the Video

If managing your sales orders is becoming more of a headache than it should be, take a minute to watch the video below. Geoff walks you through the everyday challenges faced by subcontractors – and how PSL Datatrack helps overcome them.

Let’s Talk

If you’re ready to take control of your sales orders and stay ahead of schedule, we’re here to help!

01344 827312             sales@psldatatrack.com

The post Complete Sales Order Visibility With Production Control Software appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

Running a subcontract precision engineering business takes more than machines – it takes control, clarity and the right systems.

In this MTDCNC Podcast, host Tom Skubala sits down with Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack, and Adam Green, owner of G23 Engineering Limited, to revisit a 10-year journey from an £11k cowshed startup to a thriving, multi-building machine shop.

Adam shares how he:

• Sold everything to buy his first machine and worked long hours in a farm unit
• Grew G23 from chaos to control, expanding six times in ten years
• Won more work by sending fast, accurate quotes in just 20–30 minutes – often beating competitors who took days

PSL Datatrack’s production control software helped G23:

• Streamline quoting, works orders and CNC shop scheduling
• Achieve full ISO 9001 traceability with documents, inspections and job tracking all in one system
• Grow with modular ERP and MRP software designed specifically for subcontract precision engineers
• Standardise processes so the team can pick up the system quickly and keep the shop moving

Adam calls PSL Datatrack a gamechanger: simple, powerful and built for engineers – helping G23 present themselves as a larger, professional operation while freeing Adam to focus on running the business.

Whether you’re starting out with one machine or managing a busy CNC shop, this conversation shows why PSL Datatrack is trusted across the UK to automate manufacturing processes, control production and manage growth from quotation to invoice.

Listen on Spotify below.

The post Quick Quotes & Six Workshop Expansions: G23 Engineering’s Fast Growth with PSL Datatrack appeared first on PSL Datatrack.

As with all PSL Datatrack updates, many of the new features have been driven by ideas submitted through the company’s popular Wishlist programme, which allows customers to suggest improvements based on their day-to-day experience. Each submission is carefully reviewed for its wider benefit to the user community, ensuring that developments provide genuine, practical value.

“Our customers’ feedback is central to every enhancement we make,” comments Geoff Gartland, Managing Director of PSL Datatrack. “The latest version of our subcontract manufacturing software reflects that ongoing collaboration, bringing together features that save time, strengthen visibility and simplify compliance. It’s another step in helping subcontract precision engineers run their businesses more efficiently and profitably.”

Among the headline additions is the new Goods Received ‘Bar Wizard’, a simple but powerful utility that takes material traceability to the next level by allowing individual bars to be tracked beyond traditional batch-level monitoring.

Other key enhancements include suggested quotation wastage calculation, improving the accuracy and speed of quotations; automatic updating of Material Stocks to reflect changes in purchase orders; and Sequential Scheduler module developments that deliver smarter capacity analysis and greater control.

Users will also benefit from new account types for clearer customer and supplier management, enhanced stock logging for better ISO 9001 traceability and the ability to automatically save purchase orders and order acknowledgements to PDF, strengthening the system’s document management capabilities.

Additional updates include a Work In Progress (WIP) Valuation Report for real-time visibility, new invoice analysis reports for enhanced financial accuracy and a digitally signed application to support Cyber Essentials certification.

As an all-encompassing production control software solution, combining elements of MRP software and ERP software for subcontractors, PSL Datatrack connects every stage of production – from quoting and purchasing through to works order management, scheduling, shop floor data collection (SFDC) and invoicing. This ensures complete visibility and control at every stage of the manufacturing process.

The 2025 version of PSL Datatrack is available now and is free to all customers with a valid maintenance & support contract. Any new users implementing the system in the coming months will automatically be installed on this latest release.

“PSL Datatrack continues to evolve through close collaboration with our customers,” concludes Geoff. “We’re already developing features for the next version, again focusing on the real-world challenges our users face every day. Their input ensures the system continues to deliver measurable improvements in productivity, control and quality – from the office to the shop floor.”

The post Boost Productivity, Tighten Control And Simplify Quality Management With PSL Datatrack 2025 appeared first on PSL Datatrack.