Nobody can afford a recall. But if you have to initiate one, you want to keep it as small as possible. And if you have to fumble around looking for your HACCP documentation and paper or Excel records showing you met your CCP criteria, you may inadvertently recall several weeks’ worth of production when only a single day’s or shift’s production would have been necessary. So, if you’re still running on paper or Excel, it’s time to think about committing to electronic recordkeeping and HACCP software.

Fortunately, the architecture of today’s HACCP software and other allied quality assurance tools makes these systems available to a wider audience of processors that can’t afford to be without them. In many cases, the software is available in a SaaS (software as a service) or cloud model (that allows users to pay a monthly fee based on their needs). With these options, users don’t need to buy servers and databases and invest in a complex, secure network infrastructure. And since most systems are browser based, users can operate them on mobile devices on the plant floor or workstations running Windows, Mac, Linux or UNIX operating systems. In addition, most of these tools also integrate seamlessly with ERP and shop floor data collection and analysis/control systems.