Roasting Database

Roasting Database - Question and Answer

Question

Dear Roast magazine,

I AM WRITING because I was hoping you might know a thing or two in regards to a good roasting database. I'm interested in something that logs and graphs time and temperature data. I want a database that connects inventory (production orders, lot numbers and marks and forecasting) to quality information (cupping scores, graphs) to origin and broker information.

I don't want anything that runs the roaster for you, or replicates roast profiles for you... ain't no craft in that.

What do you know about my dream database?

Thanks so much,

Colleen

The Expert Answers

DEAR COLLEEN,

I hate to crush your dream, but what you are asking for is an integrated software program that fulfills multiple functions in three very different areas of control: process control, quality control and inventory control.

There are currently good programs and products that can do some, or even most of these functions, but to the best of my knowledge there are currently no viable software packages that can seamlessly and automatically integrate all of the functions that you desire. The inventory control portion of your dream database, while not in and of itself problematic, becomes much more complicated when you wish to use it to also track supplier info, quality info, quality info by supplier, as well as all of your profile data.

And yet there is hope...

Some of the coffee roasting data-loggers currently on the market have the ability to track many of the things you require, including batch weight, lot numbers, certification marks, as well as the actual time and temperature profile tracks, among other pertinent data. This information is then stored to a database that can, in many instances, be imported into an off-the-shelf or custom database for use with other data. Often this information, and hence the roasted coffee, can be tracked with a discrete batch number as well--this is useful for generating a product recall plan, a necessary part of a food safety audit.

Used in such a way, the batch-specific information that is stored with your profile information can then be retained with your quality control data, such as color readings, cupping data, packaging data and shipping data. Your process control tool (roast profile data-logger) can be easily coupled with your quality control data, and eventually with your shipping data. As you obtain more information, you simply enter it in the designated field in your database. For computer-savvy people, the above integration and tracking is currently possible with a good roast profile data-logging system and some knowledge of how to design templates in off-the-shelf database programs. Okay, that gets you two-thirds of the way to your dream.

Now onto the inventory control part: Most large roasters and many smaller ones currently use inventory control software. Some simply track orders; some track orders and drawdown inventories; some process orders and then break them down into production schedules; some generate POs and invoices, and then link to their bookkeeping programs; some are industry specific and some are not; some of these are off-the-shelf and some are custom; some are proprietary and some are not. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of inventory control software packages on the market today. But none of these can generate and store roast profiles.

However, it is currently possible that with a roast datalogger that allows for storing weight data, you can use an existing inventory control program such as Fishbowl Inventory (this program works with QuickBooks) to do much of the rest of what you would like your dream database to accomplish. Do all the above and you have created your database. Therein lies the problem: You created it.

Most roasters have neither the knowledge nor the time to create what to many computer software people may appear to be a pretty simple system of linked databases. Perhaps more importantly, most computer software people know next to nothing about the issues that roasting companies face, and further are unwilling to undertake the design of such a system without being bankrolled.

I believe that there are three fundamental ways for a roaster with your wants and needs to progress:

1. Wait until what you want comes to market. (It will, but who knows when? So, this could take a long time, and still may not be what you dream of.)
2. Hire a software engineer to create your dream database. (This will be expensive, and possibly take a long time, and still may not be what you dream of.)
3. Begin to solve these three different problems independently.
   
   
   1. Buy a coffee roasting data-logger that tracks much of what you wish to record.
   2. Track and store your quality control information either in hard copy or in a separate database referencing the discrete roast profile (date/time/name).
   3. Buy a decent inventory control program that solves your inventory issues only.

With option three, you still may not get your dream database but you solve all the problems you currently face--whether they be process control, quality control or inventory control.