In the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory authorities and industry require adherence to strict practices and procedures to ensure high levels of quality and safety. The manufacture of pharmaceutical products must comply with rigorous standards in order to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of the products. An ERP software specially designed for pharma industry comes in handy here.
Auditing the quality of these products has been considerably strengthened throughout its history, to such an extent that specific tools have been created to enable its supervision and continuous improvement (LIMS, MES tools, and enhanced traceability at all stages of the process, etc.).
In this respect, SAP ERP, especially in its latest version S/4 HANA, has strongly integrated business processes in order to centralize them within a single solution for the proper functioning of laboratories and manufacturing plants in this sector. While including interfaces to specific business solutions. But how does a SAP for Pharma strategy respond to the business issues of the pharmaceutical industry?
BUT HOW DOES AN ERP STRATEGY RESPOND TO THE BUSINESS ISSUES OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY?
THROUGH PRECISE TRACEABILITY FOR QUALITY AND REGULATIONS
Traceability within the pharmaceutical industry is a key element for its proper functioning. This verification of movements and of all activity on products is essential for this sector in order to ensure clearly identified and identifiable monitoring, at any stage of the process, from the manufacture of the product to its delivery to the end customer.
Indeed, it is essential to be able to follow the course of a batch of products in the event of an anomaly, error, or any other reason justifying identification.
In this sense, the pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated (strict standards, regular audits, etc.). In particular, with the obligation of the serialization of medicines, regulations that came into force on February 9, 2019, to fight against counterfeiting.
This type of step is, for example, mandatory in order to be able to ensure the justification of the sterilization of each product. The legislation in this area is very strict, in order to ensure irreproachable sanitary quality.
BUT ALSO BY THE EFFICIENCY OF QUALITY CONTROL
Specifying the role of different stakeholders is also an essential aspect of this industry in order to identify the different actions carried out. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is essential to audit the quality of each stage carried out in order to anticipate each potential source of error and thus ensure a manufacturing process of flawless quality.
This action allows manufacturers to be in compliance with the law as well as to gain in efficiency and productivity.
BY MAINTAINING A PRODUCTION SYSTEM: A KEY ISSUE
A major step is to monitor the proper functioning of the production chain in this industry and solve its problems in a preventive way. This action ensures continuity of production and saves time and obviously costs.
A well-structured SAP for Pharma responds perfectly to all business issues related to a specific need for quality and monitoring. This sector requires specific responses in terms of software tools governed by very strict legislation.
HOW DO SAP S/4HANA MODULES MEET THE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY?
MANAGE YOUR FLOWS WITH THE SAP EWM MODULE:
The advanced functions of planning and management of the traceability of the SAP modules are key elements making it possible to meet the major challenges of companies.
Many functionalities and modules are offered in order to harmonize and correspond to the different problems of the pharmaceutical industry: SAP EWM is the module that covers the entire supply chain and processes all the transactions that take place in the warehouse: receipt of materials, stock transfers, removals, shipments…
WM complements perfectly with other modules such as SAP MM (Material Management – purchasing and stock), SAP SD (Sales and Distribution-Sales and Delivery), and SAP PP (Production Planning) in order to have a tailor-made ERP ecosystem and adaptable to all transactions and business processes in the pharmaceutical industry. In particular, it makes it possible to organize the distribution of products, monitoring their movements and their supply through Pharma ERP software.
SAP QM, A MODULE DESIGNED FOR QUALITY CONTROL PROCESSES
This sector requires quality control steps. Thanks to Pharma ERP software, the SAP QM module is mainly used in product quality control processes during their life cycle. This includes controlling the quality of products throughout their manufacturing process.
ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF ITS PRODUCTION, THANKS TO THE PM MODULE:
In this context, the PM “Plant Maintenance” module essentially concerns the upkeep and maintenance management of machines and other equipment necessary for the production of drugs. It is essential in the SAP solutions installed in the world of production in the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring monitoring of the state of the machines, in order to maintain an optimal production flow.
The different components of the PM module are:
- Management of the data of your equipment useful for their maintenance.
- The curative maintenance flow.
- Optimization of planned or preventive maintenance in order to minimize costs.
- Integration of maintenance with other services for a smooth and efficient process.
Conclusion
The smooth running of the manufacture of a finished product is an essential issue in the pharmaceutical industry, it must be easily and quickly identifiable thanks to effective solutions in line with the needs of the company.
These ERP processes optimize the production cycles of this industry. It facilitates the control, monitoring, and proper functioning of this entire ecosystem. A necessary strategy for the quality of the expected results and the legislation governing this area.
Silver Touch has proven experience in Pharmaceutical Industries. Want to know more about the SAP S/4HANA Pharma Industry solutions and how we can help your company? Get in touch with one of our consultants.
