# Infor Factory Track for M3: Shop Floor Data Collection Explained

> Source: https://netray.co/erp-help/infor-factory-track-for-m3-shop-floor-data-collection
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: ERP Help

## Short answer

Infor Factory Track is a shop floor data collection and execution product used with M3 so that operators report production, time and materials at the machine instead of on paper or at an ERP terminal. It reads released manufacturing orders from M3 and writes reported quantities and times back, so M3 costing and planning see actuals.

## Kind

advanced

## System

infor-m3

## Erp

Infor M3

## Module

Shop floor / Manufacturing integration

## Query

infor factory track for m3

## Alternate Queries

- infor factory track m3 integration
- m3 shop floor data collection
- m3 mes factory track setup

## Applies To

Infor M3 manufacturing with Infor Factory Track. Version support and exact integration components should be confirmed with Infor for your release.

## Steps

### Plan a Factory Track and M3 setup

**Items:**

- Confirm the scope: which plants, work centers and order types will report through Factory Track.
- Make sure M3 master data is clean: work centers, operations, routings, BOMs and reporting codes, because Factory Track works from them.
- Define the reporting model: what operators report (quantity, scrap, setup and run time, materials), at which operation level.
- Set up the connection between Factory Track and M3, normally via the Infor integration layer and M3 API transactions. Use a dedicated service user with only the needed authority.
- Map shop floor events to M3 reporting transactions, including how backflushing and operation reporting work in your M3 setup.
- Pilot on one line, compare Factory Track data with M3 order progress and costs, and then widen the rollout.
- Train operators and set up exception handling for network loss and rejected postings.

## Sections

### What flows each way

**Body:**

From M3 to the shop floor: released manufacturing orders, operations, quantities, due dates and material lists. From the shop floor to M3: operation reporting, finished quantities, scrap, time and material consumption. M3 then updates order status, inventory and cost.

The integration is only as good as the master data. Wrong routings or operations produce wrong reported data at the machine.

### Design questions that matter

**Body:**

Where is the real-time requirement? If operators need immediate order information, the integration needs resilient queues and offline handling. If reporting is shift-based, a simpler batch approach may be enough.

How are rejected postings surfaced? An M3 validation message, such as a closed order or a missing authority, must reach someone who can act, or reported production will be silently missing from the books.

Who owns the operator terminals and network on the plant floor? On-prem plants often have segmented networks and this decides how the integration is hosted.

### Alternatives and trade-offs

**Body:**

Some manufacturers use M3's own shop floor reporting programs or a third-party MES instead. Factory Track suits sites that want a vendor-aligned execution layer. A lighter option may be enough if you only need quantity reporting.

## Pitfalls

- Starting before routings and work centers are cleaned up.
- Using a shared admin account for the integration.
- No process for rejected postings, so shop floor and ERP drift apart.
- Underestimating network and device work on the plant floor.
- Rolling out to all lines at once instead of piloting one.

## Ai Angle

Once actuals flow into M3, an assistant can answer questions that link shop floor and ERP: which orders are behind, where scrap is concentrated, which operations were reported late. Netray builds that read-only layer over M3 and shop floor data, and can run it on-prem where plant data should stay local.

## Faq

### Is Factory Track part of M3?

**Answer:** It is a separate Infor product that integrates with M3. Licensing and the supported integration depend on your contract and release, so confirm with Infor or your partner.

### Does Factory Track replace M3 manufacturing?

**Answer:** No. M3 still plans, costs and holds the orders. Factory Track is the execution and data collection layer on the floor.

### What breaks most often?

**Answer:** Rejected postings from bad master data or order status, and network drops between devices and the server. Monitor both.

## Search terms

infor factory track for m3, infor factory track, m3 shop floor data collection, m3 mes integration, m3 manufacturing order reporting, factory track m3 setup, infor m3 shop floor, m3 operation reporting

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