Data Historians vs.

ERP Systems
See why both solutions play an integral role in manufacturing environments—and are
essential to optimizing process performance.
It’s easy to be confused as to what roles an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and a Data
Historian play in a manufacturing environment. There are key features, functions, and benefits
associated with each, and together they not only complement each other—but bring greater value to
today's process manufacturers.
The Flexibility of the Data
Historian Data historians provide
current and historical
As shown in Figure 1, the International manufacturing information
to plant and enterprise Enterprise
Society of Automation (ISA) classifies the personnel ERP Systems
different systems used across a Level 4

manufacturing organization—from the

enterprise level down to the plant level. Data
Manufacturing
historians, like Aspen InfoPlus.21® (IP.21), Aspen IP.21 Execution Systems
Level 3
reside as part of Level 3, but also extend into
Plant
other areas due to their unique functionality. Systems
While they can communicate with all Regulatory Control
Sensors, Valves, DCS, PLC, SCADA
systems, the bulk of interaction is with Levels Level 0, 1, 2
1 and 2. Historians can be configured to
support either a single plant or the entire
Figure 1
enterprise.

ERP – A Closer Look ERP Functionality at the

Level 4
Enterprise Level
CRM Much like data historians, ERP systems vary in their
degree and depth of functionality, but most are
Customer configured to support some or all of the key areas of
Orders Enterprise business shown in Figure 2. Originally developed
Systems
primarily to support Finance, ERP systems have
Financials Invoicing
grown over time to include functionality that
Accounts Human supports Human Resources, Customer Orders,
Payable Resources Inventory, and, in a limited capacity, Manufacturing.

Purchasing Inventory Work Order

Figure 2
 Closer Look at Historians About AspenTech
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) can be further defined as shown in Figure 3. While AspenTech is a leading supplier of
some ERP software vendors claim to provide much of the MES functionality, it is not nearly as software that optimizes process
comprehensive as the offerings of a true MES vendor—and does not provide the level of manufacturing—for energy,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
detail required by plant operations.
engineering and construction, and
Within the MES at Level 3, historian functionality is uniquely tailored toward Production Data other industries that manufacture
and produce products from a
Collection and Production Performance Analysis, collecting information to form a complete
chemical process. With integrated
context of the manufacturing environment. (This is different than DCS or SCADA systems,
aspenONE® solutions, process
which only have a view of information within their own system.) Historians then present manufacturers can implement best
actionable information back to the user in the form of trends, process graphics, and KPIs, practices for optimizing their
which can be used for analytical purposes. engineering, manufacturing, and
supply chain operations. As a result,
Product Production Production Production AspenTech customers are better able
Definition Capability Schedule Performance to increase capacity, improve
margins, reduce costs, and become
Detailed Aspen IP.21 more energy efficient. To see how the
Product Production
Scheduling Production world’s leading process
MES Resource
Level 3 Management Tracking manufacturers rely on AspenTech to
Production achieve their operational excellence
Production Performance goals, visit www.aspentech.com.
Dispatching Analysis
Product Production
Definition Data
Management Collection
Production
Execution
Equipment & Process Operational Operational Equipment & Process
Specific Production Rules Commands Responses Specific Data

Level 0, 1, 2 Process Control

Figure 3

Complementary Systems
The strengths of ERP systems and historians actually complement one another. Historians
gather data at the plant level so operators, engineers, and managers can effectively manage
the day-to-day and month-to-month operation of a plant.

ERPs pass the specific orders down to MES systems for processing. Historians then collect Contact AspenTech SME
Sales for Fast Response!
the relevant information from the actual product run and pass that data back to the ERP
North America
system—helping the business make faster, smarter decisions. phone: +1-855-882-7736
Europe
phone: +44-(0)-1189-226400
ERP HISTORIAN
Asia Pacific
Fundamental Developed to support business Developed to support plant phone: +65-6395-3900
Purpose systems—financial, sales, HR, management. Collect information
etc.—with limited manufacturing from a variety of systems (DCS, Or email esales@aspentech.com
functionality for high-level PLC, SCADA, instruments) to form
planning/reporting. Not tactical. a complete context of Worldwide Headquarters
manufacturing environment. Aspen Technology, Inc.
200 Wheeler Road
Architecture Geared toward "transactions" (e.g., Architected to rapidly and Burlington, MA 01803
sale of products, payment of efficiently gather plant data (e.g., United States
invoices). Typically structured as a temperature, pressure, flows) and
phone: +1–781–221–6400
relational database that handles deliver that information to users in
transactions well, but falls short in the form of trends, process fax: +1–781–221–6410
supporting real-time manufacturing graphics, and KPIs for accurate info@aspentech.com
processes. analysis.

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