For some manufacturers, accurate data can only be acquired when a shift ends and production reports are logged, or shop floor data is uploaded, resulting in an eight-hour "real-time" reality. For others, the real-time information range is shorter, depending on reporting software limitations. Competitive manufacturers need to ask themselves, "Why is that an acceptable margin?" The answer is: It’s not! When you pull information from your shop floor and back office, reports should be run against live data, not data that is delayed. This whitepaper discusses the importance of actual data, and demonstrates how a lack of real-time information can cause crippling effects throughout the enterprise.