Replacing Pi ProcessBook: Looking at Alternatives

PI ProcessBook is a visualisation tool that provides a graphical interface for users to create custom displays, trends, and reports. The tool is specifically designed to be used in industrial settings employing IoT data about processes and machinery in their plants. Recently, it has been disclosed that PI ProcessBook is reaching the end of its life cycle next year due to the challenges of an ageing software system.

The quest for suitable alternatives is not just about keeping pace with the present but also securing a path for ongoing innovation. Organisations are now compelled to seek out data visualisation and management systems that remedy existing deficiencies and lay the groundwork for future advancements. But what if an alternative could do that and more?

Cyzag—a cloud-based platform engineered to transcend the boundaries of traditional process visualisation and management tools. Cyzag is a leap forward, where operational efficiency and process analytics coalesce into a unified, powerful engine for business growth.

The Cyzag Platform: The Next-Gen Solution

Cyzag is designed to synergise operational efficiency with process analytics, eliminating the need to compromise on either. It is meticulously engineered to seamlessly integrate daily routines and operational workflows into your live process analytics. With Cyzag, the days of juggling separate tools for dashboards and digitising frontline routines are over.

By enabling people to visualise and interact with data effortlessly along standard workflows, we facilitate collaboration among peers and managers. By combining operational efficiency with live process analytics, we transform data into a dynamic asset that propagates shared experience and supports incremental decision-making. When a user interacts with data, they interact with it in a standard way, following a standard workflow. Data no longer lives in a silo, instead, it’s given a lifecycle that individuals can interact with as it follows a workflow.

Take, for instance, one popular use case is the digital execution of root cause analysis (RCA). Directly connected to deviations and overlaid on raw data trends, it facilitates a coherent understanding across shifts and informs daily meetings. RCA’s done with graphical 5 Whys and Ishikawa diagrams aren’t just illustrative. They’re part of a collaborative dialogue that, once a consensus is reached, seamlessly transitions into corrective tasks or continuous improvement initiatives.

*Data & Workflow driven Root Cause Analysis example. *

Designed for optimal user engagement, the platform serves as a centralised hub by seamlessly integrating real-time data, processes, tools, analytics, and collaboration from various sources. This integration equips plant staff to make well-informed decisions on the shop floor. Thus resulting in significant time savings, cost efficiencies, waste reduction, and an environment supportive of sustainable business growth. Cyzag is an enterprise-level platform that enables users on all levels.

Beyond providing exceptional live process analytics, Cyzag integrates operational efficiency tools to redefine industry standards, offering a range of additional benefits.

Why Choose Cyzag

Efficiency and sustainability in process improvements hinge on well-organised operational routines, clearly defined workflows, and transparent communication channels. Cyzag excels in facilitating these vital aspects.

Here are five primary benefits of Cyzag as a replacement for PI ProcessBook and more:

1. Increased Collaboration

Cyzag seamlessly blends live process data and analytics with operational efficiency features. This integration empowers personnel across all levels, fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making. From the shop floor to high management, more individuals engage in identifying improvement opportunities, generating innovative ideas, and proposing effective solutions.

An example of the Cyzag platform for Control Rooms.

2. Faster Problem Solving

Cyzag’s live, cloud-based, and no-code platform enables users to make informed decisions based on real-time data. This agility in problem-solving translates to quicker responses to challenges, contributing to enhanced operational efficiency.

*Use our Parameter Drill Down feature to aid in root cause problem-solving (from live, manual and calculated data) *

3. Increased User Engagement

Accessible to all workers, Cyzag’s consistent and transparent digital platform enhances a sense of ownership. This inclusivity drives continuous improvement, valuing employees’ knowledge and autonomy. The result is increased engagement, delivery of better results, and improved employee retention.

Build engagement by ensuring transparency and easy access to data, process analysis and operational processes in one platform.

4. Better Decision-Making

Cyzag taps into your workforce’s collective knowledge and experience while ensuring adherence to standard processes. With Cyzag, every member of your team can make incremental contributions to collective decisions. This moves beyond the isolated and availability-dependent decisions of the past. This approach democratises the decision-making process, fostering a more collaborative and informed operational environment.

Root cause problem solving with live data and embedded RCA tools e.g. our graphical intuitive drag and drop 5 whys.

5. Templatising and Standardisation

Users are empowered to design their use cases, streamline workflows, tailor forms, and manage repetitive tasks with ease. However, at the heart of the Cyzag platform lies the ability to templatise mature or proven use cases. The platform does this by facilitating their horizontal deployment across different locations within your organisation. This strategic feature enables the dissemination of best practices and the cross-pollination of insights among various plants. Although templatisation is foundational, Cyzag also provides multiple layers of customisation. This ensures that while a standard template can be swiftly implemented, it retains the flexibility for substantial modifications to accommodate unique plant or area-specific requirements. Moreover, a standardised approach to operations paves the way for uniform company-wide reporting and analytics, fostering a cohesive and data-driven organisational culture.

The Cyzag platform on different devices with examples of different boards for varied use cases.

Integrating Cyzag

Integrating PI ProcessBook data is effortlessly streamlined with Cyzag. The platform seamlessly connects with Aveva PI as a historian, guaranteeing the smooth and continuous flow of data. Cyzag’s capability to interface with Aveva PI enhances the overall user experience, making data integration a straightforward and time-efficient process.

Comparative Analysis: Cyzag vs. PI ProcessBook vs. Conventional Suppliers

Recognising the challenges that come with replacing PI ProcessBook or a similar process tool within an organisation, we have organised a comprehensive and detailed list encompassing all critical aspects that need consideration.

The comprehensive list below compares Cyzag, PI ProcessBook, and conventional suppliers (AVEVA, GE, SAP) across various aspects.

Feature Comparison Between Cyzag, PI Process Book and Conventional Supplies

*AVEVA, GE, SAP

Summary

As organisations face the imminent end-of-life deadlines for the PI Process Book—culminating in the cessation of support by December 31, 2024—the urgency to adopt a reliable alternative becomes paramount. Not only does Cyzag emerge as a replacement but also as a strategic investment in the future, providing a secure and scalable solution that aligns with the dynamic requirements of the digital age.

In shifting from PI ProcessBook to Cyzag, users gain a powerful tool for empowering workers to develop personalised workflows to contextualise data. The transition brings autonomy and speed through Cyzag’s intuitive, no-code platform. Notably, Cyzag mirrors the features of PI ProcessBook. But it also goes beyond, by layering your organisation’s operational efficiency directly over your process efficiency initiatives.

This transition to Cyzag is marked by a focus on efficiency and enhanced decision-making capabilities, particularly tailored for the intricate needs of chemical manufacturers. The cloud-based nature of Cyzag eliminates the need for infrastructure, providing flexibility and compatibility across various devices and web browsers.

Crucially, Cyzag proves to be a cost-effective option, offering transparent pricing and potential cost savings. This financial advantage makes it an appealing choice for organisations seeking to optimise resources while enjoying the benefits of a modern and robust data visualisation and management system. The ease of use, with a mere 30 minutes of training required to get started, positions Cyzag as a technology brand designed for human convenience.

The transition from PI ProcessBook to Cyzag is not just a response to the obsolescence of an ageing tool but a proactive step towards embracing innovation.

Read our full whitepaper for an in-depth guide to navigating the transition from PI ProcessBook.

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