INTRODUCTION

This paper intends to address the decision making around formal ISA-88 batching products such as Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk® Batch. Going forward we will simply use “products” as the expression for formal products that embrace the full ISA-88 standard. There are elements of the ISA-88 standard that have migrated into well- structured applications that don’t use a formal product. Such structure can prove to be helpful and has even gained acceptance outside of the batching industry. This paper, however, intends to help guide the thought process through the evaluation of whether or not you actually need and would benefit from such formal products– and in many cases you would indeed benefit, but not in all.