Article management system

An article management system having a previous process where management targets to be used as parts in a next process are manufactured as products and a next process where second products are manufactured by using the products manufactured in the previous process as parts, the previous process and the next process being successively connected to model a plurality of processes as a hierarchical structure, the article management system comprising:

• a product data creation unit configured to create, for the management targets, product data corresponding to products of the previous process;
• a part data creation unit configured to create part data corresponding to parts in the next process and corresponding to the products;
• an identification assigning unit configured to assign virtual identification information to a group of management targets subjected to a process between a first time and a second time in at least one of the previous process and the next process;
• and
• a management data creation unit configured to create management data formed of a single file by associating the product data, the part data and the identification information with each other,
• wherein the identification assigning unit is configured to assign same identification information to a same group of management articles,
• wherein the management data creation unit is configured to:
• pass, to the next process, the management data having link information which is created in the previous process and represents a link to the next process to copy the link information when products manufactured in the previous process reach the next process;
• and
• pass, to the previous process, the management data having link information which is created in the next process and represents a link to the previous process to update corresponding management data when use of the parts in the next process finishes.