We’re here to help and want to address your frequently asked questions. Reach out if you still have questions.
What you need to set up PICO depends on the type of deployment you choose:
Cloud deployment (Digital Work Instructions only):
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No hardware is required. Customers can begin digitizing digital work instructions within minutes. This deployment does not include IoT connectivity.
On-premise deployment:
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On-premise deployments require:
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One PICO server (~$1200) per site, deployed within the customer’s firewall
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One or more PICO hubs (~$100 each) to enable IoT connectivity to tools, devices, and machines
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For more details, see PICO's Technical System Guide.
The standard PICO server includes a 500 GB SSD, which provides ample storage for several years of manufacturing data and work instruction history. Higher-capacity servers are available for facilities with larger data retention needs.
Yes. PICO supports both on-premise and cloud-hosted server deployments, depending on your IT architecture and security policy. Most customers opt for on-premise deployment for reliability, while others utilize a cloud setup for remote access and scalability.
No. PICO hardware comes with the software pre-loaded, and system updates, patching, and server management are handled by PICO. Installation is simply connecting the hardware and tools to your network.
PICO is SOC 2 compliant and ITAR compliant, supporting secure and compliant deployments in Aerospace and Defense.
Yes. If your organization uses Microsoft Authentication, PICO can be deployed with Microsoft OAuth so that authorized users can log in with their company credentials.
PICO is a no-code system designed for fast deployment. Most installations are completed in a few hours, and you can begin digitizing work instructions and capturing traceability data the same day. No dedicated IT resources are required. Learn more about how to set-up PICO here.
PICO integrates with over 300+ commercially available shop-floor devices and tools, including torque tools, measurement devices, barcode scanners, leak testers, and more.
PICO's customers can suggest new tool or device integrations anytime! Simply fill out our Suggest a New Tool form and our team will let respond if they have any questions regarding compatibility.
PICO's hardware integrations team does all the integration work, so it becomes simply plug-and-play for our customers. All hardware integrations are free of charge for PICO customers.
Yes. If a tool uses a direct wired signal and lacks built-in connectivity, PICO can use an intermediary device to enable compatibility with the system.
No. There is no limit to the number of tools per workstation. Tools connect to a PICO Hub, and you can assign additional hubs as needed.
PICO integrates with ERP systems such as SAP, PLEX, NetSuite, Infor, and Odoo, as well as QMS, PLM, and BI systems. See the full list here.
PICO’s intuitive interface is very similar to PowerPoint; it allows you to create step-by-step work instructions with pictures, videos, and BOM tables. This makes it easier for operators to follow standardized processes. Learn more about PICO's digital work instruction capabilities here.
Yes. PICO supports process variants, so you can create template workflows and apply variations across similar builds with unique deviations.
Yes. Multi-lingual work instructions are one of our new feature releases in 2026. French, Italian, Spanish, and more languages will be offered to support non-English speaking operators and international operations. Read more about our 2026 new product roadmap features here.
Yes. PICO requires a change-control step before updated work instructions are deployed. Approval workflows are part of the system.
PICO collects progress through work instructions, direct outputs from connected tools, manual measurements, operator notes, and alerts. All data is contextualized so it can be traced to a specific part, station, work instruction, and operator.
Data captured in PICO supports analytics on cycle times, defect tracking, throughput, and other operational metrics, providing insight into quality and efficiency trends.
For on-premise deployments, your data is stored locally. Encrypted backups to AWS or GCP are available and can be configured to meet your IT requirements.
Yes. PICO can connect to external analytics platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, HEX, Excel, and Sigma. Your team can also request custom dashboards via customer support.
Custom data queries and dashboards can be created by submitting a request to PICO support via email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. They’ll help you configure the analytics you need.
PICO includes a basic quality notes system to record and categorize quality issues. This data can be analyzed in PICO or exported to ERP and analytics systems for deeper investigation.
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