In last month's column, I described some key manufacturing performance measures. This month, I will explain how these performance measures can be used to manage a manufacturing business.The year-to-date figure is valuable because it reflects trends in your business. A significant increase in sales booking performance for the year may require an increase in manufacturing resources, while a significant reduction may force you to implement austerity measures.Higher than expected shipment performance, while generally good news, can cause concern also. For example, an increase in shipments will lead to an increase in operating expenses that could result in a cash flow problem if "receivables" are behind schedule.Each of the previous performance measures can provide valuable information. The key is to begin to measure something. After a short time, you will find the factors that are most critical to your manufacturing operation.