1. A method for analyzing performance of a sorting system, said method comprising: recording downtime experienced by the sorting system; recording runtime experienced by the sorting system; recording an optimal characterization of a product stream to be sorted by the sorting system, the optimal characterization including at least an optimal weight of a first commodity of the product stream; recording an actual characterization of the product stream as sorted by the sorting system, the actual characterization including at least an actual weight of the first commodity sorted from the product stream; and determining the performance of the sorting system based on at least two of the downtime, the runtime, the optimal characterization, and the actual characterization.