ERP Software

An ERP Software Comparison for Manufacturing

Manufacturers are many and diverse; they are large and small; some are manufacturers of discrete products, while others are into process manufacturing. That’s why when it comes to selecting software for manufacturing, it’s important to distinguish between one type of software and another. In the case of Enterprise Resource Planning, it would be smart to make an ERP software comparison for manufacturing. Check out the various enterprise vendors and find a solution that is best for your manufacturing needs. If yours is a small manufacturing business, also consider a Web-based, hosted, ERP platform. These are increasingly popular and less costly to implement.

Take the manufacturer of Discrete products for example, this involves producing products such as cars, bicycles or toys. You’ll want manufacturing software that can handle this task effectively. Some of the vendors developing software for discrete manufacturing include Infor, Syspro, Microsoft Dynamics, Exact, SAP and Epicor. Some of the solutions provided by these companies are expensive and some are Web-based and less costly. That’s why it is important to take the time to research your options, because one size does not fit all.

Some enterprise vendors of Process manufacturing include BatchMaster, IFS, Oracle, Solarsoft and Plex Systems. Some of these software vendors may be out of your price range, because their enterprise platforms are costly and expensive to implement. You’ll need to narrow down your list of prospects and base your decision on the size of your business, the cost of the product and how well the product meets your needs and requirements. This will be part of the process for ERP software comparison for manufacturing.

There is also Mixed Mode manufacturing, where a business might do multiple types of manufacturing production. This means that companies would need the capability of switching from one manufacturing mode to another without interrupting operations, and an ERP software package that could accommodate such a set up. The companies mentioned above can also handle solutions for mixed mode production; here are a few others; Made2Manage ERP, IQMS, CDC Ross ERP and Vai. As you can see, there is much to choose from and much to investigate.

The search should be much easier for small manufacturers. These businesses can make an assessment of their budget and determine what they can afford. The Web-based option has been the choice of numerous small manufactures when making an ERP software comparison for manufacturing.

Written by :

Amy Cruz