ERP Software

Enterprise Resource Planning Manufacturing Software – Why All The Hype?

What’s all the hype over Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Manufacturing software?  It’s become an industry-wide term.  It’s like the latest fad or diet that doesn’t go away.  So, what is ERP Manufacturing software and why all the hype?  Enterprise Resource Planning packages are made up of several modules.  For example, SAP has a Financials module, a Human Resources module, a Supply Chain module, yadda yadda ya.  You get the picture.  Manufacturing is one of the modules that lives in an ERP package.  So, what does it do?  ERP manufacturing software provides a heck of a lot of automated functionality.  This automated functionality enables businesses to plan manufacturing activities, plan for the right amount of materials, plan for the right amount of labor, plan for machinery needed, track production, control production, control billing, and essentially all related manufacturing jobs.

Let’s say you are completely sold on the idea of having an ERP Manufacturing software system and you run out and buy the very best money can buy.  Well, what you will find is that there are oodles of modules within the ERP Manufacturing module.  Basically, these modules make up an Enterprise Resource Planning Manufacturing software suite.  Some Enterprise Resource Planning Manufacturing software modules include; Quotation module, Sales Order module, Shop Traveler/Work Order module, Inventory module, Shipping module, Production Management module, Network/Multi-User module, Automated Tool Tracking module, Bar Code Labeling module and a Traceability module.

How will you use all these modules and the functionality they provide?  Let’s go over a few modules to see just what you can use them for.  Pretend you get a call from a large customer who wants to order two million slinkies.  You are the very best slinky maker, but because this customer is ordering so many slinkies, they want a discount.  You go to your handy dandy ERP Manufacturing software system and navigate to the Quotation module.  In the blink of an eye you provide this customer with a quote that includes all of your material and labor costs, taxes, and the discount.  Well, that was easy.  The customer is happy and places the order for two million slinkies.  Now you need to make the quote into a real sales order.  You are already working with your handy dandy ERP Manufacturing software system, so you simply navigate to the Sales Order module.  You place the sales order in another blink of an eye.  Now, you want to create a work order so that your employees get to work as it’s going to take some time to make two million slinkies.  You navigate to the Work Order module and create the work order in no time at all.  The slinkies are made and ready to be shipped.  As, they leave your warehouse your ERP Manufacturing software Inventory module, alerts the system confirming that two million slinkies are on their way to your customer.  If that wasn’t easy, then what is?  Of course, before you can do any of this you first need to install your ERP Manufacturing software system, integrate the system with other systems you use, and then learn how to use that brand spanking new ERP Manufacturing software system.