Pinpointing the perfect manufacturing enterprise resource planning solution is no easy task in today’s oversaturated ERP market.

With more than 200 different available platforms, the cross-functional teams responsible for sourcing and implementing manufacturing ERPs have considerable work ahead of them, according to research from Panorama Consulting Solutions.

However, these groups are not doomed to scour the proverbial ERP haystack in vain. ERP implementation teams with strong system selection criteria can sort through potential solutions and identify software that can make a significant impact on the shop floor. Here are three of those critical variables:

1. Operational compatibility
Despite the prevalence of industry-agnostic ERP solutions, customization continues to be commonplace among adopters. In fact, an estimated 82 percent of the businesses that implement ERP software work with vendors to modify their respective systems, Panorama found.

This state of affairs seems to indicate that adopters in the manufacturing space can safely select just about any ERP solution on the market and see success. In reality, this is not the case, Industry Week reported.

Manufacturing firms must look for vendors with products that meet their core business needs without serious customization. While some code modification is acceptable and even necessary, implementation teams should only consider ERP technology that matches existing internal processes.

2. A track record of success
Manufacturing ERP software alone cannot prompt operational transformation. Vendors must collaborate with adopters to tightly integrate ERP technology into mission-critical shop floor practices and create employee training resources that emphasize system-usage best practices. These and other ancillary implementation activities allow organizations to get the most out of their solutions and lay the foundation for sustainable growth.

Manufacturers navigating the ERP adoption process should keep this in mind and carefully assess vendors on their ability to deliver on larger project goals, CIO reported. How? Client references are ideal, as past or current customers can effectively capture the entire implementation experience, from software installation to post-implementation support.

3. Room for ERP expansion
Businesses in virtually every sector are interested in exploring some of the newer ERP components entering the market, according to research from Cisco.

Artificial intelligence modules, robotic process automation features and internet of things connectors are among these cutting-edge system elements, many of which may soon transform from nice-to-haves into system essentials due to the continued development of Industry 4.0. Manufacturing firms would be wise to take note of these ascendant ERP fixtures and search for systems that can grow with as needed.

In the end, organizations in the manufacturing space that emphasize these system selection criteria can put into place effective ERP technology that facilitates operational transformation.

Here at Accent Software, we help manufacturing firms implement ERP platforms of this kind. As a certified Microsoft Business Solutions partner, Accent provides vendor-vetted Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation services, which allow businesses to put into place best-in-class ERP software designed to facilitate organizational growth.

Connect with us today to learn more about our products and services.

Manufacturing enterprise resource planning software features alone cannot catalyze change on the shop floor. These components must square with mission-critical administrative and production processes in order to lay the groundwork for transformation.

Sadly, a significant number of ERP adopters in the manufacturing space disregard the issue of solution fit and put into place products that not only drive up implementation costs due to extensive customization, but also lay the groundwork for system dysfunction down the line, according to Panorama Consulting Solutions.

Manufacturers can avoid both of these issues by focusing on solution fit when navigating the ERP selection process. Here are three strategies firms can use to find manufacturing ERPs that could work with core business functionalities:

Consider system size
ERP platforms vary in scale, depending on intended use. Those designed for manufacturing firms are normally on the robust size as businesses in the industry must track numerous moving operational parts. However, oversized systems can quickly become unwieldy, leading to considerable backend issues that can hurt the bottom line, IT Toolbox reported.

Products that are too small, on the other hand, can fail outright when paired with expansive shop floor workflows. Manufacturers must carefully consider solution size to ensure they avoid both extremes.

Evaluate support services
Powerful software can indeed have an immense impact on manufacturing operations. That said, such systems are only as effective as the vendor support offerings that accompany them.

This reality makes it necessary for firms in the manufacturing arena to vet the employee training and maintenance services that come with potential ERP solutions, according to ERP Software Blog.

Take users into account
ERP implementation success depends on the users who ultimately deploy such platforms in the workplace. Consequently, manufacturers should remember to consider employees and how they navigate the administrative and shop floor spaces when selecting new ERP software.

For example, if an organization supports a large pool of mobile users enrolled in a bring-your-own-device program, its ERP search committee would be wise to focus on solutions with mobile-ready interfaces, CIO reported.

Here at Accent Software, we help manufacturing firms implement ERP technology that fits their respective production processes and therefore sets them on the path to success.

As a certified Microsoft Business Solutions partner, Accent provides vendor-vetted Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation services, which allow businesses to put into place best-in-class ERP software designed to facilitate organizational growth.

Connect with us today to learn more about our products and services.

The enterprise resource planning implementation processes encompass an extensive number of tasks. However, few of these activities are as important as pinpointing effective system maintenance and support options.

These services are critical to short- and long-term ERP success, an unavoidable reality manufacturing firms that fail to implement such offerings grapple with as their unsupported solutions falter. Potential ERP adopters in the manufacturing space can avoid disastrous outcomes of this nature by prioritizing maintenance and support, and pinpoint packages with top-notch features.

Here are some of those key maintenance and support components:

An advantageous service-level agreement
These contracts are intended to set out expectations for maintenance and support providers, outlining critical service metrics they must meet in order to receive payment. However, many service-level agreements are weighted toward the vendor and contain fairly lightweight penalty clauses, according to TechTarget.

Adopters must be on the lookout for such unfavorable agreements and come into negotiations with hard performance metrics that hold service providers accountable. Manufacturers that have successfully obtained maintenance and support services swear by reward clauses, which encourage vendors to go above and beyond to meet their contracted performance goals.

Robust post-roll out support
User support is critical in the days and weeks following go-live. During the period, employees must grapple with entirely new workflows in real time, a challenge even the best training programs struggle to address.

Maintenance and support vendors should be on-site to provide resources for workers acclimating to fresh ERP software, analysts for Deloitte argued. This key span can either lay the groundwork for sustainable success or sew the seeds of user attrition. Both manufacturing firms and their support partners should be interested in facilitating the former outcome.

Strong ongoing training options
ERP platforms and the internal processes they support should evolve in step with the organization. This constant change can take a toll on end users who lack access to change management tools in the form of training programs and other resources.

Manufacturers must address this issue during implementation by formulating a long-term solution roadmap and charting out future maintenance and support needs, according to TechTarget. This reduces the risk of productivity-sapping complications developing down the road.

Manufacturing firms that pinpoint maintenance and support packages with these features are likely to cultivate sustainable ERP workflows that bolster the bottom line for years to come.

Here at Accent Software, we help manufacturing firms implement ERP technology designed to support sustained operational productivity. As a certified Microsoft Business Solutions partner, Accent provides vendor-vetted Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation services, which allow businesses to put into place best-in-class ERP software designed to facilitate organizational growth.

Connect with us today to learn more about our products and services.

Businesses across the manufacturing sector are investing in Industry 4.0 technology – data-driven hardware and software designed to facilitate next-generation workflows that optimize efficiency and support maximum return on investment. The companies implementing these tools via formalized initiatives are collectively spending $900 billion per year on Industry 4.0 innovations alone, according to researchers for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

For those familiar with such technology, this immense level of investment makes sense, as the assets associated with this ever-expanding movement offer truly transformative potential. However, mechanical sensors and data analysis platforms cannot facilitate success in isolation. These items must be deployed in conjunction with key backend solutions, some of which have long been used on the shop floor.

Enterprise resource planning systems are among these complementary tools, Manufacturing and Business Technology reported. But how exactly does ERP software support the bleeding-edge production technologies associated with Industry 4.0 and the personnel tasked with using them?

An all-encompassing information cache
The cutting-edge processes centered on the latest manufacturing innovations are multi-tiered monstrosities involving numerous pieces of hardware and software, all working together to create countless data points that, when harnessed and analyzed, can yield transformative operational insights. Making sense of this information can be difficult without overarching computational structure.

ERP solutions provide this essential architecture, making it possible for employees at all levels to access information collected through sensors and systems of all kinds, according to IT Toolbox. Of course, these platforms do far more than assist manufacturers.

Horizontal integration allows firms, suppliers and customers to take advantage of the information flowing through ERPs, analysts for Deloitte found. In this setup, all parties maintain independent three-tiered operational stacks with programmed logic controllers at the base, manufacturing execution systems in the middle and ERP solutions at the top. Data flows from the bottom up before finally reaching the ERP, where all collaborators can easily access it and coordinate operations.

Without an ERP in place, operational information gathered via Industry 4.0 solutions is rendered almost inaccessible and likely non-actionable. On top of this, collaboration among production partners and customers fades or ceases to exist.

Even the most advanced manufacturing tools cannot overcome these barriers, the Industry 4.0 technologies included. However, ERP systems can mitigate these issues and allow businesses in the manufacturing space building the factories of the future to achieve their ambitious goals.

Navigating the system selection process
Not all ERP solutions are equipped to handle this demanding and important task. Manufacturers embracing Industry 4.0 must pinpoint ERP platforms whose features can support the latest tools and workflows, as well as the employees tasked with navigating them.

Here are some of those critical components:

• An easy-to-navigate user interface: Personnel tasked with managing Industry 4.0-level data flows, an already overwhelming assignment, should be able to find their way around the ERP with ease. This not only ensures that data collected on the shop floor makes an impact on the bottom line but also reduces the likelihood of internal resistance, a common outcome in moments of significant operational upheaval.
• Robust integration capabilities: As stated above, ERP systems deployed in environments with multiple advanced hardware and software assets are responsible for tying everything together, so to speak. Systems without strong and varied integration modules cannot perform this critical task.
• Responsive support services: Vendor support is key for manufacturing firms rolling out ERP solutions in conjunction with advanced production technologies associated with Industry 4.0., as even the most skilled users can encounter difficulties when using such systems in this context. Software providers must be there to offer training and assistance that empowers workers and reduces the likelihood of workflow mishaps.

As the next generation of manufacturing technology takes hold, businesses in the space must search for the mission-critical software that facilitates adoption and lays the groundwork for sustained success. For many, this means embarking on an ERP search.

Here at Accent Software, we help manufacturing firms implement ERP technology designed to support operational change in the era of Industry 4.0. As a certified Microsoft Business Solutions partner, Accent provides vendor-vetted Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation services, which allow businesses to put into place best-in-class ERP software designed to facilitate organizational growth.

Connect with us today to learn more about our products and services.