Manufacturing processes have undergone serious transformation in the past few years due to technological advances. Cloud deployments, 3D printing and real-time collaboration are just three of the many ways manufacturers are increasing productivity and efficiency in their companies. To make the most of these strategies manufacturers need reliable and flexible enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. However, selecting, implementing and deploying an ERP system can be a difficult task. Here are a few tips to help:

Long-term use: Undoubtedly business practices change over the years, but ERP is a big investment and it's next to impossible to replace it frequently. Select a flexible solution that can be adapted to evolving processes over time for a positive return on investment.

Avoid over-customization: Manufacturing processes are specific and complex, so it's natural to require a few customizations. However, if you can barely use your ERP software out of the box you've made the wrong choice. Excessive customizations make it difficult to upgrade ERP and eventually you will see your business suffer.

Specialize: Springboarding off the previous point, your ERP solution should fit the specific needs of your vertical industry before any customizations are implemented. It's important to choose a software that already contains much of the functionality you need, to address industry-specific processes and regulation compliance. This will help you avoid costly modifications later on.

User experience: Remember who is going to be using the software. Intuitive solutions not only speed up the implementation process, they also ensure widespread adoption and reduce the amount of training required. If employees are unable to use the solution it's not the right choice for your business.

Adopt all functions: It's tempting to change ERP to accommodate your organization's workflows but it's not efficient. Adopting the best practices and workflows of the ERP itself is imperative to success. ERP is built to streamline processes so molding a new software to old strategies means losing out on one of the key functions of ERP.

Be realistic: Don't allow your expectations to shoot through the roof and then be disappointed when they aren't met. ERP implementation takes time and rushing through the process or skipping steps in an attempt to speed things up will only result in bigger problems down the line.

Flexible ERP systems allow companies to remain one step ahead of customer demands and market changes. No manufacturer wants to be left scrabbling to catch up after changes occur. ERP allows organization's to prepare and pursue strategic actions, preventing issues from snowballing into bigger problems.

If you are in the market for a new ERP solution for your manufacturing company look no further than Accent Software. We have years of industry experience and would be happy to walk you through all our available business management software options.