Manufacturing companies have a number of unique processes that the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution will address. They also face quite a few distinct problems that can wreak havoc on their operations. A good manufacturing ERP software will be able to streamline operations, but also decrease the risk of issues like miscommunication or disconnect amongst employees. 

Selecting the right solution for a manufacturing company means being aware of business pain points, as well as the top processes that help an organization run smoothly. These can be understood and outlined by conducting an evaluation.

Dick Schultz, director of product marketing-manufacturing with an ERP solutions provider says, "The very first thing when looking for an ERP system is to make sure that the top line executives are on board with their business systems in starting an evaluation. IT-driven evaluations typically don't end up in a good place and even if they do move forward implementations aren't nearly as successful. You need to align the system gaps you currently have with your current and future business plans — then go out and really looking at a system that fills those gaps."

Manufacturers must identity strategic business operations that are currently necessary and will continue to be essential in the future. The chosen ERP system should support these goals first, since these are the processes that support a company and make a profit.

The next step is to outline day-to-day requirements. Employee input is important at this point, because workers will be able to define what they need an application to do for them on a daily basis. While these functions are fundamental to a company, without the primary processes they would be useless, which is why they are considered second.

A successful ERP solution will, however, take both primary and secondary functionality requirements into account. At Accent Software we can help you find a system that supports your manufacturing business from top to bottom.