No matter what their end products are, every manufacturing facility has to deal with a lot of moving parts.

You need to manage your supply chain, stay on top of deadlines for customers, identify machines that need maintenance, and prevent downtime as much as possible.

On top of that, you need a way for all departments to stay connected without constantly asking each other for information. Managers should be able to see the company at a glance from a single dashboard.

All the while, your manufacturing company has hundreds, maybe even thousands, of employees who have specific roles and parts to play in keeping your facility running smoothly. Staying on top of their workload, managing time off, and scheduling multiple shifts can quickly become burdensome.

All of these moving parts are why enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is a must for manufacturing companies.

ERP software allows you to do everything you need to keep your business running, including managing inventory, planning for downtime, and identifying inefficiencies so you can improve your processes. You can also manage your employees’ workload and provide transparency for all managers and company leaders.

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6 Reasons Manufacturing Companies Need ERP Software

We know we just listed a whole lot of ways ERP software can make your manufacturing company more competitive and increase your bottom line.

Here are some specific features of ERP software that can improve every aspect of your manufacturing facility’s operations.

1. Manage workflow

ERP software integrates every department in your organization. So, you can keep track of workflow for all your teams, including finance, inventory, sales, customer service, design, human resources, operations, and more from a single platform.

The benefit is that your company won’t need to monitor every department manually. Instead, all stakeholders can have quick access to other departments to get updates on purchase orders, maintenance requests, customer complaints, and more.

As a result, managers can get complete data from any department whenever they need it without needing to hunt down information. This can be particularly useful if you have facilities in multiple time zones.

2. Stay on top of your supply chain

Supply chain disruptions can be devastating for manufacturing companies. With ERP software, you can monitor your supply chain and make quick decisions when something goes wrong.

Use supply chain management with your ERP software to coordinate with your suppliers. Then, you can create a logistic strategy that helps you cut down on operational costs while still getting the end product to your customers in time.

3. Stay connected with your teams

ERP software can keep you all connected whether your teams are working remotely or are spread out in plants across the country. You can access ERP manufacturing software from any device, including mobile devices.

4. Eliminate manual tasks

Automation is a crucial benefit of all ERP software systems. For manufacturing facilities, automation means getting rid of manual tasks that can be prone to human error.

Plus, with automation, you’ll have access to real-time information, which ensures everyone is working with the most up-to-date information available.

5. Increased productivity

All of the features included with ERP software are designed to improve productivity and efficiency for your manufacturing facility. For example, you can save time managing schedules, overseeing the sales process, and streamlining financial operations.

Having a single source of truth for company information reduces human error and improves communication between departments. All of these features mean your teams will spend less time trying to find information, giving them more time to focus on their primary job responsibilities.

6. Reduce overall costs

Even though there are upfront costs associated with implementing a new ERP system, overall, ERP software can save your company a lot of money.

As they say, time is money, and ERP software can help save you a lot of time. It can also keep you from making costly errors.

Finding the Right ERP Software for Your Manufacturing Company

There’s no reason to rush into installing ERP software without taking the time to do your due diligence and find the best ERP software for your business.

Here are a few things to consider as you start your search and begin implementing ERP software at your manufacturing company.

Work with professionals

While ERP systems can be intuitive to use, implementing them can be a little complex. For example, Odoo ERP software has lots of modules for all kinds of industries, including manufacturing. Figuring out which ones you need and which ones will only get in your way can be confusing if you aren’t an ERP expert.

So, we recommend working with ERP experts who can work with you to identify the tools you’ll need. This ensures you only pay for modules and features you’ll actually use.

Get your employees trained

ERP software only works if everyone uses it. As you work with an ERP company, make sure your employees will be well-trained in advance of your ERP software launch. That way, they’ll all be ready to make the switch from your current system so that the whole company is on the same page.

Get ERP that can scale with your business

Choosing and implementing an ERP system isn’t a small task. Ideally, it’s a process you only want to do once. So, make sure your ERP system can scale with your business. After all, your business won’t be the same in five years as it is now. Your ERP software should have room to grow and adapt as your business evolves.

Do You Need ERP Software for Manufacturing? Let’s Talk

Manufacturing companies can benefit from having an ERP system that helps them keep track of inventory, stay on top of the supply chain, manage employee workload, and automate tasks to reduce human error and save time.

At Confianz, we’re experts at designing and implementing Odoo ERP software solutions. We’d love to chat with you to learn more about your business needs and see if Odoo ERP is the right fit for you.