Change is always an inevitability. The same goes for manufacturing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Major changes that usually impact manufacturing ERP include new customer requirements, new business sectors, shift in industry focus points, and additional systems to support the manufacturing process. A significant amount of change can be difficult to accommodate. An understanding of the significant pain points of manufacturing ERP can help to solve this issue.

ERP Software Pains for Manufacturing Industry:

The following pain points are the most common problems that are faced by companies in terms of manufacturing ERP:

• Maintenance Expenditure:Manufacturing ERP systems can drain finances when it comes to software maintenance. The expenditure can include elaborate upgrades, new customization, and high annual fees. Efficient maintenance and support can help to keep the ERP system in line with business requirements.
• Managing Multiple Records: Company expansion is always a celebratory event. However, with expansion comes a whole new problem. Multiple facilities means a rise in the number of records to manage. Companies who are increasing production capacities will have to deal with complicated supply chain systems from the multiple plants. This can lead to duplication of manufacturing data and financial statements.
• Product Lifecycle Management Issues: Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is often offered as a solution apart from ERP. However, the PLM features are often lacking in terms of functionality. This can be difficult for organizations that require complete visibility in the ‘concept to completion’ product life cycle. This results in multiple systems being used for processes such as product development, manufacturing process initiation, execution, inspections, and delivery.
• Custom ERPs: Many organizations opt for custom ERP systems that were designed to meet certain specific challenges in the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, utilizing custom ERPs can lead to a company being ‘hardwired’ with the system. This makes it difficult to create new coding according to any new changes taking place in the business.

These pain points should be kept in mind when working with manufacturing ERP to optimize your business.