With so many different ERP systems to choose from, identifying the right software package can be a daunting and time-consuming task. However, given the cost, integration and long-term impact of ERP systems, you can’t invest too much time in the evaluation process.

The best approach involves using one of several online tools to sift through all the different vendors and narrow the list down to three to five finalists. Once you have a short list of finalists, conduct extensive interviews with each company and “demo” their software to see which one best fits your needs. Be sure to ask each company to come to your location for a test run. If they insist that you demo the software at their site, it should raise a red flag about their approach to customer service.

When evaluating different packages, look for the “four C’s” of an ERP system: (more…)

In the first three parts of our on-going series on manufacturing scheduling, we covered a wide swath of issues related to improving accuracy, visibility, flexibility, reducing costs, and preventing bottleneck. The crux of these solutions is all found in one place—enterprise resource planning software (ERP).  Today, let’s examine just how scheduling through ERP is achieved.

By freeing up your time, ERP scheduling allows you to make better decisions and become more of a proactive manager of people and resources. It redefines your role, elevating it to a more strategic position and increasing your value to the company. (more…)