Manufacturing companies deal with numerous challenges in their day-to-day operations.
While these challenges vary from one manufacturer to another, some problems cut across different companies. To better cope with such issues, adopting new technology is usually recommended, such innovation is needed like the enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.
According to OnRamp Solutions, the use of modern technology helps streamline company processes by increasing employee productivity, minimizing costs, and getting rid of supply inefficiencies. With the already complex environment of the manufacturing industry, it’s getting more difficult day in-day out. To help you out, here’s how ERP systems can help you solve your manufacturing challenges.
1. Challenge In Maintaining Optimal Inventory Control
Proper inventory control is essential as it helps ensure you can properly meet your customers’ needs by streamlining the supply chain. But as a manufacturer, this isn’t always the case, because you’ll often have to deal with the issue of too little or too much inventory. This is expected because you don’t have a clear idea of how much inventory is in transit, in the warehouse, or anywhere else. At this point, the ERP software comes in handy because it enables you to have a clear picture of your inventory throughout the production line.
The ERP works in ensuring optimal inventory control by helping you in the implementation of standard inventory management processes and practices. This system manages to do this as it comes integrated with an inventory control application which allows you to have a clear idea of inventory counts and better visibility of the entire production process.
Therefore, you’ll always be well-informed about the details such as safety stock, lead time, reorder points, as well as set up notifications and alerts for approvals.
As a manufacturer, using ERP software helps avoid unwanted things such as reduced inventory-related expenses by constantly maintaining optimal inventory levels. This, in the long run, will help you boost your profit margins.
2. Lack Of Proper Scheduling And Planning
Your manufacturing business profit margins suffer greatly due to poor production planning, the use of inappropriate forecasting tools, and not having the workforce needed.
Because of this, you’ll be somewhat guessing around with the production planning and inventory demands. As a result, it inhibits the company’s operational needs and administrative process.
Every manufacturing company needs to maintain proper planning and scheduling to even stand a chance of success in the highly competitive market. This is why ERP software is a must-have if you’re a manufacturer, as it ensures you have 100% visibility on your inventory and sales forecasting. It can also help you ensure that both the raw materials, equipment, and staff are available when you want to increase your production. In addition, proper scheduling helps you align your production schedules with shipments and deliveries.
3. Lot Tracking
A common challenge in manufacturing that ERP software helps resolve is lot tracking. For manufacturers, lot tracking is essential to ensure that you know the precise location of your finished goods as well as the raw materials. However, there are a lot of inaccuracies when manually entering data into spreadsheets. This is where an ERP system comes in.
An ERP system will take care of lot tracking and ensure that your manufacturing processes are as smooth as possible.
The ERP software features have many tracking functions that allow you to track inventory, recall products, and analyze detailed revenue reports. Thanks to ERP software, you can now easily track your products in real-time, from creation to customer delivery and beyond. This is vital in safeguarding the quality of the final products and avoiding any unwanted conflicts with your customers.
4. Inaccurate Reports
Grouping a huge set of data is often very time-consuming and tedious, thereby increasing the chances of inaccurate reporting. This consequently increases the chances of halting the manufacturing operations. Other challenges you’ll face when manually collecting data include;
• Delay recording of information due to lack of a proper system of instantly documenting data.
• Spend a lot of time manually presenting data, increasing the chances of human errors.
• It leads to creating reports that take up a lot of your time since it saves you the trouble of reconciling and authenticating data.
Fortunately, the ERP software helps to better deal with all these challenges, and there are several ways it does this, such as:
• Ensure information across your business is consistent and updated.
• Collect data in digital format from different company processes.
• Store data in a centralized location to enable easy access anywhere and anytime.
• Include real-time updates by offering mobile features and apps.
• With such benefits, the ERP software helps ensure better data accuracy, which is vital for the success of your manufacturing business.
5. Wastage Of Resources
It can be very hard to calculate the precise costs linked with wasted resources and manufacturing delays. This is the last thing you want as a manufacturer because it translates into reduced profit margins. Luckily, you can circumvent this issue by adopting the use of ERP software which helps ensure proper utilization of resources. There are different ways this system helps you in realizing this goal which includes:
• Have in place routine checks, inspection, maintenance, and servicing protocols and measures.
• State the conditions that necessitate the need for maintenance.
With these measures in place, the equipment and machinery needed to work in an optimal condition at all times to succeed as a manufacturer will be guaranteed. Using the ERP software also helps reduce labor-intensive and time-consuming tasks, simplify the supply chains, minimize material waste, and reduce damage by optimizing equipment use. In addition, the ERP software enables you to facilitate different manufacturing processes to help boost the overall productivity of your manufacturing plant.
Takeaway
Learning how to best deal with some of the common manufacturing issues with the help of ERP software is the goal for most manufacturers. Doing this as a manufacturer helps you boost your productivity and become more competitive. To prove how the ERP software adds value, this detailed guide has detailed the common manufacturing issues and how it can help better deal with such problems.
