Manufacturing Software Selection Tips

Manufacturing companies looking for new MRP or ERP software must understand the importance of being aware of the overall impact that the new software will have on the overall business. New practices, procedures, and processes may need to be implemented, and these kind of things need to be considered to make the software selection successful.

Granted, most software solutions will provide the same basic features, usability, tracking, and son on. However, there are some key factors that need to be considered and that different software packages will have varying degrees of functionality, user-friendliness, and so on. Only by thoroughly investigating these factors will a company be able to know that they are making the right decision.

Generally, companies seek new software because they believe that it will help them streamline and/or automate key processes, allowing them to save both time and money. However, companies must be cautious because this process of streamlining can actually be too straightforward and rigid in certain software packages. As a result, procedures that the company currently uses may need to be redesigned to accomodate the rigid software. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as often it can be beneficial to update processes and process redesigns are often not considered unless they absoltely need to be (such as when new software will be implemented). Unfortunately, some companies operate under the idea of "If it isn't broken, don't fix it." However, the degree to which processes must be changed to accomodate new software must be considered because if they are too extreme, employees can become bogged down and the benefits sought by the new software may not be realized.

It goes without saying that this kind of evaluation can be time consuming. However, if it is not done, the time spent trying to gain compatibility between incompatible software and company procedures, as well as the time and money spent searching for new software when it is finally realized that the new software won't work, will be hugely frustrating and costly.

Moving on, companies seeking new manufacturing software need to ensure that they solicit input from numerous members of the company before making a decision. This can be difficult to do as the organization still has a business to run while they seek new software, and this process can also become frustrating. Employees may be difficult to get input from as they will still be busy with their everyday duties, but it is essential that the time and effort are given to get their input as they are the ones that will ultimately be using the new system.

Likewise, upper management must be invested and supportive of the software selection process and be aware that the process will take some time. If they become impatient, the company runs the risk of selecting software that is subpar. Conversely, if upper management fully supports the individual or team responsible for selecting new software, the company will be much more likely to arrive at the optimal solution.

It can be equally frustrating choosing the right vendor or supplier of the manufacturing software that your company wants. The amount of training and on-going support must be evaluated for each vendor but the software selection team. Although this can be extremely time consuming, it is completely worth it. Taking the time to do research up front will save time and headaches in the long run if your company is always able to get the answers they need from the vendor in a timely manner. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing productivity while trying to troubleshoot on your own.

Evaluating a vendor should be done as objectively as possible. All vendors will have experiences salespeople that will do everything in their power to convince you that their services are the best. Therefore, it is imperative that a set of criteria for evaluating a vendor is identified before speaking with any vendors.

There is an old saying along the lines of "don't put the cart before the horse." This is extremely applicable when it comes to selecting new manufacturing software. Often it can seem impossible to determine if you should look for software that fits the business or look for ways to change the business to work with a new system.

In general, it is usually easier to study existing procedures during the selection process. Companies that try to redesign processes before considering new software run the risk of changing the wrong processes or changing them in such a way that they aren't compatible with the software that you want.

In the same manner, companies that wait to look at internal controls until after they have selected new software and understand it's functionality run a risk. The ideal solution is to be able to see the software's functionality in action during the selection process to get an idea of what current processes will need to be updated and which ones are fine as is.