How to choose the right manufacturing process management system

Quabbly
4 min readDec 15, 2021

Manufacturing operations would be impossible without a process management system because connecting the functions within the organization would provide the data that would be needed to help the company achieve.

What Is A Process Management System?

A process management system is capable of handling customer orders, managing customer relationships, planning purchases, planning production, managing inventory, handling accounting, managing HR functions, and providing comprehensive reports when needed.

5 steps to help you choose the right manufacturing process management system

The following steps can help you narrow down your search and choose the best ERP solution for your manufacturing business:

  • Determine the key issues you need to resolve
  • Ensure that key stakeholders are on board with your decisions
  • Designate an internal product champion
  • Future-proof the system to ensure that it will
  • Ensure mobile access to the system
  • Ensure the systems are user-friendly
  • Make a wise decision when choosing your deployment option
  • Verify that the vendor provides training and support
  • Ensure the vendor you choose understands your business

1. Determine the key issues you need to resolve

Spreadsheets are extremely time-consuming and prone to errors if they are used to manage inventory and manually enter data into an accounting program. Managing your inventory more effectively can be achieved with a system that helps manage your processes internally.

2. Ensure that key stakeholders are on board with your decisions

The key stakeholders and executive management must be motivated to change and participate in the review process. By starting with a cost-benefit analysis, you will be able to convince them to join. After using the product for a while, managers will be able to give sound and well-informed feedback that will go a long way to convincing stakeholders.

3. Designate an internal product champion

The person you choose to teach about the new process management system should be passionate about participating in the rollout. Therefore, aside from product training, this person will be like an expert in how to use the system.

4. Future-proof the system to ensure that it will

Choose a system that is adaptable, open, and modular. In order to work well with others, it must integrate with suppliers for “just in time” manufacturing (JIT) or interact with customers through EDI.

Is there a possibility of adding functionality to the system by recent manufacturers? Is the system scalable? When your company grows, can it scale?

5. Ensure mobile access to the system

Is the mobile access simply a link to a desktop web browser, or is it a stand-alone program that works in tandem with the desktop version? You’re looking for the latter. You want consumers to be just as productive on their smartphones and tablets as they are at their desks.

6. User-friendly systems are imperative

It’s critical that the interface is well-organized and simple to use. Employees’ productivity will rise as a result of a well-designed interface.

7. Make a wise decision when choosing your deployment option

In some cases, you may have the option of deploying on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid environment. Cloud solutions now outnumber on-premise solutions in terms of their advantages.

With cloud-based technologies, upfront costs are kept to a minimum, as they are typically used on a pay-as-you-go basis. The vendor will handle all maintenance and upgrades, the IT department’s overhead will be kept as low as possible, and the software will always be updated. Therefore, cloud-based solutions can be scaled indefinitely.

8. Verify that the vendor provides training and support

Establish a training schedule with your vendor and dedicate your employees’ time to it. There is no point in spending time and resources implementing a new system if no one knows how to use it.

9. Be sure the vendor you choose understands your business

In marketing the benefits of a solution, you should steer clear of vendors who use a lot of technical jargon. It is important to deal with a provider who understands manufacturing challenges. Your solution should be crafted by someone who understands the issues you’re trying to tackle and can tailor it to your specific needs.

Manufacturing process management systems can be broken down into different systems like; manufacturing workflow management, financial management, supply chain, CRM, to other industry-specific solutions, hence having a solution like Quabbly, an all-in-one process management system would give you the foundation you need to improve your business processes.

Originally published at https://quabbly.com.

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