Manufacturers face the pressure of improving operational efficiency, reducing operation and maintenance costs, and increasing business profitability, as with all businesses. But technological shifts and increasingly complex supply chain considerations put further pressure on manufacturing companies.
Meeting the needs of the modern manufacturing landscape and achieving the goals of greater efficiency and profitability require a comprehensive view of all operations, including financials, production management, and supply chain management. One of the most effective ways to bring this visibility and control is through the implementation of a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system (ERP).
Where Cloud ERP Helps Manufacturing
Cloud-based manufacturing ERP solutions provide a centralized platform for managing all business operations. Cloud ERP can help manufacturing companies streamline accounting and financial management, production management, supply chain management, customer relationship management, pricing strategy, reporting and analytics, workflow automation, configuration and integration, inventory management, mobile access, automation, and scalability.
ERP also can help manufacturers make data-driven decisions that align with strategic goals, reduce costs, and increase efficiency across the business.
Some of the ways that ERP can help:
1 - Enhanced Production Management
Cloud-based ERP can help manufacturers manage production more efficiently by providing tools for production planning, inventory management, shop floor management, and production costing. These ERP capabilities can ensure products are produced on time, within budget, and with the required quality. By providing real-time production updates, ERP can help reduce the risk of manufacturing issues and improve customer satisfaction.
2- Streamlined Supply Chain Management
A cloud-based ERP system can provide manufacturers with tools for improved inventory management, procurement, and supplier management, keys given supply chain complexity today. ERP can help reduce costs, improve supplier relationships, and ensure that materials and equipment are available for production teams when needed along with getting inventory out on the market on time.
3 - Improved Financial Management
Cloud ERP supports better financial management by providing a centralized platform for managing financial processes such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and financial reporting. These accounting capabilities can help reduce errors, improve management accuracy, and provide real-time visibility into financial performance for manufacturers. Cloud ERP also can help identify areas of financial waste, and help manufacturers learn where there are inefficiencies that can be eliminated.
4 - Better Reporting and Data Analytics
With cloud ERP, manufactures can take advantage of real-time data and analytics that can help improve decision-making, identify trends, and improve overall business performance. Capabilities within cloud ERP can help ensure that manufacturers are making data-driven decisions that align with strategic goals, and with accurate data manufacturers can spot new opportunities and ways to drive additional revenue.
5 - Increased Manufacturing Efficiency
Manufacturers can improve operational efficiency with ERP by leveraging automated processes, using the system to reducing manual data entry, and through streamlined workflows that guide employees through each step in the process. The capabilities within modern cloud ERP help reduce user errors, improve accuracy, and free up time for more strategic tasks. And by automating time-consuming tasks, manufacturers can become more efficient, focusing more on growth.
6 - Improved Customer Relationship Management
Cloud ERP helps manufacturers upgrade customer relationship management capabilities by providing tools for managing customer interactions, tracking customer history, and providing personalized service. The CRM capabilities in ERP can help manufacturers improve satisfaction, customer loyalty, and retention. By understanding customer needs better with ERP, manufacturers can provide better service and increase manufacturing production revenue.
7 - Enhanced Collaboration
With cloud-based ERP, manufacturers can improve collaboration by utilizing a centralized platform for sharing information, communicating, and collaborating on projects. This can help ensure that management is on the same page, and that manufacturing projects are completed in a timely and efficient manner. By providing a clear view of the project status, employees also can work together to identify problems and find solutions more easily.
8 - Manufacturing Flexibility
Manufacturers who use cloud ERP can grow and adapt as the needs and market conditions of their business change. Since cloud ERP is both flexible and constantly evolving to encompass the latest technology innovations, manufacturers can evolve operations and tap into the latest advances such as Artificial intelligence without having to change systems or disrupt operations. The modularity of cloud ERP also enables manufacturers to start small and add functionality as the business grows or evolves.
Learn More About How ERP Can Help Your Manufacturing Business
As an SAP Gold Partner with more than 500 ERP implementations under our belt, we’ve been helping manufacturing companies run more efficiently with ERP for more than 25 years. We understand the needs of manufacturing operations, and the latest cloud-based ERP solutions such as SAP’s new S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition. We’ve also developed prepackaged, turnkey cloud ERP solutions that come preconfigured for manufacturing operations.
Learn more about cloud ERP for manufacturing, or get your specific questions answered by contacting one of our experienced ERP consultants at (801) 642-0123 or by writing us at info@nbs-us.com.
