The Key Points in Selecting a Software Product for Your Manufacturing Company

It is not easy finding and implementing a software for your manufacturing needs, and it requires you to observe strict guidelines and know what kind of questions you have to ask. If you don’t get it right from start, you may end up choosing a program that does not suit your manufacturing functions. Drilling down the things you have to check can help you in selecting the right software that serves the purpose. One of the question you have to ask yourself is; what kind of manufacturer you are.

To get the answer, you have to check whether you make stock on a repetitive standard for products or you make to order or you configure to order. You may also want to check whether your manufacturing involves a simple job shop that is all custom, mixed or a combination of both the custom and Original Equipment manufacturer-OEM products. In addition, your manufacturing process could entail recipe batch-like food chemicals or a beverage industry. Defining your manufacturing process is so critical in obtaining the right software for the manufacturing function.

Secondly, you have to search for software vendors who offer excellent products that match with your manufacturing process. You can sort from a list of vendors you have identified and ensure that they have the profile that aligns to your company size while also ensuring that the prices of the software products match your budget expectations. This may not be easy because most of the vendors do not put in public their specific product cost, which can help you gauge the true worthiness in terms of value of the product.

The other thing you have to do is analyze the operation of your company and then identify the most pressing issues which can be addressed by the software. This may involved anything to do with tracking of customer contracts, scheduling, preparing quotations for customer protection to things like shipping and documentation.

The most immediate thing you want to achieve is improve the operational processes. After that, you request for information with a list of your primary requirements. The requirements should clearly be defined showing the expectations that you want to get from the program. These are the problems which the programs should address.

For instance, you may have one of the components in the list citing that you want a program which can easily and seamlessly interface well with Computer Aided Designs Systems or CADs. You need to ensure that the vendors get every detail clearly in order to enable them determine whether the program will offer the qualities and features you want in order to achieve your goals.

When you have received a return information for the request for information you had made, you can choose about two or three to do a demonstration. At this point, you have to prepare demonstration scripts that include input from every department or division of the manufacturing company. The vendors should be brought to the company and ask them to show you how the software is able to execute the demands you are searching for and whether the program meets the scripts.

You have to ensure that you record as well as qualify the promises which had been made by the vendors during the presentation of script. The last thing you need to do is check for references. You need to be sure that they are the recent ones and not outdated. Ensure that you do not waste time engaging with vendors who cannot offer a good fit based on the budget you have at hand.