Chemical manufacturing and processes are complex industries, and companies in this market have unique needs. MRP - Short software for "Material Requirements Planning," Material Resource Planning "or software" Manufacturing Resources Planning "- is a valuable tool for managing the planning process, scheduling, and production, purchasing, and distribution of manufacturing goods ,

However, choosing the right software can be a difficult process - and the wrong system can be charged. Whether it's a lot of hours and thousands of dollars spent on supporting and implementing problems or problems using functionality that is not designed with your mind, you need a system that is well integrated, easy to use for your industry.  Moreover, According to BusinessWire the demand for digitalization is increasing.

In this article, we will describe the main consideration for the manufacturer of the process when choosing the MRP system to help you find the right match. According to reports, the demand of mrp software is increasing. We will discuss:

What is MRP software?

Choose the right material resource planning software vendor

Special MRP software for process manufacturers

Main features of material resource planning software

Support, Implementation and Technology for MRP software

What is MRP software?

MRP software provides increased control over the manufacturing and business process by determining what needs to be done, what material needs to be purchased and when this activity needs to occur in customer demands. It offers tools for planning, counting, and automating key aspects of purchase and production.

In the past, MRP software was offered as a stand-alone product. The initial version of this software is known as MRP I and MRP II, and only supports basic inventory management and accounting features. At present, most buyers buy MRP software as part of a larger company planning software suite (ERP). This system is much stronger, offering a variety of comprehensive and integrated modules for business management, customer relationship management (CRM), plant maintenance and more.

Choose the right material resource planning software vendor

Material resource planning software currently brings great benefits for manufacturing companies. When used as part of a comprehensive ERP system, this software streamlines and automates the main processes and business functions, facilitates communication between departments and offers a holistic view of the company. However, the purchase and implementation of one of these systems also involves large investments in time and money. It is important to carefully consider all your options in terms of vendors and solutions before starting this trip.

When evaluating the potential of MRP software vendors, these tips can help you choose the right one:

Really historical veterinarian, background and their reputation. Anyone with computer skills and programming can start a software company; Keeping one in the business in the long term is much more difficult. Perform a deep dive into the history of each potential vendor, ask questions such as:

• How many times the company is bought and sold?
• Are there many tenor employees, or change changes?
• Has vendor ever bankrupt?
• Do they develop their own software, or are they resellers?
• How do they support their customers and platforms?

You are looking for a system with a long and stable history in terms of leadership, staff and financial position. It is also recommended that you choose vendors who develop their own software, so you can go directly to the source if you experience any problems. Make sure you choose also offer special support, in-house, and routine updates.

Talk to their customers. The best way to find out how well the software will work for you is implementing it. However, because this is a vetting stage, the next best thing is to find a company that is almost identical to you who successfully use the software. If they make the same product, sell to customers who are the same and operate in the same industry as you do, and the software for the worm.

Main features of material resource planning software

The biggest differentiation between generic and special MRP software solutions is in the features and functionality they offer. The ERP system that includes very complex material resource planning software, offers tens of thousands of features contained in the department module. Some of these modules, such as accounting, CRM and business intelligence, come standards in almost all ERP systems; You can learn more about the tools in this post on integrated ERP software.

Here, we will focus on features that are unique to the manufacturing process industry. By choosing a system that supports functionality, chemical producers and the following processes can streamline and improve their purchasing and production decisions:

Automatic unit conversion. Here is a scenario that might get used to: You buy products from one supplier with gallons, and from the others by liters; You save the same item in inventory with the pound; You use it in a formula by gram; And then you sell it with a kasing. It's a lot of calculations to be made by hand - unless you use special MRP software. The right system can automatically convert various size units and packaging into standard basic units, ensuring recipes, formulas, inventory, and accurate purchases.

Reporting compliance with industry specialization. From the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and all state and local guidelines include, your business has many government regulations to comply with - and fail to follow them can get you out of business. By automating the key aspects of regulatory compliance, including collecting, regulating and reporting information, you can avoid fine and fine while also increasing efficiency.

Customer product profile. One of the biggest mistakes to be avoided in the chemical industry is the delivery of the wrong product customers, because mixing incorrect chemicals can have disaster effects. Software with customer product profile functionality virtually eliminates this error. It stores information about orders, products, and previously provisions for each customer; Quotes, plans, and automatic filling orders; And trigger a warning if the customer ordered the product they had never done before. This profile also contains the unique price of each customer for each product, so the quote and invoice remain accurate.

Management of price changes and tracking costs. Prices change frequently in the manufacturing process. Special MRP software allows you to quickly and easily start notification of price changes and encourage it to customers. It also offers tools to track and manage material costs for recipes and complex formulas.

Cradle-to-grave lot search. Lot control and full tracism, towing letters and audit control are very important for producers of chemicals and consumables. Tracking Cradle-to-Grave Lot allows you to track raw materials to lot numbers so you can respond quickly if there is an incidence of withdrawal or safety.

Tracking back and deposits. The manufacturer's process often sells and sends customers who use containers that can be returned, such as totes or drums that can be reused. Special MRP software offers tools to track refunds and deposits for these items.

Formula-based batch manufacturing. Generic ERP will not help you plan manufacturing activities involving recipes and formulas. Look for a system that can automatically track and adjust the loss factor; Side products or co-products; re-material or off-spec; Quality testing; and packaging with various size units.

Preventive maintenance. The manufacturer's process has equipment and machinery that requires routine maintenance, prevention; Special Asset Tracking software offers tools to easily plan and schedule repetitive repairs and as needed.

Real-time inventory management. Accurate inventory, the latest is very important for planning and scheduling manufacturing and purchases