Guide
How to choose production management software
Start with the need, not the acronym. The table below shows what you need for each requirement and how Etrust PIS covers it.
Production software differs in what it covers: from basic work orders, BOMs and stock to MRP, shop-floor data capture (MES), OEE, capacity planning and scheduling (APS), and pre- and post-calculation. Etrust PIS is a Slovenian production information system that combines all of this on the same data, and you can start with the part you need now.
Need and solution
What you need for each business requirement
| Need | Who it is for | What you need | How Etrust PIS covers it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work orders, BOMs and stock | A smaller company moving from Excel and paper to one system. | Items, multi-level BOMs, routings, work orders from customer orders and material stock. | You start with a few users, without a big implementation. Items and BOMs are imported from Excel, and the system is set up from your industry template. Once the basics are in use, you add MES, MRP and planning on the same data. |
| MRP and order-to-shipment management | A company that needs to know what to buy and what to make by the due date. | Customer orders, MRP, purchasing, work orders, warehouse and shipping on the same data. | Etrust MRP calculates material and production requirements by order priority, net of stock and open work orders. A shortage becomes a purchase order or a work order in one step. Finance and accounting stay in your accounting software or ERP. |
| Shop-floor data capture (MES) | A company that does not know how much was really produced and how long it took. | Operation start and finish, quantity, scrap and downtime, recorded where they happen. | At the control center, the worker reports operation start and finish, quantity and scrap. One control center covers an unlimited number of workers, and the supervisor sees the shop floor live. |
| OEE and machine data | Serial production where pieces, downtime and setup count. | Machine connectivity, downtime and scrap by category, and OEE per machine and shift. | Piece counts come from machines via IoT, downtime and scrap are recorded by category, and setup is tracked separately from production. OEE is calculated per machine and shift. |
| Capacity planning and scheduling (APS) | Make-to-order production where due dates are promised by guesswork. | Order schedule, work center load and operation scheduling with finite capacity. | Each order gets its own day on the order schedule, with a department load band. Scheduling places operations into the shifts of the work calendar and shows the work center holding up a late order. |
| Product cost: pre-calculation and post-calculation | A company that does not know whether an order really made money. | Standards for pre-calculation and actual time, material and subcontracting for post-calculation. | Pre-calculation from the BOM and routing, post-calculation from actually consumed material, time from the control center and subcontracting costs, for every work order and customer order. |
| Metal, CNC, laser and project-based production | Make-to-order production with many different parts. | Multi-level BOMs with versions, subcontracting, painting, cutting sheets and serial numbers. | Etrust PIS has templates for machine building, project-based production, vehicles and bodywork, serial production and laser cutting, developed with Slovenian manufacturers. |
| Already have an ERP | A company keeping its ERP for finance and accounting. | Production software that works alongside the ERP and exchanges data with it. | Etrust PIS works standalone or alongside your ERP. Integrations already run with Odoo, Calculus and Pantheon; others are agreed in a consultation. |
Before you decide
Questions to ask the vendor
Can we start with part of the system and extend it later without changing software?
Do planning, shop-floor data capture and the warehouse work on the same data, or are they separate programs?
Does MRP take order priorities, stock and open work orders into account?
Does scheduling consider shifts, number of workers and operation sequence?
Does every shop-floor worker need a licence, or does one control center cover all workers?
Is there a template for our industry and references at similar manufacturers?
Is the price known in advance, and how does it grow when we add users or modules?
Can we keep our existing ERP or accounting software?
Frequently asked questions
Choosing software in brief
What is the difference between ERP, MRP and MES?
ERP runs the whole business, mainly finance, accounting, sales and purchasing. MRP calculates which materials and products must be bought or made, and by when. MES manages and records production execution on the shop floor: operations, quantities, scrap and time. Etrust PIS combines MRP, MES, planning and scheduling and product costing, while finance can stay in your ERP.
Is production management software suitable for a smaller company too?
Yes. With Etrust PIS you start with a few users and the basics (items, BOMs, work orders and stock), without a big implementation. Shop-floor data capture, MRP, planning and post-calculation are added when you need them.
Do I need a new ERP for MES?
No. Etrust PIS works standalone or alongside your existing ERP or accounting software, which stays for finance and accounting.
How long does it take to implement production software?
On the self-service path the system is set up from your industry template once you confirm your e-mail. With a consultant-led implementation the duration depends on the scope, so we set it after the process analysis.
We show you on your own product. Demo: 30 to 45 minutes, no commitment.
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