Choosing manufacturing ERP

As production environments become more complex, data-driven, and globally distributed, the role of ERP as a transactional processing software is long gone, shifting to coordination across systems, functions, and sites.

The question isn't whether to implement ERP but how to choose one that aligns with your manufacturing model, supports emerging technologies, and scales with the business.

Why modern manufacturers need advanced ERP systems in 2025

Manufacturing companies in 2025 operate within an Industry 4.0 environment defined by data-driven workflows, sensor-based automation, and system interoperability.

Manufacturers at higher levels of digital maturity require ERP platforms that integrate with MES, SCADA, and IIoT infrastructures and support real-time data exchange, AI-assisted forecasting, and automated quality tracking.

For organizations aiming to rapidly adopt emerging technologies such as machine learning for predictive maintenance or digital twins for production simulation- traditional ERP systems lack the flexibility and processing logic to manage end-to-end production visibility.

According to recent studies, manufacturers with fully integrated ERP and shop floor systems reduce operational costs by an average of 39% and reduce the time needed to make business decisions by 36%.

Compliance complexity also drives ERP adoption, particularly in regulated industries where audit trails, traceability, and quality certification must be managed within system logic.

Manufacturers that will rely on spreadsheets and “loosely coupled” point solutions expose themselves to increased compliance risk, higher rework rates, and frequent supply chain disruptions.

Types of manufacturing and their unique ERP needs

Different types of manufacturing work in very different ways. Each model facilitates different methods of planning, costing, and running day to day.

Discrete manufacturing

This model involves the assembly of final products like cars, electronic goods, furniture, or machinery produced in units that can be individually tracked.

ERP systems in discrete production environments must support multi-level bills of materials, work orders, serial and lot tracking, and version control to accurately manage assembly structures, coordinate material availability across subassemblies, track individual components through production and shipment, and ensure that engineering revisions are applied consistently across open work orders without disrupting downstream operations.

Flexible make-to-stock/make-to-order workflows must be fully supported, and scheduling and production planning tools must account for routings, capacity constraints, and shop floor execution.

Process manufacturing

Process manufacturing factories produce items according to strict formulas and recipes (common in industries like pharmaceuticals and food and beverage).

ERP systems must support batch production, lot traceability, shelf-life tracking, and yield variance analysis. Unlike discrete BOMs, formulations may include variable input-output ratios and co/by-products. Compliance features such as MSDS documentation, quality control testing, and traceability are essential.

Unit of measure conversions, strict regulatory compliance (e.g., FDA, REACH), and expiration controls are core system requirements. Costing methods typically include weighted average or actual cost models to reflect material fluctuations.

Engineer-to-order (ETO) manufacturing

ETO manufacturers build custom products based on client specifications, often with a high degree of design and engineering input. Lead times are longer, and no production begins until design is approved. ERP systems supporting ETO must tightly integrate project management, engineering, procurement, and production.

Key requirements include project costing, advanced configuration management, document control (CAD/BOM integration), milestone billing, and labor/material time tracking.

The system must support real-time updates across engineering changes, cost estimates, and delivery schedules. Revenue recognition often follows project completion or milestone-based accounting, increasing financial complexity.

Mixed-mode manufacturing

Mixed-mode manufacturing combines all three -discrete, process, and ETO models (assembling standard components in high volume while fulfilling custom orders or using batch processes for certain lines).

ERP platforms that support mixed mode production must be highly flexible and capable of running parallel workflows with different planning, costing, and execution methods – multiple production modes, dynamic BOM/formula handling, hybrid scheduling, and complex inventory management.

Finance and operations require unified reporting that can consolidate across modes without compromising accuracy or process control.

What to consider when choosing manufacturing ERP

When evaluating ERP systems for manufacturing, begin with functional alignment. That means assessing whether the system supports real processes in your production environment, bill of materials, routing, MRP, shop floor control, traceability, subcontracting, etc. 

But functionality alone isn't sufficient. The system also needs to scale. Can it support multiple facilities, multiple business units, or global operations without significant architectural constraints? Can it handle multiple currencies, units of measure, languages, or local compliance rules in a consolidated environment?

A modern ERP system must also interoperate cleanly with manufacturing execution systems, PLM tools, quality systems, and advanced analytics platforms. You cannot afford data silos. The platform must expose an API layer, support event-driven architecture where applicable, and avoid reliance on custom integrations for standard use cases.

From a data and usability perspective, plant-level users need real-time visibility into production status, inventory levels, and order progress.

The ERP selection process for manufacturers

This selection process isn't linear or quick, but a cross-functional effort based on operational logic will ensure that you remain in control over the project's scope, cost, and risk factors.

1. Assemble your selection team

The first step is building the right team not just in terms of roles, but the decision-making authority. You'll need people who understand core manufacturing processes, production planners, plant managers, inventory control, procurement, as well as finance and IT.

Each brings a different perspective on how the system will be used, where the risks are, and what can't be compromised. And someone at the executive level has to be involved to align priorities and keep the process moving.

If the team is too narrow, you'll miss requirements. If it's too passive, you'll lose control of scope.

2. Document current manufacturing processes

You can't evaluate systems if you haven't mapped your own processes. This step is often skipped or done at too high a level.

Don't stop at process names, go deeper and ask the hard questions: How are production orders triggered? What happens when a job runs short? How are quality issues logged and resolved? What data is entered manually? Which steps depend on spreadsheets? Document flows, exceptions, workarounds, and systems involved at each stage.

3. Define your manufacturing requirements

After mapping the current state, define what the system needs to support in the future. Be specific – instead of “We need better inventory visibility, define that you need “real-time inventory updates at the location and lot level, visible to both production and procurement.”

Identify mandatory requirements vs. preferences and “nice to have” and break requirements down by business area: production planning, material management, quality, compliance, scheduling, and costing.

4. Create ERP RFP

This is where your requirements translate into a structured Project requestthat goes out to vendors. Be clear on what you expect: functional capabilities, technical architecture, integration touchpoints, implementation methodology, support structure, and future roadmap alignment.

Define response formats. Include use cases. Ask for real examples of how the system handles specific manufacturing scenarios. A vague RFP leads to vague proposals- and that means more risk for you downstream.

5. Evaluate vendors

Don't rely on high-level demos or marketing collateral. Use a scripted demo format and make vendors walk through real scenarios like creating a work order, managing rework, issuing material, and updating routings, and observe how the system behaves.

Ask about previous manufacturing deployments. Check references, especially in similar production environments. And don't evaluate in isolation score against your original requirements and bring your full team into the process.

6. Total cost of ownership analysis

Evaluate the TCO over the next 5 – 10 years. Include licenses or subscriptions, implementation services, integrations, infrastructure, training, support, and upgrade cycles. Look at internal resource costs as well how much time your team will spend supporting the rollout and maintaining the system post go-live.

Consider the cost of customizations, change orders, and long-term dependency on the vendor. A cheaper system that requires constant workarounds might cost more in the long run than a fit-for-purpose one.

How to evaluate ERP vendors

When you're evaluating ERP vendors, the key is to look past the sales presentation and understand how the system will perform under real manufacturing conditions.

Start by asking whether the vendor has real experience with manufacturers like you, similar volumes, process types, regulatory complexity.

Then look at how implementation is handled. Who leads it, what their methodology looks like, and how much flexibility they offer when your processes don't match their defaults. Pay attention to integration – can the system connect cleanly to your MES, WMS, or PLM, or does everything rely on custom development?

Ask how upgrades are handled, how support is delivered, and whether their roadmap reflects technological advancement like enhanced automation, AI analytics, and system interoperability, to ensure you won't end up with an outdated, rigid infrastructure.

How Priority Software can help

There's no perfect system, but there is a right fit- one that matches how your business runs and gives you room to evolve without locking you into workarounds or costly upgrades.

Priority Software provides a manufacturing ERP platform built to support real-world production environments. The system includes native functionality for BOM management, batch tracking, project-based costing, and quality assurance- without relying on third-party add-ons to cover core processes.
Priority ERP offers a robust API framework and deployment flexibility across cloud, on-premise, or hybrid models.

For manufacturers moving toward Industry 4.0 maturity or adapting to emerging technologies like AI-assisted planning, IoT data capture, or remote production oversight- Priority offers the infrastructure and functionality to support the shift.

Our team brings deep manufacturing experience to implementation, helping you scope, configure, and roll out a system that fits your business.

We work with you to define priorities, avoid unnecessary complexity, and get the foundation right so the ERP becomes an enabler, not a barrier.