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Best MRP Software

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Manufacturers so heavily rely on enterprise resource planning software that a whole subset has emerged just for them. After researching and testing dozens of the top MRP software options on the market, we found that Katana is the best choice for most manufacturing businesses. It comes with everything you need to manage raw materials and inventory, regardless of your industry or business size.

The Best MRP Software for Most

Katana Logo

Katana

Best for Most

Katana’s smart manufacturing software makes scaling your business a snap. Smart production planning software helps manage inventory on the move, keeps you organized with drag and drop inventory relocation, and promotes growth with D2C channel selling software that improves the customer experience

Katana is the way to go for an MRP platform that delivers live inventory, traceability, and control over your shop floor and master planning. Scaling your operation requires automation and enhanced inventory management at every point in the product lifecycle, which is exactly what Katana does—and more.

It’s a perfect choice whether you manufacture in-house or outsource. Choose from two distinct packages depending on the functionality you need. With its straightforward pricing tiers, Katana won’t make you pay for features you’re never going to use.

The 5 Best MRP Software Options to Consider

  1. Katana – Best MRP software for most
  2. Prodsmart – Best for small business manufacturers
  3. Fulcrum – Best real-time inventory management
  4. Odoo – Best all-in-one platform
  5. Deltek – Best for government contractors

When It Makes Sense to Invest in MRP Software

MRP software exists to help you meet current and future customer demand, while saving money and reducing lost or wasted materials along the way. So, it’s a smart move if you consistently find yourself with too much or too little stock, or if you regularly miss production deadlines resulting in lost opportunities and revenue.

With it, you can streamline raw material reports for different projects to ensure you never order too much.

It can even help identify issues with making sales and turning raw material into inventory. Once you identify those issues, you can work to rectify them rather than forging ahead and creating bigger problems down the road.

And the even better news is that MRP software helps you align production with market fluctuations to optimize material purchasing, inventory levels, and production speed depending on customer demand. As such, you can worry less about wasted inventory or the opposite problem—expensive inventory storage.

Whether you’re a small supplier or an international manufacturer, MRP software is best way to stay on top of raw materials, inventory, fluctuating markets, and dynamic customer demand.

#1 – Katana — The Best MRP Software for Most

Katana Logo

Katana

Best for Most

Katana’s smart manufacturing software makes scaling your business a snap. Smart production planning software helps manage inventory on the move, keeps you organized with drag and drop inventory relocation, and promotes growth with D2C channel selling software that improves the customer experience

Katana is comprehensive MRP software that offers typical raw material tracking to ensure you always have the right materials on hand without succumbing to expiry dates and unnecessary waste. However, the software also offers features that help centralize sales, no matter how many locations you manage. 

If you’re in the D2C manufacturing space, Katana is a no-brainer.

It offers best-in-class software for scaling and business-wide visibility for direct-to-consumer manufacturers with a simplified onboarding process, consolidation of the right data, and optimize production processes.

There are also 17 built-in integrations plus a Zapier integration that opens the door to connect with thousands of others business tools. These deep integrations mean you don’t have to manually transfer orders from one software to the next and you have quick access to inventory and stock information based on real-time data. 

The wealth of integrations turns Katana into the control panel for your entire business.

Whether you sell jewelry, apparel, footwear, soap, electronics, industrial equipment, outdoor gear, or anything in between, Katana has everything you need. No matter how and where you sell.

And Katana’s manufacturing execution system provides manufacturers looking to scale with resources and tools to help grow without overextending themselves. For example, you can track floor operations digitally, while also tracking tasks with real-time visibility. 

As a result, you can see more and gain deeper insights all while doing less work and consuming fewer resources.

Planning production tasks is also a breeze with Katana’s built-in routing and BOM creation features, complete with drag-and-drop prioritization, automated reallocation of materials, expected completion dates, and live views of floor-level production statuses.

Katana’s smart manufacturing software is designed around growing your business through automation, optimization, and streamlining as much as possible.

Production scheduling and material inventory are automated by Katana, and that kind of control keeps your business running smoothly. It’s also one of the few ERP tools with an enjoyable interface.

It’s modern, clean, colorful, and downright enjoyable to use. We can’t say the same about most of the other tools on our last that feature a UI circa Windows 95.

Pricing is straightforward with an Essential plan priced at $99 per month, while the Pro plan is $299 per month. 

The Essential plan includes one user, up to three warehouses, integration with ecommerce, accounting integration, and chat support. The Pro plan includes the Essential plan features but also offers unlimited warehouses, access to the Katana API, and a floor-level mobile app. 

If you are looking to scale your D2C business with MRP software, Katana will provide the features and automation to help you do just that. 

#2 – Prodsmart— The Best for Small Business Manufacturers

Prodsmart Logo

Prodsmart

Best for Small Business Manufacturers

Stay competitive as a small business with Prodsmart's modular MRP system that lets you add and remove functionality as you'd like to keep costs low. All plans include unlimited user seats, operators, and devices so you never have to worry about outgrowing your plan.

Most MRP providers favor enterprise organizations, which makes implementing MRP software challenging or completely out of the question for small businesses. As a small manufacturer, you may feel like your hands are tied. 

Prodsmart is completely busting the myth that small businesses can’t compete with the big players in manufacturing because it focuses solely on providing MRP software for small teams as they grow. It levels the playing field and helps businesses just like yours stay competitive without breaking the bank.

Its MRP platform eliminates manual order taking and inventory management with an easy-to-understand interface that’s not overly complex or bloated with advanced features you won’t need.

The intuitive MRP software gives you instant access to product trees for tracking discrete materials across multiple manufacturing lines or projects. 

Lot tracking, warehouse management, and tracking—including machine status and maintenance—are a few more productivity features that make Prodsmart unique. 

Use the bill of material features in this software to track your inventory consumption in real-time, taking your small business from inconsistent to consistent and easily manageable. 

Prodsmart offers a pushbutton solution that allows managers and staff to increase productivity essentially overnight.

Plus, the digital roadmap Prodsmart provides its clients maps out your daily tasks, helping you understand your operations and promote lower costs to maximize profits. Pay only for what you need and start small, then work your way up to other services and software needs. 

Prodsmart unlocks your stagnant production workflow and turns it into a raging river of productivity. 

The Starter Platform starts at $600 per month and includes unlimited users, operators, and devices. While it seems expensive at first glance, it’s a steal since you’ll never have to pay for more user seats as your business grows. There are also nine add-on modules you can choose from if you’d like to extend the software’s capability at any point in the future.

Those add-ons include:

  • Drag-and-drop scheduler – $300 per month
  • Mobile production tracking – $500 per month
  • Labels and barcode scanning – $100 per month
  • Lot traceability – $400 per month
  • Quality management – $400 per month
  • Work instructions – $200 per month
  • Maintenance – $400 per month
  • API access and advanced integrations – $400 per month
  • Ecommerce and carrier integrations – $0.30 per order

Prodsmart certainly isn’t the cheapest option but it’s the most modular that allows your small business plenty of room to grow without worrying about having to pay more (unless you want to expand your starter package with an add-on above).

At the end of the day, this pricing model ensures you never have to pay more for features you don’t use or care about. But you can always add them later if you change if your mind.

Try Prodsmart free for 14-days to see if it’s right for you and your team today!

#3 – Fulcrum — The Best Real-Time Inventory Management

Fulcrum Logo

Fulcrum

Best Real-Time Inventory Management

Fulcrum is a innovative technology driven MRP platform that improves your manufacturing workflow and helps you manage, and produce results using data in real-time.

Fulcrum is cutting-edge MRP software that specializes in taking massive amounts of real-time data and turning it into easy-to-read visuals that offer an at-a-glance view into what’s happening behind the scenes.

The beauty is that it updates in real-time, meaning you never have to wonder if you’re making decisions on the most current information.

From tracing materials to their origins, locating that one SKU in a multi-building warehousing facility, and keeping an eye on materials you use to build parts to ensuring your team’s using the most current work orders, alerting your buyers when it’s time to make a purchase, and barcode scanning that simplifies everything, Fulcrum is fully-featured with everything you need to increase visibility into the entire business.

Plus, in line with its real-time ideology, Fulcrum updates its software every month to fix bugs and ensure it’s up to date with cutting-edge features.

Inventory management is one of Fulcrum’s specialties. If you currently use pen and paper to document manufacturing, you’ll love how easy it is to transition to digital production tracking that updates across the entire company in real-time.

Fulcrum also makes inefficiencies that usually slow down production a thing of the past.  Traceability and location tracking for products is a major benefit that Fulcrum offers—being able to trace materials easily will eradicate delays. 

The software’s Inventory valuation feature allows you to track work in progress and the value of materials as production jobs are in progress. Understanding gross profit and working capital during the lifecycle of the project gives your business more financial assurance. 

Real-time inventory insight is also offered through the Fulcrum platform. This is enabled by barcode scanning and labels that grab specific details about inventory levels in both shipping and receiving.  

Fulcrum also offers innovative job costing software that helps you translate the true costs of a project. It breaks down costs in materials and labor so you can improve your margins and avoid underpricing with inaccurate cost forecasting. 

If you want real-time data that will help you make real-time decisions on everything for sales, scheduling capacity, quality control, and reporting, Fulcrum provides a faster and better approach. Schedule your demo today. 

#4 – Odoo — The Best All-in-One Platform 

Odoo Logo

Odoo

Best All-in-One Platform

Odoo allows for countless integrations, and customization to give you the control to run your shop how you see fit. Now you don’t need 10 different systems to run your business you just need Odoo.

When you run a large business, many departments use different software, which can make it difficult to share ideas and avoid confusion. Odoo offers a modular solution to MRP software and integrates applications for every need so you can focus on growth and productivity. 

All your manufacturing needs are provided in one central location and Odoo apps perfectly integrate with each other, which allows you to fully automate your business. 

And, with quality control integration, your manufacturing department can set up triggers that alert them when updates and fixes are complete. This will lower your downtime for production and improve efficiency.

This easy and powerful MRP solution can manage your complete cycle of business:

  • Engineering
  • Manufacturing engineering 
  • Supply Chain
  • Manufacturing

Odoo simplifies your operation. Easily manage bills of materials that help optimize your inventory level. And product life cycle management integration helps you manage engineering changes through a custom, enterprise-spanning social network. This makes communication more efficient across departments. 

The Odoo CRM allows you to track leads and utilize data in order to make decisions to improve your productivity management. Odoo provides you with applications for website building, sales, operations, and productivity that promotes a holistic approach for manufacturers.

For example, through Odoo your accounting operations can synchronize with banks and manage bills and expenses which help you get paid faster. 

Odoo provides you with robust integration capabilities. Major platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon can help with sales and, if you need more options, the Odoo third-party app store is available. There are countless apps you can use for free and purchase. Some, however, cost upwards of $500 to deploy. 

With Odoo’s complete, all-in-one MRP solution, your manufacturing workflow is managed seamlessly. You no longer have to use multiple platforms to piece together a steady workflow—Odoo has you covered. 

Pricing depends on the applications you decide to include. 

#5 – Deltek Costpoint — The Best for Government Contractors

Deltek Logo

Deltek

Best for Government Contractors

Improve your project management success with the best MRP created for government contractors. Strict compliance support, and faster cycle time with automation software  improves accuracy and makes Deltek a clear choice if you manage government contracts

If you are a government contractor, Deltek Costpoint is the most useful MRP software you can find. By using this software, you are able to leverage data that will pinpoint issues and help your business make the necessary improvements it needs. 

Government projects require you to stay on budget, that your schedule be crisp and predictable, and that you remain within compliance with all necessary regulations. For example, a mechanical engineer working on a project must follow strict guidelines when handling documents, must have a clear budget on what costs will be incurred, and be able to explain to the client a clear timeframe for completion. 

And, because it’s specific to government contracts, you don’t have to worry about compliance, security, or traceability support.

Deltek Costpoint will help you remain compliant with:

  • FAR
  • CAS
  • DCAA
  • NIST 800-171
  • FedRAMP Moderate 
  • ITAR 

Costpoint allows you to easily view projects and finances throughout your project life cycle, and visualize the manufacturing process in segments.  

The built-in dashboard system will make your team more efficient and, with this cloud-based software, you can share this data with all authorized to view it from anywhere. 

Costpoint also provides real-time analytical reporting on cost and quality control, along with other project metrics you can set and customize. 

In the world of government contracts, Deltek is the industry leader in providing solutions and innovation.

Improve your project efficiency, support compliance initiatives and gain real time insights about your manufacturing workflow through Deltek’s Costpoint 8 MRP software. For more details on pricing, you must contact Deltek directly.  

Methodology for Choosing the Best MRP Software

When you are looking for the best MRP software there are specific functions you want to focus on that help you make the best decision. 

Our methodology for selecting the options on this list will help you easily determine what software provides you with the best solution for your business. 

Forecasting

Knowing what inventory you need, how much is needed, and when it’s needed helps you keep your project on track.

Forecasting with MRP software can easily help you manage your project plan and give you efficient steps to keep your project running smoothly. Prodsmart, for one, helps small businesses digitize workflows and makes project management easy on those responsible for it. 

Fulcrum, meanwhile, incorporates barcodes and mobile scanning so that you know exactly where inventory is and how to find it quickly. This way, you keep your shop floor running smoothly and prevent delays on particular areas of production. 

When you are selecting your MRP software, keep in mind how simple it makes listing out your raw materials and how it helps you work backwards from your production plan in order to parse through your materials for the finished product.  

High and Low Level Reporting

Reporting makes decision making results driven, When you can grab information regarding raw materials, and see the costs associated with production in real-time you are able to make adjustments that improve efficiency and revenue. In fact forecasting mentioned above is enhanced even more by this kind of reporting.

You can turn a mediocre-performing business into a juggernaut of productivity. Fulcrum is known for its detailed reporting, letting you evaluate work in progress, inventory, and detailed cost analysis for every area of your project.

Deltek Costpoint helps you take on complex government projects and use data to drill down into the details for accurate project analysis on accounting or operation efficiency.

Whether you need a high-level overview on project pricing or you want to analyze workforce capacity and begin resource planning, reporting capabilities is a necessity in MRP software. 

Detailed Integration

When you are able to automate tasks it increases the most important currency you have: time. 

Integration makes this easy. 

Do you need third-party integration with ecommerce platforms? Or maybe you are a D2C manufacturer? Either way, Katana is right up your alley. 

But, if you are instead looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one solution for production, MRP, and productivity, then Odoo is just what you need.  

No matter your scenario, you want to flawlessly be able to use several modular applications that mesh well, based on what you need. 

The point is that you want to ask yourself, “How can I take tasks off my plate?”

Deep integration with tother platforms you’re already using will provide huge benefits down the road. 

Katana Logo

Katana

Best for Most

Katana’s smart manufacturing software makes scaling your business a snap. Smart production planning software helps manage inventory on the move, keeps you organized with drag and drop inventory relocation, and promotes growth with D2C channel selling software that improves the customer experience

Summary

Material requirement planning software is designed to increase visibility and productivity for your business. If you are responsible for product management, engineering, or manufacturing, utilizing MRP software can be the best decision you make. 

This guide will help you decide what software works best for your business. And using the methodology considerations provided above will keep you focused on what the top benefits to selecting this software will provide.  


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