The Top 15 Best Process Management Software Solutions for 2024
Process manufacturing is a method of production that involves combining and processing raw materials or ingredients through a series of steps to create a finished product. Unlike discrete manufacturing, which produces distinct items (like cars, sports equipment, or electronics), process manufacturing produces goods in bulk that cannot be easily separated into individual units.
Process manufacturing ERP software is a specialized type of ERP system designed to support the unique requirements of businesses in process manufacturing industries. These industries include food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, where the production processes involve continuous or batch processing, complex recipes or formulas, and stringent regulatory compliance requirements.
Implementing manufacturing process management software in your manufacturing operation can provide numerous benefits that address common challenges and drive growth. Here are several reasons why your business can benefit from manufacturing process optimization software:
- Improved Efficiency and Productivity. Process optimization software automates various production processes, reducing manual effort and the risk of errors, and provides real-time visibility into production operations, allowing for quick adjustments and proactive problem-solving.
- Enhanced Product Quality. Quality control checks throughout the production process ensures product consistency and helps with industry standards and regulatory requirements—crucial for maintaining quality and avoiding legal issues
- Better Inventory Management. Process manufacturing software monitors inventory levels to prevent stockouts and overstock situations, reducing holding costs and improving cash flow. Automated reordering sets reorder points and automates the procurement process to ensure materials are available when needed.
- Cost Reduction. Process manufacturing ERP software lets you track production costs, including materials, labor, and overhead, helping identify areas for cost savings. It also optimizes resource usage and reduces waste through precise formula management and efficient production scheduling.
- Data-Driven Insights. Manufacturing process management software provides comprehensive reporting and analytics on various aspects of the business, enabling informed decision-making while tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
- Scalability and Growth Support. Adapts to the changing needs of your business, supporting growth and new product lines without significant changes to the system and adjusts production schedules and processes easily to accommodate increased demand or new market opportunities.
- Regulatory Compliance. Automates the generation of necessary documentation and reports to comply with industry regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance and can even track batch and lot numbers from raw materials to finished products, ensuring full traceability for quality control and regulatory purposes.
- Improved Collaboration and Communication. Data and documentation are centralized, making it easily accessible to all relevant departments. Manufacturing process management software can improve relationships with suppliers and customers, facilitating better communication and service.
- Risk Mitigation. Helps to identify potential risks in the production process and provides tools to mitigate them proactively, which ensures that production can continue smoothly even when issues arise, minimizing downtime and disruptions.
For an SMB manufacturing business, implementing process manufacturing ERP software can be a game-changer. When it comes to finding the right process manufacturing software solution for your business, here are some features to look for:
Production Planning and Scheduling
Recipe and Formula Management
Batch and Lot Tracking
Quality Control and Assurance
Regulatory Compliance Management
Inventory Management
Supply Chain Management
Cost Analysis and Management
Maintenance Management
Data Integration and Reporting
Scalability and Flexibility
User-Friendly Interface
For a lot of growing businesses, it’s not always easy to find the right process manufacturing ERP software. With so many choices out there, it can be hard to know which process optimization software really fits the unique needs of your industry, your business, and your budget.
Don’t worry, there’s good news—finding the right process manufacturing software for your business has never been easier.
We’re here to help. Our software experts have compiled a comprehensive breakdown of The Top 15 Best Process Manufacturing Software Solutions for 2024.
*Note: Our manufacturing process optimization software reviews are for informational purposes only. We encourage you to perform research and demo process manufacturing ERP software systems to achieve the most comprehensive comparison.
1. Striven
Striven is an all-in-one ERP business management software solution built with small to mid-market businesses in mind. Our sophisticated software combines project management tools, CRM, sales performance metrics, lead management, regulatory compliance tracking, collaboration tools, accounting, purchasing, HR and payroll, operations, inventory, task management tools, (and so much more) into a single, easy-to-use interface. Striven is an infinitely capable software solution that supports every type of employee within your company.
Highlights:
- Project, task, and time management w/ interactive calendar
- Detailed financial and productivity reports generated in seconds
- Fully integrated CRM
- Contractor and subcontractor management
- Self-service portals
- Scheduling & dispatch route planning capabilities
- Fully integrated accounting
- Complete HR functionality
- Sales and lead tracking
- Process optimization and automation
What Sets It Apart: Striven’s expert team of business analysts personally see to your success. From training and onboarding, technical support, and business-specific customizations, our US-based Striven Support Team is available 24/7. On top of that, Striven’s automation capabilities allow you to work more efficiently.
Pricing: Free trial and custom demo, packages begin at $35/user.
More info: Striven Earns Numerous Awards For Q4 2023
2. Epicor
Epicor Advanced MES is for any Smart Factory or sustainability initiative. Gathering real-time data directly from equipment and operators on the shop floor, provides maximum data accuracy and process automation. With instant access to information, you can anticipate and resolve production issues before they arise.
Highlights:
- Improve efficiency
- Reduce waste
- Improve quality
- Increase uptime
What Sets It Apart: Capture automatically data from machines on the shop floor. Find out in real-time when a machine is not running efficiently and make rapid adjustments.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
3. SYSPRO
SYSPRO Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) software offers process manufacturers the ideal blend of business applications to tackle challenges, whether in batch or configure-to-order mode. By connecting all divisions and teams SYSPRO helps enforce quality control while enhancing operational efficiency and profitability.
Highlights:
- Manage complex production recipes
- Simplify regulatory compliance and raw material traceability
- Improve forecast accuracy
What Sets It Apart: SYSPRO’s Work in Progress provides the tools to record inspection details of manufactured products. Based on the results, you can choose to accept, scrap, or rework quantities accordingly.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
4. SIEMENS
SIEMENS Opcenter Execution Process is a manufacturing execution system (MES) designed to ensure the perfect quality of process-manufactured products.
Highlights:
- Manage materials, formula, recipe and batch management
- Perform integrated quality sampling and testing
- Process optimization software
What Sets It Apart: Opcenter Execution process manufacturing ERP enhances traceability, improves order management efficiency, and enables real-time monitoring of process manufacturing operations.
Pricing: Contact for pricing.
5. BatchMaster
Batchmaster ERP production scheduling software creates the exact number of batch jobs required to meet both current and forecasted demand, to meet your customers’ delivery dates.
Highlights:
- Consolidate supply and demand of facilities
- Perform what-if analysis for production planning
- Auto conversion of MPS orders to purchase orders and batch production jobs
What Sets It Apart: BatchMaster process manufacturing ERP software is an out-of-the-box, preconfigured application, supporting the complex requirements of formula based manufacturing.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
6. SOS Inventory
Process manufacturing management in SOS Inventory supports an unlimited number of outputs and inputs that offers total flexibility to handle both simple manufacturing and cope with by-products and co-products.
Highlights:
- Integrate with QuickBooks Online to eliminate duplicate data entry
- Use sales orders to streamline your order management
- Support multiple locations
What Sets It Apart: SOS Inventory’s standout feature is its seamless integration with QuickBooks Online.
Pricing: From $59.95 /mo.
7. MRPeasy
With MRPeasy process manufacturing ERP, easily calculate materials, comply with traceability and quality standards, reduce holding costs and eliminate waste.
Highlights:
- Always know what you have in stock
- Automatically calculate material requirements for incoming orders
- Schedule production activities according to resource availability
- Plan your purchases so that materials always arrive in time for production
- Track your orders from quote to delivery
What Sets It Apart: Use a large number of reports to drive positive change across the operation.
Pricing: From $49 /mo.
8. Acctivate
Acctivate’s software for process manufacturing supports both recipe and formula process manufacturing letting components be adjusted based on availability, seasonal requirements, or any requirement for substitutions.
Highlights:
- Handle recipe variations allowing for substitute items and quantity changes
- Variable recipe and yield capabilities
- Spillage and waste accountability
- Handle multiple lots of the same ingredients
What Sets It Apart: Leverage your company’s live data through Acctivate in multiple ways, including standard and custom reports, a customizable dashboard, and all application windows, to seamlessly manage operations.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
9. Aptean
With Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP, enhance your operations with a comprehensive ecosystem of process manufacturing software from a trusted provider. Improve formula management, lot tracking, regulatory compliance, and more with a complete suite of specialized tools.
Highlights:
- Streamline new product development
- Manage product risk
- Enforce regulatory compliance
What Sets It Apart: Industry segments served: Cannabis, Chemical, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Nutraceutical
Pricing: Contact for pricing
10. Absolute ERP
Absolute ERP manufacturing process optimization software provides top-notch production management, enabling you to balance daily schedules systematically and on time. It promotes centralized database support and helps optimize all management-related resources.
Highlights:
- Cloud-based solution
- Unlimited users
- Access Absolute ERP on any device
What Sets It Apart: Production accounting software allows you to access business data from your mobile phone, tablet, computer, or laptop, anytime and anywhere. This software enables employees to easily access, edit, and approve documents on the go.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
11. Sage X3
Sage X3 manufacturing process management software delivers real-time visibility into quality and costs so you can ensure product consistency, optimize production planning, and manage compliance across currencies, regions, and regulations.
Highlights:
- Shop floor control
- Quality control
- Project management
What Sets It Apart: Lets you prioritize, track, and manage all aspects of your production for improved planning, scheduling, and cost control.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
12. Infor
Infor MES system supports manufacturing process optimization management across discrete and process industries. An application designed for operators first, and evolving continuously to improve their competitive advantage.
Highlights:
- For roll, sheet and cable manufacturing, roll maps track defects across layers and distances.
- Infor MES allows the creation of by-products as fully traceable inventory
- Improve quality and reduce waste
What Sets It Apart:When quality control necessitates quality sampling, the MES solution allows operators to take and label samples directly from the production line for lab analysis, streamlining the process and enhancing traceability.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
13. Appward
With Appward, you get a comprehensive process manufacturing ERP software toolset for managing projects, work orders, inventory, quality, and supply chain, all within an intuitive user interface that is easy to set up without the need for a costly implementation team.
Highlights:
- Complete inventory control
- Simplify sourcing and distribution
- Get (and stay) compliant
What Sets It Apart: These apps are part of a unified workspace designed for business collaboration across your entire organization.
Pricing: Starting at $20 /user/mo.
14. WinMan
WinMan ERP Software is an all-in-one manufacturing process management software solution designed to provide multi-level batch traceability from start to finish, from initial raw material purchase to final delivery, it meets and complements Good Automated Manufacturing Practices and lean manufacturing principles.
Highlights:
- CRM
- Production management
- Process optimization software
What Sets It Apart: WinMan offers lot traceability from the source through manufacturing to final delivery. The system’s detailed traceability supports GAMP compliance. Master batch records can be created and stored within the system, eliminating the need for paper.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
15. Vai Industry ERP
Automate your food and beverage manufacturing business with an industry specific ERP system from VAI. Industry-specific ERP systems that are designed to meet the needs of your business.
Highlights:
- Production planning & scheduling
- Inventory management
- Improved quality control
What Sets It Apart: Available as an on-premises or cloud-based infrastructure.
Pricing: Contact for pricing
Contact a Process Manufacturing Software Expert
Our Small- to Mid-Market Business Analyst Team at Striven has decades of experience with process manufacturing ERP software for manufacturing businesses across a broad spectrum of industries.
Just like every car needs a trusted mechanic, every software needs a dedicated support team.
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