The struggle to improve outcomes is real. How can manufacturing software give you the edge?

While you may not have the luxury of a new broom or the budget to replace all of your technology environment, with the right advice and strategies, you can build a platform for the future. One that will help you take a smarter approach to growth and survival in a highly competitive world.

From retrofitting and connecting your factory floor with sensors and IoT devices to collect and process data to adopting modern financial, manufacturing, warehousing and customer management software to data analytics and always-on managed cybersecurity services, new technologies can help you reduce risk, minimise waste, increase efficiency and profitability, improve reporting and forecasting, and optimise your supply chains.

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Insights into manufacturing technology

Two men walking through an industrial setting with yellow beams and large ducts. One wears a black sweater and jeans, holding an item, and the other wears a gray shirt with khaki pants, carrying a black folder. They are in conversation.

New insights from old factories

Why is great ERP technology at the heart of any successful manufacturing business? And what are the seven benefits you can expect when you invest in modernising your environment?

Explore how three iconic Australasian businesses have opted for a smarter (and more profitable) future with Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, and JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.1 alongside RFgen Data Collection.

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The top 4 manufacturing challenges of 2024 and beyond

With challenges like resourcing issues, soaring costs and pricy production, stressed-out supply chains, digital deficiencies and limited resilience – you’d be forgiven for feeling that the hard times are not yet behind you.

How can you successfully address these challenges with NetSuite and make sure you can pre-empt the impact of any new ones?

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Smart industry robot arms for digital factory production technology.

4 ways to intelligently transform your manufacturing business

From delivering new customer services to empowering your workforce with better ways to communicate and collaborate securely, automating the tasks that slow your speed of business, and reimagining manufacturing through connected devices, Microsoft solutions are designed to transform the future of your business.

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Common questions about manufacturing software

What is manufacturing software?

Manufacturing software is a digital tool designed to help you manage, support, and streamline your business's ability to plan, make, and deliver products. It replaces and automates traditional, repeatable manual processes across the business, making your operational activities - in all departments - smoother, faster, and more efficient.
Which software is used for manufacturing?

While there are numerous niche manufacturing software solutions, these are the broad categories and uses:

ERP and MRP (materials requirement planning)

Use case: Day-to-day centralised management including financials, estimates and quotations, sales and invoicing, purchasing, supply chain, stock control and production costs - and automating workflows.

CRM (customer relationship management)

Use case: Manage customer interactions across multiple channels, provide self-help options to reduce and speed up support requirements, track leads and sales opportunities, and power marketing activities.

QMS (quality management software) software

Use case: Measure, track, and improve the quality of your products and identify gaps and opportunities to improve efficiency and output.

Production planning and scheduling

Use case: Manage production schedules, plans, capacity, and progress to ensure smooth operations. Scheduling involves assigning tasks based on equipment and resource availability, setup times, and dependencies between jobs.

Stock and inventory management

Use case: Deliver real-time visibility of inventory, automate reordering and stock count processes, create POs and monitor replenishment levels.

SCM (supply chain management)

Use case: Oversee the movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from the point of origin to the point of consumption.

Demand forecasting

Use case: Enable predicting demand throughout the year based on market trends and historical data, so you can plan capacity requirements ahead of time without storing surplus inventory.

Order fulfilment and shipping

Use case: Automate the steps of order fulfilment, shipping and storage processes, and the workflows of 3PLs and B2B and B2C warehousing operations.
What are the benefits of manufacturing software?

In a nutshell, manufacturing software helps you automate and streamline processes that you’d otherwise need to complete manually.

The outcome? You save time, optimise available resources and facilities, become more efficient and cost-effective, and have access to the data needed to make faster and better decisions.
What is the best manufacturing software for small businesses?

The best small business manufacturing software meets your current and future needs. It will do the job it needs to do now (while helping to improve your financial and operational performance and eliminating repeatable manual processes), scale as your business grows, or pivot if you change direction. And it will more than likely be cloud-based.
How can manufacturing software improve my supply chain operations?

We’re glad you asked. SCM improves manufacturing operations by simplifying supply chain complexities. It actively manages and coordinates procurement, production, and distribution activities, streamlining the entire process.

You’ll be better able to make timely, informed decisions, have real-time visibility of your inventory levels, and enable fast communication with suppliers for an uninterrupted flow of materials.