Author: Ian Church in: Fabricated Metals
Machine Shops
Management
Operations
Many metalworking ERP solutions are chosen based on sticker price. That choice usually leads to fragmented tools, frustrated teams, and constant workarounds.
Disconnected systems slow your shop down. Data lives in silos. Scheduling fights inventory. Quality records sit outside production. Your team wastes time reconciling numbers instead of running jobs.
ERP solution fit has little to do with demos and feature lists. It has everything to do with daily work on the shop floor. This checklist helps you evaluate ERP solutions based on how your shop actually runs.
Many ERPs force your team to adapt to the software. That breaks trust fast. You need a solution built for metalworking workflows. No bolt-on tools. No spreadsheets on the side.
Watch for warning signs during evaluation:
Every handoff between systems adds delay and risk. Errors multiply when data moves manually.
Strong ERP support looks like this:
Disconnected scheduling tools hide problems until it’s too late. Material shortages surface mid-job. Capacity conflicts show up on the floor.
Your ERP should handle:
If scheduling lives outside ERP, planners operate blind. Late jobs follow. And so do customer inquiries and complaints.
Enterprise resource planning fails when operators avoid using the systems that have been implemented for them. Complex screens drive paper notes and side systems. Adoption of your selected solution depends on clarity and speed for the people who actually use it all day. Your team needs tools that mirror how they think and work.
Look for:
If operators bypass your ERP solution, data quality collapses. Management decisions suffer next. The success of any software solution depends on adoption and data quality.
Low upfront pricing often hides long-term costs. Disparate systems make those costs worse. License fees tell only part of the story. This is the #1 area we hear the most negative feedback on typical ERP providers. Nobody likes surprises, especially when it comes to software and tools that are critical to run and grow your business.
Disconnected ERP stacks introduce ongoing expense through:
Ask direct questions:
ERP software value drops fast when every change requires custom work. And your return on investment depends on a predictable cost model.
Long implementations delay results. Disconnected systems stretch timelines further.
You want:
Delayed value drains momentum and confidence. That’s not to say you can rush an ERP software implementation. We’ve written at length about our approach to implementation and the worst thing you can do is rush it. But a years-long implementation means you’re paying for a solution you’re not using and drastically delaying your ability to earn your ROI.
User-based pricing discourages adoption. Teams avoid ERP access to control costs. Or they use shared accounts and sacrifice built-in permission models, usage tracking, personalized dashboards and workflows… half of what they paid for!
An all-inclusive subscription with unlimited users removes a key barrier to adoption and effectiveness.
Quality suffers when systems do not talk. Traceability breaks. Root cause analysis turns manual.
Real-time dashboards and analytics matter only when data stays connected and reliable. Centralized and standardized data means analytics that can unlock insights that are otherwise undiscoverable.
A great dashboard will keep you updated in real-time on your shop floor, including:
If data comes from multiple tools, dashboards likely don’t exist, but at best, give you only lagging indicators. If you don’t data, you can’t see it. And you can’t fix what you can’t see.
If quality matters to you, it cannot live in a separate application. It must be embedded directly in your production workflows. It must be a seamless part of your every day operations. ISO certification, PPAP audits and documentation, and the sustainability of your quality standards rely on it.
Your ERP solution must support:
When quality stands apart, quality issues repeat.
Your ERP solution needs to grow with your shop. Disconnected systems slow down every improvement project.
Strong vendors deliver:
Your ERP software solution and vendor should reduce complexity over time, not add to it. A flashy product that requires massive customization to work in your manufacturing setting is not the right choice. A great product that requires a team of 15 IT professionals to implement and maintain is not the right choice. A product roadmap full of “innovative” features that do not apply to the shop floor is not the right choice.
Look for a purpose-built solution from a vendor who is committed to partnering with companies like yours.
Your ERP solution will shape how information flows. It defines how teams collaborate. It either supports execution or fights it. Ignore sticker price. Focus on connection, clarity, and adoption. Calculate and take account of your total cost of ownership for any solution or vendor you are considering.
The right metalworking ERP removes friction. Your shop feels it every day.
For more information about how OnRamp ERP software can add value to your business fill in the contact form below. A member of our support team will contact you within 1 business day to discuss any questions you have.
Start the collaboration with us while figuring out the best solution based on your needs.
Our efforts began as an internal project of Mancor Industries when we identified the need for a more cohesive ERP system to manage the complexity of multiple plants, multiple products, multiple customers and multiple functions.
Read MoreHas your business outgrown a patchwork of disconnected systems? This checklist helps you assess readiness, identify gaps, and prepare for a smooth transition.
