We love our enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and we espouse that love frequently, so it might be surprising that we admit they aren’t perfect. While searching for an ERP system to buy, you may find that some of the things you want to do – like tracking warehouse inventory and specific lots via barcoding – isn’t automatically done by the ERP. Sometimes a third-party system is necessary to collect data and bring it back into the ERP platform.
Luckily, the ERP software products save the day with modules, or add-ons that you can purchase separatelyfrom the out-of-the-box software that let you do what you need. The above example of tracking warehouse inventory and specific lots via barcoding, without a module, would require users to make additional manual inputs into the ERP setup, which necessitates extra steps that translate to extra labor and reduced profitability per product handled.
With the Sage ERP X3 Data Collection module, however, process manufacturers can scan barcoded tags with radio-frequency (RF) handhelds. This means complete integration with inventory management modules and seamless data collection.
For those businesses that use a cycle counting inventory setup, this results in better accuracy when it comes to inventory management. It can also be the go-to method of searching out errors in raw material orders, stock, and lot shipments.
Line supervisors and others in a ‘need-to-know’ status are able to understand every aspect of the product cycle. Furthermore, the platform delivers an easy way for shop floor and warehouse employees to use their mobile devices for entries and tracking.
One of the keys to help decision makers choose the right ERP software is customization, as noted in an InventoryOps article about cycle counting:
Your count program should be customized to your specific operation and business. Do not accept the “one system fits all” approach. In complex operations you may have a count program that uses multiple approaches to counting, such as one method for finished goods, another for WIP, another for raw materials, and still other methods based upon whether the inventory is stored in fixed or random storage areas.
Contact Oates & Company to learn more about Sage ERP X3 software, its modules, and how it can make doing cycle counting inventory easier and more efficient.
