Fishbowl Inventory vs Katana MRP

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Our analysts compared Fishbowl Inventory vs Katana MRP based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Inventory Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Fishbowl Inventory streamlines many supply chain-focused processes that include improving manufacturing, warehouse inventory accuracy and asset tracking. It allows users to integrate with Quickbooks, ShipStation, Amazon and more. It works with operations of all sizes looking to optimize their warehouse administration and solve inventory specific issues.

It automates several manufacturing and inventory management issues to optimize strategic portions of the supply chain. It focuses on streamlining processes and saving time across the board.
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Katana MRP is a small-business cloud-based solution that streamlines production operations. Obtain complete visibility over local and outsourced operations. Establish reorder points and prioritize sales orders to supervise and boost inventory transfers.

Its top modules include production planning and scheduling, inventory management, order management and purchase management. It maintains batch tracking, expiration dates, locations and more. Leverage B2B and D2C protocols that align with multiple industries.
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$329 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$179 Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Insights

  • Strengthen Automation with Integrations: Leverages powerful integrations with Quickbooks, Xero, Shopify, Shipstation and more. Automating vital processes through integration can significantly increase efficiency while letting employees focus on other tasks. 
  • Streamline Operations: Supports users in many industries, including manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, goods management and more. Gain control of inventory regardless of industry. 
  • More Module Customization: Allows users to choose which modules they need to optimize workflows. Get the required features without extra functions that only clutter up operations. 
  • Improved Visibility: Essential inventory and manufacturing management data is in one easy to access place for users to analyze. Don’t get bogged down in unorganized documents and information, gain actionable insights from data. 
  • Accurate Purchase Orders: Streamlines matching purchase orders to original orders. Helps keep users on top of the constant flow of product in and out of a warehouse.  
  • Increased Error Prevention: Automation of tedious and complicated tasks helps keep human error from throwing a wrench into the works. Fewer mistakes mean fewer wasted resources, and more time spent working on what matters. 
  • Useful Plugins: Use helpful plugins to augment the user experience. Fishbowl Anywhere allows access from mobile devices, Fishbowl Go can scan barcodes and perform cycle counts and Fishbowl Commerce helps manage inventory across e-commerce channels. 
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  • Leverage Total Centralization: Supervise numerous warehouse inventory levels, merchandise variants and materials in one place. This centralization reduces the use of disparate systems.
  • Use In-depth Planning: Perform automatic cost calculations from BOMs and production for better scheduling. Monitor manufacturing workflows based on available material data to enhance priorities.
  • Simplify Job Delegations: Allocate and reassign operator tasks that can begin, halt or resume duties to stay in the loop of production steps in real time.
  • Maintain Quality: Track defective batches, ingredients and goods to enhance quality and recall management. 
  • Make Better Pricing Choices: Develop multi-tiered BOMs with subassemblies for actual total costs. Implement product margin data to develop improved, well-informed expense decisions. 
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  • Reporting Features: Gathers data created by processes such as delivery and ordering and converts it into an accessible format. This collected data can be studied to find trends and plan for the future of business operations. 
  • Shipping Support: Allows users to print their own shipping labels. Mobile devices can be used to track products. It also integrates with FedEx and UPS. 
  • Inventory Management: Automate reordering along with streamlining pick, pack and shipping to optimize the supply chain. Users can track inventory with barcoding printing and scanning. 
  • Multi-Location Support: Get an overhead view of a multi-location operation with robust management tools. Monitor stock levels in multiple facilities, gain trend data across all operations and transfer products from one location to another to avoid shortages. 
  • Multiple Currencies:  Allows operations that span the globe to convert currencies. This module also enables the creation of purchase orders in the user’s currency of choice. Managers can set default currencies for vendors to keep things organized. 
  • Part Tracking Capabilities: Alerts users to the location of their needed manufacturing parts and where they are coming from. Set alerts for part replacement and track ordered parts by location. Tracks parts and labor costs so users can keep track of preferred vendors. 
  • Manufacturing Tools: The manufacturing module contains industry favorite features, including advanced work orders, bills of materials, work order automation, lot tracking and more. 
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  • Production Planning and Scheduling: Administer production tasks and schedules at various detail levels. Change all manufacturing orders and production operations statuses manually. Track material availability and defer risks for material supply lead times.
  • Integrations: Merge with online services, including Shopify, WooCommerce, QuickBooks and Xero, among others. Sync sales with e-commerce platforms and push sales orders to accounting for billing for better productivity. 
  • Inventory Management: Gain real-time inventory control while optimizing finished goods and raw ingredients. Upkeep inventory levels and establish reorder points. 
  • Sales Order Management: Sync sales orders from multiple pipelines into a centralized dashboard. Catch delivery delays and reprioritize tasks to meet deadlines adequately. 
  • Purchase Management: Work with on-time purchasing thanks to transparent material requirements. Track purchases of missing raw materials from suppliers. 
  • Costing: Track actual manufacturing fees based on BOMs and production activities. Draft multi-level BOMs with subassemblies and make pricing choices that align with vital product parameters. 
  • Shop Floor Control: Review manufacturing order tasks and material lists for every responsibility. Allocate and redistribute jobs to operators who can begin, stop and restart assignments to keep users aware of production consistently. 
  • Master Planning: Obtain task-level administration for maximized shop floor management. Conduct automatic production fee calculations according to BOMs and processes. 
  • Contract Manufacturing: Track partner location materials in real time. Detect and buy missing ingredients in contract supplier facilities. 
  • Traceability: Obtain up-to-date material and product batch tracking. Produce automatic batch and internal barcodes. 
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Product Ranking

#50

among all
Inventory Management Software

#85

among all
Inventory Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Fishbowl Inventory
Katana MRP
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Dashboards And Reports Inventory Control Inventory Valuation, Counts And Alerts Mobile Order Fulfillment Platform Capabilities Purchasing Returns Management 100 84 80 94 100 58 89 67 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 707 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 179 reviews
83%
of users recommend this product

Fishbowl Inventory has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 83% when considering 707 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

93%
of users recommend this product

Katana MRP has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 179 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.6 (14)
4.4 (12)
3.3 (62)
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4.2 (629)
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4.7 (139)
4.0 (2)
4.7 (3)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Fishbowl Inventory and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Inventory Management Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Dashboards and Reports and Order Fulfillment.

Analysts' Pick Award
Dashboards and Reports Award
Order Fulfillment Award

Katana MRP stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Ease of Use: Nearly 83% of users who mentioned ease of use noted that the system is intuitive, accessible and easy to learn.
Support: Approximately 75% of reviewers said that support teams, especially those working on plug-ins, were helpful, knowledgeable and quick to respond.
Functionality: About 62% of reviewers who talked about the overall functionality of the system said that overall, the features of the system were suitable for daily warehousing and inventory management processes.
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Intuitive Interface: Users praise Katana for its user-friendly design, making it easy to navigate and understand, even for those without prior experience with MRP systems.
Real-time Inventory Tracking: The software provides a clear, real-time view of inventory levels, allowing businesses to make informed decisions about production and purchasing.
Streamlined Production Planning: Katana helps optimize production scheduling, ensuring that materials are available when needed and minimizing production delays.
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Customization: Out-of-the-box customization options were limited and hard to implement, as noted by nearly 75% of users who referred to customization.
Cost: All users who mentioned cost said that the price associated with customization, integration and the overall system was too high.
Reports: Almost 80% of users who mentioned reports said that they were too basic, exporting was difficult and that they had to pay to customize them.
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Steep Learning Curve: Users have reported that Katana MRP can be difficult to learn and navigate, especially for those who are new to MRP systems. The software's complexity can lead to a longer onboarding process.
Limited Customization Options: Some users have expressed frustration with the limited customization options available in Katana MRP. This can make it challenging to tailor the software to specific business needs and workflows.
Occasional Performance Issues: A handful of users have mentioned experiencing occasional performance issues, such as slow loading times or system glitches. These issues can disrupt workflow and impact productivity.
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Fishbowl Inventory brings numerous modules to the table, including inventory and warehouse management, to fulfill a wide range of daily tasks. The support teams provide in-depth training and responsive support, especially from those working in Fishbowl’s Plug-In support. The system supports numerous integrations, but sometimes the integration process isn’t the most stable. Some users noted that being required to host their data on site was cumbersome and expensive. The mobile apps give users the ability to follow and interact with daily tasks while they are out of the office. The implementation process for the system can be time consuming, but overall, users felt that it satisfied their needs. Users felt that it could use more customization options and that the reporting features was a bit unpolished and basic.

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Is Katana MRP "sharp" enough to cut through the competition? Recent user reviews suggest that Katana MRP is a strong contender in the inventory management software arena, particularly for businesses with complex manufacturing processes. Users praise its intuitive interface and robust features, especially its ability to track raw materials, manage bills of materials, and set reorder points. This granular control over inventory has been a game-changer for many businesses, allowing them to optimize stock levels and avoid costly stockouts. However, some users have pointed out limitations with Katana MRP's reporting capabilities and its pricing structure, which can be prohibitive for smaller businesses. For example, some users have expressed a desire for more customizable reporting options to gain deeper insights into their inventory data. While Katana MRP integrates well with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, its compatibility with other business software may be limited. Overall, Katana MRP seems best suited for small to medium-sized businesses with complex manufacturing processes that require tight control over inventory and production. Its strengths lie in its user-friendly design, comprehensive inventory tracking features, and seamless integration with e-commerce platforms, making it a valuable tool for businesses looking to streamline their operations and gain a competitive edge.

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Screenshots

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