Linnworks vs Katana MRP

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Our analysts compared Linnworks 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.

Linnworks Software Tool

Product Basics

Linnworks is a cloud-based inventory management software for ecommerce businesses. It tackles the complexities of multi-channel selling by centralizing inventory data, automating order fulfillment, and providing real-time stock visibility. Linnworks shines for retailers looking to streamline operations and scale their sales. Key benefits include reduced manual work through automation, improved accuracy with automated stock updates, and boosted efficiency with integrations to major marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Popular features include purchase order management, kitting and bundling, and multi-warehouse tracking. Compared to simpler tools, Linnworks offers deeper automation and reporting capabilities, but at the cost of a steeper learning curve and potentially higher pricing. Pricing starts at a monthly subscription based on order volume, making it more scalable for larger businesses but potentially less cost-effective for smaller setups. Ultimately, Linnworks is a powerful tool for ambitious ecommerce businesses seeking centralized control and automation across their inventory and fulfillment processes.

Pros
  • Streamlines order processing
  • Automates inventory updates
  • Integrates with major marketplaces
  • Offers robust reporting features
  • Flexible pricing plans
Cons
  • Steep learning curve for some users
  • Occasional technical glitches
  • Limited customization options
  • Customer support can be slow
  • Costly for high-volume sellers
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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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$35/User, Monthly
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$179 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Insights

  • Automate Inventory Tasks: Keep updated records of inventory levels automatically when stock comes in or goes out. Use demand forecasting data and custom reorder thresholds to always have optimal inventory levels. 
  • Consolidate Multichannel Operations: Manage sales across various channels simultaneously. Automatically update all channels to accurately reflect inventory levels no matter where a product sells. 
  • Monitor Performance in Real Time: Customize dashboards with inventory, warehouse, ordering and purchasing information to show specific KPIs. Use real-time data to drive decisions. 
  • Boost Inventory Accuracy: Minimize manual inventory tracking and system updating errors. Use SKUs and barcoding to automatically update inventory information when shipping or receiving products. 
  • Minimize Wastage: Reduce waste and shrinkage using a built-in FIFO inventory setup. Make sure first-in products — especially perishables — leave the warehouse first to fulfill orders. 
  • Set Up a Unified Shipping Network: Access 70+ shipping integration options to connect your existing trusted carriers and scope out new options. Manage multiple shippers for various locations to centralize shipping processes. 
  • Avoid Over and Underselling: Connect your sales channels and use real-time data to forecast demand, helping automatically avoid over and underselling. Set parameters to list items as out of stock across channels, no matter where they originate from, to keep from overselling stock. 
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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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  • Inventory Control: Capture inventory details, including IDs, descriptions, categories and more, to simplify batch tracking and expiry monitoring. Track and adjust stock information to keep a detailed history for multiple warehouses when transferring and adding products or accounting for damage and shrinkage. Bundle and kit items for group sales. Create visual representations for physical inventory to quickly pinpoint items. 
  • Inventory Valuation, Counts & Alerts: Use various valuation and counting inventory methods and models, including EOQ models, FIFO, physical counts, specific identification and weighted average. 
  • Order Management: Manage sales and backorders from a dedicated dashboard. Edit or split orders and generate shipping labels directly from packing slips. Create custom rules to automatically tag orders, print templates, add notes, set preferred carriers and more. 
  • Warehouse Management: Organize and track SKUs across various bin racks. Generate automated picklists for order fulfillment. Map out warehouses, including zones, groups and bins, to visualize inventory layouts. 
  • Multichannel Listings: Bulk update and sync pricing for products listed on various sales channels. Create automated inventory rules to list products as “out of stock” on various channels when selling out on one and reverse the listing after restocking. 
  • Shipping Management: Set custom routing rules for order shipping. Automatically pick older inventory using built-in FIFO models. Compare rates across shipping carriers to minimize costs. 
  • Stock Forecasting: Use sales histories, seasonal trends and product comparisons to forecast demand and make data-driven stock replenishment decisions, avoiding stockouts and overstocking. 
  • Purchasing: Set automatic reorder points to reup low stock. Forecast demand based on actual sales data. Manage suppliers in a dedicated portal, including receiving order details and purchase order tracking. 
  • Returns Management: Approve returns and set pickup and transportation processes. Receive SMS or email updates. Sort returns by various parameters like status and dates. Synchronize tracking with shipping partners to facilitate automatic status notifications. 
  • Reporting & Insights: Monitor performance through dashboards to see real-time data across sales channels or specific SKUs to track stock levels, orders and purchasing, stock valuation, and refunds. 
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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

#16

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

Linnworks
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Dashboards And Reports Inventory Control Inventory Valuation, Counts And Alerts Mobile Order Fulfillment Platform Capabilities Purchasing Returns Management 78 84 43 53 67 58 97 30 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 98 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 179 reviews
84%
of users recommend this product

Linnworks has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 98 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.

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4.4 (12)
4.3 (66)
4.4 (25)
4.1 (26)
4.7 (139)
5.0 (1)
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3.2 (5)
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Awards

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

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Cross-channel efficiency: Users praise Linnworks for simplifying managing inventory and orders across multiple sales channels (e.g., Amazon, eBay, Shopify). They highlight improved listing management, order fulfillment automation, and reduced errors.
Inventory accuracy boost: Real-time stock level updates, automatic data entry, and discrepancy flagging are lauded for improving inventory accuracy, leading to fewer stockouts and overstocks.
Time-saving automation: Users appreciate features like automated order routing, picking, and shipping, which streamline fulfillment and free up time for other tasks.
Data-driven insights: Customizable reports on sales, inventory, and orders are valued for providing actionable insights and enabling data-driven decision-making.
Scalability for growth: The cloud-based platform and flexible pricing plans are seen as advantages, allowing businesses to scale Linnworks usage as their needs grow.
Integration capabilities: Seamless connections with various marketplaces, accounting software, and shipping carriers are appreciated for creating a unified workflow and eliminating manual data entry.
Supportive community: Users value the helpful online community forum and responsive customer support, offering guidance and assistance when needed.
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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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Learning curve: While generally considered user-friendly, some users find the initial setup and feature exploration demanding, particularly for businesses new to inventory management software.
Pricing for smaller businesses: While offering flexible plans, some users, especially those with lower order volumes, find the base pricing tier costlier than simpler inventory management solutions.
Occasional bugs and glitches: Some users report encountering minor bugs or glitches within the platform, although the frequency and severity vary based on individual experiences.
Limited reporting customization: While offering various reports, some users wish for more advanced customization options or deeper data analysis capabilities for specific needs.
Integration complexity for specific tools: While boasting diverse integrations, setting up connections with certain niche tools or custom platforms might require technical expertise or additional support.
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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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Linnworks garners praise for its ability to streamline multi-channel inventory management and order fulfillment, particularly for businesses juggling sales across various platforms. Users highlight real-time inventory updates, automated processes, and centralized order management as significant time-savers and error reducers. The cloud-based platform and scalable pricing plans are seen as assets for growing businesses. Additionally, the supportive community forum and responsive customer service are valued resources. However, some users mention a learning curve during initial setup, especially for those new to inventory management software. The base pricing can be a barrier for smaller businesses compared to simpler solutions. While integrations are vast, connecting specific niche tools or custom platforms might require more technical expertise. Additionally, some users wish for more advanced reporting customization options. Overall, Linnworks seems to impress users with its robust feature set, automation capabilities, and cross-channel compatibility. However, its initial learning curve and pricing might deter smaller businesses or those with simpler needs. When compared to competitors, Linnworks stands out for its comprehensive feature set, scalability, and supportive community, but its complexity and pricing might not be suitable for every user. Carefully considering your business size, specific needs, and technical expertise is crucial before deciding if Linnworks is the right fit.

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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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