NetSuite vs Plex Systems

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Our analysts compared NetSuite vs Plex Systems based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Manufacturing Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

NetSuite ERP is a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution designed to automate and streamline core business processes. It manages all aspects of a company's operations, including financials, accounting, inventory, supply chain, and customer relationship management (CRM). NetSuite is best suited for mid-sized and large businesses with complex needs who require a comprehensive solution to manage their growth. Key benefits include improved visibility, real-time data access, increased efficiency, and enhanced collaboration. Popular features include order management, project management, financial reporting, and business intelligence. User reviews praise NetSuite's scalability, flexibility, and ease of use. However, some users mention the initial implementation cost and learning curve as drawbacks. Pricing is tiered based on the number of users and modules required. Monthly subscription fees can range from $999 to $4,999 per month. Additionally, one-time implementation fees may apply.

Pros
  • Scalable
  • Flexible
  • Easy to use
  • Real-time data
  • Improved visibility
Cons
  • High cost
  • Steep learning curve
  • Limited customization
  • Integration issues
  • Vendor lock-in
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Plex Manufacturing Cloud uses real-time data to connect and facilitate operations among various business aspects such as finance, distribution and production. It has built-in compliance and approval monitoring tools to ensure that your products are created accurately and with regulations in mind.

With Plex software, you also have the ability to develop customized reports and dashboards to make visualization easier and more streamlined. These reporting tools can make developing insights faster and easier, especially when considering the program’s use of actual minute-by-minute data.
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$999/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$500/User, Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

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Product Insights

  • Customization and visibility: The ability for clients to develop solutions that are tailored to their own business needs is a driving benefit of NetSuite ERP. The tool also provides visibility across workflows, which provides heightened transparency across departments. 
  • Built-in workflows: Built-in workflows are helpful because they allow for the automation or streamlining of various business tasks, therefore improving productivity. This benefit includes more accurate financial management and omnichannel engagement. 
  • Control over business processes: NetSuite ERP gives companies more control over business processes. For example, the program contains a supply chain portal that makes sure your customers benefit from the same experience, no matter where exactly they decide to convert within the sales funnel. 
  • Real-time insights: Real-time data is a key benefit that, when paired with NetSuite ERP’s personalized dashboards, can help your company develop insights more quickly. This can reduce the amount of time you spend filtering and sorting data to develop actionable solutions for your business. 
  • Easily accessible: NetSuite ERP is a cloud-based solution, meaning that as long as you have internet access, you can use it. This means you won’t have to be tied to your desktop computer to work with its suite of tools, which gives you the freedom to work where and when you want. 
  • Relatively low cost of ownership: Cost is an essential factor to consider when implementing an ERP solution, which is why NetSuite ERP seeks to lower its price by eliminating IT expenses (both initially and on an ongoing basis.) It also provides automatic updates so that you don’t have to pay extra for maintenance. 
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  • Increased Efficiency: Plex Manufacturing Cloud uses real-time data and set parameters to maximize production capabilities. Its Advanced Planning and Scheduling tool uses information such as inventory levels, amount of production floor space and maximum productivity levels to generate a best-fit manufacturing schedule. 
  • Accessibility: As a cloud-based manufacturing software, Plex is available anytime and anywhere as long as a user has internet access. This is especially beneficial in the manufacturing center considering manufacturing managers and production line employees can access real-time data from internet-enabled devices while they’re actually on the floor working. 
  • Improved Customer Experience: Customers are the backbone of your business, and Plex software capitalizes on this fact through its customer portal, which provides visualization as a product moves throughout the supply chain. Shipping notifications are also included so that clients have an accurate expectation as to when an item should be delivered. 
  • Heightened Visibility: With increased visibility, you can develop insights more quickly. Plex Manufacturing Cloud contains the ability to use customizable dashboards to reflect minute-by-minute information such as inventory levels and labor allocation, which enables you to make informed decisions based on current processes. 
  • Collaboration: Plex allows for collaboration with clients through the customer portal. It also contains internal collaboration tools that are emphasized through its multi-site functionality for supply chain and financial processes. 
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  • Sales Order Management: The sales order management tool provides automation that works to reduce manual errors and to speed up the billing and order management process. It is also integrated with other business functions such as finance and fulfillment. 
  • Source Management: This tool helps ensure compliance during the purchasing process through its centralized supply portal. It also has forecasting abilities that are able to recalculate predictions based on actual fluctuations. 
  • Warehouse Management: The warehouse management feature streamlines warehouse operations by decreasing overhead and cycle times. It can also improve rates of on-time delivery, therefore improving customer retention and ultimately boosting revenue. 
  • Production Management: The production management tool is integrated with CAD and PLM functionality. This feature assists in the development of quotes, tracking of contract renewals and cost estimation. 
  • Manufacturing Accounting: All of the basic features of accounting are present in this tool, from invoicing to forecasting. It can also help your company determine the amount of taxes you need to pay based on factors such as location and revenue. 
  • Transportation and Logistics: This tool is well-integrated with IoT functionality, as it lets you see in real-time where your transportation units are located. The logistic side of this tool provides inventory estimation based on historical data to help you decide what to order more of and what to order less of. 
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  • Inventory Management: Plex Manufacturing Cloud allows you to track the quantity and location of your inventory, whether you want to look at raw materials, WIP or finished goods. It also supports barcode scanning and label printing in an effort to improve the accuracy of reported inventory levels. Controls are also in place to ensure that products are always developed using the right materials, therefore improving inventory viability. 
  • PLM Functionality: Built-in revision control workflows allow for approved changes to be reflected across the entirety of the product lifecycle. Product specifications can also be developed to expedite processes. 
  • Quality Management: Plex software helps to ensure that you are retaining compliance with standards such as ISO, TS and QS. You can also use supplier scorecards to look at your entire supply chain. For example, your suppliers can use checksheets to validate the quality of their materials before the goods reach your facility, therefore hastening the quality analysis process on your end. 
  • Management of Shipments: The shipping management system ensures that only products that meet acceptable quality specifications are sent to customers and that they are sent to the intended recipient. Plex software's manufacturing system also contains a labeling feature that automatically prints labels using customer information in order to avoid shipping errors. ASNs are automatically sent and formatted as products leave the production facility. 
  • Real-Time Financial Management: Plex software contains continuously updated information on components such as labor hour utilization and point-in-time inventory. The financial management system is designed for order-to-cash and procure-to-pay processes and includes multi-site functionality. Financial reports are also easily accessible with this tool. 
  • Customer Relationship Management: This program includes a customer portal that provides visibility of a product as it moves throughout the supply chain and allows for enhanced collaboration ability. Important components such as quotes, estimates, issue resolution and order management are built into the tool along with an integrated EDI. 
  • Advanced Planning and Scheduling: The Plex Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) solution allows you to account for constraints in your workplace such as amount of resources and maximum production capacity to develop optimized production runs. Finite Scheduling includes the ability to plan your development schedule based on factors such as resources, tools and space. The program also allows you to level-load production across different manufacturing centers. 
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Product Ranking

#3

among all
Manufacturing Software

#14

among all
Manufacturing Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

57
57
74
43
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44
56
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Warehouse Management
Platform Capabilities
Inventory Management
Reports and Dashboards

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

NetSuite
Plex Systems
+ Add Product + Add Product
Bill Of Materials (BOM) And Routing Computer-aided Design And Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAD And CAM) Management Engineering Change Control Inventory Management Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Product Configuration Production Planning Production Scheduling Quality Management Recipe And Formula Management Reports And Dashboards Shop Floor Control Warehouse Management Work In Process (WIP) Work Order Management 74 0 44 86 64 77 97 42 80 67 30 0 64 40 100 17 43 43 0 56 71 80 67 79 36 67 70 80 47 100 70 44 0 44 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

44%
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 6448 reviews
Good User Sentiment 32 reviews
81%
of users recommend this product

NetSuite has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 81% when considering 6448 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

74%
of users recommend this product

Plex Systems has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 32 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.9 (20)
n/a
4.0 (3489)
3.3 (17)
n/a
4.2 (11)
4.2 (1600)
n/a
4.4 (125)
4.3 (3)
4.0 (1214)
3.0 (1)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated NetSuite and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Warehouse Management.

Warehouse Management Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Plex Systems and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Reports and Dashboards.

Reports and Dashboards Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Real-time data and visibility: Gain immediate insights into your business performance with real-time access to all your data.
Improved efficiency and automation: Automate routine tasks and streamline workflows to boost productivity across your organization.
Enhanced collaboration: Break down departmental silos and foster better communication across teams.
Scalability and flexibility: Adapt NetSuite to your unique needs and accommodate your business growth.
Comprehensive features: Manage all aspects of your business operations with a single platform.
Improved decision-making: Get data-driven insights to make informed and strategic decisions.
Strong customer support: Reliable support is available through multiple channels to ensure your success.
High security and compliance: Secure your data and meet industry regulations with robust security features.
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Improved Shop Floor Visibility: Users praise Plex for providing real-time insights into production processes, enabling better decision-making and quicker responses to issues.
Streamlined Inventory Management: Plex helps manufacturers optimize inventory levels, reducing waste and ensuring materials are available when needed.
Enhanced Quality Control: The system's quality management features help track defects, identify root causes, and improve overall product quality.
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High cost: NetSuite's initial implementation and ongoing maintenance fees can be significant, especially for small businesses.
Steep learning curve: The platform's extensive features require significant training and user adoption efforts.
Limited customization options: While customizable, NetSuite requires technical expertise and can be costly compared to competitors.
Vendor lock-in concerns: Switching to a different ERP provider can be challenging due to potential data migration issues and dependence on NetSuite's proprietary features.
Integration challenges with certain applications: While NetSuite offers pre-built integrations, connecting with niche or less popular applications might require complex manual data entry or third-party solutions.
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Reporting Limitations: Users express frustration with the inflexibility and limitations of Plex's built-in reporting features, making it difficult to extract and analyze data in ways that suit their specific needs.
User Interface Complexity: The system is often described as being difficult to navigate and non-intuitive, especially for new users who require extensive training to become proficient.
System Rigidity: Plex is often criticized for its lack of flexibility in adapting to unique or evolving business processes, requiring workarounds or customizations that can be time-consuming and costly.
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User reviews for NetSuite ERP paint a mixed picture, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. Many users praise its comprehensive features and real-time data visibility, reporting improvements in efficiency and collaboration. One user commented, "NetSuite has transformed our business by automating tedious tasks and providing us with a single source of truth for all our data." Another added, "The collaboration features are fantastic – we can now work together seamlessly across different departments, which has boosted productivity significantly." However, users also raise concerns about the complexity of the platform and its high cost. Some find the learning curve steep and the customization options limited compared to competitors like SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics 365. One user noted, "NetSuite was initially overwhelming for our team due to its complexity. We had to invest heavily in training just to get started." Another commented, "The cost was a major barrier for us. We found other ERP solutions that offered similar features at a fraction of the price." The issue of vendor lock-in is another recurring concern among users. Switching to a different ERP system can be challenging due to data migration issues and dependence on NetSuite's proprietary features. One user expressed their apprehension, "We're worried about getting locked into NetSuite's ecosystem. Switching to another provider seems like a huge headache." Overall, user reviews suggest that NetSuite ERP is a powerful and feature-rich solution but comes with a steep learning curve and high cost. While it may be the perfect fit for large organizations with complex needs and significant resources, smaller businesses might find it overwhelming and expensive. When evaluating NetSuite, it's crucial to carefully consider your specific needs, budget, and technical expertise before making a decision.

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Want to know if Plex Systems is truly complex or simply complexly awesome? Recent user reviews suggest the former might be closer to the truth. While Plex Systems is praised for its comprehensive suite of features covering everything from planning and scheduling to supply chain management, users often highlight a steep learning curve and a sometimes clunky interface as drawbacks. This complexity can make it challenging for smaller businesses or those with less tech-savvy teams to implement and utilize effectively. However, Plex Systems shines in its ability to connect different aspects of a manufacturing operation, providing real-time visibility into production processes, inventory levels, and quality control data. This end-to-end integration is a key differentiator, allowing businesses to streamline operations and make data-driven decisions. For example, users cite the ability to track production in real-time and identify bottlenecks as a major advantage, leading to improved efficiency and reduced downtime. Ultimately, Plex Systems is best suited for larger, established manufacturing businesses with the technical resources and expertise to navigate its complexities and leverage its powerful features for maximum impact.

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Screenshots

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