Plex Systems vs SAP Manufacturing

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

SAP Manufacturing Software Tool

Product Basics

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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SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing is an integrated ERP solution that digitally transforms manufacturing operations, enabling businesses to achieve a high level of efficiency, agility, and innovation. It caters to discrete, process, and mixed manufacturing industries, providing comprehensive functionalities for production planning, execution, and quality management. Key features include sales order processing, material requirements planning, production planning, shop floor control, and quality management. Benefits encompass improved production visibility, optimized resource utilization, reduced costs, and enhanced product quality. Compared to similar products, SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing stands out with its real-time insights, advanced analytics, and seamless integration with other SAP solutions. However, its complexity and implementation costs may pose limitations for some businesses. Pricing is based on company size, modules selected, and deployment options. User reviews highlight its ability to streamline operations, improve decision-making, and gain a competitive edge.

Pros
  • Integrated business processes
  • Real-time data analytics
  • Improved supply chain management
  • Scalable and flexible deployment options
  • User-friendly Fiori UX
Cons
  • High implementation costs
  • Complex customization process
  • Steep learning curve
  • Long implementation timeframe
  • Potential compatibility issues with non-SAP products
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$500/User, Monthly
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$220/User, Monthly
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Product Insights

  • 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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  • Enhanced Production Efficiency: Streamline manufacturing processes, optimize resource utilization, and reduce production lead times.
  • Real-time Visibility and Insights: Gain real-time visibility into production operations, inventory levels, and supply chain dynamics for informed decision-making.
  • Improved Quality Management: Implement robust quality control measures, reduce defects, and enhance product quality consistently.
  • Boosted Agility and Adaptability: Respond quickly to changing market demands, adapt to disruptions, and maintain a competitive edge.
  • Accelerated Innovation: Foster a culture of innovation by enabling data-driven insights, continuous improvement, and new product development.
  • Reduced Costs and Improved Profitability: Optimize resource allocation, minimize waste, and drive operational cost savings.
  • Enhanced Collaboration and Communication: Break down silos, facilitate cross-functional collaboration, and improve communication across departments.
  • Streamlined Supply Chain Management: Optimize inventory levels, improve demand forecasting, and strengthen supplier relationships.
  • Increased Customer Satisfaction: Deliver products on time, meet customer expectations, and enhance customer satisfaction.
  • Sustainable Manufacturing Practices: Implement sustainable manufacturing practices, reduce environmental impact, and promote eco-efficiency.
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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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  • Shop Floor Execution: Govern manufacturing operations in real time with this module on SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud. Users may initiate shop floor scenarios and maximize manufacturing assets and production performances. 
  • Data Collection: Chronicle trackability, quality and other appropriate information as well as monitor commitment to production specifications with the automatic data collection tool in SAP Manufacturing Execution. It also permits users to establish preset non-conformance triggers for any deviations from production specifications. 
  • Production Planning: Determine capacity and inventory availability restrictions within a planning model with SAP S/4 HANA Manufacturing for Planning and Scheduling. Users may also merge routings, bill of materials and other manufacturing data with this module to establish detailed production planning data compositions. 
  • Plant Upkeep: Effectively gauge and study current and historical facility performance with conventional data sources that extend equipment availability, performance and quality barometers with SAP Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence. 
  • Environment Management: Superintend the air and water emissions from a facility to comply with legal requirements with the environment management apparatus via SAP Environment, Health and Safety Management. Users may also pinpoint and relay deviations, administer investigations and trace follow-up procedures. 
  • Incident Management: Increase the visibility of environment, health and safety (EHS) risks via automated global reporting and real-time analytics with SAP Environment, Health and Safety Management. Users may also implement this accessory to research, monitor and follow up on incidents. 
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Product Ranking

#14

among all
Manufacturing Software

#38

among all
Manufacturing Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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SAP Manufacturing
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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 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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User Sentiment Summary

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

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Awards

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

Reports and Dashboards Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

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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Improved Production Efficiency: Users have reported significant improvements in production efficiency and reduced production lead times after implementing SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing.
Real-time Visibility and Insights: Users appreciate the real-time visibility into production operations, inventory levels, and supply chain dynamics provided by SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing, enabling informed decision-making.
Enhanced Quality Management: Users have experienced enhanced product quality and reduced defects due to the robust quality management features of SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing.
Streamlined Supply Chain Management: Users have benefited from streamlined supply chain management, improved demand forecasting, and strengthened supplier relationships with SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing.
Reduced Costs and Improved Profitability: Users have achieved reduced operational costs, improved resource utilization, and increased profitability through SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing.
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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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Complexity and Implementation Costs: Users have found SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing to be a complex ERP system with significant implementation costs, making it challenging for smaller businesses or those with limited IT expertise.
Limited Customization: Users have expressed concerns about the limited customization options available in SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing, which may not be suitable for businesses with unique or highly specialized requirements.
Steep Learning Curve: Users have experienced a steep learning curve when adopting SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing, requiring extensive training to fully grasp its functionalities and maximize its benefits.
Data Integration Challenges: Users have encountered challenges in integrating SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing with existing legacy systems, potentially disrupting business operations.
High Maintenance Costs: Users have noted that the ongoing maintenance costs for SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing can be significant, especially for larger enterprises.
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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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SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing is an ERP solution that has received mixed reviews from users. While some users have praised its ability to improve production efficiency, provide real-time insights, and enhance quality management, others have expressed concerns about its complexity, implementation costs, and limited customization options. Users who have found SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing to be beneficial have highlighted its ability to streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve decision-making. One user stated, "SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing has helped us to streamline our production processes and reduce our lead times by 20%. We are now able to respond to customer demand more quickly and efficiently." Another user commented, "SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing has given us real-time visibility into our inventory levels, which has helped us to avoid stockouts and improve our overall supply chain management." Additionally, users have appreciated the enhanced quality management features of SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing, which have led to reduced defects and improved product quality. However, some users have encountered challenges with SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing, particularly during the implementation process. The complexity of the system and the high implementation costs have been major pain points for some businesses. One user noted, "The implementation of SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing was a complex and time-consuming process. We had to invest a significant amount of resources to get the system up and running." Another user commented, "The implementation costs of SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing were quite high, especially for a small business like ours." Additionally, some users have found the system to be limited in its customization options, which may not be suitable for businesses with unique or highly specialized requirements. Overall, SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing is a powerful ERP solution that can provide significant benefits for businesses that are willing to invest the time and resources required for implementation. However, businesses should carefully consider their specific needs and requirements before deciding whether or not SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing is the right solution for them.

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