You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for the best MRP software or are an MRP systems enthusiast. Our comprehensive guide explores our analyst-curated solution picks, key features, benefits and industry trends.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

Table of Contents

• Best MRP Software
  • NetSuite
  • Oracle ERP Cloud
  • SAP S/4HANA
  • MRPeasy
  • Katana MRP
• Primary Benefits
• Key Features
• MRP Trends
• FAQs
• Next Steps

Best MRP Software

There are several MRP software options in the market. Here are some of the best material requirements planning software, as decided by our team of software analysts:

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

NetSuite

NetSuite ERP is a cloud-based software solution that unifies business processes, such as financial management, inventory management and fulfillment. It’s suitable for small and mid-sized businesses operating on Mac, Windows or Linux platforms.

Some industries that use this solution include education, advertising, consulting, financial services, energy, FMCG hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, IT services, technology, logistics, transportation, retail and wholesale distribution.

Top Benefits

• Gain Company Transparency: You can tailor the program to align with your company’s requirements while gaining in-depth visibility into departments and procedures.
• Boost Productivity: Conduct automatic operations with workflows already in NetSuite. You also gain more precise accounting management and omnichannel engagement.
• Develop Better Decisions: You obtain more information faster when you pair your company data with tailored data. This merge diminishes filtering and assorting to create actionable resolutions and make well-informed decisions.
• Reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): This program dwindles its initial and ongoing IT fees and offers prompt updates to avoid paying for additional maintenance. These qualities keep the TCO significantly low.
• Implement Remote Access: Since this solution is cloud-based, you can access it anywhere on any mobile device. So you can access information and features on the go instead of in one location.

Primary Features

• Warehouse Management: Reduce cycle times and overhead costs and increase on-time delivery rates and inventory turns. These specific capabilities included in this tool are task management, RFI barcode scanning, returning authorization receipts, cycle count planning and strategy definition for put-away and picking items.
• Production Management: Utilize computer-aided design (CAD) and product lifecycle management (PLM) tools for strengthened cradle-to-grave monitoring of all merchandise. Craft quotes, perform contract renewals and reduce expenses.
• Manufacturing Accounting: Access invoices, the general ledger, fixed assets accounts payable, accounts receivable and more. You can also determine taxes your business owes based on location and money earned.
• Transportation and Logistics: Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) functionality, you gain full transparency on transportation items. Implement inventory estimations that use historical information to help you see which items are low on inventory.
• Sales Order Management: Diminish mistakes and expedite billing and order management operations with automation. You can also merge this system with finance and fulfillment appliances.

Limitations

• Has a steep learning curve.
• Offers too many accessories.
• Lacks social media tools.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

Oracle ERP Cloud

Oracle ERP Cloud offers a centralized interface to govern and examine operations throughout your company. With intuitive dashboards, you can obtain real-time analytics and accounting accessories to boost revenue and eliminate workflow bottlenecks.

Top Benefits

• Support Company Growth: According to our research, users like this system’s scalability. They can add new users to take on particular roles and assignments.
• Obtain Improved Visibility: Manage every project aspect, including financial information, resources, deadlines, clients, and more. You can also generate narrative and standard documents.
• Strengthen Efficiency: Boost productivity by automating mundane tasks from payroll and crafting invoices to handling orders and BOMs.
• Comply With Rules Regularly: Upkeep local and standard compliances seamlessly. Comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and other regulations smoothly.
• Receive Company-Wide Centralization: Enhance visibility and workflows by merging this platform with Microsoft’s Project and Excel applications. Access real-time information and keep everything in one centralized location.

Primary Features

• Financials: set a robust foundation to execute financial workflows, enterprise bookkeeping and accounting reports. Leverage revenue management to draft clear, specific performance duties associated with transformable rules and templates.
• Procurement: Analyze vendors and diminish interruptions by systematically assessing risk attributes, compliance licensing and strengths. This analysis weeds out incompetent providers and enhances business value with reliable supplier relationships.
• Enterprise Performance Management: Link all plans and schedules (i.e., situation modeling, long-range planning and budgeting) with ideal practices and progressive technological trends. Initiate automatic account reconciliations and purchase matching while strengthening your financial statement accuracy.
• Supply Chain and Manufacturing: Conduct demand management, supply planning, sales and operations planning and supply chain collaboration with this component. Oversee prompt resource availability and work orders to generate attainable schedules that work with current materials, capacities and calendar restrictions.
• ERP Analytics: Use the general ledger tool to garner your company’s financial health and attributes with historical trend and variance analyses with pre-set KPIs to review profitability, expenses, revenue and more. Study company spending via diverse business units, regions and cost centers with available performance indicators.

Limitations

• Has too many bugs and requires system maintenance.
• Has difficult customization processes.
• Has a high price tag.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

SAP S/4 HANA

This MRP software implements AI and machine learning technologies to automate manufacturing processes, align with industry requirements and assist with decision-making.

It serves all company sizes and offers cloud and on-premise deployment options for Windows, Apple and Linux operating systems.

Top Benefits

• Make Better Decisions: SAP S/4 HANA’s embedded analytics, seamless interface and assistants allow you to access real-time business insights and make better decisions swiftly. You also gain visual reports.
• Receive Faster Customer Payments: Create new business models with reasonable industry practices and features, craft tailored goods and implement subscription-based billing tactics to increase your revenue and customer base.
• Manage and Adjust to Changes Quickly: Work with real-time profit analytics, configurations and quoting accessories to detect and resolve modifications. Receive notifications and probable results when scenarios develop.
• Detect Patterns and Bottlenecks Swiftly: Keep data in a single system, boosting information centralization to evaluate enormous data volumes simultaneously and catch trends rapidly.
• Implement Full Mobility: The solution is built on SAP Fiori’s system, allowing for smooth, responsive and simplistic navigation. You may access customized and role-based tools on any device, including mobile phones and tablets.

Primary Features

• Asset Management: Govern planned and unplanned duty completions to facilitate protocols and monitor obstacles. Superintend investigations and follow-up steps to diminish sickness, injuries and accidents.
• Sales Management: Utilize order management, contract management, incentive management and commissions management. Administer order-to-cash procedures throughout all vital touchpoints. Leverage variable-compensation actions, review sales leads, schedule client meetings and analyze client regions.
• Manufacturing Management: Perform closed-loop quality management actions, evaluate every step in the product planning phase and oversee problems. Pass BOMs, engineering paperwork and design change documents between manufacturing, research and production teams for optimal collaborations.
• Supply Chain Management: Consider business rules, material inventory and disbursement standards for accurate customer delivery deadlines. Handle local or international cargo. Note warehouse activities with asset usage and total throughput for picking, packaging and shipping.
• Procurement Management: Gain purchase information via purchase orders, requisitions, bills, invoices, contracts and real-time updates. Receive, allocate and analyze source data coordinates in one location. Merge requests across the organization into a single process verification module.

Limitations

• Has lengthy implementation cycles.
• Some features lack embedded analytics.Create new business models with reasonable industry practices and features, craft tailored goods and implement

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

MRPEasy

This cloud MRP software targets small manufacturers and streamlines workflows for several industries, including food and agriculture, aerospace and defense, chemical, health and beauty, lighting, and medical cannabis.

A preview of MRPEasy’s main menu.

Top Benefits

• Maintain Finances: Oversee cash flows, balance sheets, profits/losses and other accounting operations to ensure everything is up to par.
• Pinpoint Shipments: Govern transactions and predetermined purchase orders in one click. This system also centralizes vendors, prices and lead times for easy accessibility in one hub.
• Deliver Accurate Order Details: Estimate expenses and lead times more precisely for faster deliveries and happier clients.
• Examine All Stock Items: Implement serial number and batch tracking methodologies to access seamless, transparent stock operation histories. This tool can also help you avoid stockouts.

Primary Features

• Manufacturing: Leverage a centralized dashboard to supervise inventory items, procurement, production planning, CRM and product blueprints. Employ BOM and routing modules to cipher manufacturing durations and time.
• Inventory Tracking: Review existing stock objects, booked objects, available safety items and future items in one place. Arrange merchandise according to part numbers, descriptions, unit measurements, selling expenses and storage locations.
• Production Planning: Utilize color-coded warnings to signal late materials, operations and work orders and take steps to address these issues. Craft manufacturing orders using one of three methods:
  • Implementing CRM sales.
  • Using a production manager during production planning phases.
  • Semi-automatically when stock levels meet specific parameters.
• Schedule Executing: Evaluate late change orders, manufacturing orders, purchase orders, sales performance and other KPIs in a single dashboard. Check workstation availability and perform other vital scheduling tasks in one system.
• BOM Analytics: Organize multiple BOM versions and edits in the version control system. Showcase new BOM versions for employees to access swiftly.

Limitations

• Lacking in customizations.
• The reporting tools need improvements.
• The accounting module needs improvements.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

Katana MRP

Katana MRP maximizes productivity by offering control and clarity over the business, inventory, sales and other workflows.

Production planning and scheduling, inventory management, sales order management, purchase management, and costing are some of its top applications.

Top Benefits

• Enhance Speed and Productivity: Administer real-time teams, sales and inventory operations to increase speed and productivity.
• Track All Assignments: Use drag-and-drop features to highlight orders for simplified material and finished product redistributions. It also maintains high-priority assignments.
• Monitor Outsourced Workflows: Govern orders, ingredients, raw materials and other protocols at numerous sites to maintain outsourced manufacturing workflows.
• Centralize Disparate Operations: Centralize practices with synced business modules and workflows with open API, Integromat and Zapier.

Primary Features

• Production Planning and Scheduling: Distribute production responsibilities at numerous detailed levels. Manually alter every manufacturing order and production operation status. Track available raw ingredients and diminish lead time risks.
• Sales Order Management: Align sales orders with numerous pipelines in one dashboard. Easily spot and rectify bottlenecks to meet deadlines effortlessly.
• Inventory Management: Receive real-time stock control while strengthening completed goods and materials. Maintain inventory levels and determine reordering points.
• Costing: Closely monitor actual manufacturing expenses according to BOMs and production processes. Craft multi-level BOMs that include subassemblies. Make better pricing decisions according to product benchmarks.
• Shop Floor Control: Evaluate manufacturing order protocols and material lists for all tasks. Designate jobs for operators. Operators may start, stop or restart duties to maintain production consistency awareness.

Limitations

• Too expensive for small manufacturers.
• Lacks calendars and Gantt charts.
• Has a slow manufacturing order process.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

Primary Benefits

This program offers various perks for your organization.

Campbell Tourgis, Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer of Wainbee, talked to SelectHub about how MRP software can ramp up production times and save money.

MRP software enhances production efficiency by maintaining optimal inventory levels. It analyzes data to prevent overstock by reducing excess storage costs and minimizes the risk of stockouts by avoiding disruptions in production. This balanced approach ensures resources are used efficiently to save money on carrying costs and prevent rushed orders with associated expenses.”

Other MRP software benefits include:

• Allocate Ideal Assets: Rapidly look up and utilize the appropriate resources for particular assignments, including machinery, managers, employees, tools and raw materials.
• Save Time: Instead of inputting data manually, you can immediately input it once, which will carry it throughout every company department. You also boost productivity because you can spend more time doing other essential tasks.
• Boost Inventory Accuracy: Gain real-time stock data to avoid overstocking or shortages. Scan items with applicable barcode scanners to avoid manual counting and human errors.
• Store and Retrieve Data: Contain data and reports in one centralized location that you can access from any device with a strong internet connection. You may also set user restrictions and share information with specific team members.
• Strengthen Customer Retention: Streamline your product management with the right resources to get jobs done more efficiently, at a higher quality and faster, ensuring you always have delighted clients.
• Perform In-Depth Planning: Conduct total production and purchase plotting for accurate resource allocation and manufacturing protocols to craft products efficiently and timely.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

Key Features

Each solution has its unique characteristics. Nevertheless, MRP software offers some standard features to streamline procedures.

Alex Senn, CEO of SKUSavvy, talked with SelectHub about the importance of having robust WMS tools to maintain raw inventory items and finished products.

If you are also warehousing finished goods, you will want to have a strong WMS to help coordinate raw materials and finished goods used up during production and production amount as finished goods. This will enable you to have a streamlined, end-to-end process to manage production, inventory, fulfillment and shipping as well as to coordinate forecast for production runs.”

Senn also identified ideal MRP software features, including “input-to-output recording, multi-step manufacturing BOMs, product recipes and detailed multi-unit conversions.”

Tourgis discussed the importance of capacity planning and ERP system integrations.

Capacity planning in MRP prevents bottlenecks and ensures you use resources wisely. This way, you meet demand without overloading while keeping things efficient and customers happy. Seamless MRP and ERP integration is essential for efficient data flow and consistency. Without it, there’s a risk of data silos and slower decision-making.”

Other popular MRP software features include:

• Forecasting/Demand Forecasting: Effectively leverage this tool to estimate raw ingredients, product and sale demands over any given time to gauge your customers’ needs better.
• Scheduling: Plot the appropriate workers, machinery, goods and other factors for producing particular merchandise.
• Inventory Management: Maintain inventory with minimum quantity level tools to reduce understocking with real-time inventory. This appliance lets you stay in the loop about specific amounts and demand management.
• Purchase Planning: Determine how many raw materials you need and their cost to formulate pricing beforehand.
• CRM: With the proper CRM tools, you can maintain leads, manage customer reviews, establish a client portal, upkeep satisfaction rates and more.
• Accounting: Balance general ledgers, maintain accounts payable and receivable, allocate invoices, perform bank reconciliations, and other tasks to streamline accounting procedures.
• Capacity Planning: Schedule and plot production capacity resources to meet client demands.
• Bill of Materials (BOMs): Gather and review BOMs to understand workflows, raw materials, production methods and other assets to produce specific products.
• Tool Management: Maintain all facility machinery and equipment needed to complete jobs. Perform regular and preventive maintenance to avoid unexpected downtime.
• Change Control: Track, initiate and share product or system changes in real time to ensure everyone’s on the same page.
• Estimation: Craft accurate, data-driven projections against everchanging client data.
• Warehouse Management: Supervise all warehouse facilities for production, distribution and supply chain purposes in one centralized hub.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

MRP Trends

Several trends align with this program and manufacturing in general. Investing in the technologies that best meet your company’s objectives is wise. These trends include:

Cloud Systems

Cloud-based products and services can streamline tasks, safeguard data and keep everyone in the company on the same page with real-time data.

Tourgis discussed that cloud systems are among the most influential and cost-effective industry trends.

[Cloud software’s] accessibility from anywhere ensures seamless team collaboration and enhances our employees’ flexibility. The scalability of cloud solutions accommodates our growing needs without hefty infrastructure investments. It’s also cost-effective because it eliminates the need for exclusive IT maintenance while still allowing us to maintain a stable workflow and come up with quicker and more strategic decisions.”

Cloud software’s popularity and in-depth security measures are likely why Allied Market Research expects the global cloud services market to hit $2.5 trillion in 2031.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We leverage AI in our everyday lives with Alexa, Siri and Google telling us the weather, scheduling appointments, ordering products and playing our favorite music.

If implementing AI for accounting automation is a no-brainer, why not leverage this trend in manufacturing? Utilize AI to order raw materials, operate machinery and provide real-time job information.

You can even use branches of AI like machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA) and natural language processing (NLP) to streamline mundane or dangerous responsibilities.

AI’s massive takeover is likely why PWC predicts the AI market could provide the global market with $15.7 trillion in 2030.

Mobile Device Usage

Phones and tablets are becoming the norm in the manufacturing and construction industries to process data, review inbound and outbound items, receive vital notifications, and more.

The list goes on. Managing data on the go is a crucial asset, so you’re always in the loop for every facility and warehouse in your area instead of visiting one by one for inspections.

Tourgis explained how mobile accessibility can increase production flexibility and awareness.

Accessing MRP data on mobile devices promotes on-the-go decision-making and collaboration. It enhances responsiveness and agility, allowing users to stay connected and informed, whether on the production floor or during meetings. Mobile accessibility ensures flexibility in managing and monitoring operations from anywhere.”

Senn discussed that, unlike computer stations, mobility offers more range.

If a platform does not offer mobile capabilities this just adds another level of complexity, making it so your production environments will need their own workstations with computers instead of a tablet that can be portable and brought wherever it is needed.”

Mobile devices are more prevalent in this digital age for leisure, education and business settings. This surge in demand is likely why Allied Market Research estimates the global mobile marketing market to be $57,850 million in 2030

MRP I and MRP II

Some people confuse MRP I and MRP II, but in retrospect, they’re as different as day and night.

MRP I serves its material requirements planning functionalities. You gather and leverage numerous resources to perform tasks.

However, MRP II also performs other functions like demand forecasting, quality assurance, accounting and more. Current MRP software typically leans toward MRP II structures.

MRP II systems have limitations. For example, you’d have to turn to ERP or standalone supply chain tools to monitor facilities and delivery operations.

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

FAQs

What is MRP software?

Material requirements planning (MRP) software is a solution that helps you determine accurate inventory requirements for specific products.

Why should I use MRP software?

Some reasons for using MRP software in your practices include:

• Allocating ideal assets
• Saving time
• Boosting inventory accuracy
• Storing and retrieving data
• Strengthen customer retention
• Perform in-depth planning

What features should I look for in material requirements planning software?

• Some key features include:
  • Forecasting/demand forecasting
  • Scheduling
  • Inventory management
  • Purchase planning
  • CRM
  • Accounting
  • Capacity planning
  • BOM management
  • Tool management
  • Change control
  • Estimation
  • Warehouse management
  • And more!

How do I find the right MRP software for my business?

Several techniques and methods exist to find the best material requirements planning software for your business.

Senn said knowing your requirements is a must for better software selection.

Take the time to come up with your requirements ahead of starting to evaluate systems. You will spend a lot less time demoing and trying to understand what’s on the market if you can clearly articulate what is required of the system.”

Tourgis recommended finding a solution that offers supplier and manufacturer collaboration.

A solid MRP solution should go beyond internal functionalities, and instead, extend its capabilities to create a cohesive supply chain ecosystem. Look for features that enable real-time communication, data sharing and collaborative planning between your business and suppliers. This ensures that every party in the supply chain is on the same page, which reduces lead times, minimizes stockouts and optimizes inventory levels.”

You can also consider using our nine-step Lean Selection Methodology:

1. Establish
2. Collaborate
3. Define
4. Distribute
5. Justify
6. Prove
7. Rank
8. Negotiate
9. Sign

Is MRP software easy to use?

Typically, MRP systems are easy to use.

Senn described that this solution can be challenging if you have custom integrations.

[MRP software] should be easy enough to use that someone within your organization who is non-technical can get into the system and perform most of the essential functions. Only if you need a custom integration with the platform should you need a dedicated IT person to perform this.”

Tourgis, on the other hand, suggested that having IT experts could save time and excruciating headaches.

[MRP software is] user-friendly, but having IT experts onboard ensures it’s harnessed to its fullest potential to make operations seamless and effective. While MRP software is learnable for anyone with training, it’s often best handled by IT experts with the proper education or certification. Their technical knowhow ensures a smooth setup, customization and troubleshooting.”

What are the different types of MRP software?

Some MRP types include:

• MRP I
• MRP II

Some MRP software examples include:

• NetSuite
• Oracle ERP Cloud
• SAP S/4HANA
• MRPEasy
• Katana MRP

Compare Top MRP Systems Leaders

Next Steps

MRP software effectively streamlines your manufacturing business by saving money, restoring and retrieving data, boosting customer satisfaction and unifying supply chain communication.

Ready to take the next step? Review our in-depth, free comparison guide for more solutions and unbiased, apples-to-apples evaluations.

What problems are you looking to solve with MRP software? What requirements are you looking for in an ideal system? Let us know in the comments!

SME Contributors