Automotive ERP software manages production planning, inventory control, and order tracking in the automobile industry. We utilized our software review methodology to find the top options for vehicle manufacturers.
- Acumatica: Best Overall
- SYSPRO: Best for Distributors
- IFS Cloud: Best for OEMs
- Epicor Kinetic: Best Supply Chain Management
- xTuple: Best for Small Manufacturers
- DELMIAWorks: Best for Lean Manufacturing
1 Acumatica - Best Overall
Why we chose it: Acumatica is our top overall ERP pick for the automotive industry. Its cloud-based platform ensures real-time access to data, enabling businesses to make informed decisions quickly. Acumatica’s SCM, CRM, and financial modules provide a holistic view of operations. It also includes an advanced inventory management system for different parts and materials manufacturers. It tracks inventory levels in real time, supports multiple warehouses, and includes features for lot and serial number tracking, which is crucial for traceability in the automotive industry.
Acumatica’s user-friendly interface and customizable dashboard create a tailored ERP experience for users, aligning with their specific business processes and requirements. Additionally, its mobile capabilities give access to critical information on the go, enhancing collaboration and productivity across departments. Overall, Acumatica supports automotive manufacturers in optimizing their supply chains, improving customer relationships, and achieving financial efficiency.
2 SYSPRO - Best for Distributors
Why we chose it: SYSPRO made our list because it’s ideal for automotive parts manufacturers and distributors. The system optimizes manufacturing and distribution processes, enhancing production efficiency, managing inventory more effectively, and reducing operational costs. SYSPRO’s advanced forecasting and planning tools allow automotive companies to anticipate market demands and adjust production schedules accordingly, minimizing waste and ensuring timely delivery of parts and components.
The ERP software’s quality control and traceability features are particularly relevant for the automotive industry. SYSPRO enables manufacturers to track components throughout the supply chain, ensuring compliance and facilitating quick responses to any issues. This level of oversight and control is crucial for maintaining distribution processes, making SYSPRO the best choice for companies prioritizing distribution.
3 IFS Cloud - Best for OEMs
Why we chose it: We found IFS Cloud best for original equipment manufacturers in the automotive industry. IFS Applications enable OEMs to adapt quickly to market changes and customer demands, ensuring that new vehicle models and automotive components are brought to market quickly and precisely. That’s because this software is designed to support extensive manufacturing projects and lifecycle management of automotive products.
The ERP’s ability to handle intricate production processes and requirements, from assembly line production to custom vehicle components, makes it a good fit for OEMs. Additionally, IFS Cloud offers supplier relationship management, logistics, and procurement, helping OEMs manage their global supply chains more effectively. Last, the system includes advanced service management features that enable OEMs to manage warranties, service contracts, and maintenance schedules.
4 Epicor Kinetic - Best Supply Chain Management
Why we chose it: We picked Epicor Kinetic for its supply chain management capabilities. The software helps manufacturers streamline their supply chain operations, from procurement of raw materials to delivery of finished vehicles and parts, ensuring coordination among suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors.
Additionally, Epicor Kinetic includes advanced APS tools that help automotive manufacturers optimize their production schedules based on supply chain constraints, including supplier lead times, transportation logistics, and inventory levels. This capability ensures manufacturers can align their production processes with supply chain realities, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of stockouts or excess inventory.
5 xTuple - Best for Small Manufacturers
Why we chose it: xTuple is our top pick for small to medium-sized automotive manufacturers, offering a scalable and cost-effective platform. Its open-source nature and ERP features, including CRM, accounting, and inventory management, provide a solid foundation for SMBs. xTuple’s adaptability allows businesses to customize the software to their specific needs, ensuring they can optimize their processes and respond quickly to industry challenges.
The affordability and community support surrounding xTuple make it an attractive option for smaller manufacturers who may not have the resources to invest in more expensive systems. It also provides the necessary tools and features to support expansion, from increasing production volumes to entering new markets. Finally, xTuple handles industry-specific needs such as BOM, work orders, and MRP. These help SMBs manage complex product structures and deliver automotive parts and products on time.
6 DELMIAWorks - Best for Lean Manufacturing
Why we chose it: We went with DELMIAWorks because it’s committed to lean manufacturing principles, offering integrated ERP and MES capabilities that drive efficiency. The software’s real-time visibility into the manufacturing process allows for precise monitoring and control, enabling manufacturers to adhere to just-in-time production models and minimize inventory costs. DELMIAWorks’ quality management systems are tailored to the automotive industry’s rigorous standards, ensuring that every component and vehicle meets the highest quality benchmarks.
The focus on lean manufacturing is especially relevant in the automotive sector, where margins can be thin. DELMIAWorks supports automotive manufacturers in implementing lean principles throughout their operations, from supply chain management to production and delivery. The software supports just-in-time inventory management practices, which aim to reduce inventory levels and associated holding costs. DELMIAWorks helps synchronize supply with production demand, ensuring materials and components are available exactly when needed.
What is Automotive ERP Software?
Automotive ERP software improves the manufacturing process for automobiles cost control, improved lead times, and the development of new products that meet customer demand. The software includes inventory management, quality control, production planning, and more features.
Automotive manufacturers use top ERP software solutions to research and develop new products to meet customer demand. The pace of market trends stresses the automotive industry to constantly reconfigure their manufacturing processes. For example, backup cameras and GPS systems caught on in a very short length of time. Fuel-efficient, hybrid, and electric vehicles are also becoming more popular as manufacturers make drastic changes to the production required to build and support them.
Production planning is also an important feature of automotive ERP software. Keeping up production and reducing lead times without overproducing is only possible with the right software solutions. When proper production planning improves lead times, you strengthen your relationship with everyone downstream.
Depending on where you supply vehicles, they are made for stock or have custom features. Your manufacturing software needs to manage custom orders and stock orders for dealerships. Customers might request custom features like specialized tires, blind-side cameras, upgraded sound systems, and more.
Vehicle manufacturers must assign unique vehicle identification numbers (VIN) to each produced vehicle. The software will assist with generating and assigning the VIN according to the DMV standardized format.
Many systems for the automotive manufacturing industry are complete ERP systems that help you improve your manufacturing operations and give you better visibility into the supply chain. The ERP system helps manage the manufacturing process and other business processes like accounting and human resources management. Many automotive ERP software solutions also integrate with warehouse management systems.
Features of Automotive ERP Software
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Production Scheduling | Determine the labor and materials needed for each job. Schedule work according to available resources. |
| Quality Management | Perform and record QA test results on parts and finished vehicles. |
| Manufacturing Inventory Management | Track real-time data for inventory levels and costs of raw materials and finished parts used for manufacturing vehicles. |
| Bill of Materials (BOM) | Assembly instructions and material requirement lists are generated for each manufacturing order. |
| VIN Generator | Automate the creation of VIN for each vehicle manufactured. |
| Compliance Management | Ensures manufacturers comply with the automotive industry supply chain best practices and QMS standards under the MMOG/LE and IATF 16949:2016. |
Advanced Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| MRP | Streamline manufacturing processes with production planning, scheduling, and inventory control. Calculate material requirements, plan purchasing, and coordinate workloads. |
| MES | Improve overall quality and performance with shop-floor control, scheduling, and corrective action guidance. |
Production Planning and Scheduling with Automotive ERP Software
Automotive ERP software includes advanced planning and scheduling capabilities to help manufacturers determine the materials, resources, and labor needed for each job. Planning the right amount of resources for each manufacturing job helps manufacturers cut down on overall costs.
Production planning also helps reduce the time it takes to commission a custom vehicle. You can start manufacturing and plan when the other custom parts will arrive. This allows you to continue manufacturing without slowing down or stopping altogether.
Lean Manufacturing with Automotive ERP Software
Automotive software helps many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) cut down on waste and improve lead time with lean manufacturing strategies. Some aspects of lean manufacturing require well-built, well-chosen software:
- Just-in-time Manufacturing - Products are manufactured only when an order has been submitted. The product is designed, then materials are procured, and production begins. This helps automotive businesses reduce wasted materials and labor on unused parts, assemblies, and vehicles. The software can automate order processing and generate purchase orders based on material requirements.
- Continuous Improvement - Achieving lean manufacturing goals requires a systematized method of analyzing waste in your manufacturing process. The right software will make it easier to objectively quantify those sources of waste so you can properly prioritize and address them.
- Material Waste Reduction - The right automotive ERP software solution will help you reduce material waste by tracking the byproducts of your manufacturing processes and the instances of part breakage. Quantifying the source of waste is the first step toward solving the issue.
VIN Generation with Automotive ERP Software
Automotive ERP software automates VIN generation. The VIN number needs to be unique to each manufactured vehicle. Vehicles made after 1981 have a standardized 17-digit VIN of numbers and letters. The VIN contains three sections:
The first three digits identify the country/region where the vehicle was manufactured and the manufacturer code. The next six digits denote certain vehicle features, such as the body type, number of doors, and vehicle class. The last eight digits are unique, making identifying the vehicle easy. This section identifies the vehicle’s model year, the exact factory the vehicle came from, and other data like accessories, engine version, and drive type.
Automotive ERP software ensures the VIN follows the standardized format. The VIN can be integrated with barcode labels to make it easy to pull up a more detailed vehicle description.
Compliance Management with Automotive ERP Software
Automotive ERP software helps manufacturers comply with common industry standards. Modern software does a better job of helping manufacturers ensure the integrity of their supply chains. This means everything when it comes to achieving quality.
The Global Materials Management Operations Guideline/Logistics Evaluation (MMOG/LE) is a set of best practices to improve supply chain management processes.
The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) 16949:2016 is a quality management system (QMS) for the automotive industry.
