The Best MRP Software
We’ve reviewed top MRP platforms for smaller manufacturers of all types of production methods, from discrete to process. Whether you’re migrating from spreadsheets, a QuickBooks user, or looking for specific functionalities like production costing, we’ll help you find the right system to manage your operations.
- Very clear user interface
- High customer satisfaction
- Affordable entry pricing
- 14-day free trial
- Perpetual licensing available
- Syncs transactions with QuickBooks
- Flexible machine scheduling
- Great for smaller batches
- Highly customizable
MRP (material requirements planning) software helps manufacturers optimize raw materials inventory and production scheduling to meet customer demand. We evaluated the most popular products on the market and used our advanced review methodology to select the best systems.
- MRPEasy: Best Overall
- Fishbowl: Best for QuickBooks Users
- JobBOSS²: Best for Job Shops
- Katana MRP: Best for Seamless Manufacturing
- Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Most Integrated System
- Total ETO: Best for ETO Manufacturing
- DELMIAWorks: Integrated ERP and MES
- Fulcrum Pro: Best for OEMs
- Genius ERP: Best for Custom Manufacturing
- xTuple: Most Affordable Pricing
- MISys Manufacturing: Best for Cost Management
MRPEasy - Best Overall
MRPEasy helps small and medium-sized manufacturers streamline their production processes. It offers features such as:
- Production planning with automatic scheduling and dynamic rescheduling
- Inventory management with stock movements, batch and serial number tracking, and optimized stock levels
- CRM for sales management, including product cost calculation, quotation and invoice preparation, and end-to-end sales process tracking
- Real-time shop floor reporting and overview of human resource availability
- Purchasing management with pre-filled purchase orders and supply chain statistics
- Accounting with real-time cash flow, balance sheet, and profitability monitoring.
We found MRPEasy stands out as one of the best MRP software options due to its affordability, ease of use, and comprehensive functionality. Its integrated system allows manufacturers to manage all aspects of production in one place, reducing the need for multiple software solutions. Additionally, its cloud-based platform allows for remote access, making it a flexible and convenient solution for manufacturers.
Fishbowl - Best for QuickBooks Users
Fishbowl is a great choice for manufacturing and material requirements planning due to its extensive functionality and integration with popular accounting software such as QuickBooks. Its inventory management capabilities allow businesses to keep track of inventory levels, set reorder points, and manage multiple warehouses. Its manufacturing management features include bill of materials (BOM) management, work orders, and custom manufacturing options. Fishbowl’s order management features enable businesses to manage sales, purchase, and shipping orders.
Fishbowl is effective for businesses looking for comprehensive MRP software to streamline their inventory management, production, and sales processes. Its integration with popular accounting software and user-friendly interface make it a top choice for small to mid-sized businesses.
JobBOSS² - Best for Job Shops
After diving into JobBOSS², it’s clear this tool is designed for small to mid-sized manufacturers. Its modern interface and automation are standout features, particularly in job scheduling and purchase orders. The customizable dashboards enable quick access to key metrics, aiding businesses in transitioning from basic tools like QuickBooks.
However, there are areas for improvement. The lack of 24/7 support can be challenging, and while its interface is sleek, some visual cues can be confusing. It’s ideal for job shops but might not fully cater to process manufacturers.
Katana MRP - Best for Seamless Manufacturing
Having tested Katana MRP, it quickly emerged as an MRP standout tailored for small to mid-sized businesses. The seamless integration of production planning, inventory, and sales order management was evident. Unlike some systems where you’re jumping between tabs, Katana’s unified platform simplified the process, making real-time data accessibility a breeze.
We appreciated the barcode scanning and SKU management. It made tracking specific product variants effortless, a significant boon for businesses with expansive product lines. However, a slight drawback was the limited full access in the basic plans, nudging users toward pricier options for comprehensive features.
Plex Manufacturing Cloud - Most Integrated System
Plex ERP is built from the ground up for manufacturers. The interface has a clean coordination between shop floor operations, financial management, and human capital management. Where other systems may segregate these modules, Plex ERP offers a unified experience.
A manufacturer overseeing multiple production plants can use Plex’s real-time view to view company insights. The system’s approach to financial management, especially centralized accounting and global financial consolidation, makes Plex a better option for larger manufacturers. On the downside, some users might find the interface lacking in modern aesthetics, and there’s feedback on a need for a more responsive support team.
Total ETO - Best for ETO Manufacturing
Total ETO is our pick for ETO manufacturing because of its dynamic BOM capabilities. It allows for the release of BOMs in stages, accommodating material changes and redesigns. This functionality is essential for ETO manufacturers who deal with frequent design changes and must estimate project costs accurately and create precise quotations.
The software supports efficient procurement and purchasing processes, which is crucial in the ETO manufacturing environment where project designs and material requirements can frequently change. It facilitates partial releases of BOM to purchasing, helping in time-efficient and cost-effective material sourcing.
DELMIAWorks - Integrated ERP and MES
Why we chose it: We picked DELMIAWorks because it’s not just an MRP system; it’s an integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution System (MES) solution. This ensures DELMIAWorks covers a broader range of functionalities, including inventory management, real-time monitoring of the manufacturing floor, supply chain management, and customer relationship management (CRM), all within a single platform.
Fulcrum Pro - Best for OEMs
We picked Fulcrum Pro for its focus on OEMs and made-to-order environments. Made-to-order manufacturing requires a high degree of customization and flexibility. Fulcrum Pro’s cloud-based platform, which integrates with various systems, allows such customization. Its scheduling and estimating modules can be tailored to fit the unique needs of each made-to-order job, ensuring efficient resource and time management.
Made-to-order jobs often require quick and accurate quoting. Fulcrum Pro’s quoting module streamlines this process, allowing fast, reliable quotes to handle the complexities and customizations of made-to-order products.
Genius ERP - Best for Custom Manufacturing
Genius ERP is another solid choice for custom manufacturers. The product engineering module in Genius ERP integrates with CAD software like SOLIDWORKS, streamlining the transition from design to production. This feature is particularly useful for custom manufacturers, as it reduces data entry errors and saves time in transferring Bills of Materials (BOMs) from CAD systems.
Custom manufacturing relies heavily on maintaining strong customer relationships, as each project is often tailored to specific customer needs. Genius ERP includes a CRM function essential for maintaining customer relationships. This feature consolidates customer interactions and data, enhancing customer service.
xTuple - Most Affordable Pricing
We added xTuple to our list because of its competitive pricing and wide breadth of functionality. xTuple’s cost is, on average, 75% less than other leading ERP systems. The total cost of ownership is also lower than most competitors. Its feature set includes distribution, accounting, inventory control, and supply chain management support. Additionally, xTuple offers standardized purchasing and financial reports to improve cash flow and real-time insights into manufacturing operations.
MISys Manufacturing - Best for Cost Management
MISys Manufacturing’s real-time production cost tracking enables manufacturers to have detailed cost breakdowns. The system tracks individual material, labor, and overhead costs throughout each step of the production process. For a discrete manufacturer, you can analyze the cost breakdown of each component within a complex BOM, ensuring that they’re all accounted for in pricing.
MISys Manufacturing also includes automated cost updates based on real-time data. It adjusts for any changes in raw material prices, labor rates, or other production variables. This helps you avoid inaccurate reports and improve production analysis, ultimately increasing profit margins.
Additionally, the system’s work-in-progress (WIP) inventory tracking ensures that all costs related to partially completed goods are accurately accounted for throughout the production process. This is especially useful for manufacturers with multi-stage assemblies, where tracking WIP costs can prevent cost overruns and improve profit margin visibility before final production is completed.
What Is MRP Software?
Manufacturing resource planning (MRP), also known as material requirements planning systems or MRP II software, helps streamline the manufacturing process through production planning, scheduling, and inventory control. Known as a leading type of manufacturing software, MRP systems allow manufacturers to plan and calculate material requirements, coordinate personnel and machine workloads, and optimally plan purchasing to meet customer demands.
MRP also aids in inventory and production schedules to produce products and complete manufacturing jobs. An MRP system determines which assemblies must be built, what materials must be purchased, and the order in which to create products to meet customer due dates.
MRP software can work for all types of companies in the manufacturing industry, including in make-to-order, engineer to order, and a discrete manufacturing process.
Read more: What is Material Requirements Planning (MRP)?
Common Features
The functions of an MRP platform enable manufacturers to manage, coordinate, streamline, and account for all steps of the production process and overall increase productivity and efficiency. Here are some of the most common functionalities included in MRP:
| Functionality | Definition |
|---|---|
| Master production scheduling | MRP enables manufacturers to create a highly detailed master production schedule that accounts for resource, staffing, and inventory needs in order to complete and optimize production. |
| Purchasing planning | With the master production schedule, manufacturers can accurately estimate the components and raw materials they must purchase to complete manufacturing projects. |
| Demand forecasting | Manufacturers use MRP to forecast the demand for inventory. This includes inventory items based on independent demand (such as finished products) and dependent demand (components required in order to build products). Inventory reservation and availability management: To ensure proper resources are available for production, MRP allows manufacturers to check all available resources and reserve inventory to carry out specific tasks. |
| Shop floor control | For an overview of the work in process, shop floor control helps track, schedule, prioritize, evaluate, and report on the status of materials and production. |
| Equipment maintenance scheduling | MRP helps prevent downtime by scheduling, organizing, and tracking preventive and critical equipment maintenance tasks. |
| Production cost reporting | MRP can produce accurate and detailed primary and secondary cost reports that can account for labor, overhead, storage, waste, and other manufacturing expenditures throughout the manufacturing process. |
Can My Existing ERP Software Perform MRP Tasks?
Your company may have already invested significantly in ERP software. ERP systems tend to be industry-neutral and thus can work with many industries. However, ERP vendors offer specialized services that can help implement the solution into a manufacturing environment or perhaps include an add-on they’ve developed themselves that provides a more focused MRP approach than the base package allows.
Latest MRP Software Trends
Two noticeable trends have emerged in MRP: the evolution from MRP I to MRP II and the transition from MRP II to ERP. The major differences between MRP I, MRP II, and ERP come from technological advances that have led to systems that offer greater functionality and control.
What’s the Difference Between MRP I and MRP II?
MRP I is named for the first manufacturing resource planning software tools developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Limited by the technology at the time, MRP I software offered basic accounting for master production scheduling, inventory tracking, and the Bill of Materials.
MRP II was developed out of the need to link MRP I software to inventory management software and accounting software. Far more capable than MRP I, MRP II adds the ability for manufacturers to oversee the actions of the shop floor, forecast demand, and carry out robust cost reporting.
Learn more about the difference between MRP I and MRP II.
What’s the Difference Between ERP Systems and an MRP?
Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) are large suites of tools that help plan and account for the resources of an entire organization. While incorporating some of the functionality of MRP, ERP systems handle more of an organization’s data management, including customer relationship management (CRM) tools, supply chain management tools, and accounting tools. ERP solutions can be fully integrated into an organization’s data operations to handle most major aspects of the business. Large companies often utilize it.
MRP, in comparison, is a narrow but highly specialized set of tools designed specifically for manufacturing purposes. More nimble than a full ERP suite, smaller manufacturers or businesses looking for complete control over their manufacturing often select MRP to oversee their manufacturing operations.
Read More: ERP vs. MRP: What are the Key Differences?
Pain Points
The MRP Software Buyer Trends Report mentioned above (published in 2018) found the following key findings:
- Three MRP features are head-and-shoulders above the rest on manufacturers’ must-have lists. More than 70% of buyers are looking for purchase planning, demand forecasting, and master production scheduling.
- More than 65% of MRP software buyers are actually looking for a full-blown ERP system that includes core accounting features. Order management is a close second.
- MRP buyers are 45% less likely to prefer hosted systems.
- 29% of MRP software buyers are replacing QuickBooks.
Over 70 percent of the manufacturers spoken with identified three features to help address common manufacturing pain points: purchase planning, demand forecasting, and master production scheduling. MRP offers specific features to alleviate these manufacturing pain points, making the manufacturing process more organized and transparent.
Why Are Manufacturers Choosing Software?
The five key reasons manufacturers are seeking to purchase MRP:
- 25% wish to increase their manufacturing software functionality.
- 23% are buying an MRP system for the first time.
- 14% are businesses seeking to replace outdated systems.
- 12% are pursuing the benefits of consolidating multiple MRP systems into one package.
- 9% have outgrown their current system.
Is QuickBooks an MRP?
At this time, there is no QuickBooks MRP. However, some manufacturers continue to use QuickBooks and QuickBooks Enterprise to handle manufacturing and accounting needs. 29% plan to replace QuickBooks with a different software solution, while 20% stated their next MRP system will not replace existing software. Whether it’s a standalone MRP solution or an integrated QuickBooks app like MRPEasy, there are options to consider when implementing MRP into your business.
Pricing Guide
The starting price of MRP software will range from $48/month to $200/month. Some products, such as Katana MRP are subscription-based and can start at $48/month. In a subscription model, you’ll need to consider the number of users, the level of included support, and any additional features included with your base package.
Other options may require more of an upfront investment. These solutions tend to be locally hosted and may include one year of support included in the price. On-going costs will consist of future support and any additional services you may need for the software.
Free Options
Some of the top MRP software options offer free 30-day trials of their solutions, which should give you enough time to fully evaluate an option and decide if implementation is right for you. Other times, vendors may be able to provide guided walkthroughs in the form of a webinar or a product overview video while answering any questions you have about the software.
If you are looking for a truly free MRP software for small businesses, your best bet is to explore open-source ERP software such as Odoo, which provides manufacturing, maintenance, PLM, and quality management functionalities.
