12 Best Production Management Software & Platforms

Production management software provides you with tools to plan, execute, and track your production cycle more efficiently.

It replaces guesswork with accuracy and gives you better visibility to keep track of everything.

I have reviewed the best 15 production management software products available in the market. The list covers both standalone apps and integrated systems.

What is Production Management Software and What Apps Are Best for You?

Production management software delivers scheduling and monitoring tools to oversee operations online.

With this app, you can track every stage of the production and synchronize different departments.

Top Features to Look for in Production Management Software:

1. Planning and scheduling.
2. Supply chain.
3. Data synchronization.
4. Operational visibility.

Most production platforms are designed to support established manufacturing industries, but startups and small businesses can also find budget-friendly apps. 

The list below contains a wide range of software products built for businesses of all sizes. Some of them exclusively serve enterprises, and some offer flexible packages.

Let’s explore them.

1. Odoo

Odoo is an open-source business management software. It provides several applications, including a cloud production platform.

You’ll get tons of manufacturing features to control your entire operations, like shop floor management, scheduling, tracking, and reporting. You can easily plan your production process, assign tasks to workers, run quality tests, and more.

For better documentation and communication, Oddo delivers an integrated document management system. You’ll also get a mobile app to scan materials, work orders, and finished products.

What makes Odoo stand out is its modular approach.

You can start with what you need, like purchases and inventory, and add more apps based on your business needs. The platform covers almost everything from CRM and accounting to manufacturing, e-commerce, and human resources.

Core Features

• Open source.
• Production module.
• Order and inventory management.
• Real-time scheduling.
• Shop floor control.
• Team collaboration and document management.
• Sales & CRM.
• Mobile barcode app.
• Customized workflow.
• Integration.

Price

Odoo offers one app for free and charges for add-ons. Its premium plans start at around $10 per month.

You can take free trials.

2. Katana

Katana is good for production companies of all sizes. It keeps everything organized and streamlines your workflows.

You’ll get a central digital hub to supervise raw material sourcing, stock levels, finished products, and shipments. Inventory management is one of its standout features, but other modules are equally excellent.

With the shop floor control app, you can get instant visibility into production progress and receive key information to allocate your resources prudently. The platform provides real-time updates and notifications to make data-driven decisions.

You can integrate Katana with e-commerce platforms, shipping apps, and accounting software. You can also customize your workflows.

Core Features

• Planning and forecasting.
• Scheduling and collaboration.
• Real-time inventory management.
• Shop floor control.
• Order management.
• Analytics and reporting.
• Customizable workflows.
• Integration.
• Add-ons.

Price

Katana paid plans start at $199/month billed quarterly, with add-ons and onboarding support. You can book a free demo.

3. SAP

SAP delivers enterprise-grade business solutions. With its manufacturing software, large companies can manage their operations smoothly.  

You can use SAP to plan your production and connect your workflows. You’ll get advanced scheduling tools to automate updates and built-in smart features to account for contingencies like maintenance and late orders. 

Workers on the factory floor receive digital instructions and barcode scanners to update progress. You can track your materials and check quality at every step.

For issue resolution, SAP provides a collaborative digital space. You can upload content, assign tasks, create follow-ups, and offer coaching.

SAP supports multiple currencies and languages.

Core Features

• Production planning.
• Scheduling and work order management.
• Real-time monitoring dashboard.
• Quality control.
• Asset and inventory tracking.
• Automation and alerts.
• Analytics and reporting.
• Collaboration.
• Global coverage.

Price

SAP shares prices on request. You can request a demo or contact the sales team for quotes.

4. Machinemetrics

Machinemetrics specializes in analytics and reporting. It’s a cloud-based platform that gives instant visibility into your operations and delivers visual dashboards for easy monitoring. 

Some of its key functions include machine monitoring, production analytics, downtime tracking, and process optimization. You can connect multiple machines and synchronize the data.

You can set up alerts to track operational issues quickly. You’ll have the flexibility to create custom notifications so that specific alerts go to the designated party only.

You can integrate Machinemetrics with third-party business applications.

Core Features

• Machine monitoring.
• Automated production tracking.
• Downtime cause analysis.
• OEE reporting.
• Real-time reporting.
• Shop floor management.
• Custom performance dashboards.
• Alerts.
• Third-party integrations.

Price

Machinemetrics charges $150 per machine. You can add unlimited users and customize your package.

You can try the app for free and book a demo.

5. JobBoss

JobBOSS is built for small to mid-sized job shops and make-to-order manufacturers. The software helps you manage every aspect of your operation.

For example, you can create quick quotes, generate work orders and shipping documents, monitor stock levels, and forecast product demand. The dashboard delivers real-time updates on material inventory, machine availability, job completion timelines, and quality control issues.

Cost analytics is also part of the system. You can compare actual with estimated data and identify lucrative jobs.

Tutorials and training are available for the basic setup, and you can also get professional services.

You can integrate JobBoss with third-party applications.

Core Feature

• Job scheduling and tracking.
• Production management.
• Estimating/Quoting.
• Order processing.
• Machine and labor scheduling.
• Inventory control.
• Shop floor management.
• Cost Analysis.
• Shipping.
• QuickBooks integration.
• Mobile app.

Price

JobBoss sells three subscription packages with professional services as an add-on.

Contact sales for the quotes.

6. Rootstock

Rootstock is an AI-powered cloud-based ERP system for manufacturers. Via this software, you can plan, organize, automate, and monitor your operations. 

You’ll get a robust work order management system with good scheduling tools and a 360° floor view. You can arrange and rearrange orders easily and make changes in real time.

Employees can access the system from their smartphones to get real-time updates about orders and shipments.

Production, inventory, and maintenance workflows can all be managed via Rootstock. You can run capability planning to create better schedules and also track material shortages.

Rootstock is specifically great for companies using Salesforce. The software is built on the Salesforce platform and provides a familiar interface and customization.

Core Features

• Salesforce ERP.
• Production management.
• Scheduling and tracking.
• Shop floor control.
• Quality assurance.
• Real-time inventory tracking.
• Analytics dashboard.
• Collaboration.
• Integration.
• Mobile access.

Price

Rootstock manufacturing ERP costs $100 to $145 per user. You can get an enterprise package.

Book a demo to learn more.

7. MRPEasy

MRPEasy is perfect for small factories and workshops. With its drag-and-drop scheduling tool and forecasting feature, you can predict demand and streamline your workflows.

Here, you can estimate project costs and create work orders accordingly. Your workers can update job progress right from the shop floor screen, and you can track job progress in real time. 

All your procurement, production, and financial information stays in sync, giving you one true picture of your entire business. Plus, you’ll receive a contact management system to manage suppliers and keep customer order information in one place. 

Via built-in reports and auto-updates, you can easily monitor your operations and staff. 

Tons of other useful features are available on MRPEasy to help you reduce the administrative load. I recommend exploring its pricing page to get a general idea.

Core Features

• Production planning and reporting.
• Drag and drop scheduling.
• Inventory management.
• Procurement.
• Shop floor control.
• Financial.
• Basic CRM.
• Third-party integrations.
• Mobile app.

Price

MRPeasy charges $49 to $149 per month. You can ask for the enterprise package.

A 30-day free trial is available.

8. Fulcrum

Fulcrum offers smart scheduling and tracking tools. The software connects all your operations and creates an optimized work order schedule.

With Fulcrum, you can record your job costing, send information to your shop workers, and track progress in real time. It automatically reschedules tasks based on your job and staff capacity and sends live updates to workers.

You can quickly measure your material and machine costs for quotes, and also see what materials you have in stock and which are running low. With forecasting and tracking, you can plan your production cycle well.

Overall, Fulcrum is user-friendly, rich in features, and accessible.

Core Features

• Job tracking and reporting.
• Inventory management.
• Smart scheduling.
• Quality control.
• Quoting and sales orders.
• Cost tracking.
• Shipping.
• Shop floor management.
• Live updates.
• Demand planning.

Price

Fulcrum sells annual subscriptions. The starting price is $6000 per year.

You can book a demo.

9. Solidworks

SolidWorks is a 3D design platform for engineering projects. It also offers a manufacturing and production ERP system that handles floor planning, work schedules, and monitoring.

The software comes with advanced scheduling and reporting tools. It takes your data and automatically creates the best schedule for your workshop.

You can adjust the schedule by dragging jobs around on the calendar. And with daily notifications and alerts, you can keep an eye on operations and resolve issues quickly.

Warehouse systems, vendor management, and material sourcing are all included in the software. You can set up specific alerts, like shelf-life expiry, to gain more visibility into your operations.

Core Features

• Production planning and forecasting.
• Auto-scheduling.
• Work order and inventory management.
• Real-time tracking.
• Labeling and barcoding.
• Notification and alerts.
• Multi-factory control.
• Quality checks.
• Reporting.

Price

SolidWorks shares prices on request. Reach out to sales for the prices.

10. Epicor

Epicor focuses on manufacturing and distribution. It connects your operations, vendors, employees, and customer data.

The software is cloud-based and AI-powered, offering smart tools and real-time insights. You can build the production schedule, set up auto-alerts, capture data from machines automatically, and oversee maintenance.

You’ll get content and workflow management modules to create SOPs and an approval system.

Epicor is mobile-friendly and has multilingual capabilities. It can also be integrated with third-party applications.

Core Features

• Production planning.
• Scheduling and tracking.
• Inventory management.
• Shop floor control.
• Real-time updates.
• Quality check.
• Incident management.
• Analytics and reporting.
• Integration.
• Mobile-friendly.

Price

Epicor sells custom packages.

11. Plex

Plex sells two types of systems. You can get an exclusive production system to run with your ERP software or buy a two-in-one ERP and MES solution.

Core capabilities of Plex’s MES app are plant floor control, workflow automation, material tracking, and analytics. You can also plan material sourcing and automate the procurement process.

The software delivers real-time data and planning tools to create realistic workflows. You can build work schedules, run quality checks, and track inventory with ease.

One more thing. Plex provides a mobile app for factory workers. Your staff can access key information and update job status from their smartphones.

Core Features

• Real-time production management.
• Material sourcing.
• Floor plan control.
• Scheduling and automation.
• Automated inventory alerts.
• Quality management.
• Forecasting and reporting.
• Equipment maintenance.
• Integration.
• Mobile app.

Price

Plex shares prices on request. You can book a demo.

12. Netsuite

NetSuite is a global business management software. It offers a cloud-based ERP system to digitize your production workflows.

Top notable features of Netsuite are planning and scheduling, procurement, order management, and quality control. You can automatically process orders, record the production cycle, and get real-time data.

For quality control, you can create inspection plans and generate reports. 

CRM and marketing modules are built into the system. You can connect your sales information with the manufacturing department and plan material sourcing accordingly.

All in all, it’s a solid system for production management.

Core Features

• Order management.
• Planning and scheduling.
• Procurement and inventory tracking.
• Shop floor control and quality checks
• CRM and marketing.
• Real-time tracking.
• Multilocation support.
• Global coverage.
• Integration.

Price

Netsuite sells different systems as modules, offering a core platform with optional modules. Contact sales for the prices.

You can also take a free product tour.

Conclusion

Production management software helps you reduce wastage and work smarter.

It centralizes your data and processes, making it easier for you to monitor your operations.

Try free trials and demos to find one that fits your factory’s needs. Choose applications that can be scaled with your business. Good luck!