Switching MRP (Material Requirements Planning) systems can be a daunting task, particularly for small manufacturers in industries such as machinery, devices, and electronic equipment. Whether it’s due to outgrowing an outdated system, trying to move your business tech stack onto one platform or grappling with inaccurate data and inefficient processes, choosing the right solution is crucial to streamlining operations.
Flowlens is a specialist MRP system that is purpose-built for small manufacturers in these sectors. We’ve worked with hundreds of businesses facing similar challenges, and we’ve seen first-hand the difference that a well-planned MRP transition can make.
In this guide, we’ll outline what you need to know before changing MRP systems and how to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption.
1. Understand ALL Your Current Pain Points
Before you begin evaluating new MRP systems, it’s vital to assess the limitations of your current setup and this shouldn’t just reflect YOUR specific frustrations. Many machinery, device, and electronic equipment manufacturing businesses rely on a patchwork of systems—often outdated or pieced together with spreadsheets— some of which will no longer meet their needs while others still function adequately. It’s important to speak to people across your business to weigh up what is working, what isn;t and what could be made better by switching to a new system.
Common issues to address include:
- Inaccurate data or lack of real-time information
- Inefficient processes for managing inventory, production, and procurement
- Lack of scalability as your business grows
- Silo’d system knowledge (one person knows how this system or that integration works)
- Ignoring feedback from the ‘Gemba’ – find opportunities for improvement where the work is done, not just the office or board room.
Marv van Niekerk:
“We’ve helped many businesses make the switch from cumbersome legacy systems. Talking to people across the entire business and identifying shared and individual pain points early allows for a smoother transition and ensures that you choose an MRP solution that truly solves your challenges.”
2. Ensure Your New MRP System Fits Your Business Type
One of the most critical aspects when selecting an MRP system is ensuring that it is designed for your specific industry needs. Generic systems claim to work for everything from candlemakers to car manufacturers, but these one-size-fits-all solutions often miss the mark for businesses with complex processes.
Ultimately, poorly fitting software will make employee’s lives harder, not easier.
Flowlens is software purpose-built for small manufacturers in the device, machinery, and equipment sectors, offering tools that are tailored to handle the specific challenges in these industries:
- Multi-level bills of materials with multiple production steps and dependencies
- Focus on quality engineering, cost and precision in production
- Management of small, high-value production runs rather than mass-produced consumer goods
By contrast, many MRP systems are too broad, leading to frustration when they fail to meet the unique demands of your manufacturing process.
Holly Steele-Nicholson:
“Many of our customers have tried generic MRP systems before finding Flowlens. They’ve struggled because those systems don’t offer the right level of detail and flexibility needed in equipment and machinery manufacturing. We saw the gap in the market for this niche sector and have built Flowlens as the ultimate solution for this type of manufacturer.”
3. Data Quality Is Critical
Data migration is often the most challenging part of switching MRP systems, and poor data quality can cause issues during implementation. Many manufacturers, particularly those moving away from spreadsheets or fragmented systems, face problems with inconsistent or incomplete data.
Steps to ensure a smooth data transition:
- Audit your data: Before migration, make sure your inventory, BOMs, and supplier data are accurate and current.
- Leverage expert help: At Flowlens, we help businesses clean and organise their data to ensure a seamless migration.
Marv van Niekerk:
“Clean data is key to a successful implementation. We work closely with customers to ensure their data is ready, significantly reducing the risk of errors or downtime.”
4. Revisit and Redefine Your Process Maps
When was the last time you reviewed your business processes from start to finish? If it was during the implementation of your current system, or perhaps even longer ago, now is the perfect time to revisit those process maps.
It’s common for businesses to adapt processes to fit their current systems, but when switching MRP systems, this is a golden opportunity to redefine how things should work. Don’t just plan for incremental improvements—take the time to imagine your ideal process.
Steps to follow:
- Walk your process from start to finish: From the first quotation, through production, supply chain management, and invoicing, carefully evaluate what happens at each stage.
- Are there manual steps that could be automated? Are departments or teams duplicating work?
- Document the actual process: Often, the way a business thinks things are done differs from reality. Sit down with your team to trace each step and identify where inefficiencies or bottlenecks occur.
- Plan your ideal process: Don’t limit your future by sticking to your current system’s constraints. Think about what your perfect workflow would look like, then find an MRP system that can make it a reality.
- Flowlens is built to support complex processes common in device, machinery, and equipment manufacturing. With integrated sales pipeline management, production management, quality, inventory control, and procurement tools, you can align your process with your business goals, not the other way around.
Marv Van Niekerk:
“Many businesses assume their current processes are as good as they can be, but we always encourage clients to step back and reimagine what they really want their operations to look like. Flowlens can help them achieve that ideal continuous improvement culture.”
5. All-in-One System vs Connected Systems
For small manufacturers, having a complete, integrated system can be transformative. Flowlens is an all-in-one manufacturing solution specifically designed to meet the needs of device, machinery, and equipment manufacturers. There’s no need to cobble together multiple systems or deal with complex integrations which breakdown all too often.
Flowlens offers:
- Sales pipeline management and simple CRM: Manage customer relationships and sales without needing external CRM tools.
- Production management software: Stay on top of production schedules, orders, and progress.
- Shopfloor App: Let your production team follow simple workflows with content-rich job cards and integrated time-tracking
- Inventory and procurement management software: Ensure you have the materials you need, when you need them.
- Integration with Xero, Sage and QuickBooks: For seamless accounting and financial management.
This simplicity is a huge advantage for smaller manufacturers, who don’t have the time or resources to manage multiple systems. Additionally, the more integrations your system needs the more potential points of failure you face, growing manufacturers need the security of a system with as few points of failure as possible.
6. Prioritise Post-Implementation Support
Switching MRP systems is just the first step. What happens after implementation is critical to your long-term success. Flowlens prides itself on offering hands-on support, with a UK & Ireland-based development and support team that understands your needs and can fix issues first time, without the frustrating back-and-forth often associated with offshore teams.
What makes Flowlens support different:
- Dedicated customer success team: Our team doesn’t just provide support over the phone. We can visit your business to offer in-person training, demonstrations, and ongoing support to ensure the system is working optimally for your specific needs.
- Hands-on training: Unlike systems that leave you to figure things out on your own, we believe in personalised support. Self-serve solutions often leave businesses stranded when things don’t go to plan, but our team ensures that you’re never alone.
- Responsive development: We’re a small business ourselves, and our development roadmap is customer-driven. In fact, the latest version of Flowlens was shaped by feedback from our customers, making it even more finely tuned to the needs of small but growing manufacturers in your sector.
Holly Steele-Nicholson:
“Our customers tell us they value the fact that they can get real, expert help when they need it. We don’t believe in leaving clients to fend for themselves—we work side by side with them throughout the process.”
7. Look for Long-Term Flexibility
While some businesses opt for large, complex systems that try to do everything, small manufacturers often need a system that grows with them without unnecessary complexity. Flowlens offers the flexibility and scalability you need without the heavy price tag or administrative burden of larger systems.
As your business evolves, Flowlens can scale with you, whether you’re expanding production, adding new product lines, or entering new markets, Flowlens can start small and grow as you grow with advanced functionality available as plug-ins.
Conclusion
Switching MRP systems is a major decision, but with the right preparation and support, it can unlock significant improvements in efficiency, data accuracy, and overall business operations.
Flowlens is a complete solution tailored specifically for small manufacturers in the machinery, device, and equipment sectors. With a UK-based support team, customer-driven development, and an all-in-one approach, Flowlens is designed to meet the unique challenges of your business.
If you’re ready to make the switch, or if you’re just exploring your options, get in touch with our team at Flowlens. We’ll guide you through the process and make sure your business is set up for long-term success.
