13 Best MRP Planning Tools to Streamline Your Supply and Demand

Rohit Rajpal

Senior Writer

Best MRP Planning Tools to Streamline Your Supply and Demand

Every industry is embracing technological advancements to its advantage, and the manufacturing business is no different. Manufacturing companies are adopting MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) tools to streamline their supply and demand. 

MRP tools help businesses manage orders, track bills, check inventory, and forecast future material requirements. But wait, there’s more to it. MRP tools, when used efficiently, can increase your bottom line net profits as well. If you are in the manufacturing business, you should consider investing in an MRP planning tool

Why Is MRP Important?

The primary purpose of MRP tools is to help increase the efficiency of your manufacturing unit. It streamlines the running of the entire manufacturing process, from raw materials to the finished product. 

MRP software also empowers you to forecast what materials you need, in what quantities, and when. This reduces spoilage and increases inventory profitability. 

MRP planning tools are also important because they make it easier to monitor and manage manufacturing performance. This helps identify which areas need improvement. 

Looking for MRP Software? Check out SoftwareSuggest’s list of the best MRP Software solutions.

How does MRP work?

MRP planning tools require you to enter the bill of materials (BOM) and current inventory details at the start. You also need to inform the system how much raw materials are required to build a particular product. 

Using these data, MRP can tell you if there are enough resources to fulfill the client’s orders or not. 

Also, Read: ERP Vs. MRP – What to Choose for Your Business?

As you can see in the below image, the MRP tool takes customer orders, deadlines, current balance, open orders, lead time, and planning parameters as input. It then provides answers to questions like:

  • When should you buy raw materials?
  • Which orders can you expedite? 
  • Which orders can you de-expedite? 
  • Which orders should be canceled?

Top 13 MRP Tools for Streamlining Supply and Demand

Here’s a sneak-peak into some of the best MRP software that can streamline your supply and demand:

1. Biz21

Biz21 is a comprehensive ERP solution designed to help your manufacturing business run smoothly. It takes care of all the facets of manufacturing, Customer relationship management, fixed assets, and payroll. What’s more, you can also integrate Biz21 with Tally for easy management. 

Key Features 

  • Material requirement planning 
  • Product management
  • Automate purchase requisition
  • Sales module
  • Inventory management
  • WIP (Work in Process) production module
  • Supply chain management
  • Quality control
  • Plant maintenance 

Pros

  • Available as an unlimited user license
  • Offers real-time insights
  • Adapts to various business processes of manufacturing companies

Cons

  • Has a tricky user-interface
  • Customer support could have been better

Pricing

Biz21 hasn’t made its pricing public. You will have to contact the company for pricing information. 

USP: Biz21 is a cost-effective ERP that integrates with Tally and other software. 

2. Netsuite

Netsuite is a cloud-based ERP solution. It is designed to help manufacturing businesses make smarter and faster decisions using built-in business intelligence. As your business grows, you can easily scale your ERP with Netsuite. 

Netsuite MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

Pros

  • Streamlines business processes, enabling you to accelerate growth
  • Combines data with visual analytics to generate actionable business insights.
  • Highly-scalable ERP solution

Cons

  • A bit expensive
  • You need a technical team to make the system work efficiently

Pricing

Netsuite’s price is tailored for each customer, depending on the configuration you need, add-on modules, and the number of users. However, it’s base license costs $999/month. 

USP: Netsuite has a built-in business intelligence that helps you react to new market opportunities and grow your business. 

3. Oracle Cloud ERP

It is an all-in-one ERP solution for manufacturing businesses. Oracle Cloud ERP provides a 360-degree view of your company’s operations and finances. 

Oracle MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • Profitability and cost management
  • Performance comparison reports (actual vs. plan)
  • Narrative reporting
  • Account reconciliation
  • Financial consolidation
  • Tax reporting
  • Enterprise data management
  • Supply chain management

Pros

  • Integrates with other departments, including HR and finance
  • Provides AI-driven features to optimize cash flow and increase agility
  • Helps balance capacity against demand and scale resources up depending on the requirement

Cons

  • Requires a little technical knowledge to make the most of it
  • Its customer support team is not robust

Pricing

To know the cost of Oracle Cloud ERP, you will have to contact the company directly. 

USP: Oracle Cloud ERP uses AI and predictive analytics to provide forecasts and boost your revenue. 

4. InforVisual

It is an order-driven ERP solution for manufacturing companies of all sizes. InforVisual0 is highly customizable and provides industry-specific solutions to manufacturing businesses. It uses the latest technologies to help you improve productivity and scale your business. 

Infor Visual MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • Production planning and scheduling
  • Aftermarket service and maintenance
  • Advanced order management
  • Special pricing and rebate claims module
  • Inventory management
  • Purchasing and contract management
  • Service and quality management
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Unlimited financial calendars
  • Multiple cost-saving opportunities
  • Warehouse management

Pros

  • Has an easy to use interface
  • Completely customizable according to your business needs
  • Provides extensive supply chain visibility, from production through shipment, warranty, and refurbishment. 

Cons

  • Has a limited number of forms for business and manufacturing operations
  • The shipping functionality could have been better. 

Pricing

Infor hasn’t publicly posted the pricing details. You will have to contact the company directly for pricing information. 

USP: Infor claims to have built the ERP with a deep understanding of each manufacturing industry to make implementations easy and provide strong ROI to the users. 

5. Odoo

It is a comprehensive software solution that consists of all the features you need to run your business, including CRM, financial management, and marketing. Odoo is an open-source ERP software. This allows developers to provide users with top-notch customer experience.

 Key Features 

  • Supply chain management
  • Maintenance management
  • Inventory management
  • Quality control
  • Manufacturing planning
  • Real-time insights into manufacturing processes
  • In process alerts
  • Automate procurements
  • Advanced reporting and analytics

Pros

  • Charges only for the features you need
  • Allows you to add or remove features based on your requirements
  • Has extensive learning resources

Cons

  • Doesn’t have a great support team
  • Customization is a little tricky, especially if you are not from tech background

Pricing

Odoo offers tailored pricing depending on your needs. The base price is $8/user/month. As you add apps, the price will increase. 

USP: Odoo has the world’s largest ecosystem of fully integrated business apps. It supports over 16,000 third-party apps/plugins to provide you with extra functionalities.

6. IFS

It is a cloud-based ERP software designed to facilitate your business and remove non-value-added work from existing processes. IFS offers a scalable ERP solution to businesses. It also provides you the flexibility to choose a combination of modules as per your requirements. 

IFS MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • Inventory control
  • Scheduling
  • Work order management
  • Billing and invoicing
  • Contract management
  • Dispatch management
  • Asset management
  • Demand-driven material requirements planning
  • Warehouse management 
  • Reporting/analytics
  • Human capital management

Pros

  • Its functionality can be tailored to meet your manufacturing business requirements. 
  • Provides a 360-degree view into your supply and demand chain
  • Has a great customer support team

Cons

  • The user interface needs improvement
  • Has a longer learning curve than most ERPs

Pricing

IFS has not released its prices publicly. You will need to contact the company directly for a quote. 

USP: IFS manufacturing ERP integrates with Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office, and other productivity software. 

7. Fishbowl

This feature-rich MRP helps manage your manufacturing processes with ease by streamlining your operations. Fishbowl is ideal for small and mid-sized manufacturing companies. It helps balance your inventory levels based on demand.

Fishbowl MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • Automated work orders
  • Warehouse management
  • Asset tracking
  • Multilevel bill of materials
  • Labor and job tracking
  • Order management
  • Vendor management
  • Shipping management
  • Inventory management
  • Performance tracking

Pros

  • Offers dozens of training materials
  • Its customer support is great
  • Provides separate inventory reports for each warehouse, which can be further divided into subgroups (receiving, dispatch, etc.)

Cons

  • Doesn’t have options to store the price estimate
  • Lacks the feature to create custom reports manually

Pricing

Fishbowl software starts at only $4,395. However, to know the exact cost, you will need to contact the company. But, the best part is it offers a free 14-day trial. 

USP: Fishbowl integrates with all the popular business solutions, including Amazon, Xero, QuickBooks, and FedEx, to automate your critical business processes. 

8. Syspro

It is best suitable for large and mid-sized manufacturing companies. Syspro ERP helps manage and streamline all critical business areas, including finance, supply chain, and operations. Its reports provide you an in-depth picture of your company at any point in time. 

Syspro MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • CRM
  • Financial Management
  • HR & Payroll
  • Inventory Management
  • Project Management
  • Supplier and Purchase Order Management
  • Quality Management
  • Dispatching
  • Inventory control
  • Invoicing
  • Accounting Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Sales Management

Pros

  • Has an easy to navigate interface
  • Provides you with many best-practice recommendations to improve business efficiency
  • Its customer support team is responsive and effective

Cons

  • Customization is difficult, especially if you are new to the tool
  • Its REST API isn’t as advanced as its web services 

Pricing

Syspro hasn’t made its pricing public. You will have to contact the company for pricing details. 

USP: Along with the ERP software, Syspro provides you a global team of experts who help you grow your business rapidly. 

9. Dynamics

It is designed to transform your manufacturing business with the latest technologies, including AI, ML, and mixed reality. Microsoft Dynamics ERP helps build a resilient supply chain. What’s more, it easily adapts as your needs change over time. 

Dynamics MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • CRM
  • Financial Management
  • HR & Payroll
  • Inventory Management
  • Sales and Distribution
  • Field service management
  • Intelligent manufacturing information
  • Work order management
  • Accounting Management
  • Purchase Management

Pros

  • Uses IoT and mixed reality to optimize your production plan in real-time
  • Helps extend the life and performance of your equipment with asset maintenance feature
  • Identifies potential machine issues before they occur

Cons

  • Requires you to spend a lot of time learning the tool
  • Customer service is not that great

Pricing

The Dynamics supply chain software is priced at $180/month. However, if you are using any other Dynamics app, you will be charged $30/user/month. 

USP: Microsoft Dynamics uses predictive insights from AI and IoT to maximize your operational efficiency. It also uses machine learning and mixed reality to keep you competitive in a rapidly changing business environment. 

10. Epicor ERP

It is a cloud-based ERP solution that helps manufacturers harness data and automation to stay ahead of their peers. Epicor ERP aims to provide greater profitability by improving your business operations’ efficiency. It gives B2B buyers a B2C experience through integrated eCommerce features. 

Key Features 

  • Enterprise Asset Management
  • Financial Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Demand, Sales, and Operations Planning
  • Inventory Management
  • Reporting and Analytics
  • Project Management
  • Distribution Management
  • Order/Quality Management
  • Purchase Order Management
  • Warehouse Management
  • Safety Management

Pros

  • Has an easy to use interface, which makes it ideal for non-tech-savvy people
  • Its search function makes it easy to find any information you need
  • Has an advanced scheduling feature

Cons

  • Its CRM feature could have been better
  • You need to pay extra charges for separate ERP modules

Pricing

Epicor hasn’t made its pricing public. You will have to contact the company for pricing details. 

USP: Epicor allows you to monitor your shop floor in real-time using data collected from PLCs or IoT sensors. 

11. IQMS

It is an integrated ERP and manufacturing system that aims to improve your overall business operations. IQMS offers end-to-end solutions, eliminating the need for data silos and third-party integration. It is best suitable for enterprises and agencies. 

IQMS MRP Planning tools

Key Features 

  • CRM
  • Project management
  • Order management
  • Enterprise asset management
  • Warehouse management
  • Accounting integration
  • Distribution management
  • Reporting/analytics
  • Supply chain management
  • Inventory management

Pros

  • Allows you to grant security permissions based on the field level
  • Tons of resources to help you grow your business using IQMS
  • Eliminates the need for third-party tools

Cons

  • Its work order system is not much accurate
  • You need to spend time learning how to use the tool to get the most of it

Pricing

IQMS has not made its pricing public. You will have to contact the company to get pricing details as per your requirements. 

USP: IQMS combines manufacturing software, MES, and ERP to provide end-to-end visibility of your supply chain and demand. 

12. MRPeasy

It is ideal for small and mid-range manufacturing companies. MRPEasy helps you stay on top of your business operations with real-time inventory overview and accurate reporting. It improves communication between sales, production, warehousing, administration, and finance. 

Key Features 

  • Production Planning and Reporting
  • Dynamic Rescheduling
  • Supply Chain Management 
  • Warehouse Management System 
  • Workforce Planning
  • CRM
  • Quality control
  • Bills of material
  • Work order management
  • Maintenance management system

Pros

  • Is easy to use
  • Provides lots of features at an affordable price
  • Integrates with major eCommerce platforms

Cons

  • After-sales service of MRPEasy is not good
  • Its statistics report is quite limited

Pricing

MRPEasy has four pricing plans:

  • Starter: $49/user/month
  • Professional: $69/user/month
  • Enterprise: $99/user/month
  • Unlimited: $149/user/month

USP: The best thing about MRPEasy is it’s easy to use interface that provides all the necessary information at one place. 

13. ERPAG

This ERP tool is ideal for small and mid-size manufacturing companies. ERPAG allows you to manage all the aspects of manufacturing, including sales, purchasing, finance, reporting, and analytics. It integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, Microsoft, Magneto, and other B2B customer portals. 

Key Features 

  • Multilevel bill of materials
  • Detailed inventory tracking
  • Work orders
  • Intelligent status tags
  • CRM and presales
  • Dynamic discounting
  • HR and payroll
  • Supplier and purchase order management
  • Inventory management
  • Warehouse management
  • Cost tracking

Pros

  • One of the easiest ERP systems to get started with
  • Integrates with all the major B2B customer portals
  • Automated backups in three different geo-locations daily 

Cons

  • Limited templates for quotation and invoicing
  • Doesn’t allow you to change the payment type of an invoice after it has been completed

Pricing

ERPAG has three pricing plans:

  • Basic: $49/month
  • Standard: $79/month
  • Premium: $149/month

It offers a 15-day free trial, so you can test the tool before paying for it.  

USP: ERPAG has more than 1,000 features that provide a high-level of customization without any coding knowledge. 

Wrapping Up

MRP planning tools help manufacturing companies improve business processes and boost revenue. However, to reap the maximum benefits from your cloud-based MRP software, you must choose the right tool based on your business needs. 

Have you used any of the tools mentioned above? If yes, which one? How was your experience? 

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