Why Custom Manufacturers Choose abas ERP

STERLING, VA--(Marketwired - November 05, 2015) - In our earlier post, How Custom Manufacturing Handles Demand and Supply-Side Challenges with ERP Software, we discussed some of the challenges inherent to the custom manufacturing industry and how ERP software solutions can help solve those problems. In this field, everything is made-to-order. Without a specific blueprint to follow, every single project becomes a discovery process for taking the customer's unique designs and turning them into a reality.

This lack of predictability in the custom manufacturing process makes it difficult for manufacturers to do things like order the right materials in the right quantities, ascertain accurate costs for the many parts of the production process and have the flexibility to accommodate changes that arise during production.

Why custom manufacturers choose abas ERP software

In general, ERP systems are designed to solve these operational challenges, but in the world of custom manufacturing, not all software is created equal. When it comes to handling the many hurdles to an efficient and profitable production process, many custom manufacturers are turning to abas ERP software due to the agility and flexibility it offers from the time a customer sends a design to the time the final product is shipped.

Custom manufacturers are primarily concerned with meeting their customers' unique specifications, accurately forecasting costs and coming up with an expected sales price that will maintain profitability on any given project. To accomplish these tasks, manufacturers must make solid estimates in the beginning and then track their actual costs versus the estimates throughout the span of the project. That's where the abas ERP software comes in: it gives manufacturers the ability to make estimates, give the customer an accurate quote, make sales orders, forecast costs, measure actual costs vs. estimates and create a complete operational plan.

It starts with the integration of existing CAD software with the abas system. In custom manufacturing, a customer approaches the manufacturer with a design saved in a CAD file that contains the entire product's expected design considerations -- materials, routing, labor and other common specs. What abas does is take the details listed in the CAD file and translate it into information that can be used in both the production process and the backend financials. All of this goes into the upfront quote the manufacturer gives the customer.

Once the customer approves the quote, the abas system generates a sales order that will lay out all of the planning information required to produce the custom product throughout all levels of its construction. All of this is tracked in what we call the "Project Object," a tool that takes the project from the engineering to the manufacturing level. On the production side, the abas software translates the design information into detailed planning, scheduling, procurement, routing, assembly and shipping instructions that detail every activity to be completed, step by step, from beginning to end. This information is also translated into the financial side, capturing the estimated costs associated with each activity, such as labor costs, materials, R&D costs and other miscellaneous expenses.

As the project gets underway, the Project Object allows custom manufacturers to track all of their actual costs and compare them to the original estimates. From there, they can determine the true profitability of the project. Additionally, the abas software allows you to save all project data as a template. While custom manufacturing is all about producing unique goods, there are cases where there are similarities between projects. Having the historical project data saved can give manufacturers a head start when making forecasts and quotes for new projects.

Domain experience to match software functionality

With all of these features, it's clear that abas ERP is built to withstand the demands of the custom manufacturing process. But manufacturers aren't just looking for software -- they're looking for a complete solution to improve their operational processes. In addition to the considerable experience with software implementation, our teams have a wealth of domain experience that makes them a perfect partner for custom manufacturers. Not only can we implement the software across an entire organization, but we can teach the relevant stakeholders how to make the most of the system to improve key business processes.

"Our customers know that when we come in, we'll be able to talk the talk. We know their pain points, we know their industry's challenges and we have the know-how to solve them." Paul Hemmings, Vice President of Professional Services at abas USA said. "Most custom manufacturers are worried about profitability. We'll show them exactly how to use the software to schedule properly, minimize waste and track costs."

abas' teams have over 100 combined years in the manufacturing industry, and our industry expertise combined with the end-to-end operational and accounting features of the ERP system makes us not just a software company, but a consultant and partner that can help custom manufacturers overcome their biggest challenges.

abas is an innovator of ERP solutions for mid-size businesses aspiring to be leaders in their industry. We use our 30+ years of experience to deliver exactly what our customers need -- software that is agile, intuitive, sustainable for the long term, and that works anywhere around the world.

Find out more about abas ERP on the web at www.abas-ERP.com, on twitter at abas USA, or on Facebook at abas-USA.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/10/29/11G069747/Images/Custom_Manufacturers-63536015199.jpg