The Manufacturing Module in ERPNext is designed to streamline and automate all aspects of the manufacturing process, ensuring efficiency, cost control, and real-time tracking. This comprehensive manufacturing ERP solution enables manufacturers to manage production, resources, and inventory with precision and ease. From production planning and scheduling to quality control, the Manufacturing Module integrates all critical manufacturing processes into one unified system, providing a complete overview of operations. Whether your manufacturing setup is small-scale or a large enterprise, ERPNext’s Manufacturing Module helps optimize production workflows, reduce wastage, and improve overall productivity and profitability.
Key Features
1. Production Planning and Scheduling
Automated Production Planning
Plan and schedule production based on sales orders, stock levels, and forecasts using advanced algorithms.
Real-time Monitoring
Track production progress in real time to ensure timely completion of manufacturing orders and job cards.
Capacity Planning
Allocate resources effectively to balance demand and available capacity, preventing bottlenecks.
2. Material and Resource Planning
Material Requirement Planning (MRP)
Ensure timely availability of raw materials by aligning procurement with production needs through accurate MRP calculations.
Resource Allocation
Efficiently allocate machinery, labor, and workstations to meet production demands and optimize utilization.
3. Bill of Materials (BOM)
Multi-level BOM
Create detailed, multi-level BOMs to capture every component, raw material, and subassembly involved in the manufacturing process accurately.
Cost Estimation
Automatically calculate production costs based on the BOM to provide accurate pricing insights and margin analysis.
4. Routing and Operations
Operation Routing
Define and optimize the sequence of operations required for production, creating efficient workflows.
Operational Costing
Track the cost of each operation to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement in production efficiency.
5. Job Card Management
Job Card Creation
Assign job cards to specific workers or machines and track their progress electronically.
Real-time Updates
Monitor job card completion in real-time to optimize shop floor operations and reporting.
6. Shop Floor Control
Workstation Management
Track and manage the performance of individual workstations and production lines.
Real-time Data Collection
Capture data directly from the shop floor for accurate performance tracking, yield analysis, and reporting.
7. Quality Control
Quality Inspections
Perform quality checks at various stages of production to ensure products meet defined quality standards.
Defect Tracking
Capture and analyze defects to identify trends and prevent recurring quality issues using integrated QC tools.
8. Fixed Cost Distribution
Cost Allocation
Distribute fixed costs such as labor and overhead across various workstations or production orders for accurate costing.
9. Work Order Management
Work Order Creation
Generate work orders based on sales orders, stock levels, or MRP forecasts.
Tracking and Execution
Monitor the progress of work orders to ensure timely completion and on-time delivery commitments.
10. Subcontracting
Subcontracting Management
Manage outsourced production activities by tracking materials sent to subcontractors and receiving finished goods seamlessly.
11. Track Semi-Finished Goods
Inventory Tracking
Maintain accurate records of semi-finished goods (WIP) in the production pipeline to ensure efficient production planning and inventory valuation.
12. Production Planning Types
Make-to-Stock (MTS)
Manufacture products for inventory based on demand forecasts and stock policies.
Make-to-Order (MTO)
Produce items only after receiving customer orders, minimizing finished goods inventory.
Engineer-to-Order (ETO)
Customize products based on customer specifications, with integrated design-to-production workflows for complex projects.
13. Capacity Planning
Resource Utilization
Analyze capacity to determine if your resources (machines, labor) can handle production loads effectively
Production Bottleneck Identification
Identify and resolve bottlenecks in the production process to maintain smooth operations and throughput.
14. Warehouse Management
Material Transfers
Manage material transfers between warehouses and production floors seamlessly using stock entries.
Batch and Serial Number Tracking
Track inventory at a granular level with batch and serial number tracking, ensuring accurate inventory management and traceability.
15. Workstation Management
Workstation Performance Tracking
Monitor the performance and maintenance of workstations to prevent unplanned downtime and ensure efficiency.
Resource Scheduling
Schedule workstations based on availability and capacity to optimize production output.
16. Production Orders
Real-time Order Tracking
Track production orders from initiation to completion, ensuring transparency in the entire production process.
Order Prioritization
Prioritize production orders based on deadlines, customer requirements, and resource availability.
17. Material Transfer for Manufacture
Seamless Transfers
Automate material transfers from warehouse to shop floor for uninterrupted production processes based on work orders.
Stock Replenishment
Ensure timely replenishment of raw materials to prevent production delays using automated alerts.
18. Batch and Serial Number Tracking
Track Inventory
Manage and track finished goods or raw materials through batch numbers and serial numbers for accurate inventory, quality control, and compliance.
Recall Management
Enable faster and more efficient product recalls when necessary by tracing specific batches/serials.
19. Disassembly Orders
Reverse Manufacturing
Reverse Manufacturing: Manage disassembly processes for returned goods, salvaging materials for reuse or refurbishment, supporting circular economy initiatives.
Integration
The Manufacturing Module integrates seamlessly with other core ERPNext modules, such as Accounting, CRM, Inventory, and Sales, to provide a complete business management solution. For example, work orders can automatically trigger accounting entries for costing, while production planning can factor in sales forecasts from the CRM module. Integration with third-party applications, including machine automation tools (IIoT) and advanced warehouse management systems (WMS), is also supported through REST APIs. This ensures that all aspects of manufacturing, from procurement and production to delivery, are managed efficiently within one unified system.
Case Studies
1. Streamlining Production for an Electronics Manufacturer
Challenge
An electronics manufacturer struggled with manual production tracking, leading to delays and resource mismanagement.
Solution
By implementing ERPNext’s Manufacturing Module, they automated production planning, shop floor control, material requirements planning (MRP), and quality management.
Results
The company achieved a 25% increase in production efficiency and reduced operational costs by 15%.
2. Improving Material Planning for a Furniture Manufacturer
Challenge
A mid-sized furniture manufacturer faced frequent material shortages and production delays.
Solution
The Manufacturing Module’s Material Requirement Planning (MRP) feature enabled real-time material tracking and automated procurement suggestions.
Results
The company saw a 30% reduction in material shortages and a 20% improvement in on-time delivery rates.
Tutorials & Guides
To help users maximize the potential of the ERPNext Manufacturing Module, ERPNext offers a variety of support resources:
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Manufacturing Module help with production planning?
The Manufacturing Module offers automated production planning, scheduling, capacity analysis, and real-time tracking, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and orders are fulfilled on time based on demand.
Can the Manufacturing Module handle subcontracting?
Yes, ERPNext’s Manufacturing Module supports subcontracting by tracking materials sent to subcontractors, managing subcontractor operations, and managing the receipt of finished goods back into inventory.
How does the module integrate with other ERPNext features?
The Manufacturing Module integrates natively with modules like Accounting, Inventory, CRM, and Sales, ensuring seamless flow of data across the business for unified operations management.
What production planning types are supported?
The Manufacturing Module supports Make-to-Stock (MTS), Make-to-Order (MTO), and Engineer-to-Order (ETO) planning models, giving manufacturers flexibility in their operations and business strategies.
Can we track semi-finished goods?
Yes, you can track semi-finished goods (Work-in-Progress) at various stages of production, ensuring that all components are accounted for during the production process and WIP valuation is accurate.
Does the module support batch and serial number tracking?
Yes, the Manufacturing Module allows for batch and serial number tracking, which is essential for inventory management, quality control, regulatory compliance, and product traceability.
How does the module handle quality control?
The Manufacturing Module includes quality control features that enable defining QC parameters and conducting inspections at different stages of production, helping to maintain product standards and reduce defects systematically.
Get a free no obligation quote now
Maximize your manufacturing efficiency with ERPNext’s Manufacturing Module. Contact us today to schedule a demo and see how our ERP solutions can transform your production workflows, reduce costs, and improve your bottom line. Let Sigzen Technologies Pvt. Ltd. guide you through a seamless ERP implementation for your factory.
Trust Elements
”The Manufacturing Module in ERPNext has completely revolutionized our production process. We now have real-time tracking, which helps us stay ahead of our deadlines.
Bhavesh PatelMD, Rachna Bio Chemtech
”The integration with inventory and sales has helped us streamline our entire operation, from raw material procurement to finished goods dispatch.
Shivam PatelDirector, Paragon Fine and Speciality Chemicals Ltd.
”Implementing ERPNext's Manufacturing module has been a game-changer for our production process. It seamlessly integrates everything from production planning and inventory tracking to quality control, giving us full visibility at each stage. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, we've been able to reduce downtime, optimize resource utilization, and scale efficiently. It’s transformed our operations, allowing us to focus on growth and delivering top-quality products consistently
Mr. BhattGM Plant - Unity Cement
Rating: 4.9 / 5 (29 votes)
