Many small manufacturing businesses are increasingly moving from manual methods to software solutions to manage their processes. We spoke with hundreds of prospective buyers from small manufacturing businesses to get a sense of what they want in manufacturing software solutions and the pain points that drove them to seek software solutions to help them better mange their businesses processes.

1. Software Advice BuyerView:
Manufacturing Software Report
Insight into today’s small business software buyer

2. From 2013 to 2014, Software Advice talked to tens of thousands of prospective
buyers from small-businesses who were looking to purchase a manufacturing
software solution. We tapped into a 385 interactions to determine:
• The main pain points that led prospective buyers to seek manufacturing
software solutions.
• The main features prospective buyers wanted their desired manufacturing
software solution(s) to have.
Abstract

3. Manual methods
Manual methods & software
Manufacturing software
Multiple software solutions
Accounting software
Other non-manufacturing software
Proprietary manufacturing software
Nothing
Other
0 10 20 30 40 50
Manual Methods Outweigh Software Use
Percent of sample
Most small manufacturing businesses were using manual methods to manage their
processes. A handful used software in conjunction with manual methods.
% % % % % %

4. Material Requirements Planning Tops Software Requests
Most buyers we spoke with requested software with material requirements
planning tools. About a third requested manufacturing execution systems.
5%
2%
12%
15%
30%
36% Materials requirements planning
Manufacturing execution systems
Product Lifecycle management
Manufacturing accounting
Business intelligence
Other

5. Better planning/management functionality
Better user experience
Improve efficiency/organization
Manual methods ineffective
Improve accuracy and reporting
Better accounting functionality
0 10 20 30 40
Better Planning Tools a Top Reason for Seeking Software
Percent of sample
Most buyers were looking for software with tools that would help them better plan
and manage their processes.
% % % % %

6. Almost All Buyers Want Integrated Suites
Almost all of the prospective buyers we spoke with requested an integrated suite,
with just a select few requesting best-of-breed and multiple products.
98%
Integrated suite
Best-of-breed
Multiple products

7. Most Buyers Want to Implement Within Three Months
Most of the prospective buyers we spoke wanted to implement within 1-3 months,
while about a third wanted to implement within 3-6 months.
11%
8%
12%
31%
38%
1-3 months
3-6 months
6-12 months
Less than 1 month
Other

8. Those With a Preference Prefer On-Premise Deployment
An overwhelming majority of prospective buyers wanted on-premise software,
with most citing more control over their system as a key reason for their choice.
15%
85%
On-premise
Web-based

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