Chemical Products Software

Chemical manufacturers require an ERP software solution with robust functionality specific to batch production and process manufacturing environments. The software must include inherent regulatory compliance with strong chemical inventory software functionality such as recall management, forward and backward lot traceability and quality control. In addition, the software must provide complete security with advanced reporting capabilities and full audit trails.

Chemical Products Software Functional Requirements

  • Laboratory management
  • Formulations and recipes
  • Scalable batches
  • Strong inventory management
  • Certificate of analysis (COA) generation
  • Bi-directional lot tracking
  • Expiration date tracking
  • Recall management
  • Audit trails and reporting

As we have discovered in our experience with more than 150 ERP solutions, each ERP software package has its strengths and weaknesses. We track our extensive selection and implementation experience with various enterprise systems in our proprietary ERP Solutions Database.  Below is a summary of a small sub-set of data from that database, which our project teams use to help clients select the right ERP software for their organizations.

This table identifies the generalized functional strengths of each of the listed ERP solutions for chemical products manufacturing and distribution. Our ERP software selection process leverages more detailed information from our database to conduct a more thorough assessment of software fit with each client’s business requirements.

ERP Software Packages for Chemical Products Manufacturing and Distribution

Chemical Software Functionality Microsoft
Dynamics
AX2009		 Chempax CS/VB Oracle EBS Infor Adage 5.03 SAP ERP 6.0
Standard ERP Functions
General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable High High High High High
Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) High High High High High
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) High High High High High
HRIS High Medium High High High
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) High High High High High
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Medium High High High High
PM High Medium High High High
Advance Shipment Notice (ASN) Medium High High High High
Auto Pricing & Auto Scheduling High High High High High
Bar Coding High High High High High
Document Management High High High High High
Key Differentiating Requirements
Batch Process / Finite Scheduling Manufacturing High High High High High
Web Portal (Price Updates, Customer Service, Sales and Warehouse Support) High High High High
Rebates and Rebate Accruals High High High High High
Integrated Capacity and Staffing Planning High High High High High
Label Management Low High High Medium High
Recipes and Formula Management High High High High High
Scalable Batch Calculation and Management High High High High High
Lot and Batch Tracking (Products, Equipment, Employees, etc.) High High High High High
Electronic Bulletin Board bidding High Low High High High
Unit of Measure Conversion (Specific Gravity, Different Packaging Sizes) Low High High High High
Multiple Location Production Scheduling (Internal and Subcontract) High High High High High
Multiple Inventory Warehouses (Internal and External) High High High High High
Multi-Currency High High High High High
Manage Subcontract Toll Manufacturers High High High High High
Ability to Export Data in Industry Standard Formats High High High High High
Functional Specific Requirements
Business Development High Low High High Medium
Customer Service Medium Medium High High Medium
Forecasting and Production Scheduling Medium High High High High
Production Planning Medium High High High High
Production High Low Medium High High
Work in Process Inventory (WIP) High High High High High
Purchasing Medium High High High High
Financial Management, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable High High High High High
Human Resources Management (HR) High Low High High High
Logistics High High High High High
Shipping High Medium High High High
Receiving High High High Medium High
Return Material Authorization (RMA) High High High High High
Quality Control and Laboratory (QC) High High High High High
Research and Development (R&D) High High High High High
Regulatory Compliance High High High High High

Disclaimer: For illustrative purposes only. Assessment for your unique needs may vary based on specific business processes and requirements. You will want to develop more detailed requirements as part of your software evaluation and selection process.

Panorama’s ERP consultants provide a complete service offering that can assist your organization throughout the process of ERP selection, ERP implementation and organizational change management.

Our consultants are aware of the potential pitfalls of ERP selection projects and can help hedge against project cost overruns, software that is misaligned with business needs, and lack of return on investment. Panorama’s team has industry-specific expertise that helps achieve measurable business improvements.

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