The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the entire world. The world is slowly coming out of this crisis, but there are chances that your acquirement plans are not as effective as they need to be. However, it’s highly essential that you prioritize it to boost supply chain efficiency because disruption is one of the certainties the pandemic is pointing at.
At this time of crisis, the manufacturers need to be prepared to quickly respond to different needs of consumers along with safeguarding their employees’ health. To fulfill the fluctuating consumer demands, manufacturers need to focus on boosting supply chain efficiency. You can achieve this efficiency by integrating Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) systems. For most organizations, it is the first step in supply chain optimization.
The Role of PLM-ERP Integration in Supply Chain Optimization
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) are quite closely linked when it comes to manufacturers. Both of these tools are critical for the success of modern organizations. They help enterprises manage their resources, innovate continuously, and be successful in the long run.
PLM software helps in the initial phases of the supply chain that is in the design and planning of the product’s manufacturing. In contrast, ERP software helps execute the latter part of the supply chain with the efficient use of resources. Both software hold value while working in isolation but can offer even more if they are integrated to achieve your organizational objectives.
No need to invest in additional tools and surplus software. A single integrated solution will create a more streamlined product design strategy, tighter workflow, and a more effective and efficient supply chain. In this blog, we are discussing four ways by which PLM-ERP integration helps organizations significantly improve their supply chain efficiency.
Better Visibility of Entire Supply Chain
When an organization integrates its PLM and ERP tools, the first thing it experiences is a clear view of the supply from start to finish. Being able to study the supply chain conveniently and having the tools to tweak everything allows managers to make the necessary improvements they would not have realized otherwise.
Organizations can sync their systems to address requirements arising during the product planning stage and ensure that all inputs are sourced in time for manufacturing. Integration also enables faster time to market through this increased transparency, as the time between design and manufacturing reduces significantly.
ERP and PLM integration helps you identify potential hazards, and you can better plan for your future projects. Asynchronous software systems and information gaps often lead to vulnerabilities in the supply chain, leading to costly damages. The integrated solution provides insights to help manufacturers work smarter and prevent any supply chain errors.
Organizational Synergy
PLM-ERP integration combines the functionality of both software but also allows for collaboration of users working on them. Teams communicate more freely and regularly, leading to improved performance and higher growth.
The product designing and manufacturing documents are stored in a unified repository. Users from every relevant team can view, edit, and update cohesively without having to edit each document separately. Employees put less effort into the non-cognitive tasks and share ideas to create better products and processes.
As it offers one source of truth, so different departments can share real-time data. There will be no more disruptions to transfer data from PLM to ERP or check data integrity. The finance, merchandising, and operations teams can easily view any product development phase, enhancing operational planning and collaboration. All the information and data are collected in one place, which different teams within the organization leverage to make more cost-effective and smarter decisions.
Accessible and Secure Data
Storing, accessing, and editing data is much easier once organizations implement PLM-ERP integration. The shared repository stores all PLM and ERP files for removing clutter and allowing teams to work cohesively. This adds to the visibility of the entire process since all employees can regularly view progress on the ongoing tasks.
A single repository also means more secure data. The system stores the edited documents as newer versions of themselves, while the repository also supports previous versions. The integrated PLM-ERP system also records which users edit the data to audit all actions. It is also easier to keep track of sensitive information and reduces the chances of a breach.
When combined, PLM and ERP collect all product data across the supply chain in one single platform. It offers a single version of the truth. The new versions of products and documents will evolve in parallel, and re-entry errors will limit. As a result, there will be a higher level of efficiency, and different departments no longer need to hunt down the latest version. By integration, you can conveniently ensure ERP data accuracy and link the data to any changes that occur in product design. Eventually, you enjoy enhanced employee productivity and boost supply chain efficiency.
Enhanced Efficiency
PLM-ERP integration enables organizations to reduce time to market. The integration unifies major processes such as ideation, engineering, sourcing all the way to production, inventory, and distribution. The organization can manage all these processes under the same system rather than two isolated software. It means you will need fewer resources while the synergetic effect leads to higher productivity.
You can achieve enhanced efficiency throughout the supply chain, as organizations can save small percentages of resources at each step of the manufacturing cycle and communicate faster. It ultimately leads to all teams working like a well-oiled machine. An integrated unified system that performs all required tasks eliminates the need for extra tools, further saving on cost.
Organizations without an integrated solution perform an additional step to ensure their data is accurate. Errors are quite common not only because of the human factor in manual processes but also for technical challenges.
Conclusion
If your organization is currently managing two separate systems to ideate and manufacture industry-leading products, consider PLM-ERP integration. It will streamline communication, save valuable organizational resources, improve synergy, and safeguard sensitive data all in one implementation.
The integration offers you complete access to cross-channel product information. It further helps boost data integrity, revenue, productivity, and supply chain efficiency in ways that are not possible with separate systems.
If you need a service provider that can help you PLM ERP integration with systems according to your company’s specifications, Xavor Corporation is the best choice. Xavor’s xEngine is a highly intuitive and adaptive integration tool that can fulfill the requirements your organization is looking for. Read about the successful integrations Fortune 500 companies have achieved with xEngine, or contact Xavor to plan your PLM-ERP integration today.