IT Support for Manufacturing Companies in Minneapolis

🏭 1. Small manufacturers (10–50 employees)

Typical characteristics

• Limited IT staff.
• Simple production workflows.
• Manual processes still common.
• Focused on cost control.
• Often job shops or custom fabrication.

Core software stack

1️⃣ Accounting / Basic ERP

Small manufacturers often start with accounting software before moving to full ERP.

• QuickBooks (very common)
• Xero
• Odoo (entry-level ERP)
• Fishbowl (inventory add-on to QuickBooks)

Used for invoicing, basic inventory tracking, purchasing, and financial reporting.

2️⃣ Inventory & job tracking

• Fishbowl
• Katana
• MRPeasy
• JobBOSS (job shops)

Used for work orders, BOM tracking, and inventory control.

3️⃣ CAD (if applicable)

• Fusion 360
• SolidWorks (basic license)
• AutoCAD

4️⃣ Spreadsheets (very common)

• Excel or Google Sheets
• Manual production scheduling
• BOM tracking
• Job costing

5️⃣ Maintenance

Maintenance is often manual or spreadsheet-based. Some teams adopt UpKeep (basic tier) as they grow.

Typical stack example (small fabrication shop)

• QuickBooks
• Fishbowl
• SolidWorks
• Excel for scheduling
• UpKeep for maintenance

🏭🏭 2. Mid-sized manufacturers (50–500 employees)

Typical characteristics

• Dedicated operations team.
• Growing complexity.
• Multiple product lines.
• Formalized production processes.
• Regulatory compliance may apply.

At this stage, companies usually adopt a true ERP system and sometimes MES.

Core software stack

1️⃣ ERP (central system)

• Microsoft Dynamics 365
• NetSuite
• Epicor
• Infor CloudSuite
• IFS
• SAP Business One

Used for MRP, production planning, cost accounting, supply chain management, and multi-location inventory.

2️⃣ MES (sometimes)

• Plex
• FactoryTalk
• Tulip
• Ignition

Used for OEE tracking, real-time production monitoring, downtime reporting, and shop floor tablets.

3️⃣ PLM

• Arena
• Windchill
• Teamcenter (lighter deployment)

Used for engineering change management, BOM control, and product documentation.

4️⃣ QMS (often required in regulated industries)

• ETQ
• MasterControl
• Greenlight Guru (medical)
• Qualio

5️⃣ CMMS / Maintenance

• Fiix
• eMaint
• SAP PM (if SAP ERP)

6️⃣ Business intelligence

• Power BI
• Tableau

Typical stack example (mid-sized electronics manufacturer)

• ERP: Epicor
• MES: Plex
• PLM: Arena
• QMS: ETQ
• BI: Power BI
• CMMS: Fiix
• CAD: SolidWorks

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