Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Plex Manufacturing Cloud Overview
The Plex Advantage
Plex powers modern manufacturing with the first ERP cloud built from the plant floor up. Businesses that use Plex run smarter, leaner, more efficiently and are always ready for what’s next.
ERP for the “always-on” world
We live in a fast-paced world – always on, always moving, always changing. Legacy systems were born in a bygone area. Manufacturers need technology to manage all aspects of plant operations – systems that automatically improve alongside their business to meet current and future challenges. The bottom line is the legacy ERP systems are the asbestos of the enterprise software world. They’re too dangerous to rip out and need to be contained so they don’t any more damage than they already have done. With Plex, the most complete cloud ERP, manufacturers deliver at the pace of customer demand.
We are what’s next
Nearly 400 companies run their manufacturing operations on the Plex Manufacturing Cloud. From camshafts to craft beers, from high-performance diesel engines to aircraft parts, the Plex Manufacturing Cloud helps companies automate the shop floor and inform the top floor. We designed our ERP solutions literally from the ground up to connect suppliers, manage materials, control machines and deliver the accounting and business intelligence manufacturing organizations need. Whether your goal is to be more competitive, drive efficiencies, introduce innovation, or be more responsive to customer needs, Plex can help you deliver what’s next.
ERP from the cloud means you avoid disruptive updates and the hassle of version control. You’ll better manage and streamline your operations and realize key achievements such as:
- Increased productivity
- Reduced inventories
- Reduced scrap
- Reduced lead time
- Full compliance with ISO, QS-9000, TS-16949, Honda and other mandates
- Improved decision-making through timely and accurate information
Integrated Manufacturing Software
Easily and automatically collect and fully integrate plant floor data such as production scheduling, real-time inventory control, tool tracking, production tracking, and part genealogy, and more with enterprise resource planning (ERP) functions, customer relationship management (CRM), manufacturing execution systems (MES), and supply chain management (SCM) functions such as supplier quality and traceability. Manufacturing data is collected as it happens and flows throughout the solution for streamlined operations, reduced costs, and better decision-making.
The Plex Manufacturing Cloud does away with the traditional “waterfall” development schedule (version 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, etc.) in favor of an agile development methodology or “rapid application development” methodology. This means that Plex users never face the hassles of an upgrade. Users always access the most current version.
Plex Manufacturing Cloud Advantages
The Plex Manufacturing Cloud is delivered as a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution with comprehensive manufacturing ERP software functions that cover the total manufacturing enterprise.
Manufacturers need only a web browser to securely access all of the analysis and management functions of a full-featured manufacturing ERP system designed to meet the requirements of all departments within a quality-driven manufacturer. No hardware or software installations are required.
Manufacturers are no longer burdened with the time-consuming and costly tasks of managing an enterprise-class application infrastructure: no more backups, no more patches, no more software upgrades, and no more purchases of additional disk space and CPU power.
Lastly, Plex Systems doesn’t simply view the cloud as a technology option but as a fundamentally different business. Plex users vote with their dollars every time they renew, so Plex has developed an unyielding passion for customer success.
Plex Systems even includes customer support as part of the subscription, unlike legacy vendors that charge upward of 20% of the license fee every year. Plex only succeeds when our customers succeed, not when the check is cashed.
Key Advantages
Leading manufacturers benefit from Plex ERP software
- Rapidly evolving, automatically updated versions and features
- No costly hardware, complex version control
- No large capital outlay
- Affordable subscription fee (with included base support)
- Industry-leading security and reliability
- The ability to project and scale as your business grows
Plex Manufacturing Cloud Technology
Over the last decade, the innovative Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery model has evolved to let you move beyond traditional methods such as“client-server architectures” for enterprise resource planning software.
This approach lets manufacturers
- Avoid costly licenses, complex hardware and software infrastructures
- Use the Internet to access systems once deployed and maintained off-premises
- Enjoy industry-leading security and connectivity
Focus on driving your business rather than babysitting software
Plex Systems is a pioneer of this innovative model and is not just a cloud provider but a 100% pure cloud company.
Today, the terms“Software as a Service” (SaaS) and“On-Demand” describe software as delivered over the Internet from a single application instance that is shared across all clients.
- You need only a web browser for access, eliminating the need to install or maintain software or hardware.
- You enjoy a long-term partnership based on predictable monthly fees — a subscription-based service relationship
For manufacturers, a flexible web-based enterprise resource planning solution gives you access to application functionality as an integrated Web service, with the ability to manage and monitor entire business operations — including the plant floor — from anywhere, at any time.
The benefits of a long-term client relationship mean you gain up-to-the-minute functionality and rapid application development cycles.
Plex Systems offers manufacturers
- cost-effective implementation, integration, and deployments
- rapid on-boarding and flexible feature development
- the assurance of using the most recent version of the application, avoiding the cost of software, hardware, support, backups, infrastructure, and the disruptions caused by upgrading to new versions
Plex Manufacturing Cloud Modules
Materials Management for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Advanced Traceability Module
Have complete traceability for better inventory management for your peace of mind. Pinpoint exactly where your inventory came from, what it was used for, and where it went.
Barcoding Module
Make your data more timely and accurate with fully integrated barcoding. Identify all your raw materials, work-in-process materials, finished goods, supplies, tools, and more with barcoded labels and scanning.
Select from a library of thousands of barcode labels designed for specific destinations, or create your own templates using the label designer application.
Inventory Management Module
Automatically maintain strict lot control. Perform cycle counts. Manage containerization, including the collection of containers into master units. Minimize material handling by using directed put-away while optimizing storage location usage.
Lot Management Module
Accurately manage inventory by“lots” with common characteristics as well as by individual attributes that describe those characteristics.
Shipping and Receiving Modules
Streamline your shipping and receiving processes and inventory management to save time and money. Take complete control of your shipping and receiving. View your customer order releases and product availability to fulfill them. Prepare for shipment, including all of the required shipping documents that have been automatically generated for a specific shipment.
Sales & Order Management for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Accounting (AR/AP/GL) Modules
Accounting has never been easier for manufacturers. Improve efficiency with a complete audit trail and full visibility, you are in control of your accounting. Simple as that. Seamlessly connect your entire enterprise. Your accounting staff can focus their efforts on analysis and follow-up rather than data entry.
Use full-featured AR, AP, and GL functionality with automatic data population driven by real-time events. Leverage other standard accounting features like budgeting and bank reconciliation for tighter management of your finances.
Actual Costing Module
Track your actual costs as they occur, in real-time, on the manufacturing floor. Lighten the load on your accounting staff by defining cost points ahead of time. Capture actual costs in real-time for each scheduled production job as you procure, consume, produce, or ship materials.
Advanced Accounting Options Module
Advanced accounting features give manufacturers the deeper capabilities they need to get the job done. When you need more than standard accounting functions, take advantage of advanced features like project accounting, automated tax calculations, collections, and credit checks. Your accounting staff can spend more time on analysis and follow-up and less time on data entry.
Cost Accounting Module
Define your own complex yet flexible cost structures to use in your company’s cost accounting activities for improved sales management. You can set up a flexible, detailed cost structure for each operation and for each product, including purchased materials, ingredients, and components.
You can apply the cost structure at any time to obtain a valuation based on a choice of cost models. Analyze costs using reports such as cost of goods sold, purchase price variance, and standard cost activity.
Financial Management for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Enterprise Financials
Streamline business processes and gain visibility across your global operations for holistic decision-making while taking advantage of economies of scale. Manage your growth in new geographies. Get visibility across your global operations for holistic decision-making while taking advantage of economies of scale, collective business terms, and consolidated management of funds. You no longer need to rely on localized controls and manual management of inter-entity transactions.
Financial Performance Management Data Connector
Access integrated third-party applications seamlessly to budget, plan, and forecast your finances with ease. Your accounting staff can take advantage of third-party software for sophisticated financial reporting, analysis, and planning.
Financial Reporting
Make smarter informed financial decisions with accurate, real-time visibility into your company’s finances. Generate the complex financial reports you need for improved business processes. Use standard financial reports like balance sheets, income statements, and cash flows, or create your own customized financial report formats. Apply them to multiple companies using multiple levels of consolidation or for inter-company eliminations and currency conversions.
IntelliPlex Analytic Applications
Get quick and easy role-based access to KPIs you need to make smarter business decisions and improve business processes. No matter which team or department you manage, take advantage of the growing family of IntelliPlex Analytic Applications to know the output of the team and to recognize the team’s performance trends and patterns.
Sales and Use Tax Compliance Modules
Make your life easier. Avalara Web Service integration takes the hassle out of the traditional methods of tax calculations. Calculating and reporting sales and use tax can be tedious and time-consuming, yet it must be done correctly. Avalara Web Service integration — a third-party option — automates the tax compliance process, ensuring accuracy and saving you time.
Production Management for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Advanced Quality Management
With Plex Systems’ Quality Management enterprise resource planning software, manufacturers can go above and beyond with advanced options in quality management to improve business processes. Take your quality management practices to the next level with features such as supplier quality and procurement management that allow you to extend the visibility of product quality into your suppliers’ plants.
Problem control and continuous improvement project tracking are included for efficiency as well as to gauge integration and calibration control. Quality standards compliance exists to help you meet important milestones, while internal and supplier auditing ensures your integrity on the plant floor.
Plant and Equipment Maintenance
Improve efficiency and maintain your plant floor and equipment for long-term reliability. Manage plant equipment and spare parts while developing and executing your own maintenance schedules. High-level tracking of maintenance labor ensures your resources are used effectively.
Plant Floor Control
Unified hub to monitor and control inventory, quality, and cost in real time. Schedule and track jobs (work orders) using process routings and optional job sets (coordinated production of related jobs). Use the Control Panel to perform an array of tasks, including activity reporting in real-time, maintaining lot control, collecting inspection data, registering machine status over time, and validating tool and maintenance requirements.
Additional functionality includes scrap and rejection tracking, supply (MRO) management, and a plant floor console that displays the overall plant floor operational status at a glance. Additional optional feature sets for plant floor control that enable additional functionality such as disassembly and management of on-site heat treating equipment. Optional integration with electronic weigh scales for inventory counting is also available.
Plant Floor Mobile Access
Go wireless but keep plant floor data right at your fingertips. Plant Floor Mobile Access allows you to use handheld mobile scanners to quickly and easily receive barcoded material and supplies while tracking tools and MRO inventory. Prepare and load finished goods for shipping and perform inventory cycle counts. Record inventory transactions, including moves, splits, and merges.
Quality Management
Maintain quality disciplines, tools, and techniques to drive inspection data collection for Statistical Process Control (SPC). Give yourself the advantage of adding essential quality disciplines as an integral part of your business processes.
Use tools and techniques like failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) and control plans to continuously improve efficiency. Use defect and deviation tracking as well as checksheets and process instructions to drive inspection data collection for SPC requirements.
Quality Management in the Plex Manufacturing Cloud enterprise resource planning system enables you to meet compliance requirements with the ability to trace production from start to finish.
Tool Management
Track your tools and features with comprehensive management with Plex ERP software systems. Establish tooling maintenance plans and track associated labor for that maintenance. Fulfill special requests, use detailed reports, and track processes to make your business run better than ever.
Make effective tools with precision and confidence. Make sure that the tools you manufacture yourself perform as required and last as they should. Begin the process with attribute planning and follow through to use in production, maintenance, and retirement.
Supply Chain Management for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Centralized Purchasing
With Plex Systems, ERP software integration is seamless and allows you to extend your supply chain management and operations with businesses in your enterprise for higher efficiency and greater accuracy. Maintain complete supply chain management for increased efficiency through extended inter-entity purchasing integration, including automatic release creation and end-to-end container traceability.
Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP)
Optimize your master production schedule (MPS) across a network of warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers for improved supply chain management.
Master Scheduling
Make informed decisions about your supply chains: what to produce, how much to produce, when to produce, and set realistic expectations.
Purchasing
Automate your supplier interactions and purchasing functions with full traceability and visibility within the supply chain. Track your purchasing from start to finish. Automate complex purchasing processes and decisions for streamlined supply chain management.
Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)
Translate your business strategy into operational directives for an improved supply chain, desired customer service levels, estimated market potential, and forecast future demand.
Supplier Portal Module
Bring your suppliers closer to your business for higher visibility and more effective supply chain management. Make your supply chain more responsive with instant bi-directional communication and proactive visibility through the Plex Supplier Portal.
Customer Relationship Management for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Centralized Sales Module
Make it easy for your customers to work with your enterprise for centralized, streamlined, and efficient sales order management execution and escalations handling.
Customer Order Management Module
Manage all of your comprehensive customer master data in one central location. Take control of your customer master data and maintain detailed information about their financial ratings, contacts, communication logs, part or item numbers, and more. Enter, track, and fulfill spot buys or blanket customer orders and releases using standard or custom pricing.
Customer Portal Module
Let customers communicate directly with your business from one centralized platform, securely and proactively. Open a new channel of collaboration for proactive bi-directional communication through the Plex Manufacturing Cloud Customer Portal.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Module
Manage your EDI trading partners, mailboxes, and documents for an instant and flexible exchange of transactions. Electronically connect your customers’ business with your own using native integrated EDI in the Plex Manufacturing Cloud ERP software solution.
Plex Systems EDI interprets and imports customers’ EDI releases to your customer order system and then automatically sends Advanced Shipping Notices (ASNs) and/or invoices when the product is shipped.
Quoting and Estimating Module
Automate your pricing and quotations, and be more responsive. Build detailed cost estimates and keep track of important quote information to keep a close tap on the profitability of your sales decisions.
Release Accounting Module
Track and manage your customer order and release information with ease. Track, manage, and store customer orders and corresponding release information, including accumulated shipment quantities, for repetitive release-driven trading partner relationships.
Sales Management Module
Drive towards higher sales and revenue with easier access to information and higher visibility. Manage and retain all of your sales-related data, including opportunities, quotes, customer orders, and more, in one centralized location.
Manage flexible commission payment structure and commission-owed records that are generated automatically by customer shipments and other defined activities. Manage relationships by keeping a close eye on customer satisfaction, sales forecasts, and competitive intelligence data.
Service and Warranty Module
Have all of your field and warranty details up-to-date all the time with Plex ERP software. Track warranty claims and field service calls, including spare parts consumption.
Vendor Managed Inventory Module
Exceed your customer expectations with automatic replenishment of vendor-managed inventory and timely invoicing. Meet and exceed your customers’ vendor-managed inventory (VMI) expectations with automatic replenishment, invoicing, and smart inventory retirement algorithms.
Additional Capabilities for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Advanced Analytics
- Plex Systems Analytic Platform - Rely on a performance-tuned cloud data warehouse to fuel your critical manufacturing reporting and analytics. Arm your manufacturing users with reporting and analysis, trending, exploration, and discovery with the power of an enterprise-grade data warehouse that maximizes performance empowers business users, and unlocks the power of data.
- IntelliPlex Reporting & Analytics - Track your success with standard and customized business reporting with IntelliPlex. Measure and track your company’s performance against critical metrics and objectives. Write custom structured query language (SQL) queries to retrieve the Plex Manufacturing Cloud data from near-real-time report servers. Add custom reports or access hundreds of existing reports from a centralized menu categorized by business function.
- IntelliPlex Analytic Applications - Get quick and easy role-based access to KPIs you need to make smarter business decisions. No matter which team or department you manage, take advantage of the growing family of IntelliPlex Analytic Applications to know the output of the team and to recognize the team’s performance trends and patterns.
Human Capital
- Employee Management Modules - Effectively manage your company’s greatest asset: your employees. Get the most out of the people who power your company by better managing employee information in a comprehensive human resources management system.
- Create and maintain department and employee lists, positions, and job descriptions with Plex ERP software. Track training with an integrated skill matrix. Use the in/out board and visual employee list to connect people and know who’s where and who’s who.
- Human Resources Module — Better manage your employees with advanced human resources management features and deep functionality. Take advantage of time and attendance labor tracking using traditional time clocks, badges, or biometric devices to automatically generate data files for payroll.
- Track and manage employee disciplinary actions, expenses and reimbursements, time off, and health and safety incidents to ensure your business remains compliant with regulatory requirements. Collect employee suggestions and manage performance review schedules to prepare your business for growth.
- Time and Attendance Integration Modules - Track work hours and attendance with time clocks, badge scanners, or biometric devices connected to the Plex Systems ERP software.
- Keep track of employee attendance and work hours using electronic or biometric time clocks that are in sync with the Plex Manufacturing Cloud. Your time recording data that is reflected in your costing and payroll information is always accurate and up-to-date.
Industrial IoT
Understand what is really happening on your production floor with Plex ERP software:
- See What is Happening — Visualize work cells, including the underlying assets that keep things moving — and understand how to improve operational efficiency and respond to potential issues before they happen.
- Know What Happened — Real-time monitoring with historical trendlines enables you to learn, diagnose, and improve uptime and performance — and if a quality issue comes back for review, you’ll have a single source of truth to help track down the root cause.
- Predict What Will Happen - Identify trends that could disrupt operations or quality performance with accurate, real-time graphs of virtually any performance characteristic for actionable insights about asset performance.
Services & Support for Plex Manufacturing Cloud
Customer Care with Plex Systems
Plex Systems ERP software offers a choice in how you engage with Customer Care — from the included Silver Care program to our higher touch Gold and Platinum programs that offer a more personalized and intimate support experience. Choose the one that’s right for your specific needs.
Silver Care is included with every Plex Systems module for coverage during critical hours of operation.
- High-touch support program with two authorized support contacts
- Real manufacturing professionals on the Customer Care team that speak the language of manufacturing
- 24⁄7 system monitoring
- 24⁄7 online case access
- Support lines open 24⁄5 for coverage during normal business hours
Gold Care is a higher-touch offering with a quicker response time, uninterrupted support hours, and monthly mentoring sessions for enrolled enterprises.
- Premium level of care designed for mid-to-large-sized manufacturers
- Quicker response time, more authorized contacts, and 24⁄7 coverage
- Live phone case submission
- Four authorized support contacts
- Monthly mentoring sessions
- Quarterly support review
Platinum Care is our highest touch program offering greater intimacy with your Plex Systems deployment.
- Designed for mid-to-large-sized customers with the most demanding business needs
- All the Gold Care service plus a dedicated support manager
- Annual business review
- Available via phone, our online incident management system, or scheduled on-site visits.
Educational Services
Plex Systems Education Services offers a wide range of training opportunities to fit your business needs and employee preferences. From traditional live classroom training and on-site sessions to interactive virtual classes and short video lessons, we offer education opportunities to get you productive with Plex with minimal disruption to your business.
Whether thru immersive, in-person boot camps or virtual training on specific topics, Plex Education Services provides you with the knowledge and information needed to rapidly generate real business value and results from the Plex Manufacturing Cloud.
Expert Implementation
The Plex Professional organization is laser-focused on improving your manufacturing organization. Our service teams have completed more than 1,000 successful Plex Manufacturing Cloud ERP deployments and know how to get Plex up and running as quickly as possible for your business.
From day one, Professional Services will help you plan and manage your Plex Manufacturing Cloud deployment and will continue to provide needed service throughout the life of your relationship with Plex.
Optimization Services
Plex Professional Services is dedicated to your success in the Plex Manufacturing Cloud. Because our subscription business model demands that we continue to deliver value year after year we strive to make your specific deployment as valuable to your business as possible via personal customization.
An industry-leading 95% subscription renewal rate tells us that the Plex Manufacturing Cloud delivers real benefits for our manufacturing customers. We help our customers continually improve and extend the return they get from their Plex investment with Optimization Services, system usage assessments, and recommendations for improving your benefits.
Technical Service
Dedicated resources for your custom reporting, label, and data manipulation needs.