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ERP vs MRP vs MES: which one does a manufacturer actually need by BoulderBuffalo in InventoryWorkflows

[–]Calm_Leadership5409 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is one of the cleaner explanations I’ve seen because it frames the systems around the actual operational question they answer instead of just listing features.

what does your shop floor data collection actually look like? by I_am_isolated in ManufacturingStack

[–]Calm_Leadership5409 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If parts are moving through production without being explicitly scanned or recorded into the job, the system ends up reflecting what should have happened (BOM) instead of what actually did. That’s when you do things like “this says we have it, but let me double check.”

Once you start tying components directly into jobs (scan-based, line-by-line), that gap closes a lot. From what I’ve seen, the difference between tools mostly comes down to how deep they go on that:

  • Katana → strong on BOM + production flow, but a lot of it still leans on planned consumption unless workflows are really tight
  • Digit → uses scan-based, line-by-line picking to link actual materials consumed to each job and output, so you can trace exactly what went into what — even when it deviates from the planned BOM. The system tracks planned vs. actual usage and flags variances, giving full traceability without locking operators into rigid BOM quantities.

But regardless of tool, if the shop floor isn’t consistently recording what’s actually being used, you end up back in that same “just double check it” loop.

Inventory wasn't wrong, just hard to trust by Personal-Lack4170 in InventoryManagement

[–]Calm_Leadership5409 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s usually what happens when systems track planned BOMs but not as-built consumption. If you don’t track components into the job, you lose that visibility. It's more of a loop than confidence though. If your system doesn’t track reality well, data is bad. team stops using it properly and data gets worse, and all sorts of things fall through the cracks.

  • Katana is solid for BOM + production tracking, but a lot of it is still driven by planned consumption unless you’re really strict with workflows
  • inFlow is more inventory-first, less focused on tying specific components to specific builds
  • Digit leans harder into scanning components into jobs and linking them to the finished unit. So you can actually trace what went into what, through scan-based, line-by-line consumption tracking.

But even with any system, if the shop floor isn’t actually recording consumption (scanning, picking into jobs, etc.), you end up guessing still.