Similar to ERP, Material Requirements Planning or MRP is one of the most important aspects of manufacturing. It is a way for manufacturers to connect their inventory forecasting with their accounting department. It is required to streamline the process of manufacturing right from raw materials to the finished products. For efficient streamlining, an MRP software has multiple features. They are:

• Production control
• Inventory control
• Cost reporting
• Scheduling
• Bills of material
• Capacity planning
• Estimation
• Warehouse management
• Accounts payable
• Change control
• Sales analysis
• Purchase ledger

However, there are certain features of a manufacturer software that are more in demand than others.

• Demand prediction
  Forecasting demand for outgoing inventory is an essential factor of increasing profits of a manufacturing business. Manufacturing too less will cause a production backlog, whereas overdoing it will lead to an excess of finished products occupying too much of inventory space. This is why demand prediction is one of the most in-demand features of an MRP software. With this, a manufacturing company can easily predict with accuracy how many orders are required to be managed. Most manufacturer’s software has demand forecasting capability with the following features: historical data gathering, generating forecasts based on the data, and authorization of the forecast.
• Production planning
  An MRP software automates and creates finite schedules for the completion of manufacturing jobs. After determining the required inventory, the software will plan production by determining lead ties, production times, and the overall project time. It takes into account the purchase and procurement of materials and supplies required for the manufacturing process. High volume companies usually benefit from this feature since there is less variance in their overall demand for finished goods. A routine schedule enables complete utilization of the production line, ensuring maximum output. Most MRP software allowS manufacturers to fine tune their production schedule using the production planning feature to get the best out of their manufacturing process.
• Purchase scheduling
  One of the core features of a manufacturer’s software is purchase scheduling or purchase planning. This feature is required to determine the timely purchase of raw materials for the manufacturing process in order to meet the demand. This feature assists the purchasing department in understanding what is required for orders placed and for demands that have been forecasted by the system. Also, it helps determine the exact list of materials and its quantities required to finish a manufacturing job. Moreover, since production planning may change from time to time based on demand forecasts, purchase planning becomes a critical feature while looking for an MRP software.

Manufacturer software include the most essential tools and resources used for business planning in production, operations, and inventory management. An MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) software takes care of a project from the initial planning and production phase to the final sales and inventory tally. Small businesses can benefit from these software as they eliminate the need for additional manpower to track the processes and offer automation.

Here are the popular choices for manufacturer software trending in the market today.

MRPeasy
MRPeasy is an affordable option for small business owners. The self-sufficient tool offers excellent management of production, purchasing, finance, stock, customer, and team resources to seamlessly keep track of everything from one place. The key features include production planning and accurate reporting of utilization, real-time inventory analysis, and excellent customer relationship management to improve sales. Their starter bundle with support for ticket system is priced at a measly $49/user/month for the first 10 users. It’s a truly affordable cloud-based MRP software that gives your business a competitive edge.

Katana
Katana definitely goes beyond your average business resource planning. This manufacturer software features an easy-to-use drag and drop interface for production planning with real-time inventory tracking, optimization, and control. You also get dedicated dashboard tools for sales order management, right from tracking the availability of the products to coordinating sales from across different platforms. Dedicated floor-level production employee and production line task lists also keep track of all the current work orders. Additionally, you get finance tools for purchasing and making accurate pricing decisions. Katana can also seamlessly integrate with popular eCommerce and online accounting platforms, including Shopify, QuickBooks, Xero, and WooCommerce. You get a free 14-day trial to test all features and pay only $99/month afterward, with add-ons for essential tools sold separately.

IQMS
Enjoy the best of both worlds with MRP and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) functions embedded in a single software providing all-round solutions at an affordable price. This software can cater to small businesses, medium enterprises, and large-scale organizations alike. IQMS features an array of resources for material requirements planning, labor capacity planning, auxiliary equipment planning, work center capacity planning, and rough cut capacity planning, all of which are essential units of a manufacturing facility. You can get a direct quote from the vendor based on the business size and requirements.

If you own a manufacturing business, you might already be familiar with the many advantages manufacturer software offer, such as Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP). Typically, businesses consider using MRP software when they’re tired of dealing with spreadsheets. Knowing which MRP software to buy can be a challenge, but you’ve come to the right place. These tips can help select the best software for your organization.

Pick a cloud-based software

An MRP software is a powerful tool that can be useful for everyone working inside the manufacturing unit. To choose the right software, the first thing you need to make sure is that it is accessible to all your employees, whether they’re inside or outside the unit. A cloud-based MRP software can be used from anywhere in the world using a smartphone or a laptop. This can also help you save money as you won’t need to hire an IT specialist to upgrade the software and provide inhouse support.

Make inventory control your priority

The ideal MRP software should have the capability of managing and controlling your inventory. It must give you real-time inventory control so that you can make purchasing decisions at the right time. This way, you won’t run out of stock and save money on unnecessary expenditures on goods that are already in excess. So, you must select a software that makes real-time inventory adjustments, tracks multiple locations of any part, alerts about the inventory with low stock, and controls label printing easily and effectively.

Production planning capabilities matter

When accepting an order from a client, it is important to make sure that you have the resources available to complete the order on time. This means you need to find an MRP software that can schedule operations across the manufacturing unit without common workplace issues like double bookings. The software must automatically notify about the availability of material to employees in the purchasing department. Also, it should provide clear instructions to employees regarding the priority of the orders to be completed.

Accurate costing is necessary

The cost of the raw materials is not always consistent, which can make keeping track of the costs using spreadsheets almost impossible. Since we all know that money matters a lot in any business, you must specifically look for software that can get accurate costing whenever you need it. This will also help you to make the right pricing decisions based on real product margins.

Whether it’s for homework, paperwork, or just plain holiday fun, home printers can come in handy, especially, when you have no time to run to a printing center. To make the most out of this purchase, you must choose a printer that meets your needs, preferences, as well as the budget. Caught in a dilemma? Totally understandable! There are so many manufacturers selling amazing printer models at affordable prices. But there’s no reason to fret anymore. To get you out of this pickle, we have listed the best home printers of 2018 below!

Epson EcoTank ET-4550 EcoTank– For the cartridge conscious
Don’t we all despise spending money on replacing cartridges! If you too are concerned about the restocking expenditure, then Epson EcoTank ET-4550 is printer you should check out. This all-in-one model comes with two years of ink. In a nutshell, you will have enough cartridge to print over 10,000 pages with black and color ink. Epson EcoTank ET-4550 will be ideal if you frequently need a printer for work or your kid’s school projects. Currently, this model is priced at approximately $300.

Canon PIXMA TS9150 – For printing perfection
This all-in-one printer might not be a treat to look at, however, it certainly delivers what it claims. Canon’s flagship printer PIXMA TS9150 is one of the best picks if you don’t wish to compromise on the print quality. This wireless model is comparatively expensive than its counterparts, although its stunning printing abilities make up for it. At the moment, Canon PIXMA TS9150 is sold for around $340.

HP Deskjet 2130 – For occasional use
Spending money on a printer you will hardly use is a complete waste of money. However, a good printer can come to your rescue during emergencies! In this case, HP Deskjet 2130 is the one. A budget buy, this all-in-one printer does the job if you occasionally need to get prints, photocopies, or scan documents. A cheap but functional HP Deskjet 2130 is priced at about $100.

Before buying a home printer, ensure to scrutinize factors like the type, i.e., single or all-in-one (copy, fax, scan, and print); the size of the printer; the wireless connectivity (Bluetooth or WiFi); output quality; and speed. Likewise, make sure that the printer you purchase has a decent warranty program.

Opening an email account has become so easy that anyone can do it. Signing up with the Internet service provider, register with google and tadaa!! your email id is ready. One can also easily buy a web hosting account but things which are offered free won’t necessarily deliver at the level one expects it to. Email hosting plans are the ones which offer more efficient and reliable service. Although the offering might depend upon the provider but larger attachments which can go up to 50 Mb, larger inbox space and online storage space are some of the common offerings. Some of the best web hosting email service providers and the best small business email solutions are as follows:

1. Rackspace Email: Rackspace caters to the need of the customers and customizes the service required. They have well specified plans to avoid ambiguity. Their technical support is known for its quality. The Texas-based service provider has abundant hosted business-oriented products be it for a small business or a well-established one. The basics plans provide around 25Gb mailbox storage which has spam and virus filters. The mailbox is priced at $2 every month for a single account. The premium service costs around $7.99 a month
2. Fasthosts: Fasthosts is a great value-for-money product and it is probably the best email hosting service provider for small business. Fasthosts provides a tiny inbox storage(100Mb) with attachment sizes restricted to 10Mb. Fasthosts charges $2.80 a month for the service they provide. It’s best as a basic exchange account.
3. Microsoft Office 365 Business Essential: Microsoft isn’t just a suite of productive apps but also a superb email package with prices others charge only for the email service making it just the right one for small business. It supports 150Mb attachment and a 50Gb inbox space and an extra 1Tb online space through One Drive. The exchange accounts are offered at $4.25 a month annually and the full pack is offered at $5.30 a month annually.
4. Zoho: Also known as Zoho Workplace, it is an email hosting service provider. There are free plans that give 25 mailboxes with 5Gb per user. The plan has an attachment limit of 20Mb. The standard plan gets POP and IMAP support with an attachment support of 30Mb and an inbox space of 30Gb. Productive tools are also bundled with the plan for free and it costs only $1.45 a month annually. Their premium plan is 1Tb storage with 40Mb attachment support and costs $5.70 a month annually.

Email marketing has become a huge priority these days for businesses of any size. This is primarily because any form of a marketing campaign is significant, and it is only creativity that can bring about its success. Choosing the best email marketing service is complex, as it should not only be a cost-effective marketing tool, but it should also be simple to manage and enable users to connect with the customers directly. The most comfortable factor is that most email marketing services have free trials, so based on the performances, one can decide which service partner serves their small business the best. Here are some of the finest email marketing providers for small businesses.

• OptinMonster easily fetches email subscribers, and the email delivery connects to the email marketing service provider. If the user/service owner composes carefully, then they end up paying a lot of money for further features and it’s terrible. A relevant email marketing service enables users to create highly engaging emails, that allows to control the contracts, groups segment and track the overall email campaign performance. More importantly, the email should not get delivered to the spam folder.
• Constant Contact comes with 60 days free trial and it is one of the fastest growing email marketing services. Post-trial, it costs $20 every month. It gives a beginner friendly service, can easily manage email lists, templates, contact and more. Each account enables easy access to track and report, inbuilt social media sharing options, image library and 1 GB storage to save files. Its customer support is highly appreciated, as is the live chat, community support, email and lot of library resources. They also have online training support, live seminars etc. Small business owners can quickly learn email marketing just like a pro.
• Drip is an influencing email marketing service for eCommerce, markets and bloggers. They have huge different smart tools to run email-marketing campaigns and it is their automation marketing tool, list groups, smarter email segments and loads of other unique features that sets Drip apart from its competitors. They do have integration add-ons compactable for website developers. The price tag starts from $41 per month post-free trial account.
• AWeber is a famous email marketing service provider in the US. They have numerous tools for small to medium-sized businesses to manage email marketing. AWeber connects seamlessly to almost all social platforms. The user gets access to email templates, auto responders, list management and email tracking with detailed insights. AWeber’s have a 30-day free trial, post trial its $19 per month.

Newegg is famous for selling computer hardware, home and garden products, sporting goods, office supplies, electronics, and even health and beauty products. Newegg offers many coupons for promoting their sales throughout the year. One can expect a minimum of fifty to a hundred different coupons a month for their line of products. They offer coupons that offer great deals such as discounts and also offer ones that are specifically for individual products.

Prior to redeeming a coupon from Newegg, a user must subscribe to Newegg. The benefit of subscribing is that new coupons are released to them first. The user has to signup first and only then will they be able to use the user-specific coupon code to avail a discount on the product they desire. The general coupons are released one to four times every month and the frequency remains consistent during the second half of the year, mostly in November and December when the festival period begins.

Coupons offering 5% off with no requirements are the rarest of all. Others popular coupons include those that offer around $20 off on a purchase of $100. Using a certain checkout like PayPal or Visa while shopping on Newegg can also hand in a discount of 10%. It is observed that a majority of the coupons are for computer hardware with storage units getting the most discounts. The coupon codes are usually product-specific so users who are a little more open to different brands of the same product type can find the codes more profitable. There are many coupon codes for networking products and computer peripherals. There are coupon codes for even upgrade components like graphics cards and a motherboard. Newegg offers plenty of coupons for someone who is interested in buying laptops, tablets, and even software.

Besides subscribing with Newegg for gaining coupons, one can even follow their sale events which last sometimes for even a week. Newegg also has flash deals that offer plenty of discounts on certain products. Mobile users can redeem coupons for using the Newegg app as well. Customers can also opt for the Newegg Premier membership which starts at around $19.99 for three months which provide users with free shipping, free returns, and some exclusive members-only discount coupon codes. The Newegg coupons page has all the existing coupons which can be redeemed for discounts.