The recently published "ERP Plus in Process Industries: Pushing Beyond Traditional Boundaries" benchmark report found that many best-in-class manufacturers require special features in an ERPís complementary applications to extend core ERP functionality.

The study also found that:
• Best-in-class manufacturers are 40 per cent more likely to have implemented forward and backward traceability functionality available in their ERP solution.
• Best-in-class manufacturers are more likely to achieve 100 per cent compliance with regulatory requirements through automated queries and reporting.
• Best-in-class manufacturers produce 400 percent more improvement in order cycle times than laggards through ERP implementation.

"ERP provides the necessary infrastructure, along with the transactional detail and system of record, which any manufacturer needs to run its business. However, process manufacturers face some unique challenges and as a result require specialized features and functions," says Cindy Jutras, vice president & group director, Aberdeen. "Top performers universally reject ERP solutions that do not provide full traceability, recipe formulation, actual costing, and Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS), but are willing to forego other features such as RFID functionality, and may look to point solutions for promotion management, compliance management or supplier collaboration, and other extensions."