What Are Work Orders and Why Are They an Integral Part of ERP Software?
Manufacturing work orders are one of the core operational components of ERP software, providing the structure and control required to manage production operations efficiently.
Work orders help manufacturers coordinate production scheduling, material allocations, routing execution, labor tracking, and manufacturing visibility throughout the production process.
Without properly integrated work order management, manufacturers often struggle with disconnected production processes, poor scheduling visibility, inventory issues, and inconsistent shop floor execution.
Manufacturing work orders connect scheduling, inventory, labor, routing, and production operations within ERP software.
Work orders serve as the operational foundation of manufacturing ERP systems, controlling how products are scheduled, built, tracked, and delivered.
Production Control
Manage manufacturing operations, routing execution, work center activity, and production scheduling.
Material Visibility
Control material allocations, inventory consumption, shortages, and production readiness.
What Is a Manufacturing Work Order?
A manufacturing work order is a controlled production document that defines how a product will be manufactured.
Work orders typically contain:
- Part numbers and revisions
- Bill of materials (BOM)
- Manufacturing routing steps
- Production quantities
- Work center instructions
- Required labor activity
- Scheduling requirements
- Quality and inspection requirements
They provide manufacturers with operational control and production traceability throughout the manufacturing process.
Purpose of Work Orders in ERP Software
ERP systems use work orders to coordinate and control manufacturing execution.
Work orders help manufacturers:
- Schedule production activity
- Allocate required materials
- Track labor and machine activity
- Monitor routing progress
- Manage manufacturing costs
- Track production status in real time
Integrated work order management improves operational visibility while helping reduce production delays and scheduling conflicts.
Production Scheduling Integration
Work orders are closely tied to manufacturing production scheduling.
ERP systems use work orders to:
- Schedule jobs by work center
- Prioritize manufacturing operations
- Manage production capacity
- Track job due dates
- Monitor production bottlenecks
Scheduling visibility helps manufacturers improve throughput and reduce missed delivery commitments.
Material Allocations and Inventory Control
Work orders drive material demand and inventory usage throughout manufacturing.
ERP systems commonly use work orders to:
- Allocate raw materials
- Reserve inventory for production
- Track material shortages
- Issue material to jobs
- Monitor inventory consumption
Integrated material visibility helps reduce shortages and improves production readiness.
Labor Tracking and Shop Floor Visibility
Manufacturing work orders help track labor activity across production operations.
Manufacturers commonly monitor:
- Employee labor hours
- Setup and run times
- Indirect labor activity
- Production efficiency
- Work order labor costs
Labor visibility improves accountability, operational reporting, and manufacturing cost control.
Routing Visibility and Manufacturing Control
Routing visibility allows manufacturers to track each production step required to complete a work order.
ERP work order routing commonly includes:
- Operation sequences
- Work center assignments
- Production instructions
- Outside processing operations
- Inspection checkpoints
- Production status updates
Routing visibility helps ensure manufacturing processes are completed consistently and in the correct sequence.
Why Many ERP Systems Fall Short
Some ERP systems focus heavily on accounting functionality while offering limited manufacturing execution visibility.
Manufacturers often encounter:
- Disconnected production scheduling
- Limited routing visibility
- Weak labor tracking capabilities
- Poor material allocation controls
- Limited shop floor integration
This frequently forces manufacturers to rely on spreadsheets or disconnected production systems outside the ERP platform.
Integrated Manufacturing Work Orders with SimpleManufacturing™
SimpleManufacturing™ integrates manufacturing work orders directly with:
- Production Scheduling
- Inventory Control
- MRP
- Labor Tracking
- Shop Floor Control
- Manufacturing Routing
- Quality Management
- Traceability
Integrated work order management improves manufacturing visibility, operational control, scheduling coordination, and production execution.
Manufacturing Work Order Software for ERP Systems
SimpleManufacturing™ provides integrated manufacturing work order software designed specifically for manufacturers requiring:
- Production scheduling visibility
- Material allocation control
- Labor tracking
- Routing management
- Work center visibility
- Shop floor reporting
- Manufacturing traceability
- Integrated ERP production control
Manufacturers using integrated ERP work order systems are often better positioned to improve production control, reduce delays, strengthen operational visibility, and improve manufacturing efficiency.
Request a Manufacturing ERP Demo