Case Study: Texas Manufacturer Starts Out Right with MRPeasy

Manufacturing micro homes can cause big headaches if you don’t have the right software. Texas-based innovative startup Kasita understood that from the beginning. They hired business consultant David Altemir to help them find the best solution for building these 374-square-foot portable dwellings.

Like Goldilocks trying out bowls of porridge, some tools were too much and others not enough. Then they found MRPeasy. And it was just right.

Challenge

Like many small businesses, Kasita started out with QuickBooks. At first, they wanted an ERP system. After hiring David to help them with the implementation process, they looked at some larger, cloud-based systems. However, most of these systems were too complex for their needs.

Instead, they decided to go for a smaller package and then look for a QuickBooks-based MRP solution.

Solution

MRPeasy turned out to be precisely what they were looking for. “It’s laid out and organized and simple and straightforward enough that it was a good first system for them,” David said in a recent interview. “It does a lot.”

David was impressed with what he saw throughout the testing and implementation process, but above all, ease of use made it stand out when compared to other options. “The user interface is excellent, I think. It really is at the right level of complexity for Kasita,” said David.

While there was a learning curve involved, the team appreciated the clarity of the process. “All the screens are very straightforward,” David noted.

He went on to provide an example: “The single object in the purchasing section of MRPeasy is the PO, and that’s it. All of the receiving and purchasing functions are built into that one screen. Other systems will have 20 windows having to do with purchasing and receiving and inventory. Here, it’s just two or three main pages. You can learn two or three screens, you basically have material management under your belt. The same thing on the manufacturing side.”

The smart choice

With David’s help, Kasita made the smart choice from the beginning by finding the right MRP solution to help them simplify the manufacturing process for their micro homes.

Unfortunately, other small manufacturing companies don’t always make the same choice. Most small manufacturers choose to manage their shop floor and inventory with Excel. In 2013, Software Advice surveyed about 2,000 manufacturers both large and small and found that nearly 60 percent use manual methods such as Excel or pen and paper to carry out some of their operations. Four years later, Software Connect surveyed about 200 small to midsize manufacturers and found that only 44 percent were currently using MRP software.

Based on Kasita’s experience with MRPeasy, David noted that moving away from manual methods could be a great improvement for these companies. “This is going to be a significant step-up, and they’ll probably find it immensely helpful,” said David.

The Bottom Line

• Easy to Use – Even team members without manufacturing experience can learn to use MRPeasy.
• Straightforward – A streamlined design means important functions can be accomplished in two screens rather than 20.
• “Right Level of Complexity” – MRPeasy won’t bog down small companies with features that they don’t need or want.