2020 was a year of change, especially for manufacturing. Shutdowns and supply chain worries were a big part of the year, and shop owners were looking for ways to be more efficient. This past year, Shoptech’s top ten most popular blog posts were about improving shops and learning new things.
10. 3 Tips for Scheduling Job Shops Efficiently
Scheduling can be one of the biggest headaches for a job shop. This article dives into three different areas that shop owners can focus on to make jobs flow through their shop smoothly and quickly.
9. 6 Big Reasons Why Software for Small Job Shops Makes Sense
This article tackles some of the myths about why small shops don’t need ERP software and digs into how ERP software can help shops of all sizes. Big and small shops have different problems, but both need to get their jobs out on time.
8. E2 SHOP Apps Take Your Shop to the Next Level
Sharing computers at work can be difficult, and this year we’ve all been more aware of how that can spread germs around the shop. However, if your ERP software has mobile apps, employees can access everything they need, right from their phone. Skip the walks across the shop to input data, and instead, keep your ERP software in your pocket.
7. 5 Mistakes Your Machine Shop Makes Every Day
No one wants to make mistakes, especially when it’s with something as important as your machine shop. This article looks at some of the most common mistakes machine shop owners make and how to solve them. Make sure your shop isn’t making any of them.
6. Machine Shop Software Enables Employees to Track Production
Tracking production through software instead of physically looking for jobs on the floor is much easier and faster. This article talks about how ERP software for machine shops can help track jobs, and some of the benefits shops can see once their job tracking is clear and accurate.
5. Why You Need Job Shop Scheduling Software for Your Shop
This article explores the scheduling aspect of ERP software and how it can help your job shop. Having an effective and flexible scheduling system that everyone in your shop can see is great for getting jobs out on time, especially when you have to make quick schedule changes.
4. Why Corporate Social Responsibility is Important to Your Shop
Corporate social responsibility came into the limelight this year, but that’s not something the manufacturing community often discusses. This article looks at what corporate social responsibility is and how manufacturers can build up to it while still taking care of the shop.
3. Job Shop Marketing in 5 Easy Steps
Many job shops don’t have a marketing department. Marketing efforts often fall on the shop owner, who has plenty of other things to do. This article has five easy steps to help job shops improve their marketing. Several of them are actions you can take a little bit at a time, making it easier to fit in with other responsibilities.
2. E2 and QuickBooks: A Match Made in Manufacturing Heaven
QuickBooks can be great for accounting but not so great for running the other parts of a shop. This article looks at how E2 and QuickBooks used together can make a shop even better.
1. The Difference Between an MRP System and an ERP System
There are many acronyms in the manufacturing software world. MRP and ERP are similar types of software, which can be confusing. MRP has even stood for two different phrases, which makes it more complicated. This article goes into a little history and looks at the differences and similarities between ERP and MRP systems.
A lot changed in 2020, but manufacturers still wanted to know how to make their shops more efficient and do the best work their shops could do. If you haven’t read some of these articles, check them out. If you’ve read them before, revisit a few and brush up on the information in them. Whatever year it is, it’s always good to learn something new.
