What Master Data Must Deliver—And Where ERP Systems Hit a Wall
Manufacturing companies in the 21st century face one overarching challenge: delivering high-quality products quickly, with minimal inventory and short lead times. Yet many companies find themselves caught in a seeming contradiction—excess inventory on the one hand, shortages and long delivery times on the other.
Why is that? The reason is surprisingly simple, but still widely overlooked: MRP calculations in ERP systems consistently produce inaccurate results. There are three main reasons for this:
- Production resources are calculated with infinite capacity.
- Production start times are calculated based on predefined fixed lead times.
- ERP systems lack a master data structure capable of accurately mapping product characteristics and real-world production processes.
This article focuses on the third issue: the quality of master data.
MRP calculations can only be as accurate as the schedule they’re based on—and producing that schedule requires master data of the highest precision. For Production scheduling to deliver dependable results, the actual production environment must be 100% mapped in the software. That includes product characteristics, production processes, main and sub resources, dispatching rules, and constraints on the process level as well as on the scheduling level. Take the following 20 parameters, for instance. These are basic process specifications and can typically be recorded in most ERP systems:
Main and sub resources • Individual cycle time per resource • Individual setup time per resource • Teardown time per resource • Resource priority • Logic for automatic selection of the main resource • Production time • Setup time • Sub-resources • Alternative sub-resources • Scrap quantity and yield per resource • Production lot size • Maximum number of merged lots • Condition for lot splitting • Lot size period • Minimum and maximum time constraints between processes • Conditions between processes (e.g. overlap conditions)
In practice, many workflows consist of parallel, converging, and branching process chains—across the entire value-added and supply chain. Mapping these structures accurately in an ERP system is virtually impossible. In Europe and North America, 99% of manufacturers still use Excel alongside their ERP system. It’s little wonder, then, that synchronizing processes and implementing lean production remains an elusive goal in day-to-day operations.
Asprova APS offers a wide range of standard parameters that enable precise Mapping of even the most complex production realities—without programming. That’s one of the reasons why Asprova has become the first choice for manufacturers around the world.
Many managers know their master data quality is lacking. Some have seemingly given up on the issue—and understandably so, as solving it sustainably is often seen as a daunting and labor-intensive task. But those who stay focused on achieving a high level of process synchronization will be the ones to succeed in the long run. Implementing Asprova APS shows what’s possible: with a focused and committed team, it’s entirely possible to generate high-quality master data in just two to three months—a key requirement for realistic scheduling results.
The road to reliable data and accurate scheduling is demanding—but it’s worth it.
Are you ready to take that step with us?
Posted by
Keiji Fujii
