Your Discrete Manufacturing Solutions Buyer’s Guide
Upgrading Your Operations for the AI Era
About This Guide
The world of discrete manufacturing is evolving faster than ever. Shifting consumer trends, changing material preferences and emerging sub-verticals are reshaping expectations for what and how manufacturers deliver. Now, with the rise of Industry 5.0, we’re entering a new era—one that blends digitalization with human-centric innovation.
At the heart of Industry 5.0 is artificial intelligence (AI)—not just as a tool for automation, but as a catalyst for smarter, more responsive production. It’s about connecting people, machines and data in ways that unlock new possibilities. This development creates a new standard for discrete manufacturing technology: Today’s businesses need a connected software ecosystem powered by AI.
Enter Aptean AppCentral the intelligent ecosystem built specifically for your industry. This new offering brings together the applications you need to run your business so that information flows freely, visibility improves and your teams can spend more time on possibilities than problems. At its core is Aptean Intelligence, our suite of purpose-built AI capabiltities.
Inside this guide, you’ll find practical insights and technology adoption tips tailored to each department of your discrete manufacturing business—from planning and engineering to customer service and logistics. Whether you’re exploring new solutions or just starting to think about digital transformation, this guide will help you identify areas for improvement, the features that matter most and what benefits to expect.
Preparing for Your Solutions Upgrade
For best results, it’s a good idea to ensure your business is ready for digital transformation before beginning the process. Here are the most important preliminary steps:
1. Start by clearly identifying the operational challenges holding your business back, so your new system is tailored to solve the issues that matter most.
2. Take stock of your current technology stack and prioritize cleaning and organizing your data early—smooth transfers save time and reduce errors down the road.
3. Define measurable goals and outline your desired future state to create a benchmark for evaluating progress and long-term ROI.
4. Build a realistic project timeline that not only covers implementation but also leaves space for thorough testing and comprehensive user training.
5. Gain executive sponsorship and communicate the benefits across all departments to secure buy-in and encourage active participation from every stakeholder.
Keep in mind that implementing new discrete manufacturing software isn’t something you want to have to do more than once, so set your organization up for success by taking your time and considering what you’ll need down the road.
Identifying Key Differentiators of Top Solutions
Not sure what makes one discrete manufacturing solution superior to another? Look for these qualities in any software you’re considering:
1. Modern solutions can be deployed from the cloud using the software as a service (SaaS) model enabling faster updates, scalability and lower IT overhead.
2. Built-in AI functionality empowers teams to make smarter, faster decisions by automating routine tasks and uncovering actionable insights.
3. Flexible configuration allows the system to adapt to your business processes and integrate seamlessly with existing technology.
4. An intuitive interface ensures users can quickly navigate the system, promoting adoption and reducing training time.
5. Advanced analytics and reporting give leaders visibility into performance, trends and key metrics to drive informed decisions.
Of course, it’s critical to remember that you’re not just choosing a product when you buy a solution—you’re also choosing a technology partner to work with for the foreseeable future. See our list of best practices in the sidebar “Finding the Ideal Technology Provider” on p. 16.
Documentation
Pain Points
› Excessive manual paperwork slowing operations
› Difficulty maintaining and retrieving accurate documentation
› Compliance risks due to inconsistent or missing records
Solutions
› Electronic capture, management and archiving of documents
› Barcode label generation and assignment
› Centralized library of business processes and product specs
Benefits
› Reduced manual administrative tasks, saving time
› Improved accessibility and organization of documents
› Enhanced compliance and audit readiness
Key Users: Document control specialists, QA/compliance officers, administrative staff
The AppCentral Difference
AppCentral takes document management a step further by unifying everything in a central repository, supplemented with knowledge base articles and an AI assistant built into the platform. Instead of hunting for files or instructions, users can instantly pull up the right information, get guided through workflows and resolve questions on the spot, saving valuable time that can be reallocated to strategic activities.
Planning
Pain Points
› Difficulty forecasting capacity and material needs
› Inefficient scheduling leading to underutilization and bottlenecks
› Inability to adjust plans quickly when changes occur
Solutions
› Material requirements planning (MRP) for accurate forecasts
› Visual scheduling tools to optimize production plans
› Dynamic planning to adjust schedules and priorities
Benefits
› Improved resource utilization and production efficiency
› Reduced downtime and scheduling conflicts
› Faster response to changes, keeping customers happy
Key Users: Production planners, supply chain coordinators, manufacturing supervisors
The AppCentral Difference
Teams gain centralized access to integrated BI tools with AppCentral, giving them a clear view of planning performance and emerging trends. The GenAI Query feature makes it easy to ask questions in plain language, pull up the right data instantly and explore different planning scenarios with guided support. Together, these capabilities enhance decision-making and accelerate the planning process.
Production
Pain Points
› Difficulty managing changes and disruptions on the shop floor
› Limited visibility into labor, materials and production orders
› Schedules not optimized for capacity
Solutions
› Real-time labor and material reporting for visibility
› Drag-and-drop scheduling to reprioritize jobs quickly
› Shop floor manager with notes, drawings and documentation
Benefits
› Greater agility in responding to production changes
› Improved resource utilization and production flow
› Employees empowered by highly visible data, improving decisions
Key Users: Production managers, shop floor supervisors, manufacturing engineers
The AppCentral Difference
With AppCentral, leaders on the shop floor can create Role-Based
AI Workspaces ( that act as command centers, giving them instant access to the tools and metrics they rely on most—including production schedules from your ERP and maintenance schedules from your EAM, which together enable you to time maintenance procedures so that they don’t interfere with manufacturing runs. Meanwhile, built-in business intelligence tracks production trends, throughput and performance gaps, equipping teams with the realtime insights they need to act quickly and make smarter decisions.
Engineering
Pain Points
› Slow and error-prone design management across multiple systems
› Item proliferation due to custom configurations
› Manual updates and rework consuming engineers’ time
Solutions
› Integration with SOLIDWORKS, AutoCAD and other CAD/PDM tools
› Sandbox to test BOM and routing changes
› Product configurator simplifies custom item creation
Benefits
› Shorter engineering cycles with fewer repetitive tasks
› More accurate BOMs and routings through simulation
› Streamlined quote-to-order process with flexibility for unique needs
Key Users: Design engineers, R&D engineers, manufacturing engineers
The AppCentral Difference
With AI-powered Intelligent Workflows AppCentral helps engineering teams move faster and avoid bottlenecks. An engineer’s design update can instantly trigger an automated chain of actions—from notifying the buyer to requesting a revised quote from the supplier—ensuring nothing slips through the cracks and keeping projects on schedule.
Sales and Customer Service
Pain Points
› Inaccuracies in inventory counts leading to stockouts and/or surpluses
› Slow manual tracking of material movement
› Lack of insight into lot and serial data, increasing risk
Solutions
› Real-time inventory reporting via shop floor data collection
› Lot and serial control with bin-level tracking
› Integrated purchasing, requisitions and carrier connections
Benefits
› Improved accuracy of inventory balances and replenishments
› Faster, more reliable material flows across your facility
› Robust item and lot tracking to support quality control
Pain Points
› Manual order entry and quoting slowing response times
› Little detail in customer histories due to siloed data
› Inefficient sales and service process hurting customer satisfaction
Solutions
› Simple management of quotes, shipping and invoices
› Full 360-degree view of customer data with centralized support desk
› Sales and marketing process automations
Benefits
› Faster quoting and order processing for improved responsiveness
› Customer visibility for personalized engagement
› More efficient sales, marketing and service workflows
Key Users: Inventory managers,
warehouse supervisors, purchasing staff
Key
Users:
Sales representatives, customer service teams, marketing managers
The AppCentral Difference
With AppCentral, managing inventory goes beyond basic reports. Built-in BI tools deliver interactive dashboards that give you a complete picture of stock levels and replenishment needs. And with GenAI Query, you can simply ask questions— like why a shipment might be delayed—and instantly surface the insights you need, as opposed to sifting through spreadsheets. By making information more accessible and actionable, AppCentral helps you stay ahead of shortages, keep orders on track and maintain customer satisfaction.
The AppCentral Difference
Aptean CRM is natively integrated with your ERP on AppCentral, helping to deliver AI-powered sales insights and tailored customer engagement workflows that strengthen loyalty and elevate satisfaction. Intelligent AI agents extend automation across sales and marketing, streamlining complex processes and freeing teams to focus on building stronger customer relationships. Plus, integrated EDI functionality allows you to serve larger, more demanding customers that require handling transactions via that method.
Pain Points
› Unclear picture of receivables and payables
› Inaccurate or delayed job cost tracking and forecasting
› Error-prone manual payroll and tax processes
Solutions
› Real-time monitoring of overall cash flow
› Integrated job cost tracking with planned v. actual comparison
› Automated payroll and tax functionalities
Benefits
› Stronger financial control and cash flow management
› More accurate forecasting and cost analysis
› Reduced administrative workload through automation
Key Users: Finance leaders, controllers, accounting managers
Pain Points
› Data scattered across disconnected systems
› Insufficient tracking of profitability drivers and variances
› Static reports that don’t provide insight into root causes
Solutions
› BI integrated with ERP, CRM, EDI and other data
› Margin analyzer to highlights cost drivers and improve profitability
› Customizable dashboards with drill-down tools
Benefits
› Data-driven decisions that propel growth
› Ability to pinpoint performance issues enables faster response
› Interactive reporting tools support a proactive strategy
Key Users: Executive team, business analysts, operations team
The AppCentral Difference
Discrete manufacturers on AppCentral gain access to integrated BI tools that consolidate financial data into clear, actionable dashboards. The GenAI Query feature makes identifying margin drivers and cost variances as easy as having a conversation with an assistant. What’s more, AI agents further streamline operations by automating routine financial processes like reconciliations, reporting and approvals, saving your team’s time.
The AppCentral Difference
AppCentral’s Insights module unifies data across systems and makes it available in real time to authorized users. Embedded BI analyzes vast amounts of information and distills it down to valuable insights. And with GenAI Query, teams can ask natural language questions and instantly surface key insights. AI agents can also be trained to create and distribute reports, ensuring critical information reaches the right stakeholders quickly.
Maintenance
Pain Points
› Equipment breakdowns causing downtime and delays
› Missed routine maintenance processes
› Poor spare parts management disrupts repairs
Solutions
› Insight into asset conditions with real-time monitoring
› Automated scheduling of preventive maintenance
› Integrated MRO inventory to optimize stock levels
Benefits
› Reduced downtime and longer asset life with proactive care
› Improved maintenance efficiency
› Lower repair and inventory costs with better resource control
Key Users: Maintenance managers, equipment technicians, shop floor managers
Pain Points
› Time-consuming manual shipping processes
› Missed deliveries leading to poor customer satisfaction
› Excessive distribution costs eating into profits
Solutions
› Shipping software to automate logistics procedures
› TMS that lets you plan, route and dispatch with ease
› Streamlined freight audit and pay, fully managed by your provider
Benefits
› More efficient shipping for better on-time delivery rate
› Improved customer experiences with a higher level of service
› Reduced transportation costs to boost bottom line
Key Users: Shipping department, logistics leaders, supply chain managers
The AppCentral Difference
Aptean EAM connects seamlessly with your other core systems thanks to AppCentral, unifying maintenance processes and asset data in one place. Technicians gain personalized workspaces with direct access to dashboards, tools and records, helping them complete tasks more efficiently. Plus, natural language queries make it easy to surface upcoming maintenance needs instantly, improving responsiveness and planning.
The AppCentral Difference
By unifying all your supply chain data and automating logistics workflows, AppCentral enables smarter, faster shipping and distribution. The intelligent AI assistant can provide insights and recommendations for carrier selection, route optimization, load consolidation and more. Plus, agents can be trained to manage exceptions and escalate service issues, and the integrated BI lets you monitor KPIs in real time.
Finding the Ideal Technology Provider
You’ll have no shortage of options when it comes to vendors of enterprise technology—even a cursory search will reveal that there are plenty of businesses offering solutions like those discussed in this guide. This is how to separate the cream from the crop:
1. Look for a provider with deep industry expertise so your business can benefit from solutions designed with your specific challenges in mind.
2. Consider the cultural fit and ensure that the vendor’s way of working aligns with your organization’s values and collaboration style.
3. Prioritize commitment to ongoing innovation, as that’s what your business needs to stay ahead as technology and your industry evolve.
4. Evaluate the provider’s reputation and recognition to confirm that there’s a strong track record of delivering measurable results.
5. Choose a vendor with long-term viability and financial stability to ensure support and partnership well into the future.
Above all, remember that you’re not just looking for a salesperson to sell you a one-size-fits-all product off the shelf—you want a partner that understands your vertical, collaborates closely with customers and ranks highly among the competition.
Reaping a Robust Return on Investment (ROI)
Putting a new discrete manufacturing system in place requires significant amounts of time, money and human effort.
To make sure it’s all worth it in the end, follow these steps to maximize your ROI:
1. Prioritize training and adoption to ensure employees feel confident using the system and realize its full potential.
2. Partner closely with your vendor during implementation to align the solution with your business goals from the start.
3. Monitor KPIs regularly to track improvements and confirm that your investment is delivering measurable results.
4. Recognize and celebrate internal champions and power users who drive adoption and encourage others to engage.
5. Keep the system current with the latest patches and features to maximize performance, security and long-term value.
This advice should help you get the most out of your new software. And remember when you’re calculating your return that you need to account for all improvements, whether they contribute to your bottom line directly or indirectly, for an accurate number.
Your Partner in Next-Generation Manufacturing Technology
Choosing the right partner for your digital transformation is just as important as choosing the right solutions. Here’s why Aptean stands out as a provider you can trust.
First, our team brings decades of combined hands-on experience in the discrete manufacturing industry. That expertise means every Aptean solution is backed by realworld knowledge and supported by dedicated professionals who understand your challenges. Recognition as a Major Player in four IDC MarketScape reports further is a testament to our reputation for delivering proven, industryleading technology.
Next, we know you’ve read a lot about AppCentral on the preceding pages, but this is really only the beginning. This exciting new platform is ever-evolving, continuously shaped by customer feedback and enhanced with new features and intelligent agents. From GenAI Query and Role-Based AI Workspaces to Predictive Intelligence and Intelligent Workflows, our offering is designed to drive efficiency, innovation and better outcomes across your operations.
Finally, Aptean isn’t your average software vendor—we’re your single source for business solutions. Alongside our industry-specific ERPs, we offer a suite of complementary apps, including EAM, CRM, EDI, MES, TMS and more. With us, you get a unified, cloud-native technology stack built to work seamlessly together. And our collaborative approach to implementation helps ensure your systems are configured optimally and deliver a full ROI.
We’ll help you find the discrete manufacturing solution that’s right for your business.
Contact us at info@aptean.com or visit https://www.aptean.com/en-US/appcentral/ industry-hubs/discrete-solution
About Aptean
Aptean is one of the world’s leading providers of purpose-built, industry-specific software that helps manufacturers and distributors effectively run and grow their businesses. With both cloud and on-premise deployment options, Aptean’s products, services and unmatched expertise help businesses of all sizes to be Ready for What’s Next, Now®. Aptean is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
To learn more about Aptean and the markets we serve, visit www.aptean.com.