DELMIAworks

Pros

A wide range of modules supporting all of our business functions. Reliable front end (not many crashes at all). Solidly designed back end (tables, queries, indexes).

Cons

The user interface is due for an update (supposed to be here in 2016 but due for public release shortly as I type...glad they are taking their time to test).

Pros

DELMIAworks is a fantastic manufacturing software that provides users with a wide range of options and features. It is extremely user-friendly, with a well-designed interface that is easy to navigate and understand. Additionally, it offers a great level of customization, allowing users to tailor the software to their individual needs.

Cons

Although DELMIAworks is a great software, it isn't without its drawbacks. It can be quite expensive and the customer service can be lacking at times, which can be frustrating.

Pros

I like the flexibility of the tool: basically everything can be developed and customized. The configuration of the tool covers several business needs

Cons

There is no / few standard functionality as a staring point. So a big effort from dev team is needed. Configuration is poorly automated and rely mainly on manual input

Pros

Offering real-time monitoring and detailed visibility into production processes

Cons

In my opinion is high in comparison with another similar software

Pros

I chose IQMS over other ERP Systems because it brought together all the company's functional areas into a single platform (Manufacturing, Finance, Quality). I also liked it was a single company with a single tech support number to deal with.

Cons

The implementation was a big project.... I wish I had been slightly more involved to prevent headaches down the road.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing DELMIAworks

Switched From

Pros

the GUI - user interface. Smartpage. CRM

Cons

their update process. updates nearly always break functioning portions of the software. the accounting aspects. many "feature" processes don't post to correct accounting GL's in the backend.
Way too expensive. KPIs and such never worked well. Webdirect never worked.

Pros

Fairly intuitive. Most areas are quick to use without a deep dive. Depending on your view one of the benefits is that you can jump from module to module via right click. Multiple ways to reach the same information.

Cons

Reporting is a little cumbersome unless you are well versed in Crystal Reporting or have the lead time to have a custom report built.

Pros

Its user friendly! Without having prior experience using an integrated system, I was able to lead a team, effectively self implementing from work station installs to setting up barcoding and scanning for Warehouse management.

Cons

Similar to any software, There can be a steep learning curve between modules in the beginning .

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to DELMIAworks

Pros

The software is huge and more customizable to our particular business model than competitors.

Cons

The system is huge, and it is impossible to learn it without ongoing training. Support is really a sales team for training, and consistently pushes customers in need of assistance to purchase training, in lieu of actually providing support.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to DELMIAworks

Pros

It is good to help keep some disparate systems in one single system. This allows us to house our CRM, Inventory Management and Manufacturing tracking in one system.

Cons

There has to be a fully trained admin to run the software. We have one, which means whoever has the highest priority gets their edits, this is not always great for all team members. When there are updates it wipes out all your previous user settings.

Pros

Our company enjoys the real-time production monitoring, inventory management and sales order generation.

Cons

On the current version we have the accounting side was a process to develop in order to make out perpetual GL balance to the GL without a massive sync up entry. We had some great support over the past few years helping us improve, but this still need massaged and managed daily. Hoping the new version with IACJ will become a little less labor intensive and we can free up some costly labor running daily transactions.

Pros

Customer support is excellent. They have been very helpful with a variety of questions and do a good job of following up on issues that are not readily solved in a single phone call. I never get the feeling that they are simply trying to get me off the phone, but instead are genuinely interested in solving my problem.

Navigation is very robust, but easy to use. The ability to "jump to" related screens is a big plus.

Reporting is also very robust, with many standard reports and the ability to quickly generate and add custom reports using Crystal Reports.

Security is full featured, allowing us to limit access where necessary, not only at the form level, but all the way down to the field level. We can limit certain users to read only views, or allow them to update certain fields, but still limit them from areas of a form where they are not authorized.

Cons

Much of the terminology and functionality is geared to the plastics industry. Since we are not in this business, it can be somewhat cumbersome at times to have to wade through all of the plastics features to get to those that we need.

The cost accounting functionality does not allow us to break down manufacturing costs in as much detail as we would like. We are currently evaluating the latest release to see if this has been improved.

Because we are outside of EIQ's core customer type, it is hard to get any traction with enhancement requests. Since our enhancements tend to be things going away from the plastics industry, sometimes it feels like we are really swimming up stream to get changes made.

MRP can sometimes be confusing when trying to figure demand for various inventory items. We also have not been able to find a way to allocate inventory for a specific task so that the system knows that the items in question are no longer available for other tasks.

Pros

Very manufacturing friendly and has all the functionality you need to run an entire manufacturing company. In addition, the IQMS MES system is seamless and provides valuable data in Real-Time. There are drag/drop charts that mesh quality data with process data, tolerance setting to monitor processes as well as workflows to remove paper and allow processes, forms, reports to be paperless. Communication to departments is built-in along with document control and storage. I can also see everything that is going on while on the road with the mobility built-in.

Cons

The financial package does not have great 'drill down' capability for variances if you use the standard costing vs actual costing. However, the newest version does have this capability but I have not used it yet.

Pros

IQ continues to: A) improve existing functionality, and B) Add functionality in response to customer input and new markets. This has allowed us to use the program for an injection plastics, rubber molding and a metal turning operation.

Customer service is excellent, and I have heard they are working on 24/7 access.

Documentation is excellent overall - if you use the help files they will normally answer most questions.

Web based training was very useful and an inexpensive way to get many folks familiar with the system.

Intermodule jumps are wonderful (jump from a PO to inventory, receipts, invoices, etc) and constantly amaze.

The ability to create a user-defined table at most important places reduces the need to "steal" a field for another use - very innovative and less prone to "folklore" type mistakes.

Tracing of transactions, such as PO changes, or customer changes to delivery requests are invaluable when attempting to see what happened and when.

Cons

We don't use the EDI, WMS (RF scanners), label printing or Time and Attendance modules because of the complexity of our needs - others do, so this is not necessarily a minus for all potential users.

Pros

Controlling inventory on the Shop Floor is made easier through the use of the IQRF module. The system utilizes hand held bar code scanners, serialized inventory labeling, and your own wireless network. The system provides interaction between the inventory, shipping, receiving, and production modules in Enterprise IQ. Using handheld scanners we are able to completely manage the movement of our inventory without having to access the software from a computer.

Through the scanner you are able to see the current status of each job running in the system as well as the ability to change the Production Lot Number and schedule the next job. You can also use the scanner to input downtime.

Additionally we can create, reprint, and modify any label in the system directly from the scanner. These labels can be designed to meet the requirements of our customers. This flexibility saves time and cost as only one label is needed to fulfill all of the customers' needs.

Cons

The label design takes some time and is done in a 3rd party application (Crystal or Label Matrix).

Also, we use scanners that have a 16 x 20 VT-220 terminal emulation display. This restriction sometimes leads to problems as the screen doesn t display the software interface cleanly.

Finally, the RF module is not available in Spanish currently. Making sure that our bilingual users understand the interface and prompts takes additional training and resources.

Pros

We installed the EnterpriseIQ software in 2013 with a Go-Live in 9 months. The implementation was on time and on budget. We then spent 2014 taking advantage of the initial software modules.

In 2015 we purchased the RealTime Production and Process Monitoring hardware and software which was implemented over the next few months. We now have the ability to capture cycles, record scrap and monitor processing parameters as they occur while the press is running.

Cons

IQMS has experienced a lot of growth these past few years so we have dealt with a lot of different people from our account representative, to EDI support, to helpline support personnel. With this growth the knowledge of the products and responsiveness has declined.

Pros

The system is very flexible to many processes and industry requirements. The company really uses user feedback to help drive software enhancements and support fixes. You get a lot of functionality for very low cost. The implementation process was well managed and we were able to go-live ahead of schedule and under budget. Not many ERP implementations can boast that.

Cons

There are sometimes too many available options and ways to use the system. It can drive you to implement a process in one module that inadvertently limits your usage of other modules. Navigating how the system works as a whole is often unclear and can be frustrating - not knowing that checking this box over here affects something over there that you were not even thinking about. The last few years of growth have been painful from a tech support standpoint, as they can't keep up with hiring and training and you often have to train the support person how the system works before you can even discuss a bug or issue you are facing.

Pros

We were able to purchase and start using the system in about 9 weeks. While I don't recommend this timeframe, it demonstrates that IQ has worked out the bugs, and the system works, all you have to do is load your data.

The system is very robust because pretty much everything you need is already there, you don't end up paying for alot of extra customization.

Because the system is integrated, the upgrades are pretty smooth. Previous systems were so splintered and customized that you couldn't afford to upgrade because the you might break something else.

Overall the system is pretty intuitive and consistent from a users standpoint. The right click jumps are very useful.

Cons

There are some quirks that rise up due to IQ's history of coming from the plastics industry. We had a few misteps in the initial setup but the IQ support was very helpful.

The help documentation is lacking in a few places and doesn't always tell you what the ramifications of your choices are. i.e. if you make something a packaging type inventory item, the BOM functions are handled differently.

The standard cost rollup tool doesn't roll up all the way through multiple layers in the BOM so the roll has to be repeated multiple times to capture all standard cost updates.

The security administration is complex and cumbersome.

Pros

Interactivity among modules is pretty solid. Jumping around provides ease of access to linked tables.

Cons

Many active/inactive commands are set too high in the hierarchy providing more blanket commands and settings. More fine-tuning is often required.

Pros

Great Software for the injection molder. Has good communication areas that all customers can see update requests. They have started regional user group meetings which is a good way to communicate with other users and go over modules you might not be using or are using and they have found ways to maximize the modules.

Cons

As usual price and continual support costs would be nice to be lower and stabilized. You get this with every software company so its the nature of the beast.
Sometimes you might have to update the whole software from a previous release just to fix maybe one small area you need fixed. This can cause issues when your running 24/7. Running a small SQL to the data base to fix your small problem works the best. Sometimes that's all you have to do, but other times not.

Pros

This software has a lot of great features. This is very user friendly and easy to navigate.

Cons

IQMS created some additional custom software for us. Unfortunately, whenever we discover issues that need to be corrected we have to wait months for IQMS to release updates to fix the issues. Then if the updates don't correct the issues we have to wait some more. Honestly, the phone support is pretty good. I think it would help if you had better face to face customer/service support.

Pros

This software is scalable. No matter how much or how quickly our company grows, we know that the software can scale with that growth. Yet despite that capacity, we were able to get started for considerably less cost than with SAP.

Cons

Tracking part serial numbers through production seems a bit cumbersome for a small to mid-sized firm.

Pros

It is a complete package. EIQ has the basic functionality to satisfy general requirements for most manufacturing companies. Once you understand the layout, design, and functionality of a module, the other modules become intuitive as they all look similar.

Cons

The multi language (french) is very poorly done. It is an expensive addition that is difficult to use at the same time as the english version as updates are not done at the same time.

Pros

The MES side of the software is highly configurable, and allows great flexibility on how you process your business. There is a module for nearly everything, so you can probably encapsulate every function of your business within the ERP if you wish.

Cons

Accounting and infrastructure side is weak, but IQMS is committed to fixing those in the near future. Support turnaround on bugs can be a little slow, but not abnormal

Pros

Truly a fully integrated system that allows users with the minimum amount of training to become proficient in a very short time. The ability to jump between modules without exiting the system is lean and effective.

A visible and effective tool that is tailor made to cope with all the quirks of Injection Moulding in a highly competitive environment. Users have all the information they need at their fingertips.

True Real Time data direct from the shop floor in a format that is quick to review and act on. Instant and post production reporting with clear and precise data.

Document control that is simple and easy to manage yet still compliant to quality standards.

Its a living constantly improving system. Management encourage users to give feedback, provide the means to do so and listen to the voice of the customer.

Tech support. Basically when you need it, extremely professional and at a level beyond most major software companies.

Cons

Like other systems Its only as good as the data entered.

The reporting structure is Crystal Report Based. If you do not have in-house Crystal help IQMS will provide support but it is charged separately.

Upgrades and enhancements to improve the system also cause minor disruptions.

Pros

As an IT Administrator who does my best to help my company utilize the software, I can say that I actually enjoy working with the software, learning about it, and customizing it. I enjoy designing Crystal Reports, utilizing the built-in customization features like user fields and user-defined forms, and figuring out how to use and customize the various modules of the software to meet my company's unique needs.

Cons

I'd say my biggest complaint with the software is the lack of refinement. There are too many basic canned reports that were designed a decade ago seemingly only placed into the software as placeholders without much thought into what would actually be a useful report to each module. There are lots of features that seem thrown in to meet specific customer requests without enough strategic thought into how to make the feature the best it can be. One example is a CRM utility that automates the reassignment of activities to a different user. Sounds great. But the problem is, it won't work if the current owner of those activities has left the company and you deleted their account or set their termination date.
IQMS has been growing by leaps and bounds over the years, and the software I think reflects that. To their credit and to their discredit, they have been responsive to their customer's requests for new features and improvements. But the frequent changes led to things not working right. I think they were pushing out features faster than they could reliably test them and they were over their ski's for a time. For example, the HR/workforce module, in a previous version, was shockingly buggy. It seems to better now, though. New management at IQMS seems to have gotten the message about their customer's demands for higher quality and reliability. I think the jury is still out though how successful their quality push has been.
EnterpriseIQ is a good system but I wouldn't say it is intuitive in regards to MRP, scheduling, work orders, etc. I think it takes a sharp person to really dig into how everything fits together and how the multitude of switches and knobs throughout the software affects how things work. My fear, with the new ambitious management team, is that they'll push for new features and the latest buzzwords to win new customers but won't prioritize making the day-to-day workflow better and more intuitive for current users. The executives want the astronomical growth to continue, I'm sure, but slow and steady growth is probably more conducive to stable product development with growth based on word-of-mouth from people who have actually used the software every day.

Pros

This system goes from quote to customer right through sales, purchasing, engineering, manufacturing, quality control, material review board, non-conformance, returns. HR modules and document control are available. Warehouse and distribution allowing for scanners and barcoding. Many many add on's within the same software company - as well as the ability to go outside the core and get third party spreadsheet add on's that make reporting a breeze. Unbelievable continuity in this system. This is the first system where the schedule was actually useful - we do not have to do our scheduling outside the system!!!! With crystal report writer, every report can be modified to your specific needs. With various areas for custom fields in all sorts of places, you can set your own fields that you require that are not already in an extensive list of fields already available. We have implemented the core packages plus MRO, Quality, Document Control and are planning to put some HR and warehouse management packages on shortly.

Cons

Because of its overwhelming ability to do almost anything, sometimes you are disappointed by some small things it cannot do. Sometimes you have to go through a couple of people to find the best solution to your problems in support, but generally they get you the answers in a timely manner.

Pros

The Real time access to information is my favorite thing about this software. We use the modules to connect to the machines and this information drives many of our decisions.

The system has a great deal of functionality, and I know we are not utilizing it to its fullest. It has helped us as we are growing as a manufacturing company.

Cons

I do not like having to upgrade to a whole new version when we need to make a change. It would be nice if we could simply update with a patch. It takes a long time to get a solution to a system issue and we are often making work arounds. I know they are beginning to offer web-based solutions that will probably largely eliminate this issue. (Although, development and corrections will still take time I'm sure).

Also, I feel as though the customer service has gone down since we began with them in 2011. I tend to only call support when I'm really stuck with an issue. More often then not, I'm directed to help pages that I've already read and still didn't resolve my issue.

Pros

EnterpriseIQ is a very comprehensive and robust ERP system. We were able to consolidate our old ERP and several independent, and often redundant databases, spreadsheets and other systems into one central application. In general, the system is reliable and easy to maintain. Support is good, readily available, and domestic. No pressing (1) for English. IQMS as a company seems to value its customers, and is responsive to their needs and wants as a whole. The software is continually being enhanced, both in depth and breadth. The MRP engine is powerful and very quick, taking just a few minutes to generate. Overall, the system is very intuitive and user friendly. New users are able to learn and become functional quickly. Additionally, great training is available in person or via the web. IQMS is very integrated, so it is easy to jump from one module to another without having to navigate endless menus. IQMS comes with many pre-written reports and customization is relatively easy with CR.

Cons

In the grand scheme of things, relative to other ERP systems, there are few drawbacks to IQMS, and no showstoppers for NBP. Occasionally the MRP engine creates a work order that doesn't seem to have any demand, so sometimes I have to evaluate the need for an order manually to be sure. Security/permissions for the system is a bit cumbersome at times, but IQMS has improved that recently and continues to work on it. Alerts seems to be a bit unstable. I don't know if that is a widespread issue or unique to us, but I frequently have to restart the app. We have not been able to get IQ to fit our needs for quoting, but in all fairness our system is fairly elaborate. We also found the Workforce module to be weak.

Pros

Customer service oriented.
Robust, feature rich, fault tolerant, scalable, flexible.
Quick right click jump features everywhere.
Lots of customization possibilities.
Many automation options from order entry (EDI) to real time scheduling on the floor, to labeling and shipping out the door.
Crystal Reports and regularly scheduled Alerts Server allows granular management by exception as needed (this combo comes close to being your silver bullet).
Integrated EDI solution, serialization, bar code scanning, real time workstation monitoring (no 3rd party complications).
Getting to appropriate support level for your problems is better than most software companies. IQMS will engage you at multiple levels in a variety of ways to try to meet your needs: online docs, webinars, emails/calls to support or the users group, plus online training and/or consulting options at additional cost.

Cons

No real cons that wouldn't apply generally to all other ERP software (for example, the cost of annual maintenance and license pricing model, better tools for monitoring license usage, cumbersome security, and the upgrade process).
You do need at least one full time in-house "champion."
Most of our issues with IQ tend to be self-inflicted and usually come from our internal lack of proper understanding of the appropriate use of the program, and/or real world constraints (for example, "do you want it under budget or on time?"). As with any software support, sometimes you must patiently ask complicated questions a couple of different ways before you both reach a mutual understanding of each other's positions.

Pros

The features that IQMS has are all fairly well developed and mature. Support staff can be incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. There are a wide array of software modules with highly configurable settings to cover most production situations for a diverse array of firms.

Cons

IQMS implementation specialists can leave a lot to be desired. Many essential features of our install were never configured or were configured incorrectly. To that extent IQMS is highly reliant on companies having individuals with high aptitudes for trouble shooting and problem solving. If your company has this sort of talent, it can be an incredibly helpful software suite. Without that baseline expertise or talent, IQMS can hurt more than it helps. Additionally, the licensing for IQMS is quite expensive, which can make implementing the full range of software impossible. For some companies, modules like RealTime Production monitoring will never be cost effective, and other software features of IQMS are hamstrung by an absence of crucial pieces like RealTime. Because of the way that IQMS' business logic is designed, businesses will necessarily need to make some changes to the way they operate to bring them more into line with the best practices set up by IQMS. Unfortunately, the exact nature of these best practices and the gaps in an individual business' adoption of these best practices is not well specified by IQMS.

Pros

We selected IQMS to give us one central database across all plant functions. Apple Rubber is both a Manufacture and Distributor. Therefore we needed to monitor and control inventory levels and also manufacturing of the product. IQMS WMS gave full warehouse control of inventory. Improving both inventory count and placement accuracy. IQMS Realtime allowed everyone to see what the MFG plant is doing and ties back to the schedule to show if any timing issues. What our customers like best is the Quality module allows full lot traceability as well as SPC and if any issues using MRB or Corrective Actions. Now using IQMS CRM we have outside sales and inside sales working off one system. Marketing can push referrals to sales or engineering to support customer request. Accounting functions are fully supported, which allows us to easily close month and year-end activities. We have also found that regulatory and customer audits are much easier. Both have commented how having one central database is really beneficial and impressed with how well it works.

Cons

We are collecting a lot more data, so being on the system since 2007 our database has grown. We do need to come up with a way to better achieve or strip data that is not required. Large tables will slow SQL scripts, especially for remote users.

Pros

A 'One Stop Shop' for just about any need for which a database is applicable within the plastic injection molding industry. Having used separate application software programs prior to IQMS, integration has been a huge benefit and future integration is still an opprortunity.

Although I have only monitored it up to this point, the level of information shared by the User Group is amazing.

IQMS Staff, regardless of department, have always been extremely pleasant to deal with eith on the phone or by email.

Tech Support's ability to easily remote in and troubleshoot has been helpful.

Implementation was smooth , facilitated by the knowledge, experience, and confidence of the IQ implementation specialist assigned to us.

We began using scheduling very quickly upon installation; something I was unable to do with another ERP program with which I had exposure.

Taking it's power into consideration, IQ is easy to learn and begin using.

Cons

While Tech Support is responsive and interaction is positive, the need to coordinate a time to "remote in" is not always convenient and sometimes discouraged me from calling or emailing.

While Securities are very powerful and flexible, it seems there is complexity that comes with that power. Mastering securities is not something that appears to be intuitive or quickly/easily learned.

Given the power and potential flexibility of the software, it does require a resource dedicated (at least to some degree) in order to tap into that power and expand use into it's many features.

Cost as well as internal resources have prevented us from seriously considering additional modules and/or consulting visits from IQMS implementation specialists to improve utilization.

Pros

IQ is a feature rich/constantly evolving ERP system-handling mission critical/multi-plant business processes, eliminating multiple points of data entry and the associated errors
IQAlert e-mailed exception reports-employees can focus on meeting customer needs
EDI is fully integrated, not a third party solution-allowing us to work as part of a team with IQ and our customers to improve performance results
WMS insures data integrity-provides instant visibility to inventory, enabling employees to virtually eliminate product/quantity shipping errors
MRP engine is like greased lightning-IQAlert scheduled 6 times/day-runs in < 3.5 minutes
Capable to Promise-enables us to provide information to customers during initial contact vs call back later
IQ User Group-refreshing collection of super users sharing knowledge/experience
IQ employees from top to bottom-knowledgeable, very receptive to requests for software enhancements if ultimately the best solution

Cons

Employees that are not fully engaged sometimes have difficulty understanding and/or utilizing the efficiencies inherent in IQ. However, several cost and time effective training options are available that range from learning basic navigation/software capability skills thru expanding knowledge of application specific IQ functionality.
Security Administration can be fairly complex and cumbersome to maintain, especially after software updates although there has been recent improvement in this area.

Pros

Purchased Dec, 2003, went live 05/2004 , replaced 4 separate DB's with 1 intregrated system, and added QA & maint tracking systems. No finger pointing, replacing stand-alone systems with one is a huge PRO in my mind. I was leery about EDI, much to my delight integration is outstanding. Front loads are visible in the schedule right away, instead of 24 hours later saving us expedite costs. The system is very intuitive, easy to learn, look and feel is consistent through the system From a users standpoint it is easy to operate. Help Files are superb, great care is taken into assuring their accuracy.
There is an abundance of drill down and right click functionality in the system. Example: almost immediately our President was able to go to Real Time Screen, jump to schedule, drill down to BOM and inventory item w/o knowing how to get into the individual modules. That kind of functionality makes the system very easy to navigate.

Cons

CS: 4. Knowledgable support staff but some issues take time to resolve, which can be frustrating from users eyes. (usually involve our use of the system not broken software) Very few calls due to broken software (usually after an upgrade) Never been DOWN due to software issue (this is big). But with so much functionality theres bound to be some problems. We get timely fixes when needed. IQMS is not perfect, but the software mostly JUST WORKS.
Feature richness- 4. IQMS offers about everything to run business (ex T&A, QA, HR), add-ons may not be best of breed (you may find some features are lost) but core functions are solid and they integrate. We find the compromise (not all bells/whistles)in some ancillary modules worth it because of the INTEGRATION in 1 DB.
Overall, very few cons, but pro is the con for IT. Upgrades affect everyone now (not just standalone users) But it helps a lot having just one company to work with.

Pros

The depth and breadth of the program is impressive. I like the flexibly of use from a small section of manufacturing process, to using it fully from quoting, production and quality testing. Consistency but continued expansion of the IQMS program is appreciated (I am a user since 2004). Help desk can be very responsive when it comes to problems/questions arising. If it is a major problem they will `take you by the hand solve it with you. With the interface I appreciate the ability to jump from window to window to window. I also appreciate it is a multi-window program.

Cons

The structure of the database not being directly linked to the naming scheme of the interface can be frustrating when creating reports or finding problems. The structure of security section is hard to manage (groups and sections instead of individual profiles and direct security approvals). Not being able to easily substitute alternative items in the BOMs/Work orders can be a hindrance to accurate consumption. Also the structure of the consumption can be awkward.
If a change is needed to the program a committee gathers once a year to vote on the focus of the upgrades and improvements, is the process to update errors to the computer system, instead of a more instant solution (though if it is obvious they will fix it sooner).

Pros

Integrates very well in our environment. Users were able to understand how the use the system pretty quickly. Very good customer support. The real time screens give very good visibility into the state of operations. Easy to schedule. System help menus are very good.

Cons

Financials lacking in comparison to our 10+ year old ERP system. Missing some basic elements, like being able to add operator initials to a production label without having to enter all employees into the system and make sure they're all logging in as themselves. Unable to customize box count on production labels (reset box counts on a shiftly basis). Unable to set default label templates per customer ship-to. Had an issue lately after updating to newest version where PLM module didn't work any longer. The fix took over 10 weeks. Feel like the licensing for shopdata is a bit expensive. We'd like to have an IQMS station on every work center, but the cost of the shopdata licenses is prohibitive.

Pros

The IQMS EDI module provides much needed EDI transaction capabilities. The module provides wide array of EDI functionality including standard X12 and EDIFACT transactions as well as custom flat file import and export. The module is tightly integrated with the rest of the EIQ application to help keep data integrity intact and keeps users more efficient while performing EDI tasks. Customer service from the IQMS EDI group has been fantastic.

Cons

Module can be difficult to configure and scale up with large number of trading partners and transactions. Most transaction additions and changes require custom programming from IQMS at a cost per transaction and trading partner. Very limited documentation or tutorials on how to program or add transaction mappings yourself. The module does not come with its own communication tool for the actual transmission of EDI data, this requires an outside mechanism such as FTP or VAN supplied communication application.

Pros

IQMS offers everything needed to run a injection molding business and more. Quoting, production reporting, inventory , shipping accounting and more.

Cons

It seems that things may change based on a suggestion, which is good, but I wonder if it a majority or a squeaky wheel. To be specific, there was a fairly recent change which made entering a quote due date mandatory. This can get annoying as you are going along in the quote and get stopped to add a due date and have to return to the 1st page.

Pros

IQMS manages our injection molding operations extremely well. The scheduling and purchasing modules are slick, and the program can handle all the quirky aspects of our industry such as family tools, running down cavitation, concentrate let-down ratios, sales orders with multiple releases, etc. The Real Time monitoring system collects data as jobs are run, and managers can see the current status of all presses on a single screen. The captured info is used in the program to calculate 'runs best' data that is continually refined as jobs are run multiple times, and used in the scheduling module.

The program can do so much, and we are only using a fraction of its capabilities, but plan on using more and more as time goes on.

Technical Support is good, as are the on-site consultants.

Reports are written in Crystal reports, which allows infinite customization.

Cons

IQMS is not the most intuitive program, and thus there is a steep learning curve at implementation. For example, some very useful screens are really hidden and a user would never 'stumble' upon them or even know about their existance if not shown by a trainer. Also, the screens/menus are not consistant across all modules. For example, there are different ways to sort lists depending on what screen you are in. However, once users have been trained and have a month's experience in the areas they work in, it is very easy to manuever around.

The 'canned' reports are not always that great, but if you know Crystal you can tweak them to your heart's content. You can also request a custom report from IQMS for a fee.

The accounting module does the job, but is really awkward to use. (if your bookkeepers are accustomed to Quickbooks or Peachtree, they are going to 'hate' IQMS).

Pros

Ease of use for new users and the ability to "jump" from one module to another - in multiple areas of the software.

Cons

Lack of experienced team for implementation and support. The software is not written for blown extrusion but has been somewhat adapted.

Pros

* Integration is the key - there is no finger pointing as the translator is integrated into the system.

* Superior technical support - IQMS employs top notch specialists on the EDI support team.

* Ease of Use - From end user's standpoint, the process of converting incoming data into a sales order is fairly simple

* Flexible - when customer's data requirements suddenly change - scriptiing adjustments can be made quickly and efficiently, without long wait times

* Visibility - order changes are visible as quickly as you need - we are able to see customer front loads as soon as they happen

Cons

* Set up can be complicated, depending on the customers' needs - due to the nature of EDI, setting up new trading partners are not always simple and straightforward - there is usually a tweaking phase to get the set up working correctly. While this is a con, it is also a plus because IQMS knows how their sales order module works; so they can be nimble with additional scripting adjustments, along with various switches that can manipulate the data properly.

* Need transport software-We use a 3rd party software, specializing in data transmission, it offered the full range of options needed to connect to traditional mailbox providers, although IQMS has flexibility to directly connect, we utilized another part of the IQ package to directly connect to a customer, saving both sides transmission KC costs.

Pros

As we looked to grow, it was clear that we could not do it on current platform, after implementing IQMS we were able to build a platform that allowed us to double our business while maintaining our elite quality scorecard with customers like GM, Magna, BorgWarner and ZF. This technology was game changing.

Cons

It is a fringe element of the system is the SPC/quality module. I wish that there was a more robust quality module including PPAP, control plans and FMEA analysis.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing DELMIAworks

Reasons for Switching to DELMIAworks

Pros

Enterprise IQ is the only system that truly integrates manufacturing and financial systems together. Their strength is that it has been developed with the focus on manufacturing rather than financial. Most ERP systems start with the financial side including order entry, purchasing and the like most do not support manufacturing and manufacturing processes or recommend third party applications to enhance their system in an attempt to provide a full ERP solution. IQMS's focus has always been manufacturing first. The beauty of Enterprise IQ is that you have one install to support. The infrastructure is built so they all work together seamlessly. IQMS is one of the most customer focused organizations I know. The development cycle, User Group meetings and Change Request systems all work together to enhance or make the system more user friendly. They are very easy to work with, the staff is extremely knowledgeable about the entire system and are a pleasure to work with.

Cons

There are not many cons to speak of. I believe this is due to the fact that they have a very robust system that is extensively tested prior to release and that they are such a customer focused organization. They do not always accommodate all change requests however they do make an effort to review it and respond as to why or why not the change will be accepted or rejected.

Pros

I have been using IQMS for about 6 years now. I love the extensibility of the software. Most ERP systems have the ability to be a good fit for most of your business. The real key to success is how well they allow you to tweak and extend the software to meet your unique business requirements. IQMS excels at this. With user defined forms and reports, customizable alerts to monitor system changes, and change tracking to the field level, it provides the tools I need to handle our specific use cases.

I am also very pleased with support provided. IQMS does a great job of monitoring user needs and working to improve the software. There have been a variety of new features added over the years that provide us with better ways to manager our business. Their technical support staff is also very good. They are knowledgeable and thorough when working to resolve whatever issues might arise.

Cons

Enterprise IQ was initially designed for the plastics industry. Over the years, IQMS has worked hard to add additional features for non-plastics industries, but we still run into occasions where this initial usage interferes with the way we look at manufacturing. We build very complex BOMs (hundreds of parts in dozens of sub-assemblies across up to 5 or 6 levels), and we struggle at times to manage these complex BOMs.

Fortunately, the extensibility allows us to create some additional tools to fill in the gaps.

Pros

Production side of things seems ok, thats about it. Price seems too high, managing the accounting is very difficult

Cons

Accounting side of things has MAJOR issues and difficult to manage

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to DELMIAworks

Pros

EnterpriseIQ provides a full ERP system including a payroll module. There is no need to use 3rd party software to transfer/link labor time & attendance to payroll. MRP is easy to use and provides users with real-time availability and requirements through the use of finite scheduling. Powerful reports can be created through the use of Crystal Reports. Files can be linked with ease providing users with exactly what they want/need to be on "their" custom report. Bill of Materials are complete as they contain cycle time, labor, work center and materials required. A Preventative Maintenance module can track Tooling and Equipment usage and generate service work orders based on cycle counts or routine tasks. Each module allows attachment of documents, either Internal notes or External documents maintained through their Quality Module in Document Control. IQMS provides excellent customer support and welcomes user input as to the development & enhancement of their software.

Cons

The only issue that we have had with EnterpriseIQ is trying to integrate biometric fingerprint readers to use as our means of collecting attendance. The time clock capture is easy to use, however, there is no way to validate if an employee is clocking themselves in/out and/or a co-worker in/out.

Pros

- EnterpriseIQ is a very flexible, feature-rich application with a nicely integrated set of modules
- Industry specific with many built-in enhancements specific to the plastic molding and manufacturing industry
- User-friendly interface with good security framework and functionality across all modules
- Use of standard Crystal Reports for custom reporting
- Robust Oracle back end database
- Has the ability to run as a Citrix Server published application
- Handles multi-plant configuration scenarios
- Web and RF based modules for some computing functionality on mobile and scanner devices
- Helpful and responsive customer service and tech support
- Decent built-in and online help documentation
- Online, instructor-led training classes available for most modules

Cons

- Installation and configuration of database server, client machines and various other components is a bit complicated and can be very tricky if upgrading hardware or software versions
- Have encountered occasional flaws/bugs or shortcomings in functionality within some modules (may be addressed in more recent versions)
- Barcode label printing is cumbersome and difficult to configure and maintain across multiple remote locations
- No public API or developer license to make customizations to database schema or application modules
- Customer service / tech support not available 24/7
- Client applications not Windows 64 bit compatible

Pros

I have found that the software is very easy to use because of the tools available. Our company utilizes just about every module IQMS has. Since it's impossible to know everything about the system I rely heavily on these tools. At any time I can access a help file, jump on a call or chat session with support, or reach out to the User Group community.

Cons

Because we are such heavy users of the software it can be hard to be fully prepared for an upgrade. I will add that they do a fantastic job letting their users know what is changing.