Rootstock Manufacturing ERP Reviews

“Salesforce-powered supply chain excellence”

Pros

Based on the Salesforce cloud, Rootstock gives our organization a modern framework for handling manufacturing, distribution and inventory across the supply chain on a global scale.

Cons

It helps us manage operations very effectively, allowing us to meet the goals we set without running into issues that leave us dissatisfied.

“flexible and full of possibilities”

Pros

There's a lot you can accomplish with it. From what I've seen, most requests can be done, it really comes down to who you're working with and how much time is needed to get it in place. The ability to customize the system to a company's specific needs also keeps improving which makes the platform feel more and more flexible over time.

Cons

Some tasks can still take more clicks than they probably should. That said I've worked directly with the Rootstock team on a few of those areas and their shift toward the Lightning interface makes me feel confident that it will keep getting better and require fewer clicks over time.

“Mrp and reporting standout”

Pros

Across the board, we use every module and their MRP system has been unmatched for us. Having Salesforce Reporting available means we can dig into all of our production, costing and inventory data whenever we need it. Their support team continues to impress us because they truly understand manufacturing and the mobile integration is the next area we're excited to expand into.

Cons

The only real challenge is how quickly they roll out enhancements because it can be hard for us to keep up. More than once, we've realized they had already addressed issues we were dealing with sometimes long before we even noticed.

“salesforce integration done right”

Pros

Having it built to work with Salesforce has been a big advantage for us. On top of that, their support team has become really reliable and pleasant to work with whenever issues come up.

Cons

The resource center could still be more helpful when you're trying to troubleshoot something on your own although they have definitely improved it a lot. I also wish there were more customization options beyond just using a Custom Tab.

“Fantastic Salesforce integration”

Pros

Right from the start, it worked smoothly with Salesforce which made implementation much less painful than expected. We ran into very few issues and whenever something did come up, Rootstock's support team handled it quickly. Their support has honestly been outstanding and everyone we've worked with has been helpful and pleasant. When a custom-built option wasn't financially realistic for us, they helped us come up with a workaround that delivered the same result. On the admin side, I also train new employees on all of our systems and Rootstock has been one of the simplest platforms to teach. The way the Site Map is organized from top to bottom around each object's process makes a big difference and really helps people learn it faster.

Cons

any custom fields we need can only be added under a Custom tab for each object. It would be much more useful if there were more flexibility to place those custom fields in the sections where they make the most sense.

“flexible cloud ERP with manufacturing expertise”

Pros

Being cloud-based, it is scalable and flexible which has worked well for our needs. The implementation was fairly simple and the fact that it runs on the Force.com platform is a big plus since there's a large user community and plenty of apps available to support specific business requirements. Another thing that really adds value is their team itself, they bring real manufacturing knowledge to the table and come across as manufacturing experts, not just a typical software vendor.

Cons

It uses a lot of data and Salesforce data storage can get expensive. At the time we rolled out Rootstock, their Financials module wasn't available so we ended up going with FinancialForce instead. While the integration with FinancialForce works well enough, it's still a costly add-on. I'd prefer to be on Rootstock's own Financials now but I'm not interested in taking on another implementation project at this point.

“excellent training”

Pros

It offers a wide range of functionality along with plenty of configuration options. The training materials and documentation are excellent as well.

Cons

Like any powerful system, it has enough complexity that some users may find it a bit complex but that same depth of functionality is what makes it work well for many different types of users.

“Powerful cloud platform fit”

Pros

Customer support has been outstanding. One of the biggest reasons we chose this product was how tightly it works within the Force.com platform and it has delivered well on that. Being a cloud-based, web-based application is another big plus. We also appreciate how much flexibility it gives us to tailor the system, whether that's through views, reports, custom fields, objects, workflows and more. Overall it's a very powerful and comprehensive system.

Cons

The documentation has gotten better but it still falls short in some areas. That makes onboarding new users less efficient and less effective and it also slows down experienced users when they need to look up answers or troubleshoot issues. The content itself and the way it's organized could both use improvement. That said moving the documentation resources over to the community platform has been helpful and feels like a step in the right direction.

“Great ERP for growing manufacturing”

Pros

By pairing Rootstock with FinancialForce.com, we ended up with a full ERP setup that can grow with us and be adjusted as our needs change. Even though it was originally built more as an MRP system, we've been able to tailor it with Rootstock so it works well for our job-shop environment. Once you really understand the project environment, it becomes a very powerful tool for running the business. Our process is much more organized now, we can take a won Salesforce Opportunity and turn it directly into a Sales Order and Work Order without entering everything twice. From there, we can purchase and issue materials to the job, build and print the shop router and track labor along with direct and indirect costs.

Cons

One of the biggest frustrations is the locked-down user interface. Rootstock built most of its pages in Visualforce which creates some useful functionality but inside a managed package it also really limits how much end users can customize the pages. There's quite a bit of clutter from fields that don't apply to our business and we can't remove or rearrange those coded Visualforce pages. Some objects can be overridden but doing that takes a lot of effort and the implementation can feel buggy, including unexpected errors that have to be worked through with Rootstock Support. That said Rootstock has clearly invested more in customer satisfaction over the past few years and it shows. They deserve credit for listening to customer feedback and making positive improvements. Another gap is that PO requisitions for service items still aren't available even though they've been on the roadmap for some time and there's still no target date. Their newer mobile app, RootScan, is meant to handle Rootstock transactions on mobile devices but it comes with a pretty steep premium price and I don't think that should be an added premium feature. The integration between Rootstock and FinancialForce also has room to improve. Rootstock tracks COGS correctly on its side, broken out into Material, Labor and Other Costs the way we want but it only sends a single combined COGS amount into FinancialForce. Because of that, our financial statements can't be presented in the breakdown we're used to. Update: Rootstock now offers a distribution feature that fixed this issue for us although we had to pay extra for it. Hardened objects are another real limitation when it comes to Salesforce customization. They restrict our ability to use standard workflow automation, inline edits in list views and other common features. A lot of this comes back to the complexity of Rootstock's pages and code. We would be able to do a lot more with Rootstock if the objects our end users rely on were not hardened.

“strong cloud erp ecosystem”

Pros

It is a modern cloud ERP platform that brings all the benefits of the Salesforce ecosystem. It was built by ERP veterans who used their packaged-solution expertise to create a completely new ERP environment. With modules such as Salesforce Sales Cloud, Avalara, ZenKraft, FinancialForce and many others all running on the same platform, the implementation approach feels much more agile than with traditional packaged systems and we were able to shorten deployment timelines.

Cons

At this point, there are no major dislikes to mention. The only thing worth noting is that if you need more advanced supply chain demand planning, you will need an additional solution.

“Clear manufacturing visibility”

Pros

From a manufacturing and supply chain perspective, it feels like a full ERP with outstanding functionality. The visibility across the system is impressive, with deep reporting and strong search tools that bring a lot of key information together on one screen. It's also highly customizable through the Salesforce platform and the broad network of third-party consultants, partners, add-ons and other Salesforce-related resources is a big advantage. Customer service has also improved noticeably over the past couple of years.

Cons

Because it is built on Salesforce, it definitely gains a lot from that integration and platform but Salesforce data costs can become expensive for larger enterprises. The interface can also feel a bit unuser-friendly for some users so strong end-user training during the pilot and launch phase is really important to make sure people fully understand how to use all the functions.

“fast rollout and strong manufacturing fit”

Pros

Getting it up and running was quick and the manufacturing capabilities built into the platform have been a big advantage. It connects smoothly with Salesforce and adding apps to extend functionality has been simple. Rootstock also did a very good job as the implementation partner and stayed highly focused on customer needs throughout the process. Another plus is how well it integrates with existing financial systems.

Cons

There have been both positives and negatives overall but the financial functionality still needs further development.

“quick support”

Pros

Over the past three years, our business model changed several times and that could have made implementation very difficult. Roger Brown and Dan Ramey from the Implementation Services Team worked closely with us to build a very lightweight implementation approach which turned out to be essential for our success. Because our business kept evolving, we needed a system that could adapt fast and Rootstock handled those changes quickly and efficiently. The implementation team was also highly knowledgeable, responded fast and resolved issues without delay. That combination made it possible for us to reconfigure our business model multiple times while keeping costs low and timelines short.

Cons

It covered all of our requirements. That said some users felt the process could be a little heavy, with too many clicks required to complete certain transactions.

“cloud erp advantage”

Pros

I really appreciate that it feels like a mature cloud ERP platform while also delivering all the advantages of Salesforce. It was clearly built by ERP veterans who used their experience with packaged solutions to create a completely new ERP ecosystem. You also get access to modules such as Salesforce Sales Cloud, Avalara, ZenKraft, FinancialForce and others, all running on the same platform. Because of that, the setup approach is more agile than with traditional packaged solutions and we were able to reduce implementation lead times.

Cons

There are no major complaints for me right now, though one thing worth noting is that more advanced supply chain demand planning still requires an additional solution.

“Real-time visibility that delivers”

Pros

Keeping ERP data directly on my cloud platform means I don't have to worry about integrating back-office information into the CRM. It gives me real-time visibility into available inventory, promise dates, pricing and costs which makes day-to-day operations much more efficient.

Cons

The initial setup involves a lot of configuration choices and settings. Working with a strong implementation partner makes a big difference and is definitely worth it.

“excellent salesforce-based integration”

Pros

Because it runs natively on the Salesforce.com cloud platform, deploying Revenova TMS alongside it was a very simple project. That made it possible to deliver an integrated solution for freight quoting, tracking and overall transportation management without unnecessary complexity. Their team was also very collaborative throughout the process and excellent to work with while delivering the integrated setup.

Cons

From the perspective of an integration partner, the overall experience has been highly positive.

“Manufacturing-first cloud erp win”

Pros

Its clear focus on its core industry is a big plus. Its manufacturing-centered strategy is excellent and really changes the game for manufacturers still using non-cloud ERP systems.

Cons

There are still a few limitations around user roles and access to objects that could be improved.

“true cloud ERP standout”

Pros

It feels like a genuinely complete cloud-based ERP solution which really sets it apart from many other systems that are basically on-premise products adjusted to work in the cloud.

Cons

The finance side could still use a broader set of features. That said it's clear Rootstock is already working in that direction and it seems likely that more functionality will be added soon.

“broken promises”

Pros

There honestly wasn't anything positive in our experience with it. The system feels buggy and the team came across as uninformed and unhelpful.

Cons

It sells itself very well to manufacturers like us, with polished demos and promises that they'll fix operational issues but the reality was completely different. The software turned out to be outdated and awkward to use and the implementation team was nowhere near capable enough. A project that was supposed to take only a few months dragged on for more than eight months and even then less than half of the setup was completed. Before signing, I had spoken with one of their existing customers who had been on the platform for a few years. They told me it was only okay and said they had to resolve some issues on their own because Rootstock's team couldn't handle certain functional requirements. Looking back, I should have taken that as a warning and walked away. Instead, we dealt with one undelivered promise after another. Training and implementation sessions were full of mistakes and the same problems kept showing up from one session to the next without ever being fixed. We also submitted an item list that sat untouched for over a month because, apparently, only a technical person could upload it yet no one could find time to do it. Eventually, we terminated the contract because they failed to provide the software and implementation they had committed to. After that, I warned a friend of mine who runs a mid-sized manufacturer in New York and told him exactly what had happened to us. He still chose to move forward with Rootstock and now, eight months later, he has called me saying the exact same thing is happening to them and that they also want out of the contract. That is the reason I'm writing this review. Stay away from this company and choose another option. There are far better systems available, no matter what Salesforce may tell you.

“Powerful cloud ERP flexibility”

Pros

This tool does a very effective job of helping us plan stock products, whether they're purchased items or manufactured goods. The shop floor management tools give us real-time visibility into exactly where products are in the manufacturing process which has been very valuable. Its project functionality also helps us clearly separate stock items from custom, made-to-order products. On top of that, being built on the Salesforce platform adds a huge amount of flexibility through tools like Mobile, Communities, reports and dashboards, Service Cloud, App Exchange, Einstein AI and Chatter. Altogether, it feels like a forward-looking ERP system and it's encouraging to see the company continually improving the product and paying attention to customer feedback.

Cons

Because we operate as a high-volume manufacturer with more than 1,200 work orders active on the shop floor at once, around 300 boxes shipped each day and roughly 30,000 SKUs, we do run into some limitations from time to time. Certain screens seem better suited to lower data volumes and some bulk processes handled through APEX can be a bit slower than what we'd expect from an on-premise system. A few VisualForce pages and objects also restrict how much we can customize page layouts and the more complex validation rules inside the managed package can make it harder to build workflow rules and quickly import data through API connections. That said these feel like reasonable tradeoffs considering the advantages of being fully cloud-based and the Rootstock support team is usually very willing to work with us on improvements that are specific to our business.