E-Max ERP Reviews

“Not a good fit”

Pros

Although we ultimately did not keep using the software after 18 months of trying it out it wasn't without a positive. The Glasgow support team was consistently responsive and clearly put in a lot of effort to resolve problems. Unfortunately they were often limited by the central system itself which is what led to such a disappointing result overall.

Cons

After 18 months of trying neither our team nor E-Max were able to get the system working properly for our business. Around the 9-month mark, the technical director personally stepped in to take over our setup and we still gave them six more chances to reconfigure everything and make it function. Even then, each new version failed testing in some critical areas especially stock control and accounting. Our setup is a little more complex because we operate three brands under one group company and I do think that played a part in why the project was eventually abandoned. That said, we were told during the quotation stage that this would not be a problem. We've also spoken with three other businesses with much simpler operations and they ran into similar issues. In those cases, they either stopped the installation entirely or went back to the older E-Max system which seems to perform better though it still doesn't offer a true ERP solution.

“cost effective traceability tools”

Pros

A cost effective program that gives solid traceability for both materials and finished products and the SFDC module is easy for employees to use on the shop floor.

Cons

Getting the system up and running takes time so customers should be clearly informed about the installation timeline and the resources needed before starting.

“Clean layout”

Pros

One of the best things about it is the way it looks and feels. It takes complex information and presents it in a much simpler, more understandable format. That made rolling the system out at Appletree much easier especially for new users getting started.

Cons

We haven't run into any downsides with E-Max.

“excellent fit for manufacturing”

Pros

Built with manufacturing in mind it supports almost every part of our business. We're able to use around 80% of the system, while with other ERPs that aren't focused on manufacturing, we'd probably only get value from about 30%. It's been very good value for money.

Cons

A few things would make it even better. I'd like the option to change the wording in certain sections, as that would save time. More live training would also help since issues usually come up while actually using E-Max and it would be useful to speak to someone straight away instead of logging a ticket. By the time a response comes through, the issue has often already been worked around or I've moved on to something else. An app would also be a welcome addition.

“better delivery and order visibility”

Pros

E-Max fits our operation really well. It gives us a clear view of every order and since bringing it in, our on-time delivery has improved a lot because we can follow each job's progress through the business in real time. Inventory control has also been very strong which has helped when putting together quotes for upcoming work. On top of that the system offers a wide range of reports, from day-to-day order acknowledgments and invoices to stock valuation and forecasting and that has saved us a lot of time.

Cons

There aren't many downsides. Training and getting used to the system does take some time but once the process clicks, it's much faster than the way we used to handle these tasks. It also took a little while to identify the right reports for how we work since we needed to spend time using the system before knowing exactly what we needed but the E-Max team was helpful and gave us useful guidance along the way.

“reliable shop floor tracking”

Pros

Using SFDC for shop floor data collection has been great. We rely on it every day to clock in, clock out and move on and off jobs without any trouble. APE has been using this for 15 years and we've been extremely happy with it. It fits our work perfectly

Cons

E-Max includes so many different reports that it can be confusing to locate the right one. At times, we have to reach out to support just to get advice on which report to use.

“Real time reporting that transformed us”

Pros

Since we started using E-Max ERP, our business has changed for the better. It gives us access to real-time data that helps us track performance and improve both productivity and efficiency. Even though we work in a highly bespoke industry, the system is flexible enough to adapt to changes and support the way our operations keep evolving.

Cons

Building reports can be a bit challenging at times.

“Live insights”

Pros

Moving to this from a mix of separate spreadsheets and Access databases has made a real difference for us. Having one connected system to run the business has improved efficiency and the way it carries information through from enquiry to invoice works really well. We probably still aren't taking full advantage of everything it can do but the dashboard and reporting tools are already having a big impact by helping our team manage things better and giving them access to live, useful data.

Cons

The most common feedback from staff is that the system takes quite a few clicks to complete transactions which makes some tasks feel slower than they were in our previous system, Sage Manufacturing. Another challenge is that many of the screens look very similar which can be confusing for people when they are first being trained.

“full visibility”

Pros

Having complete visibility into every detail and the flexibility the system provides has been a big plus.

Cons

I haven't run into any issues.

“Versatile fit for custom operations”

Pros

Across our business it handles a wide range of jobs really well, from stock control and tracking working hours to creating works orders, purchase orders and invoices that can be sent straight to Sage for payment. It also gives us useful analysis on the materials used and the hours spent on each project which helps a lot with day-to-day management.

Cons

Since our business is very bespoke the system does need to be tailored around the way we work.

“a very flexible system”

Pros

Something that really worked in our favor was how flexible the software is. It allowed us to roll out the installation in stages over a longer timeframe which helped keep disruption to day-to-day work to a minimum. The system also keeps pace with changes in the industry and can adapt as best practices continue to improve.

Cons

Most of the bigger issues we've run into with E-Max have been resolved so nothing has been too hard to address. That said, we have noticed a few minor inconsistencies, mainly around font display and the way data is sorted when using the search feature. Having a built-in spellcheck would also be a helpful addition.