Plex Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Reviews

“Reliable tracking for production

Pros

During nearly three years working at a supplier for MAZDA TOYOTA, I used PLEX regularly and it handled a lot of important production tasks for us. We kept our safety and quality sheets in the system and it gave us a clear view of everything happening in the Stamping and Weld Cells, including downtime, the number of coils being cut and how many parts were being stamped or welded. We also relied on PLEX to print labels for every container. On top of that, it showed exactly where each container needed to be stored and where to find it later.

Cons

Any time it went down, we had to switch to handwriting labels which took a lot more time. There were also occasions when the inventory count shown in PLEX did not match what was actually in storage.

“Very user-friendly experience!

Pros

Right away, the platform felt very user-friendly which made it enjoyable to work with.

Cons

Honestly there isn't anything specific that I disliked about it.

“plant data visibility is excellent

Pros

Getting to the data we collect across the plant is very simple and the system makes it simple to view and use that information day to day.

Cons

We're using it's older, lower-cost service so I assume the newer version includes additional features that would be nice to have.

“Seamless module integration

Pros

The way the different modules connect with each other feels smooth and well put together.

Cons

Certain parts of the design and some features feel a bit outdated and don't offer much flexibility.

“costly failure with broken planning

Pros

The only real upside for us has been the "all-you-can-eat" pricing model.

Cons

Honestly almost everything else has been a problem. Plex has come close to wrecking our company and that is not an exaggeration. Some of that may have come from a bad initial implementation through a consulting firm, along with not having enough in-house expertise to know the right questions to ask. But even after attempting a full reimplementation with a different consulting company, it became obvious that Plex was never going to fit our operation. The MRP, routers and BOMs feel completely disconnected from one another which makes planning incredibly tedious. You would expect something as basic as a costed BOM report to be included as a standard feature yet it is not available. On top of that, Plex management has shown little interest in resolving these problems, our Director of Operations documented more than 38 major issues. At this point we are looking at replacing the system altogether which will cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Tailored for metal stamping

Pros

Coming from a metal stamping background gives this software a very distinctive advantage. It includes many features that are specifically relevant to metal stamping companies which makes it stand out. Because of that, I would definitely recommend this software.

Cons

The licensing model is very costly and we just could not justify spending that much on it.

“Strong accounting, tough usability

Pros

The cloud-based Plex ERP runs fast and feels responsive in day-to-day use. On top of that, the accounting module includes a wide range of functionality.

Cons

Using the software is extremely challenging and it takes substantial training for users to get comfortable with it. We also ran into a lot of technical issues, including labels not working, the drop ship module not allowing decimals and accounting jobs not being available for every entry. Overall the system lacks flexibility and could end up causing problems for your company.

“All-in-one manufacturing visibility

Pros

Having one ERP system that lets us track both employee activity and everything tied to manufacturing has been really valuable. It's nice having all of that information in a single place.

Cons

The biggest downside is the learning curve when it comes to figuring out where things are and how to complete the tasks you need to do. I'm fairly comfortable with software in general but it still feels less user-friendly than I'd prefer.

“Powerful ERP

Pros

When it comes to ERP, this covers everything needed to track what's being done, how much time it will take and what else is required to keep the project moving.

Cons

The visual layout could definitely be more polished although I can see why it was designed that way. Even so, it works very effectively.

“flexible access and integrated tools

Pros

The interface is simple, everything works together well and I can get to it from pretty much any device. Even when I'm at home, I'm still able to put together reports and schedules without any trouble.

Cons

I'd still like to see the distribution framework become more mature. It exists now but it could be improved to handle the logistics side in a more efficient way. Support also tends to be slower than I'd prefer although we have been able to configure the system ourselves using their development tools.

“powerful cloud platform

Pros

Getting started with it feels very natural especially for anyone who has used line-of-business software before. It's web-based which really helps cut overall IT costs and that becomes even more valuable for multi-site companies or businesses with a large number of users. Since it runs in the cloud, backups and risk planning are much simpler to manage. The unlimited user model is a huge advantage and is one of the biggest things that separates PLEX from other options, hopefully they never change that. The PLEX community is also fantastic, with plenty of training and shared knowledge available. In many cases, that kind of support would be an added extra with other software.

Cons

The newer UX still has some bugs although it's not a major roadblock because you can always log into the classic version and take care of what you need. Even with that, the UX has been very good overall. One thing I'd really like to see is the education portal included free for the first six months as a trial. There are a lot of training sessions and plenty of places to find answers so giving users a better preview of that content would probably help it get adopted much faster.

“User-friendly cloud access

Pros

Found it easy to handle. Since it's cloud-based, I can log in and work from pretty much anywhere which has been really convenient. The dashboard is especially useful and has turned into a really valuable tool to have.

Cons

Getting everything set up was a bit challenging at first. The interface also feels somewhat outdated and when the system does go down, the downtime tends to last longer than expected.

“Affordable and responsive platform!!

Pros

Its userfriendly and uncomplicated. It costs less than many of the larger ERP systems and the interface is generally simple to work with. One thing I really appreciate is how open the company is to user feedback and their willingness to make updates based on what customers ask for. The Plex user community is also a huge plus and it's common to see experienced users and Plex experts jump in with helpful advice.

Cons

Some parts of the functionality still feel buggy and there are a few limitations when it comes to the consumer products side of the business. It does seem like they are working on those gaps, just at a fairly slow pace. The current business intelligence tools tied to the software are also not very user-friendly and can be difficult to work with.

“Flexible cloud updates

Pros

Quite simple to get the hang of. Plex Online stays current with updates and since it's cloud-based, there's no need to deal with installation upgrades. It's also highly customizable to fit a company's specific needs and the staff has been helpful and knowledgeable throughout.

Cons

I haven't run into any issues yet.