Who this is for: Manufacturers looking to reduce repeated data entry between production and business management software.
Integrating MES and ERP means agreeing how orders and production information move between systems, who can change them and how successful processing is verified. Installing a connector is only one part of that work.
The intended result is a traceable sequence: the right order reaches production, progress is linked to the correct operation and the business system receives consistent quantities. Production, business teams and software suppliers need shared definitions before they can deliver that result reliably.
Choose one complete, bounded workflow
Start with a family of orders whose production route is understood. Identify creation, release, progress, possible suspension and completion. Record which activities remain manual: an operation without automatic data collection still needs a named owner and an understandable recording method.
ISA-95 addresses information exchange between business and manufacturing activities. For a specific project, turn that distinction into a flow matrix approved by both teams. There is no need to transfer every available field. Transfer the information required to complete and verify the selected process, and make any remaining gaps explicit before implementation starts.
References: ISA — ISA-95: Enterprise-Control System Integration
Assign ownership to each piece of information
Item codes, revisions, units and order identifiers need compatible meanings. Establish which system creates the information and which receives it. Where both can make changes, describe when this is permitted and who resolves a conflict. A field mapping without these rules does not establish a usable operating process.
The table gives a possible starting point to adapt, rather than a universal allocation. Subcontracting, split batches and make-to-order manufacturing may need different handovers. Identify those variations before development so that permanent manual corrections do not become the hidden cost of the integration.
Scroll horizontally to see every column.
| Information | Ownership to agree | Required check |
|---|---|---|
| Order and item | System authorising release | Requested identifier, revision and quantity |
| Operational progress | System recording execution | Linked order, operation and quantities |
| Scrap or rework | Role approving the reason | Effect on quantities and order status |
| Completion and production record | System closing the process | Reconciled totals and resolved exceptions |
Handle rejected, repeated and out-of-sequence updates
An order might be cancelled after work starts, a confirmation might arrive twice, or the ERP might be unavailable. Describe these cases with examples before choosing how systems communicate. Otherwise, the connection may pass an initial demonstration while leaving operators to investigate and repair everyday exceptions.
Each transmission should be identifiable and have a visible processing outcome. Received, validated and applied are different states. Define who sees a problem, when they are notified and how they can retry without duplicating its effect. A scheduled exchange can also be suitable when its timing and ownership match the operational need.
Test reconciliation and prepare the rollout
Prepare scenarios covering complete and partial orders, scrap, rework and interruptions. For each one, compare the final state in both systems with the agreed result. Confirming that a technical request received a response does not establish that production quantities or order progress are correct.
Agree a rollout window, available contacts and a way to restore the previous operating arrangement if a blocking problem appears. After release, assign exception monitoring to a specific person or role. Documentation, training and management of later interface changes belong in the handover alongside the working connection. Confirm who will repeat relevant checks when either supplier upgrades its software.
What to gather to define the integration scope
- MES and ERP versions, active modules and technical contacts.
- Supported interfaces, documentation and licensing constraints.
- Anonymised examples of orders, items, operations and production records.
- Cancellation, splitting, scrap and rework rules.
- Update intervals genuinely needed for each information flow.
- Owners for acceptance, rollout and subsequent exceptions.
Common questions
Does the connection always need to operate in real time?
No. Frequency depends on the decision the information supports. Some updates need to arrive quickly; others can be consolidated periodically. Specifying the maximum acceptable delay makes it possible to choose a proportionate solution without introducing unnecessary operational dependencies.
Can we keep an MES and ERP from different suppliers?
Yes, where their interfaces and constraints permit it. Check access to documentation, supplier support, test environments and ownership of future changes. Feasibility is established through these details, rather than simply by finding an API listed in both product descriptions.
Sources and further reading
Apply this to your project.
Tell us which MES and ERP you use and which workflow needs connecting. We can help define responsibilities, requirements and checks before development.
Discuss your industrial software