Prodsmart

What is prodsmart

Prodsmart is a manufacturing execution system (MES) and shop-floor control platform designed to collect real-time production data directly from the factory floor. It connects machines, operators and work orders so production teams can track progress, measure OEE, record quality events and analyze downtime. The platform targets discrete manufacturers, contract manufacturers, and job shops that need visibility into actual shop-floor performance and traceability across processes.

Prodsmart installs at the line, cell or machine level via tablets, scanners and machine integrations and focuses on low-code configuration so production supervisors can define routings, operations and quality checks without heavy IT projects. The solution emphasizes hands-on production features—work order dispatch, barcode scanning, operator time capture and immediate quality capture—that feed dashboards and historical reports for continuous improvement activities.

Because Prodsmart is designed to run in mixed IT/OT environments, it supports offline data capture for intermittent connectivity, configurable rules for quality and scrap, and integrations to ERP/MRP systems to synchronize orders and finished goods. For organizations looking to reduce manual paperwork on the line, improve traceability, and get faster feedback on process problems, Prodsmart provides a modular MES approach that can scale from a single line pilot to multi-site deployments.

Prodsmart features

What does prodsmart do?

Prodsmart captures production transactions at the point of work and translates them into operational metrics, traceability records and exception alerts. Core actions include starting and stopping operations, logging quantities produced, recording defects and scrap, tracking operator time, and timestamping each production step for traceability and analytics.

The platform provides configurable workflows for work orders and routings so users can define production steps, required inspections and Kanban-style replenishment points. Built-in quality features let operators complete checklists, attach photos or documents to nonconformance events, and route defective items to rework or quarantine locations. Data collected on the line feeds real-time dashboards showing progress against plan, bottlenecks, and OEE components (availability, performance, quality).

Prodsmart also includes reporting and historical analytics with drill-down by order, operator, machine and shift. Scheduled and ad-hoc reports support root-cause analysis for downtime events, scrap trends, and throughput variance. Additional features typically found in Prodsmart deployments include barcode/QR scanning, mobile operator interfaces, configurable visual work instructions, and configurable alerts (email/SMS) for exceptions.

Prodsmart pricing

Prodsmart offers these pricing plans:

• Free Plan: $0/month (limited pilot or evaluation; basic data capture and single-user access)
• Starter: $49/month per user (billed monthly) with core shop-floor tracking, basic dashboards, and single-site deployment
• Professional: $149/month per user (billed monthly) including advanced analytics, quality workflows, multiple sites, and standard integrations
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (volume discounts, advanced security, on-premises or hybrid deployment, dedicated support)

For many manufacturing customers, Prodsmart pricing is offered as a combination of per-user licenses and optional per-machine connectors or gateway fees for industrial integrations. Annual billing options typically reduce per-user costs by 10–20% compared with monthly subscriptions. Check Prodsmart's current pricing plans (https://www.prodsmart.com/pricing) for the latest rates and enterprise options.

How much is prodsmart per month

Prodsmart starts at approximately $49/month per user for entry-level subscriptions in common market deployments when billed monthly. Small pilots or single-user evaluations can be priced lower or provided with a limited free tier for short-term evaluation. Typical production sites adopting line-level MES functionality often budget both user licenses and integration/setup fees, which increase monthly effective costs depending on the number of operators and connected machines.

How much is prodsmart per year

Prodsmart costs around $588/year per user for the Starter plan at the stated monthly rate, with Professional tiers commonly priced near $1,788/year per user when billed monthly equivalent. Annual prepayment commonly yields discounts; enterprise agreements and multi-year contracts are negotiated with volume pricing and professional services included. Review Prodsmart's published offerings on their site for updated yearly discounts and contract terms.

How much is prodsmart in general

Prodsmart pricing ranges from free trials and small pilot tiers up to enterprise-level custom contracts; typical production customers budget $0 to $150+/month per user depending on functionality, integrations and support needs. Small workshops may only need the basic capture features and pay little or nothing for short evaluations, while multi-site manufacturers with machine integration and regulatory traceability requirements will see higher costs driven by professional services and per-site licensing.

What is prodsmart used for

Prodsmart is used for shop-floor visibility, real-time production tracking, and manufacturing traceability. Production managers use it to monitor work order execution, measure OEE and spot bottlenecks, while quality engineers use it to record nonconformances and enforce inspection checkpoints. It replaces paper traveler systems and disconnected spreadsheets by providing timestamped, auditable production records.

Common operational uses include dispatching and sequencing work orders, capturing operator time and performance, collecting scrap and rework reasons, and managing serialized or batch-level traceability for regulated products. Maintenance teams use downtime and fault data from Prodsmart to prioritize preventive actions and root-cause analysis. Inventory teams benefit from more accurate WIP accounting and faster job completion updates to upstream ERP systems.

Prodsmart is also used as a data source for continuous improvement programs: teams run Pareto analyses on downtime reasons, track first-pass yield trends, and apply small experiments on the line, using Prodsmart’s historic dataset to measure impact. Because it supports configurable workflows, manufacturers can adapt it for discrete, repetitive or mixed-mode production environments.

Pros and cons of prodsmart

Pros:

• Provides near real-time shop-floor visibility and auditable traceability records that replace paperwork or Excel-based tracking. This reduces delays in identifying issues and improves compliance reporting.
• Configurable operator workflows and mobile UIs enable frontline teams to capture production and quality events with minimal training.
• Built-in OEE calculation and downtime analytics help teams prioritize maintenance, staffing, and process improvements.

Cons:

• Integration to legacy ERP or PLC systems can require professional services and on-site gateways, adding to implementation time and cost.
• Organizations with complex batch-process or heavily regulated environments may need additional validation, custom development, or third-party modules.
• Per-user licensing models can become expensive for large operator populations if not modeled against actual usage; pricing often requires negotiation for multi-site or multi-shift deployments.

Operational considerations include planning for hardware (tablets, barcode scanners, gateways), change management on the shop floor to shift from paper to digital processes, and data governance to ensure consistent master-data (items, routings, operations) across sites.

Prodsmart free trial

Prodsmart commonly offers pilot programs or limited free trials to validate core functionality on a single line or site. Trials typically include basic production capture, a small number of users, and access to standard dashboards so teams can evaluate data quality and integration needs before committing to full deployment. Pilot periods are useful to refine routings, test barcode labels and verify OEE calculations against existing shop-floor observations.

A standard pilot engagement with Prodsmart often lasts 30–90 days and can be extended into a phased rollout. During the pilot, organizations should define success criteria—such as reduction in reporting delays, improved yield measurement accuracy, or validated traceability for a specific SKU—to decide on broader adoption.

Is prodsmart free

No, Prodsmart is not broadly free for production use, though they offer limited free trials or pilot options. Free pilots provide a way to evaluate core features on a constrained scope (single line or small user set), but ongoing production use is typically charged via subscription or enterprise licensing reflecting user seats, machine connectors and support levels.

Prodsmart API

Prodsmart exposes APIs for integrations and automation that allow data exchange with ERP, PLM, CMMS and BI systems. Typical API capabilities include creating and updating work orders, pushing production events (start/stop, quantity produced, defects), reading live dashboards metrics, and exporting traceability records for regulatory reporting. The API supports JSON over HTTPS and token-based authentication in standard cloud deployments.

Beyond REST endpoints, Prodsmart can integrate via middleware or file-based exchanges (CSV/JSON), and many customers use the API to implement automated synchronization of master data (items, bills of material, routings) and to send finished-goods confirmations back to an ERP. For machine-level integrations, Prodsmart supports OPC-UA wrappers or gateway devices that translate PLC signals into production events.

For developers and integrators, Prodsmart provides documentation and examples to map common production flows. Check Prodsmart's developer documentation (https://www.prodsmart.com/developers) for API endpoints, authentication methods and sample requests that match typical ERP synchronization patterns.

10 Prodsmart alternatives

Paid alternatives to prodsmart

• Plex — Cloud-based MES with deep ERP coupling for automotive and regulated manufacturing, strong traceability and shop-floor control.
• Oracle NetSuite Manufacturing — Integrated ERP+manufacturing modules for larger enterprises that need unified financial and production workflows.
• SAP Manufacturing Execution — Enterprise-grade MES from SAP that integrates with SAP ERP and S/4HANA for complex process and discrete environments.
• Katana — Modern cloud MRP/MES for small-to-medium manufacturers focused on visual production planning and inventory management.
• Fishbowl — Inventory and manufacturing software that integrates with QuickBooks, suited for small businesses needing basic shop-floor tracking.
• IQMS (now DELMIAworks) — MES and ERP combination with strong work-order, quality and traceability features for mid-market manufacturers.
• MRPeasy — Affordable cloud MRP and shop-floor tracking aimed at small manufacturers and workshops.
• Proudfoot (MES vendors) — Systems integrators and MES vendors that deliver customized shop-floor systems for industrial OEMs.
• Epicor ERP — ERP with integrated manufacturing execution and scheduling for mid-market to enterprise manufacturers.
• Shopfloor-IT — Specialized shop-floor data collection tools offering MES functions tailored to specific industries.

Open source alternatives to prodsmart

• Odoo (Manufacturing module) — Open-source ERP with manufacturing and work-order management modules; extensible and widely supported by the community.
• ERPNext — Open-source ERP with production planning, work orders and basic shop-floor tracking suitable for small manufacturers.
• inoERP (with extensions) — Open-source ERP offering manufacturing modules that can be extended for shop-floor capture and basic MES functions.
• Apache OFBiz (customized) — Framework that can be configured for manufacturing workflows and integrated with custom data capture for shop floors.

Frequently asked questions about Prodsmart

What is prodsmart used for?

Prodsmart is used for real-time shop-floor data collection and manufacturing execution. It captures operation-level events, tracks work orders, records quality and scrap, and calculates metrics such as OEE to help production teams monitor performance and ensure traceability across manufacturing processes.

Does prodsmart offer integrations with ERP systems?

Yes, Prodsmart supports ERP integrations. Standard integrations include syncing work orders, finished goods confirmations and inventory updates; many customers connect Prodsmart to ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle NetSuite or Odoo using REST APIs or middleware adapters.

How is prodsmart deployed (cloud or on-premises)?

Prodsmart is primarily offered as a cloud-hosted service with hybrid options available. Cloud deployment is common for faster setup and automatic updates, while enterprise customers can negotiate on-premises or hybrid models to meet specific security, latency or integration requirements.

Can prodsmart capture data from PLCs and machines?

Yes, Prodsmart can integrate with machines and PLCs using gateways or OPC-UA connectors. The platform supports machine-event capture to automate start/stop and count events, though some shop-floor integrations require gateway hardware or custom configuration to translate PLC signals into Prodsmart events.

Does prodsmart provide traceability and serial/batch tracking?

Yes, Prodsmart includes traceability features for batches and serialized items. Users can record material lot numbers, assembly serials and timestamps for each operation, enabling downstream reporting for recalls, regulatory audits and quality investigations.

How secure is prodsmart?

Prodsmart implements common cloud security practices, including encrypted communications and role-based access controls. For enterprise deployments, Prodsmart can support advanced security controls, single sign-on (SSO) and contractual compliance requirements; customers should review Prodsmart’s security documentation for certifications and specific controls.

Can Prodsmart work offline on the shop floor?

Yes, Prodsmart supports offline data capture for intermittent connectivity. Mobile devices and tablets can store transactions locally while offline and synchronize to the cloud when a connection is restored, reducing data loss on factory floors with limited network coverage.

What reporting and analytics does prodsmart provide?

Prodsmart provides dashboards, OEE reports and historical analytics by order, shift, operator and machine. Reports can be scheduled or exported for external BI tools, and custom reports can be built to support continuous improvement and executive scorecards.

Is there training and implementation support for Prodsmart?

Yes, Prodsmart offers onboarding and professional services to implement shop-floor solutions. Support typically includes configuration of routings, operator training, hardware recommendations and integrations, with enterprise customers receiving dedicated support and implementation resources.

How do I evaluate Prodsmart for my factory?

Start with a pilot focused on a single line or product family to validate data capture and integration. Define measurable success criteria—such as reduced reporting lag, verified OEE improvement or established traceability—use the Prodsmart pilot to refine workflows and then scale across additional sites once the pilot objectives are met.

prodsmart careers

Prodsmart maintains openings in product development, manufacturing solutions consulting, customer success and sales for teams experienced in industrial software and manufacturing operations. Roles commonly require knowledge of MES/MRP, data integration or industrial automation. Visit Prodsmart’s careers page on their website for current listings and role descriptions.

prodsmart affiliate

Prodsmart occasionally works with systems integrators, value-added resellers and implementation partners who resell and deploy the platform. Affiliate or partnership programs typically include training and co-delivery arrangements—contact Prodsmart’s partner team for eligibility and program details.

Where to find prodsmart reviews

Third-party reviews and user feedback can be found on software comparison sites and industry forums. For consolidated customer testimonials and case studies, consult Prodsmart’s customer success pages and independent reviews on manufacturing software directories. You can also read detailed customer stories and implementation summaries on Prodsmart’s website and partner case studies.