In manufacturing, inventory problems rarely show up as “inventory problems.” They appear as delayed production runs, emergency purchases, or finished goods that exist in reports but not on the loading bay.
This risk is growing as Malaysian manufacturers scale output and complexity. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the manufacturing sector contributed over 23% of Malaysia’s GDP in 2024, with increasing reliance on digital systems to manage production and supply chains. As volume rises, gaps between production planning and inventory execution become harder to control manually.
Manufacturing inventory software is designed to close that gap. Instead of treating inventory as static stock counts, it tracks materials as they move through production, work in progress, and finished goods, so decisions are based on what is actually usable, not what was last recorded.
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Best Manufacturing Inventory Software in Malaysia
After reviewing various options, here are the manufacturing inventory management software worth considering in 2026. These tools help manufacturers track materials, manage production resources, and cut down on waste, making it easier to run a leaner and more efficient operation.
Best Because Affordable ERP-style system with QuickBooks integration, real-time tracking, and lightweight MRP functions.
Best Because Lot/serial tracking for traceability, QuickBooks and Shopify integration, with mobile app support.
Best Because Combines accounting strength with raw material tracking, PO automation, and available-to-promise delivery dates.
What is Manufacturing Inventory Software?
Manufacturing inventory software is designed to track inventory as it moves through production, not just when it enters or leaves a warehouse. It records raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods as part of one continuous flow tied to production orders and bills of materials.
In practice, this means stock levels change automatically when materials are issued to production, partially consumed, or converted into finished items. Teams no longer need to reconcile production reports against warehouse counts at the end of the day.
For manufacturers in Malaysia, this type of system is especially useful when dealing with batch production, subcontracting, or frequent production changes. This software also helps improve the inventory turnover ratio, which measures how quickly stock is used and replaced. A higher turnover ratio means better inventory management, reducing the risk of overstocking or running out of materials.
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What are the Main Benefits of Using Manufacturing Inventory Software?
For manufacturers aiming to optimize productivity and minimize errors, inventory software for manufacturing serves as a powerful tool. The following are its most impactful benefits.
- Maintain production continuity with real-time inventory tracking: Automated tracking enables constant stock level monitoring, mitigating stockouts and overstocking. This guarantees the availability of essential raw material inventory for seamless production.
- Plan smarter with enhanced forecasting and demand planning: The software analyzes historical trends to accurately predict future demand, allowing you to optimize production schedules and prevent shortages.
- Reduce bottlenecks through optimized operation: By automating repetitive tasks, the software minimizes errors and liberates your team to focus on strategic initiatives, significantly boosting productivity.
- Protect margins with cost efficiency: Cost efficiency improves when efficient material usage and waste reduction lower expenses tied to excess inventory, obsolete items, rush orders, and missed sales opportunities due to stockouts. This also supports better cash allocation by reducing unnecessary carrying costs and improving inventory turnover.
- Strengthen control with advanced reporting and analytics: Comprehensive insights and detailed reports empower data-driven decisions, enabling optimal inventory management, stronger supplier relations, and improved cash flow.
- Improve accuracy with barcode-enabled processes: Barcode scanning automates data entry and reduces manual errors, improving inventory record accuracy across warehouses and production lines. This is crucial for high-SKU, multi-location manufacturers.
- Stabilize supply with better supplier collaboration: Sharing real-time inventory insights helps suppliers plan replenishment more accurately. This reduces emergency orders and production delays.
In addition, research on inventory optimization practices shows that systematic inventory control can reduce costs, save time, improve resource use, minimize waste, and speed up operational flows.
12 Best Manufacturing Inventory Software
Choosing the right inventory system for the manufacturing industry is vital for boosting efficiency, lowering costs, and simplifying operations. Below is a shortlist of manufacturing inventory software you can consider as a starting point before reviewing the detailed breakdown.
For medium to large manufacturers (enterprise scale)
- HashMicro Manufacturing Inventory Software: Delivers end-to-end production control and real-time material tracking for multi-factory and scaling manufacturers.
- Cin7 Core: Offers centralized inventory and MRP planning, along with seamless multi-warehouse order fulfillment.
- Unleashed: Specializes in real-time costing and stock accuracy for manufacturers expanding into wholesale.
- MISys Manufacturing: Supports complex production workflows and shop-floor control for larger manufacturing environments.
- Odoo Manufacturing & Inventory: Offers modular MRP and workflow automation with strong customization for enterprise needs.
For small to medium-sized manufacturers (SMBs)
- Fishbowl Manufacturing: Integrates inventory and work orders with QuickBooks to streamline production tracking.
- Zoho Inventory: Automates stock, purchasing, and barcode workflows for growing e-commerce and manufacturing operations.
- Katana MRP: Focuses on real-time visibility and efficient order fulfillment for smaller manufacturers.
- SOS Inventory: Provides BOM and serial/lot tracking to simplify production for SMBs using QuickBooks or Shopify.
- MRPEasy: Offers simplified MRP, production scheduling, and purchase planning for light manufacturing.
- inFlow Inventory: Supports barcode-driven stock control and accurate order processing for material-intensive SMBs.
- QuickBooks Enterprise: Combines advanced inventory control with accounting and cost tracking for manufacturing finance teams.
Discover the top 12 apps that optimize inventory, enhance traceability, and support seamless business growth.
1. HashMicro Manufacturing Inventory Software
HashMicro’s manufacturing inventory system is built for manufacturers that need tighter coordination between production, warehouse, and purchasing teams. The focus is on visibility and control during daily operations, especially where stock accuracy depends on production progress, not just warehouse counts.
The system tracks raw materials, WIP, and finished goods in one flow, linking inventory movements directly to production orders and bills of materials. This helps reduce common issues such as material shortages mid-production, delayed stock updates, or discrepancies between planned and actual output.
For Malaysian manufacturers managing multiple warehouses or production lines, HashMicro fits best where inventory decisions need to reflect real shop floor activity rather than end-of-day manual updates.
Features:
- Live goods tracking: Barcode management ensures accurate and fast tracking of goods.
- Efficient stock requests: Automated stock request management facilitates requests across branches or warehouses.
- Tailored integration: Customization aligns with your company’s specific needs and supports growth.
- ERP module integration: Seamless connectivity with ERP modules like accounting, manufacturing, purchasing, and POS.
- Automated operations: Automatic stock recording optimizes warehouse and inventory processes.
Price: available upon request
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manufacturers that need inventory tied closely to production planning, multi level BoM, and material tracking across production and warehouse teams.
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2. Fishbowl Inventory Software for Manufacturing
Fishbowl Inventory offers scalable, cost-effective ERP with robust inventory tracking. This ERP system is ideal for growing manufacturers needing a basic MRP system and comprehensive management tools.
Integrating cloud inventory software enhances flexibility with real-time tracking, remote access, and improved accuracy, empowering businesses to adapt quickly to market demands.
Price: from RM 1,382/month (based on the Basic plan at $329/month).
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Manufacturers that want work orders and fulfilment control while syncing transactions back to QuickBooks for accounting.
3. QuickBooks Enterprise
QuickBooks Enterprise, famous for its accounting tools, includes robust inventory management features. It supports tracking of stock, raw materials, and orders, providing a complete solution for both financial and operational needs.
Price: from RM 9,282/year (based on $2,210/year).
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Manufacturing finance teams that want inventory controls such as multi location, lot or serial tracking, and pick workflows inside a strong accounting environment
4. Cin7 Core
Cin7 Core Manufacturing Inventory Management Software is a cloud-based solution designed for the manufacturing industry to streamline production and inventory operations. It enables real-time stock visibility, automates orders, and integrates smoothly with accounting platforms.
Price: from RM 1,466/month (based on $349/month).
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Multi site businesses that want centralised inventory with BOM and manufacturing support, plus strong order and multi warehouse fulfilment.
5. inFlow
Cin7 Core is an inventory management system for manufacturing industry tailored for manufacturers to streamline production and inventory workflows. It provides automated inventory synchronization and smart demand forecasting to enhance supply chain accuracy.
Price: from RM 626/month (based on $149/month).
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SMBs that want barcode driven stock control and order processing with a low learning curve for daily warehouse work.
6. Odoo
Odoo is a cloud-based solution designed to streamline warehouse and manufacturing operations. It supports real-time stock tracking and multi-warehouse management, making it ideal for businesses seeking full control over complex inventory workflows.
Price: RM 27/user/month (based on the provided Rp 110,000/user/month).
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Teams that want a modular ERP approach, combining manufacturing with inventory and other modules, with room for custom workflows.
7. Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory is ideal for small to mid-sized online retailers. This cloud-based inventory management system for manufacturing industry simplifies tracking across multiple warehouses and supports individual unit tracking with expiration dates, serial numbers, or batches.
Price: RM 111/organization/month (based on the provided Rp 448,500/month).
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Growing operations that need straightforward stock, purchasing, and barcode tracking, especially when managing orders across sales channels.
8. Katana MRP
Katana MRP suits industries needing strict batch control, like food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Its batch tool tracks raw materials and finished goods, ensuring quality and safety standards are maintained from production to sale.
Price: from RM 1,508/month (based on $359/month).
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Small to mid sized manufacturers that need real time visibility across inventory, orders, and production schedules without heavy ERP complexity.
9. SOS Inventory
SOS Inventory is ideal for industries like food manufacturing, where traceability is essential. It uses unique lot or serial numbers for supply chain visibility, enabling precise raw materials tracking and efficient procurement-to-delivery processes.
Price: from RM 294/month (based on $69.95/month).
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Online users that need stronger inventory and light manufacturing controls such as assemblies, serial or lot tracking, and multi location workflows.
10. MISys Manufacturing
MISys Manufacturing offers scalable inventory management system for manufacturing industry and manufacturing barcode software. It ensures efficient resource utilization by tracking raw materials, costs, and orders while growing with your business needs.
Price: from RM 23,268 one-time (based on $5,540).
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Manufacturers that need deeper shop floor control and MRP style workflows, often paired with accounting tools like QuickBooks.
11. MRPEasy
MRPEasy is a cloud-based MRP solution for small manufacturers. It supports inventory management tasks like BOM creation and production tracking. The flexibility of this manufacturing inventory management software makes it ideal for growing businesses.
Price: from RM 416/user/month (based on $99/user/month).
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Small manufacturers that want simpler production planning and scheduling with purchasing and stock control, without a long setup cycle.
12. Unleashed
Unleashed is a cloud-based inventory management software for the manufacturing industry
that supports batch tracking and multi-warehouse management. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses with complex manufacturing inventory requirements.
Price: from RM 630/month (based on $150/month).
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Product based manufacturers and wholesalers that care about stock accuracy and costing, and want visibility across suppliers, inventory, and sales.
Comprehensive Comparison of Manufacturing Inventory Software in Malaysia
| Provider | Connection Quality | Bank Coverage | Ease of Integration | Data Enrichment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hashmicro | ||||
| Fishbowl | ||||
| Zoho Inventory | ||||
| Katana | ||||
| SOS Inventory | ||||
| MISys | ||||
| MRPEasy | ||||
| QuickBooks |
Common Challenges of Raw Materials Inventory Management
Raw materials are the starting point of production, so any issue here quickly spreads to WIP and finished goods. In practice, manufacturers don’t only struggle with “having stock,” but also with keeping the right materials in the right condition at the right time. Below are the challenges that most often disrupt raw materials control:
- Demand forecasting that shifts too fast: When demand suddenly rises or falls, planning becomes unstable, and stock can swing between overstock and shortages. This creates rushed buying, higher carrying costs, and changes to production schedules.
- Unpredictable supplier performance: Late deliveries, inconsistent quality, or changing lead times can break the production rhythm. Even one unreliable supplier can trigger downtime, rework, or last-minute substitutions.
- Storage, space, and handling constraints: Materials come in different sizes and require varying packaging and storage, making layout and movement difficult to manage. Without clear flow rules, materials get stuck in the wrong area, damaged, or slow to reach the line.
- Waste, expiry, and dead stock: Losses don’t always come from significant incidents; minor damages, expiry, and slow-moving items can quietly drain budget. Preventing this needs good rotation, condition monitoring, and more brilliant replenishment timing.
- Inaccurate inventory data: Manual updates and disconnected tools often lead to stock-level mismatches between teams. When the numbers can’t be trusted, purchasing and production decisions become guesswork.
- Weak traceability: If a quality issue happens, you need to trace materials across their lifecycle for audits, recalls, and compliance. Limited traceability means slower investigations and bigger operational and reputational risk.
How to Choose the Best Manufacturing Inventory Software
Choosing the right manufacturing inventory management software is a critical step toward optimizing operations and ensuring your business stays competitive. The right solution not only addresses current challenges but also supports long-term growth.
1. Assess your specific needs
Identify your manufacturing inventory management challenges, such as real-time tracking or multi-location management. Select a system that fits your needs, including raw materials tracking and production workflows.
2. Prioritize user-friendly interfaces
Complex systems can cause confusion and errors. Choose inventory management software for manufacturing with an intuitive interface that your team can easily adopt, minimizing training time and ensuring smoother operations.
3. Consider scalability
Choose inventory management software for the manufacturing industry
that grows with your business, seamlessly accommodating higher order volumes, new product lines, or additional locations.
4. Ensure system integration
Choose software that integrates with existing ERP or accounting systems to ensure smooth data flow, prevent silos, and reduce manual tasks. A well-integrated manufacturing inventory management software streamlines processes and boosts overall efficiency.
5. Check customer support quality
Strong support is crucial for setup and troubleshooting. Select providers that offer reliable service, training resources, and responsive assistance to ensure your inventory management software works effectively.
Selecting the right manufacturing inventory software is an investment in your business’s future success. By focusing on these key factors, you can ensure smoother operations, greater efficiency, and a solution that evolves alongside your business needs.
Conclusion
When inventory is off, everything else follows. Missing materials slow down production. Late production means late deliveries. Late deliveries upset customers and mess with your cash flow. In manufacturing, these small gaps add up fast.
The right software helps you stay ahead of these problems. You can see what’s in stock across all locations, track what’s being used on the production floor, and know when it’s time to reorder before supplies run out. Planning becomes easier because you’re working with real numbers, not estimates or outdated spreadsheets.
But software alone doesn’t fix everything. The system needs to match how your team actually works. If it’s too complicated or doesn’t connect with your existing setup, people will find workarounds and you’re back to square one.
Not sure which system fits your factory? A free consultation with our team can help you figure out the right setup for your operations.
FAQ about Manufacturing Inventory Software
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How to track manufacturing inventory?
Tracking manufacturing inventory involves monitoring raw materials, work-in-progress items, and finished goods. This can be done using barcode scanning, batch tracking, or RFID technology to ensure accurate records. Software solutions automate tracking, offering real-time updates and insights.
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What is the biggest challenge in raw materials inventory management?
There are seven challenges in raw materials inventory management, such as ensuring accurate demand forecasting, supplier reliability, storage and handling, waste and obsolescence, data accuracy, and lack of traceability.
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What software is used to track inventory?
Popular inventory-tracking software includes HashMicro, Fishbowl, Zoho Inventory, and Katana MRP. These tools help manage stock levels, track batches, forecast demand, and integrate with ERP software, ensuring seamless operations for businesses of all sizes.
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What is the simplest way to manage an inventory?
The simplest way to manage inventory is by using cloud-based inventory software. These tools streamline processes, provide real-time tracking, and reduce errors. For small businesses, software with user-friendly interfaces and essential features like stock monitoring and reporting is ideal.
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How does manufacturing inventory software help reduce production delays?
Manufacturing inventory software reduces production delays by providing real-time visibility into material availability and stock levels. It automates reordering, tracks usage accurately, and ensures every component is ready when needed, keeping production on schedule.
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Which software is best for inventory?
HashMicro Inventory Software is a strong choice for businesses that need real-time stock visibility and tighter control across multiple warehouses or branches. It supports barcode/SKU tracking, batch and expiry management, automated replenishment, and integrates smoothly with purchasing, sales, and accounting to reduce stockouts and overstock.
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What are the five types of software used in manufacturing?
1. ERP to unify finance, procurement, inventory, production, and sales.
2. MES to monitor and control shop-floor production in real time.
3. CMMS to manage equipment maintenance and reduce downtime.
4. PLM to manage product data from design to end-of-life.
5. SCM/WMS to optimize supply, warehousing, and distribution. -
How manufacturing inventory software works?
Manufacturing inventory software works by linking purchasing, warehouse, and production so stock updates automatically as items move from raw materials → WIP → finished goods. It uses BOM/work orders to reserve and consume materials, then records output, scrap, and transfers in real time.
It also keeps live stock levels across locations, supports batch/lot or serial tracking for traceability, and alerts shortages before they stop production. Many systems also suggest replenishment (MRP) and generate reports for tighter cost and inventory control.
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What is raw material inventory management?
Raw material inventory management is the process of planning, tracking, and controlling the stock of raw materials used in production, so the right items are available in the right quantity, at the right time, without overstocking or running out.
In practice, it covers activities like receiving and inspection, storage and bin/SKU labeling, stock level monitoring (min–max/reorder point), issuing materials to production, and recording usage and waste to keep inventory accurate and costs under control.
