- Manufacturing teams need project management software with integrations, shared project visibility, resource planning, and customizable reporting.
- The nine best manufacturing project management tools serve different needs: Wrike for cross-department projects and collaboration, Jira for engineering work, and MRPeasy for production planning.
- Choose a specialized manufacturing system for production and inventory needs, or a broader project management platform to coordinate work between departments.
Manufacturing projects depend on keeping tasks, projects, and workflows organized. A delayed design approval delays procurement and pushes back production, putting delivery dates at risk. That’s why teams need project management software that helps them coordinate that work and respond when plans change.
Many general project management tools don’t offer the capabilities a manufacturing business needs. Specialized systems — like production management platforms — can provide deeper production functionality but require a larger investment, and usually entail a long and complex setup.
To help you make the right choice, this guide covers the most important features in manufacturing project management software, plus nine of the best options on the market today for different manufacturing use cases.
What to look for in manufacturing project management software (4 critical capabilities)
Manufacturing teams have specific processes and project requirements to consider when choosing software. Whether you need a specialized manufacturing platform or a broader project management tool, look for these four capabilities:
- Integrations with your other manufacturing software: You may already use product lifecycle management (PLM) software, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or a CRM such as Salesforce. Look for project management software that connects with your existing systems so teams can access relevant information without repeatedly entering it into different tools.
- Dashboards that support team visibility and interdepartmental collaboration: Shop floor teams may have their own tools, but project managers need visibility into work from design through logistics. Your software should give each team a relevant view of its responsibilities while helping everyone understand overall project progress.
- Planning tools for scheduling work and managing resources: Before committing to a deadline, you need to know whether your team has time to do the work. Look for tools that show who’s available and let you move assignments or update the schedule when a task takes longer than expected.
- Customizable reporting that shows what matters to your business: You should be able to check whether projects are on schedule and within budget without pulling numbers from several spreadsheets. Look for reports you can tailor to your team and reuse as projects move forward.
Below, we compare 9 options, starting with Wrike, and explain the manufacturing project needs each is best suited to support.
The 9 best manufacturing project management software tools
The right manufacturing project management tool depends on what processes you need to manage and which systems you already use.
For example, Wrike helps manufacturers coordinate projects across departments, surface capacity risks, and manage resources, while MRPeasy is more of a traditional MRP for production planning, inventory, procurement, and sales.
Below, we’ll look at nine options, with an emphasis on their main use case, key features, and pricing.
1. Wrike: Best overall project management software for cross-team collaboration
Wrike is a work management platform, trusted by more than 20,000 companies worldwide, including manufacturers like:
- NVIDIA, which relies on Wrike to coordinate worldwide deployments by integrating its telemetry tools and providing real-time data center dashboards to executives.
- Siemens, which uses Wrike to standardize cross-team processes and automate global delivery across hundreds of projects.
- Electrolux, which uses Wrike to find project files in one place, so designers and reviewers (including guest approvers) can comment directly on the artwork.
With Wrike, managers can see who’s available and whether work is on schedule. Each team can tailor its dashboard to focus on its work and still see how broader projects are progressing.
Key features
- Production project schedules: Use Gantt charts to map the steps from design approval to assembly, with dependencies showing which tasks must finish first. If a prototype needs another round of testing, adjust the schedule and see how that affects the planned delivery date.
- Department-specific workflows: Give engineers a workflow for coding and testing, while mechanical engineers get track-quoting and tooling workflows. Shared product folders bring work together so that managers can check the entire product’s progress.
- Engineering and shop team capacity: Workload charts show assigned hours against available capacity. Check whether the engineers and technicians are booked before committing to another installation.
- Parts and engineering change requests: Build request forms that collect details such as the part number, required date, and reason for a change. Submissions can automatically create assigned tasks and start an approval process.
- Reviews and approvals: Collect comments on packaging artwork and invite guest reviewers to approve files. This keeps the requested changes attached to the design.
- Connections with existing systems: Use Wrike’s integrations to make project information available in tools other departments already use. You can configure connections to ERP or PLM systems through Wrike Integrate or the API.
Pricing
Wrike’s flexible plans let you start quickly with a simple use case — such as task management — and gradually add more advanced tools — such as resource planning and budgeting.
Our plans include:
- Free: Essential project and task management, with board and table views.
- Team: $10 per user/month billed annually. Includes interactive Gantt charts and shareable dashboards for 2–15 users.
- Business: $25 per user/month billed annually. Supports 5–200 users and adds resource and capacity planning, workflow customization, and standard integrations.
- Pinnacle: Custom pricing, with advanced resource planning, budgeting, and reporting.
- Apex: Custom pricing. Adds Wrike Integrate, two-way sync capabilities, and expanded AI allowances.
2. Smartsheet: A project management tool that works like a spreadsheet
Smartsheet combines a familiar spreadsheet layout with tools for scheduling projects and keeping teams updated. Manufacturers can use it to organize equipment installations, coordinate product launches, or track improvement projects without managing separate spreadsheets for each department.
Each sheet holds project information, including task owners and deadlines. Teams can view that information in a Gantt chart or board, while managers pull updates from multiple sheets into reports and dashboards. Automated reminders and approval requests help keep work moving without constant follow-up emails.
Compared to tools such as Wrike, Smartsheet does have some limitations. For instance, while Wrike offers 400+ integrations, Smartsheet has only about 100. Plus, Smartsheet is much less flexible than Wrike. So, if you’re hoping to customize your project management tool, you may want to explore other options.
Key features
- Multiple project views: Organize work in grid, Gantt, calendar, and board views.
- Automated updates and approvals: Request progress updates, send reminders, and route work for approval.
- Cross-sheet reports: Combine information from different departments into one report.
- Custom dashboards: Give stakeholders a shared view of project progress and performance.
- File collaboration: Store attachments and feedback alongside the relevant project work.
Pricing
Smartsheet offers a few pricing tiers, including:
- Pro: $9 per member/month billed annually, or $12 billed monthly. Supports 1–10 members
- Business: $19 per member/month billed annually, or $24 billed monthly. Requires at least three members
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Advanced Work Management: Custom pricing
3. Monday.com: Customizable platform for managing team workflows
Monday.com provides teams with a configurable workspace to organize projects and day-to-day work. Boards can reflect a company’s own process, with information about ownership and deadlines visible alongside each item.
For manufacturers, a practical application is coordinating work between departments. A team could build a board that follows a product initiative through design review and production preparation, using status changes to signal when another department needs to act.
This flexibility suits companies willing to configure their own project tracking. During evaluation, it’s worth mapping a real process onto the platform to see how much customization the team will need. For a closer look at how the two platforms compare, explore Wrike as a Monday.com alternative.
Key features
- Customizable boards: Organize work around team responsibilities and project stages.
- Gantt and Kanban views: Review project schedules or track work as it moves between stages.
- Workflow automation: Trigger routine actions and notifications as work changes.
- Dashboards: Summarize project information for managers and stakeholders.
- WorkForms: Collect structured requests from colleagues through online forms.
Pricing
Monday.com’s work management plans include:
- Free: Includes up to two users
- Basic: From $9 per seat/month billed annually
- Standard: From $12 per seat/month billed annually
- Pro: From $19 per seat/month billed annually
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
The total subscription cost varies depending on the selected seat package and any additional AI credits.
4. Asana: Best for organizing tasks and departmental handoffs
Asana helps teams see who owns each task, when it’s due, and what needs to happen before the next activity can begin. Manufacturers can use it to coordinate product launches or manage internal projects involving several departments.
A launch project, for example, could consolidate packaging work and sales preparation into a single plan. Task dependencies show which activities are waiting on others, and shared status updates keep stakeholders informed.
Asana also offers forms and automation rules to standardize incoming requests. Its focus is on coordinating project work, so manufacturers needing detailed production or inventory controls would still need a system for those functions.
Key features
- Task dependencies: Show which activities must finish before other work can begin.
- Flexible project views: Switch between lists, boards, calendars, timelines, and Gantt charts.
- Forms and automation rules: Collect requests and automate routine assignments or updates.
- Project management: Monitor related initiatives from a shared overview.
- Workload management: Review team assignments and adjust workload as capacity changes.
Pricing
Asana offers five plans for users to choose from:
- Personal: Free for up to two users
- Starter: $10.99 per user/month billed annually
- Advanced: $24.99 per user/month billed annually
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Enterprise+: Custom pricing
Some features, including the Timesheets and Budgets add-on, cost extra.
5. ClickUp: Flexible project management with tasks and docs in one place
ClickUp centralizes project tasks and supporting documents in a single workspace. For manufacturing teams, that means project instructions and procedures can sit alongside the work they relate to.
Teams can create their own task types, fields, and statuses to distinguish activities such as design or engineering changes and testing. Different views let managers follow the schedule while individual team members focus on their assigned work.
ClickUp also includes time tracking and workload views. Its range of customization options gives departments flexibility, but shared conventions help prevent the workspace from becoming difficult to navigate as more teams join.
Key features
- Custom task fields and statuses: Record project details and define how work moves through each stage.
- Connected Docs: Keep procedures and project documentation linked to tasks.
- Gantt and board views: Track schedules or organize activities by status.
- Time tracking and workload views: Record hours and review team capacity.
- Assigned comments: Give feedback a clear owner, so follow-up work doesn’t get overlooked.
Pricing
ClickUp has a free plan for basic task management, with paid tiers adding more capacity and reporting tools. ClickUp plans include:
- Free Forever: Free for unlimited members, with collaborative Docs, Kanban boards, and one form
- Unlimited: $7 per user/month billed annually, or $10 monthly. Adds unlimited storage, Gantt charts, and native time tracking
- Business: $12 per user/month billed annually, or $19 monthly. Includes advanced dashboards, portfolio workload management, and 5,000 automations per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for advanced permissions, audit logs, and onboarding support
6. Zoho Projects: A project management tool for smaller businesses and manufacturers
Zoho Projects helps teams break larger projects into milestones and tasks, with clear ownership and deadlines. Manufacturers can use it to coordinate equipment installations, track engineering work, or manage improvements involving several departments.
With Gantt charts, you can see which tasks need to finish before the next ones can start. If a missing component holds up an installation, you can log the problem, assign someone to chase it down, and keep their updates in the same place.
Higher-tier plans also let you compare progress against the original schedule and identify tasks that could push back the finish date.
Key features
- Milestones and subtasks: Divide larger initiatives into stages and individual assignments.
- Gantt charts and dependencies: Map the sequence of work and adjust project schedules.
- Issue tracking: Record project problems, assign owners, and monitor resolution.
- Baselines and critical paths: Compare progress against the original plan and identify tasks that affect completion.
- Custom fields and layouts: Adapt project records to the information your team needs.
Pricing
Small teams can start with Zoho Projects for free, then upgrade for more detailed planning and customization. Four tiers are available:
- Free: Up to five users and three projects, with subtasks and 5 GB of storage.
- Premium: €4 per user/month billed annually. Adds unlimited projects, project budgeting, and timesheet approvals.
- Enterprise: €9 per user/month billed annually. Includes portfolio dashboards, critical-path analysis, baselines, and custom fields.
- Ultimate: €14 per user/month billed annually. Adds unlimited custom dashboards, 100 resources, and timesheets covering multiple users and projects.
Paid subscriptions offer monthly or annual billing, with a 15-day free trial and no credit card required.
7. ProjectManager: Best for combining project scheduling and resource planning
ProjectManager offers detailed scheduling and built-in tools to manage team availability. Manufacturers can build project plans, assign resources, and monitor progress against the expected timeline and budget.
It works well when several projects rely on the same engineers or technicians. Managers can review workloads across those projects and adjust assignments when priorities change. Gantt charts show dependencies and milestones, while team members can update their work through task lists or Kanban boards.
Dashboards bring together progress, time, and cost information, helping managers spot problems without having to collect separate updates from every team.
Key features
- Gantt scheduling: Build project timelines with milestones and task dependencies.
- Critical-path analysis: Identify activities that determine the project’s completion date.
- Resource allocation: Set availability and balance assignments across projects.
- Timesheets: Record working hours and submit them for approval.
- Portfolio dashboards: Monitor multiple projects and review progress, time, and costs.
Pricing
ProjectManager offers three subscriptions:
- Team: $15 per user/month billed annually. Covers up to 10 users and 20 projects, with Gantt charts, project dashboards, and essential reports
- Business: $28 per user/month billed annually. Supports unlimited users and up to 100 projects, adding workload planning, time tracking, budgeting, and portfolio reporting
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for unlimited projects, custom permissions, and personalized onboarding
A 30-day free trial is available without a credit card. Team and Business subscriptions can be billed monthly or annually, with no minimum user requirement.
8. Jira: Best for engineering projects and issue tracking
Jira helps teams organize technical work, track issues, and coordinate activities leading up to a product release. It’s particularly relevant for manufacturers developing products with software or electronic components.
With Jira, teams can track firmware development alongside problems discovered during prototype testing. Each issue has an owner and a status, giving engineers a shared record of what needs attention. Custom workflows let teams define the steps an issue follows from initial report to resolution.
Jira also supports broader project coordination through timelines and dependency tracking. More advanced planning capabilities are available for teams managing several connected projects.
Key features
- Issue tracking: Assign technical problems and follow them through to resolution.
- Scrum and Kanban boards: Organize development work into sprints or track activities by status.
- Custom fields and workflows: Adapt issue records and work stages to your team’s processes.
- Automation: Reduce repetitive updates with rules for assignments and notifications.
- Cross-project planning: Premium includes planning tools that account for dependencies and team capacity.
Pricing
Jira’s free plan covers basic project tracking for small teams. Paid subscriptions add more control over access and tools for coordinating multiple teams:
- Free: Up to 10 users, with unlimited projects and tasks, reports, and 2 GB of storage
- Standard: $7.91 per user/month billed monthly. Adds user permissions, external collaboration, AI features, and 250 GB of storage
- Premium: $14.54 per user/month, billed monthly. Includes cross-team planning, dependency management, customizable approval workflows, and unlimited storage
- Enterprise: Custom pricing, billed annually. Adds advanced analytics, security controls, and support for multiple sites
Paid rates vary by team size, with cheaper annual billing options.
9. MRPeasy: Production planning and inventory management for small manufacturers
MRPeasy is a manufacturing resource planning (MRP) platform that connects production schedules with inventory and purchasing. With this tool, smaller manufacturers can determine what they can produce with available materials and capacity, then estimate when orders will be ready.
Confirmed customer orders can move into production, while purchasing teams see which materials need replenishing. Shop floor workers can also report progress and material consumption, keeping order information up to date as production advances.
The platform’s manufacturing focus makes it useful when delivery dates depend on component availability and production capacity. However, teams that are more focused on coordinating broader business initiatives may find the general project management platforms in this list a closer fit.
Key features
- Production planning: Schedule and reschedule orders around material availability and capacity.
- Inventory tracking: Monitor stock and trace items using lots, serial numbers, and barcodes.
- Procurement management: Identify purchasing requirements and create purchase orders.
- Order estimates: Calculate production costs and lead times before committing to delivery dates.
- Shop floor reporting: Record production progress and the materials used to complete orders.
Pricing
MRPeasy’s entry-level subscription includes production planning and inventory tools. Higher tiers add more specialized manufacturing capabilities. Monthly rates are:
- Starter: $49 per user/month for production planning, bills of materials, lot traceability, and purchasing
- Professional: $69 per user/month. Adds quality control, serial numbers, subcontracting, and other advanced production features
- Enterprise: $99 per user/month
- Unlimited: $149 per user/month, with a minimum of two users
Annual subscriptions include one month free. Beyond the first 10 users, additional users cost $79 per block of 10 each month.
How to choose the right manufacturing project management software
The right software depends on where your team needs more support. For instance, a manufacturer struggling with material shortages has different requirements from one struggling to coordinate engineering projects.
That’s why we recommend you start by identifying the problem you need to solve, then use the following criteria to narrow down your options:
- Decide whether you need manufacturing-specific functionality. If your priority is planning production orders around stock levels and machine capacity, look for a specialized manufacturing system. If you need to coordinate product launches, manage engineering assignments, or track projects across departments, a broader project management platform may be a better fit.
- Check what your existing systems already handle. If your ERP or PLM already manages production and product data, focus on gaps such as shared schedules or team workload visibility. From there, you can look for a project management tool that fills those gaps while connecting with your existing systems.
- Consider the work involved in getting started. While most tools will cost money, the time spent setting up the platform and training your team can be a bigger investment than the subscription itself. Before choosing, ask what’s involved in migrating your data and connecting existing systems, then decide who will handle that work and how much support you’ll need from the vendor.
- Test the software with a representative project. Choose a project involving multiple departments, dependencies, and approvals to see how easily managers can respond to delays and adjust the schedule. Have team members use it too, so you can check whether they can find their assignments and update progress without extensive guidance.
The best tools can address these gaps in your current setup and make it easier for your team to manage projects.
Manage manufacturing projects with Wrike
In this guide, we’ve outlined what to look for in manufacturing project management software, along with the top tools to consider. For most manufacturers, you’ll want a platform that integrates with your existing systems and provides teams with a shared view of project schedules, workloads, and progress.
Wrike gives manufacturers a customizable workspace for planning projects and keeping teams connected. Shared dashboards make progress visible, while resource planning and reporting tools help managers adjust workloads and track delivery.
You can tailor workflows to each department while maintaining a shared view of the overall project. As your needs grow, Wrike can support additional teams and integrate with other business systems.
To see how Wrike can support your manufacturing projects, book a demo today.
Frequently asked questions about manufacturing project management software
What is manufacturing project management software?
Manufacturing project management software helps teams plan and coordinate projects such as product launches, equipment installations, and process improvements. It brings schedules, assignments, and progress updates together so teams can see what needs to happen and respond when plans change.
What key features should manufacturers look for in project management software?
Look for scheduling and resource planning tools, shared dashboards, and customizable reporting. Connections with existing ERP or PLM systems are also important when teams need to exchange information between project work and manufacturing operations.
How does project management software improve manufacturing efficiency?
It helps teams spend less time chasing updates by keeping assignments, files, and project discussions together. Automated reminders and shared schedules can also help prevent missed handoffs and make delays easier to identify.
What resource management capabilities does Wrike offer manufacturers?
Wrike provides workload and capacity planning tools that help managers assign work based on team availability. Time tracking and budgeting capabilities can also help teams compare planned effort with actual hours and costs, depending on the subscription.
Can Wrike support collaboration across different manufacturing departments?
Yes. Wrike provides departments with a shared workspace to manage assignments and discuss project work. Teams can customize their workflows and dashboards while keeping their activities connected to the wider project.
How does Wrike help with manufacturing project planning?
Wrike combines Gantt charts and task dependencies with resource planning tools to help teams build schedules and allocate work. Managers can adjust assignments as priorities change, while AI project risk prediction can flag projects at risk of missing their deadlines.
How does project management software differ from an ERP or MES?
Project management software organizes work around project goals, deadlines, and responsibilities. An ERP manages broader business operations, including purchasing and inventory, while a manufacturing execution system (MES) tracks production activity on the shop floor. Manufacturers may use these systems together because they serve different needs.
