Manufacturing Cloud: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Manufacturing Cloud is a relatively new addition to the Salesforce family designed for companies in the manufacturing industry. With this platform, companies can plan for upcoming production runs and utilize forecasts to boost sales and collaboration within the organization. So how does Manufacturing Cloud actually work? And who can use the platform? David Bäckbom is one of our certified consultants who works daily with Salesforce-related issues. Here, he answers some of the most common questions about Manufacturing Cloud. 

Vis Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud?

Just like Salesforce’s other platforms, Manufacturing Cloud is cloud-based and designed to provide a comprehensive view of customer relationships. A key feature of this platform is that companies can view existing forecasts to plan future production volumes and revenue based on them. Manufacturing Cloud also makes it easy to track and plan deliveries.

What can you do in Manufacturing Cloud?

There are several features that streamline sales, planning, and production for your business. Here are some key points to keep in mind.

1. Sales Agreement

A sales contract is an object in Manufacturing Cloud that gives you access to detailed information about your customers' contracts. It includes everything from start and end dates to frequency, status, and pricing information.

2. Products

To make the information in the sales contracts more specific, you can add another item called "Sales Contract Products." Under this item, you can list detailed information such as product quantity, margin, price, any discounts, and more.

3. Forecasts

Here, you and your teams can see how you’re performing relative to your forecast—and what you may need to do to reach your goals. The view lists the number of sales proposals, orders, and sales contracts you have for a specific time period; you can then plan and add updates if customer needs or market demands change. In addition, the forecasts can indicate which areas should be prioritized, how much should be manufactured, and when customer activities should be followed up on. Simply put, the forecasts enable companies to have a more predictable tomorrow.

What is the advantage of Manufacturing Cloud?

For companies that want to keep track of the entire supply chain—from sales and planning to production—there are many benefits to be gained. The platform makes it easy to collaborate and manage customer relationships across multiple departments, such as sales, operations, and business development. The forecasts also give you a deeper understanding of your business, and any adjustments to the forecast are easy to implement without the risk of “incorrect data being entered.”

What types of companies can use Manufacturing Cloud?

The platform is primarily aimed at larger companies in the manufacturing industry that want to keep track of their sales, planning, and production. Just like Salesforce’s other solutions, you can purchase a standard package and add more features and integrations as needed. You can integrate Manufacturing Cloud with Sales Cloud and Service Cloud to enhance value and create a more comprehensive view of customer activities. Einstein Analytics can also be added to provide intelligent insights, predictions, and recommendations for your daily operations. With these insights, executives and managers can gain a deeper understanding of the company’s sales contracts, pricing, and product performance.

We have decided on Manufacturing Cloud – what do we do now? 

You can either contact Salesforce directly or speak with a Salesforce partner. Salesforce will provide you with recommendations for various packages and licenses. The Salesforce partner will assist with analysis, implementation strategies, customizations, and how the system can be integrated into your organization to help your business achieve its goals. At Releye, we have extensive experience with both the technical and strategic aspects of the solution

Please contact us if you have any further questions!