MRO Software: What to Look for (and Why it Matters)

What is MRO software?

MRO software is a digital solution designed to manage the spare parts, data, and workflows that keep industrial operations running smoothly.

From inventory and master data governance to supplier sourcing and procurement, the right MRO system brings structure and clarity to a sometimes overlooked corner of enterprise operations.

Why does it matter?

Having the right MRO software in place is important for several reasons.

• Lean operations need smarter sourcing: Companies can no longer afford to overstock or buy duplicates of parts they already own.

• Downtime is increasingly costly. With tight production schedules, even short delays can have a major financial impact.

• Master data matters more: Clean, searchable, and harmonized data is the foundation for everything from predictive maintenance to efficient procurement.

• Digital maturity is no longer optional: As AI, IoT, and cloud-native tools become the norm, businesses must modernize or fall behind.

Yet many companies still rely on spreadsheets, legacy tools, or ERP extensions that weren’t built to handle the complexity of modern MRO environments. The result is duplicated spare parts data, excess inventory, high manual work, and costly sourcing mistakes.

This post explores the benefits of using MRO software, key features to look for, and real-world use cases to help your team make informed, future-ready decisions.

3 benefits of MRO software

Modern MRO software isn’t just about keeping a digital list of spare parts — it’s about enabling real business impact. The right solution can help companies reduce inventory, prevent downtime and lower spend.

1. Reduce inventory & free up capital

Modern MRO software helps companies better understand spare parts inventory across plants and warehouses. This allows maintenance and procurement teams to identify duplicates and obsolete parts, eliminate unnecessary stock, and improve stock turnover. By standardizing materials and optimizing BOMs, businesses can significantly reduce the amount of capital tied up in inventory.

2. Data optimization to prevent downtime

Downtime is expensive and often avoidable. MRO software improves spare parts data quality by consolidating and standardizing part information, making it easier for maintenance and procurement teams to collaborate. With enriched descriptions, duplicate detection, and system integrations, teams can quickly find the right parts, take action faster, and keep production running smoothly. Additionally, accurate obsolescence information enables teams to take a proactive approach to maintenance and prevent spare part issues before they cause costly downtime.

3. Lower spend with smarter sourcing

While data sources may vary among MRO tools, advanced platforms can cross-reference manufacturer and supplier data, providing high-quality sourcing information. This helps procurement teams avoid overpaying for parts, spot pricing anomalies, and reduce rogue purchases, ultimately leading to lower spending.

5 criteria to take into consideration

When evaluating MRO software, it’s important to look beyond surface-level features and assess how the tool supports key operational goals: data quality, inventory transparency, system integration, and smarter decision-making.

A modern MRO software should do more than digitize spare parts—it should create a foundation for connected, data-driven decision-making. Below are five key features of high-performing MRO software and why they matter.

1. Spare parts inventory management

One of the main goals of MRO software is to provide better visibility into spare parts inventory. Over time, inventory can become difficult to manage, especially across multiple plants, warehouses, or systems.

MRO platforms with inventory management capabilities allow organizations to better understand what parts are stocked where, identify materials that are no longer used, and improve how spare parts are linked to BOMs. Many platforms also support obsolescence planning, allowing teams to flag parts that are outdated, no longer supported by manufacturers, or at risk of becoming unavailable. This visibility is essential for avoiding sourcing issues, reducing excess stock, and ensuring critical parts are available when needed.

Learn more in our guide to spare parts obsolescence management.

2. Master Data Governance (MDG)

Even the best inventory system can’t deliver results if the data behind it is broken. That’s why Master Data Governance (MDG) is a must-have feature for any MRO software platform.

Look for tools that help you standardize, enrich, and validate part information. Features like duplicate detection, short description harmonization, and data completion make it possible to build a trustworthy material master across all plants and systems.

This isn’t just about tidiness—it’s about unlocking speed and accuracy in every downstream workflow, from procurement to preventive maintenance.

Explore our guide on Master Data Governance in MRO to see how clean data drives efficiency and cost savings.

3. ERP integration (e.g. SAP, IBM Maximo)

MRO software works best when it integrates smoothly with existing systems, especially core ERPs like SAP or IBM Maximo. Without proper integration, there's a risk of data silos, manual errors, or inconsistent records across teams.

Many MRO platforms offer APIs or native connectors that allow material data, BOMs, and change requests to be shared across systems. This enables more accurate planning and reduces administrative effort for both maintenance and procurement functions.

4. Supplier & catalog management

Many procurement and maintenance teams struggle with incomplete or inconsistent spare parts data in the material master, particularly regarding supplier and manufacturer details. This can make it difficult to compare prices or validate sources, and sometimes even leads to ordering the wrong part.

Some MRO tools support supplier and catalog management by enriching internal data with additional information from external databases. This can improve the quality of purchasing decisions and help standardize sourcing processes across teams.

SPARETECH, for example, offers the largest catalog with over 30 million spare parts, enabling reliable cross-referencing of verified manufacturer and supplier data. This minimizes the risk of purchasing duplicate parts or paying more than necessary.

5. AI-Powered insights

AI is increasingly used in MRO to help identify patterns in large, complex datasets. In the context of spare parts, this can include automated duplicate detection, part equivalency suggestions, or recommendations for obsolete item replacements.

While AI capabilities vary by platform, the general goal is to support smarter, more informed decision-making. In particular, AI tools can help teams spot inconsistencies in data or uncover opportunities for improvement that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Learn how AI is shaping MRO spend optimization through smarter data insights and decision-making.

Bringing it all together

The right MRO software brings clarity to complexity. Whether your organization is focused on data quality, inventory transparency, system integration, or process optimization, these core features form the foundation for better MRO outcomes.

As digital transformation continues to evolve in industrial environments, having a reliable and well-integrated MRO platform will be essential to maintaining operational efficiency and controlling costs.

Use cases: when MRO software makes a real difference

The right MRO software should help you solve persistent challenges that limit operational performance. Here are three common scenarios where a modern MRO platform can drive measurable improvement.

1. Turning better data into better decisions

Many MRO teams operate with inconsistent or incomplete material data. Duplicate entries, missing supplier information, and outdated part numbers make it harder to make informed decisions—especially when it comes to sourcing and inventory planning.

Modern MRO software supports data standardization, duplicate detection, and obsolescence tracking, helping teams avoid overordering, reduce stockouts, and eliminate waste. Clean data isn’t just a hygiene factor—it’s a competitive advantage.

💡 Case Study: Yanfeng

Yanfeng standardized material data across 13 plants, identifying over 7,700 duplicate material numbers and enriching more than 24,000 records—establishing a trusted, centralized data foundation for their global operations.

2. Increasing process efficiency at scale

From reviewing spare parts lists for new machines to managing BOMs and material creation, MRO-related processes are often manual and time-consuming. Errors in these workflows can lead to incorrect orders, delayed maintenance, or unnecessary costs.

MRO platforms streamline key tasks through tools like automated BOM checks, intelligent search, and guided material creation workflows—freeing up time and improving process reliability.

💡 Case study: BOSCH

Bosch integrated SPARETECH into their material request workflow and achieved a 50% efficiency gain when checking spare parts lists for new production lines.

3. Preparing for ERP migrations (e.g. to S/4HANA)

A successful transition to a new ERP system—such as SAP S/4HANA—depends on having clean, structured material data. Poor data quality can cause significant delays, rework, or even system rollbacks.

MRO software can help teams validate and enrich their material master data in preparation for migration. This reduces risk, accelerates deployment, and ensures the new system is built on a solid foundation.

For a detailed guide, see: MRO Data Readiness for Your S/4HANA Migration.

Conclusion: smarter MRO starts with the right software

Effective MRO software solves what spreadsheets and legacy tools can’t: poor-quality data, redundant inventory, and inefficient processes.

Leading manufacturers like Bosch and Yanfeng are already rethinking how they manage spare parts and materials—and seeing real outcomes in efficiency and data readiness. If your organization is facing similar challenges, now is the time to modernize.