If you're one of them, you already know the risk. A single hard drive failure could wipe out years of BOM history and vendor records with no recovery path.
This guide breaks down the best BOM/PLM, vendor management, and parts inventory tools built for teams ready to leave legacy software behind.
Key Takeaways
- Parts and Vendors (P&V) has had zero vendor support since 2014, creating real data-loss and security exposure
- OpenBOM is the most direct migration path, with Razorleaf assisting P&V customers specifically
- Pricing for modern alternatives ranges from free (webERP) to $90+/seat/month (OpenBOM Company tier)
- Modern systems only pay off when buyers can find your business online
Why You Need to Move On From Parts & Vendors
Trilogy Design discontinued P&V support in January 2014, and the company behind it folded shortly after. There's been no update, no security patch, and no help desk in over a decade.
That leaves every shop still running it exposed on two fronts: security and day-to-day operations.
The Legacy Windows Problem
P&V typically runs on Windows 7, an operating system Microsoft no longer supports. According to Microsoft's own guidance on unsupported software, unsupported operating systems are a known target for cyberattacks. Once an OS hits end of life, security vendors stop shipping critical patches.
Running P&V on that stack also creates daily friction:
- Slower performance on aging hardware
- Conflicts with newer CAD, ERP, and office tools
- Compliance gaps during audits or customer certifications
- Manual workarounds that burn staff hours
- No recovery path if the system fails
What Modern Systems Do That P&V Can't
P&V was built for a single desktop, not a distributed team. Compare that to what's standard today:
- Check inventory or approve a PO from the shop floor
- Let multiple engineers edit the same BOM at once
- Connect CAD, ERP, and accounting through APIs automatically
Without those capabilities, teams fall back on spreadsheets and email to fill the gaps—the same manual drag P&V was meant to remove.
What to Look for in a Parts & Vendors Alternative
Not every replacement does what P&V did. Before you commit, check for these core capabilities:
- Multi-level BOM management: parent-child hierarchies spanning assemblies, subassemblies, and raw materials
- Vendor/supplier association: linking parts to approved sources and tracking sourcing history
- Purchase order workflows: generating, sending, and receiving POs without leaving the platform
- Cloud and mobile access: so your data isn't trapped on one machine
- CAD/ERP integration: syncing part data across design and business systems
If a tool is missing more than one of these, it isn't a true P&V replacement—just a partial fix.
Top Parts & Vendors Alternatives for BOM and PLM Management
OpenBOM
OpenBOM positions itself directly as a Parts & Vendors successor. It's cloud-based, handles item and vendor management, and connects to major CAD tools out of the box. OpenBOM partnered with Razorleaf to help P&V customers migrate their data without starting from scratch.
Pricing starts at $30/seat/month (Professional Team, billed yearly) and scales to $90/seat/month for the Company tier. There's no minimum seat count, and read-only users are free.
Arena PLM
Arena targets larger manufacturing operations that need formal change control and compliance tracking. It manages components, BOMs, revisions, and supplier data across the full product lifecycle. Pricing isn't published; you'll need to request a quote based on team size.
Fishbowl
Fishbowl leans into warehouse and manufacturing operations, with barcode scanning, multi-location tracking, and automated purchase orders built in. It offers cloud and self-hosted deployments. Cloud Inventory plans start at $229/month billed annually; Advanced Manufacturing starts at $675/month.
Odoo Manufacturing/Inventory
Odoo bundles BOM management, inventory, and purchasing into one ERP suite. It's a good fit for small-to-mid manufacturers who want everything under one roof. There's a free single-app tier, with paid plans starting around $31/user/month billed annually.
webERP (Open-Source)
For teams that valued P&V's affordability, webERP is free and open-source under GPL v2, with no licensing fees. You'll still need to cover hosting and setup, but for budget-conscious teams willing to self-manage, it covers multi-level BOMs, supplier pricing, and purchase approvals.
| Tool | Starting Price | Deployment | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenBOM | $30/seat/mo | Cloud | Direct P&V migration |
| Arena PLM | Custom quote | Cloud SaaS | Enterprise compliance |
| Fishbowl | $229/mo | Cloud/self-hosted | Warehouse-heavy ops |
| Odoo | $0-$31/user/mo | Cloud/on-prem | All-in-one ERP |
| webERP | Free (GPL) | Self-hosted | Budget/DIY teams |
Best Vendor Management Software Options
BOM tools handle parts. Dedicated vendor management software goes further, adding contract tracking, supplier performance scoring, and RFQ management that most PLM platforms only touch lightly.
What this typically includes:
- Automated notifications on contract renewal dates
- Scorecards tracking delivery, quality, and compliance over time
- Centralized RFQ workflows instead of scattered email threads
Procurement platforms built for fleets and manufacturers go further still. They centralize vendor communication, quote comparisons, and PO approvals in one hub.
In a documented case study, Gearflow's platform helped Ajax Paving cut quote turnaround from 2 days to 24 minutes. Parts wait time also fell from a week to a single day within the first year.
Dedicated vendor tools close gaps generic BOM software was never built to handle.
Best Parts Inventory Management Software Options
If your main pain point is physical stock, not engineering BOMs, general-purpose inventory tools might be a better fit than a full PLM system.
Solid inventory-first options:
- Mitti (by SafetyCulture) — barcode/RFID cycle counts, shrinkage detection, and vendor management
- Sortly — photo-based tracking and custom fields; free tier available, paid plans from $49/month
- EZOfficeInventory — location-based tracking and procurement cost tracking; plans start around $63.55/month
When You Need Both
These tools differ from PLM/BOM systems in one key way: they track where stock is, not how it's engineered. A manufacturer with complex multi-level assemblies often needs both: a BOM tool for engineering data and an inventory tool for warehouse floor visibility.
Key features worth prioritizing regardless of which you pick:
- Real-time stock visibility across every location
- Mobile updates from the warehouse floor
- Automated reorder alerts before stockouts
Choosing the Right Software and Getting Found by Customers
Picking the right tool comes down to four questions:
- Team size — Solo engineers or small teams may not need Arena's enterprise features
- CAD integration needs — If your BOMs originate in SolidWorks or similar, prioritize tools with direct sync
- Budget — Free/open-source (webERP), subscription (OpenBOM, Fishbowl), or enterprise quote (Arena)
- Deployment preference — Cloud for accessibility, on-prem/self-hosted for control
Once internal systems are modernized, the next question is whether buyers can find you online.
Manufacturers and parts suppliers often upgrade their software stack, then stay invisible when a buyer Googles the exact part or service they sell.
Gushwork works with industrial and manufacturing clients on AI-driven SEO so they rank on Google and AI engines like ChatGPT and Gemini when procurement teams search.
Gushwork's manufacturer-focused SEO clients have seen results like:
- 10+ qualified RFQs per month on average for manufacturing clients
- 78 qualified RFQs generated for Pazago, a manufacturing technology and global trade company
- 25 qualified leads in 30 days for John Maye Company Inc., a US-based manufacturing distributor
Pricing starts around $599–$999/month, versus traditional agencies at $1,000 to $15,000/month for similar scope. If you're already funding new ops software, keep discovery spend in the same practical range so the new stack actually gets found.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best software for vendor management?
OpenBOM works well for engineering teams that need vendor data tied directly to parts and BOMs. Gearflow-style platforms suit procurement-heavy fleets or manufacturers managing high volumes of quotes and POs. Choose based on whether your priority is engineering context or procurement volume.
What is the best software for parts inventory management?
Mitti, Sortly, and EZOfficeInventory are strong general-purpose options for tracking physical stock. The right pick depends on your business size, budget, and whether you need integration with existing ERP or PLM systems.
Is Parts & Vendors software still supported?
No. Trilogy Design discontinued support in January 2014. The software has received no updates or security patches since and is not actively maintained.
Can I migrate my old Parts & Vendors data to a new system?
Some vendors, including OpenBOM through its Razorleaf partnership, offer migration assistance for former P&V users. Aligni also provides a database conversion tool for this purpose.
Is there a free alternative to Parts & Vendors?
webERP is a free, open-source option under GPL v2 with no licensing fees. You'll still need to cover hosting and setup costs, but there's no subscription fee for the software itself.
How much do Parts & Vendors alternatives typically cost?
Pricing ranges from free (webERP) to roughly $30–$90/seat/month for cloud tools like OpenBOM, and $600+/month for larger platforms such as Fishbowl's Advanced Manufacturing tier. Most use monthly per-user subscriptions; enterprise plans usually need a custom quote.
