ERP and CRM for manufacturers
We implement systems that connect sales orders, production, stock and accounts, so a manufacturer can plan from real demand and know the cost of every job.
What makes manufacturing different
Manufacturers carry more moving parts than most businesses: materials, machines, people and customer deadlines all have to line up. When each lives in a separate spreadsheet, planning becomes guesswork.
Planning from real demand
Production plans built on spreadsheets go out of date the moment an order changes.
Material availability
A missing component stops a job, and finding out late is expensive.
True product cost
Without materials, labour and overheads captured per order, pricing is based on estimates.
Traceability
Customers and auditors expect each batch to be traceable back to its inputs.
What we set up
These are the parts of the system that matter most in this sector.
Bills of materials and routings
Every product defined once, with its components, operations and work centres.
Planning and purchasing
Manufacturing and purchase orders generated from sales orders and stock rules.
Shop-floor recording
Operators record progress and consumption as work happens, on a tablet or terminal.
Costing and accounts
Each order carries its real cost into stock valuation and the ledger.
Which platform fits
The right platform depends on the size and shape of your operation. This is how we usually see it.
Zoho
A good choice for the sales side of a manufacturer: quotes, orders and customer follow-up in Zoho CRM, with Zoho Inventory for simple assembly.
Odoo
Usually our recommendation for the factory itself. Odoo Manufacturing, Inventory and Accounting share one database, which is what production needs.
Microsoft
Business Central suits larger manufacturers already on Microsoft 365 that need strong finance alongside production.
Common questions
Which system is best for a small manufacturer?
For most small and mid-sized manufacturers we recommend Odoo, because production, stock, purchasing and accounts run in one system and can be introduced in stages.
Can we keep our current accounting software?
Often, yes, at least at first. Many manufacturers start with production and stock, then bring accounting across once the first phase is stable.
How disruptive is the change on the shop floor?
We introduce it in steps, starting with one product line or area, so production continues while people learn the system.
Explore further
Manufacturing in this sector
Inventory and purchasing in this sector
Finance and accounting in this sector
Planning production on spreadsheets? Let us look at it together.
Tell us what you make and how you plan it today. We will outline a system that fits.