Production Tracking Software
The real question in production isn't "how much did we make" but "what did this work order cost, and why was it late". When materials, operations and scrap are tied to the same record, you don't have to wait for month-end to answer it.
What is production tracking software?
Production tracking software records the process from the moment an order or production plan becomes a work order until the finished product goes into stock. It calculates material requirements from the bill of materials, plans operations and capacity, and records quality control checkpoints and scrap. Because it works together with stock and accounting, the cost of production comes out on its own.
How does it work?
A work order is opened
A work order is created from an order or a plan, defining which product is made, in what quantity and by what date.
MRP explosion
Material requirements are calculated from the bill of materials. What's in stock is deducted, and any shortfall goes to purchasing as a request.
Operations and capacity
The work order is split into operations and scheduled according to work center capacity. The plan shows where each operation is getting squeezed.
Quality, scrap and closing
Measurements are recorded at quality control checkpoints and scrap quantities are entered. When the work order closes, the finished product goes into stock and its cost is established.
What's in the software?
Work order and operation tracking
Every work order is split into operations; when each operation started, when it finished and how long it took are all on record.
MRP — material requirements planning
The bill of materials is exploded, existing stock is deducted and missing materials become purchase requests. Fewer "we ran out of material and the line stopped" surprises.
Capacity planning
Load is visible per work center; jobs piling up on the same day are spotted at the planning stage.
Quality control checkpoints
Checkpoints are placed between operations; measurement results are recorded and batches that fail are set aside.
Scrap report
Production scrap is recorded and reported per item. You can see how much is lost on which product and in which operation.
Linked to stock and costing
Raw materials are deducted from stock, finished goods go into stock and costs flow into accounting. Production isn't a separate island but part of the same system.
Who is it for?
Make-to-order manufacturers
Businesses where every order is tied to its own work order and its own cost.
Make-to-stock manufacturers
Companies that produce against a plan and need to see material requirements in advance.
Multi-operation manufacturing
Businesses whose products pass through several work centers and that want to see where the bottleneck is.
Frequently asked questions
Is production tracking software the same as MES?
No. MES is the machine-level, shop-floor control layer; the production module here works at the level of work orders, materials, capacity and cost. If you need automatic data collection from machines, that has to be discussed separately — we don't present a capability we don't have as if we did.
Can I define a bill of materials (BOM)?
Yes. MRP explosion is run from the bill of materials and material requirements are calculated. For multi-level BOMs, we decide the depth of the structure together during setup.
How is the cost of a work order calculated?
Raw materials consumed are costed according to the stock valuation method (FIFO, LIFO or moving average); operation and scrap records are also tied to the work order. When the work order closes, the cost of the finished product is established.
What happens when material is missing?
MRP calculates the shortfall and passes it to purchasing as a request. Because purchasing and stock are in the same system, the request, the order and the goods receipt move along the same chain.
Can production staff enter data from the shop floor?
Operation start/finish and scrap entries are made under user permissions. Tell us which devices you'll use on the floor, and we'll plan together how to set up the screens for them.
Are quality control results kept?
Yes. The measurement taken at a checkpoint stays linked to the work order; you can look up later which result came out for which batch.
How detailed is capacity planning?
Load and conflicts are visible per work center. If you're expecting second-by-second scheduling (APS), let's discuss the scope first; we don't make promises before hearing your needs.
Is the production module sold separately?
No. All 13 module groups in SmartERP are included in every plan; production comes together with stock, purchasing and accounting.
How much does production tracking software cost?
Pricing depends on the number of users and the type of setup; there's no split by module. In production, the real effort isn't in the price but in setting up the bills of materials and the workflow correctly — we define the scope of the rollout together.
From: $25 / month Excl. VAT Incl. VAT $30 / month
| Package | Price (Excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| SmartERP Shared Database Per user · extra users 50% off | $25 / month $250 / year Incl. VAT $30 / month |
| SmartERP Dedicated Database Per user · extra users 50% off | $30 / month $300 / year Incl. VAT $36 / month |
All packages and current prices are on the purchase page. Prices may change; the amount shown at checkout applies.
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Let's tie your production to work orders
Tell us what you make, how many operations it goes through and what you track by hand today; we'll send you a written outline of how the setup will run within 24 hours.
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