Custom manufacturing & MRP software development

Custom manufacturing & MRP software built for your shop floor

Production, BOMs, work orders and scheduling tailored to how you make things — the power of Katana, Fishbowl or SAP, without the six-figure licence or the implementation army. Plan, build, deploy live, own the code.

Matches what you know from Katana, Fishbowl, SAP Business One, MRPeasy — built to fit you.

app.shopfloor.com

ShopFloor

Dashboard

+ New

Work orders

42

On schedule

91%

WIP value

$184k

Planned6
In production5
QC3
Complete7

Step 1

Plan

We scope the modules, model your rules, and you get a fixed quote and timeline in 24 hours.

Step 2

Build with AI

AI-assisted engineering ships production code fast — the same senior hands plan and build it.

Step 3

Deploy & go live

QA, performance and security, then deployed to your own hosting and taken live.

Step 4

Full code ownership

You get the entire source code and repository. No licence, no per-seat fee, no lock-in.

The modules

6 connected modules, one system

Bills of materialsProduction & work ordersPlanning & schedulingInventory & purchasingShop floor & qualityCosting & reporting

Why off-the-shelf stops working

Generic ERP that needs costly consultants and still doesn't fit the floor
Spreadsheets holding BOMs, scheduling and job costing together
No real-time view of WIP, capacity or material availability

What we'll build

Every module you need — and only the ones you do

Bills of materials

  • Multi-level BOMs
  • Routings & operations
  • Component substitutes
  • Revisions & versioning
  • Costing rollup
  • Where-used lookup

Production & work orders

  • Work order creation & release
  • Job tracking & status
  • Material issue & backflush
  • Operation sign-off
  • Subassemblies
  • Rework & scrap

Planning & scheduling

  • MRP material planning
  • Capacity & machine scheduling
  • Demand & forecast
  • Reorder & purchasing triggers
  • Gantt / production calendar
  • What-if planning

Inventory & purchasing

  • Raw material & finished goods
  • Lot / batch & serial tracking
  • Purchase orders & receiving
  • Supplier lead times
  • Stock by location
  • Landed cost

Shop floor & quality

  • Shop-floor data capture
  • Barcode / scanner flows
  • Machine & labour time
  • Quality checks & NCR
  • Traceability
  • Downtime & OEE

Costing & reporting

  • Job costing (actual vs standard)
  • Margin & efficiency reports
  • WIP valuation
  • Accounting integration
  • Custom dashboards
  • API & webhooks

Custom vs off-the-shelf

What you can't get from Katana or Fishbowl

Custom buildKatanaKatanaFishbowlFishbowl
Built around your exact process
Own the source code
No monthly per-seat licence
Custom workflows & automationLimitedLimited
Custom integrationsLimitedLimited
Your data on your own hosting
Unlimited users at no extra cost

The unfair advantage

Design + Code + AI = a full, live app. Minus the big bills.

FigmaFramer

Design

Figma · Framer

+
Next.jsReactNodeAngular

Code

Next.js · React · Node · Angular

+
ClaudeChatGPTGeminiCursor

AI

Claude · ChatGPT · Gemini · Cursor

=

A complete app, shipped

Yours to own · live in weeks

The same modern stack agencies charge five figures for — Figma & Framer for design, React/Next.js/Node for the build, and AI tooling to move faster — delivered by one senior team, for a fraction of the cost. One team, source code yours.

Avoid the big bills

What you'd keep paying forever — versus owning it once.

Off-the-shelf SaaS bills every seat, every month, forever. A custom build is one investment you own.

Per-seat SaaS — 50 users, 3 years$60k+
Enterprise platform + implementation$80k+
Several SaaS subscriptions stacked$45k+
Custom build — own it outrightOne-time

No retainer, no hourly creep, no per-seat tax as you grow. One fixed price, source code yours.

Integrations

Connects to the tools you already run

Two-way sync with your stack — and an open API for anything else.

Google WorkspaceGoogle WorkspaceOutlookOutlookSlackSlackMicrosoft TeamsMicrosoft TeamsStripeStripePayPalPayPalQuickBooksQuickBooksXeroXeroShopifyShopifyTwilioTwilioWhatsAppWhatsAppHubSpotHubSpotSalesforceSalesforce

Real-time floor view

WIP, capacity and material availability in one live picture.

No six-figure ERP

Manufacturing capability without the licence or consultants.

Built to your process

BOMs, routings and scheduling modelled to your shop.

Real launches

Products that shipped — and went live

The complete guide to custom manufacturing / mrp software

Most teams reach a point where their manufacturing / mrp tools stop helping and start getting in the way. The off-the-shelf product almost fits, so you build workarounds — spreadsheets on the side, manual exports between apps, a process bent to match the software instead of the other way around. Custom manufacturing / mrp software removes that friction by building the system around how you actually operate, with the capability of platforms like Katana, Fishbowl, SAP Business One but none of the parts that don't fit.

Build vs buy: when custom makes sense

Buying makes sense when a tool maps closely to your workflow and the per-seat cost stays modest. Building makes sense when the software is core to how you run the business, when subscriptions are stacking up across a growing team, or when no product handles your process without painful compromises. The tipping point usually arrives sooner than founders expect: a custom build is a one-time investment you own, while subscriptions bill every seat, every month, indefinitely.

How a custom manufacturing / mrp build works

Every project follows the same four steps. First we plan: a short call to map your workflow and the modules you need, after which you get a fixed scope, quote and timeline within 24 hours. Then we build with AI-assisted engineering — the same senior hands that planned it write the code, moving fast without sacrificing quality, with working software in weekly review loops. Next we deploy and go live: QA, performance, security, and shipping to your own hosting. Finally you receive full code ownership — the entire source and repository, with no licence, no per-seat fee and no lock-in.

What it costs and how long it takes

A focused first version typically ships in four to eight weeks. Pricing is fixed-scope and milestone-based, so there's no open-ended hourly meter and no surprise invoice — you approve the cost up front and pay against delivered milestones. Compared with years of per-seat SaaS for a growing team, or an enterprise platform with a heavy implementation project, a custom build is usually the cheaper path over any realistic time horizon, and you end up owning an asset rather than renting one.

Ownership, security and your data

Security is built in from the start: encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access, audit logging, and deployment to your own hosting and database. Your data never sits inside a third-party product you can't control. And because you own the source code, any developer can maintain or extend the system later — there is no vendor that can raise the price, change the terms, or sunset a feature you depend on.

Getting started

The first step is a free 30-minute call. We map your workflow and must-have modules, and within a day you'll have a written scope, fixed quote and timeline. If it's a fit, we begin; if not, the scope is yours to keep. Either way you leave with a clear picture of what your custom manufacturing / mrp software would look like — and what it would take to own it.

Questions CEOs ask

Can it replace Katana or SAP Business One?

For most manufacturers, yes — BOMs, work orders, MRP planning, shop-floor tracking and job costing can be built to match and tailored to your process, without the licence or implementation cost of a big ERP.

Does it do MRP and capacity planning?

Yes — material requirements planning, capacity and machine scheduling, and reorder/purchasing triggers are part of the build.

Can it track the shop floor in real time?

Yes — barcode/scanner data capture, operation sign-off, machine and labour time, and live WIP status keep the floor and office in sync.

Does it handle lot and serial traceability?

Yes — lot/batch and serial tracking with full traceability and quality checks/NCR are supported for regulated and complex products.

How much does custom software cost?

Less than people expect and far less than years of per-seat SaaS. Every build is fixed-scope: after a short call you get a written quote and timeline within 24 hours, with no hourly creep and no surprise invoices.

How long does it take to build?

A focused first version typically ships in 4–8 weeks. AI-assisted engineering moves fast without cutting corners, and you see working software in weekly review loops rather than waiting months for a big reveal.

Will the code quality be good if you build with AI?

Yes. AI accelerates the work; the architecture, review and decisions are senior-led. You get clean, documented, production code in a modern stack (Next.js, React, Node) — not throwaway prototype code.

What about maintenance and ongoing changes?

Because you own the source code, any developer can maintain or extend it — there's no lock-in. I offer ongoing support and iteration if you'd like it, but you're never forced into a retainer.

Is my data secure?

Security is built in: encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access, audit logging, and deployment to your own hosting and database. Your data stays yours and never sits inside a third-party SaaS.

Can our team take it over later?

Absolutely — full source code, repository access and documentation are handed over. Your in-house or future developers can run with it whenever you choose.

Should we build or just buy off-the-shelf software?

Buy when a tool fits your process closely and the per-seat cost stays reasonable. Build when the software is core to how you operate, when subscriptions are adding up across many users, or when no product matches your workflow without painful workarounds. Most teams reach the build tipping point sooner than they expect.

What stack do you build on?

A modern, well-supported stack — Next.js and React on the front end, Node and a managed database (Postgres or Convex) on the back end, deployed to your own hosting (Vercel, your cloud, or on-prem). It's mainstream technology any developer can pick up, never a niche framework that traps you.

Do you offer a free consultation?

Yes — the first 30-minute call is free. We talk through your workflow, the modules you'd need, and roughly what it would take. You leave with a clear sense of scope and cost, no obligation.

Can you work with our existing systems and database?

Yes. New software can read from and write to systems you already run, migrate data from spreadsheets or another tool, and sit alongside what you keep — so it's an upgrade, not a rip-and-replace.

How do payments and the engagement work?

Fixed-scope, milestone-based. You approve the scope and quote up front, pay in stages tied to delivered milestones, and there's no open-ended hourly meter. If scope changes, we agree the change before any extra work.

Who is this for?

Founders, CEOs and operators of growing businesses who've outgrown spreadsheets and generic SaaS and want software that fits exactly how they work — without an in-house engineering team or an enterprise budget.

What happens after launch?

You own a live, documented product on your own hosting. I can stay on for support, iteration and new modules if you'd like, or hand it fully to your team. There's no forced retainer either way.

Is custom software worth it versus the subscription I already pay?

Run the math over three to five years: per-seat SaaS for a growing team usually outruns a one-time build, and you end with nothing to show for it. A custom build is an asset you own, with no per-seat ceiling and no vendor able to change pricing or sunset a feature you rely on.

How do we get started?

Book a 30-minute call. We'll map your workflow and must-have modules, and within 24 hours you'll have a written scope, fixed quote and timeline. If it's a fit, we start; if not, the scope is yours to keep.

Let's scope your manufacturing / mrp software

A 30-minute call, a fixed quote and timeline in 24 hours, and a build you own outright.

More custom software