Basics of Manufacturing
ERPNext is an enterprise-level, fully integrated platform that is capable of handling every aspect of a manufacturing company, with out-of-the-box modules in warehouse management, machine and workstation monitoring, sequencing of operations, finished goods and raw materials management, bill of materials (BOM) organization, work order execution, procurement operations, and so on. The system is designed to allow manufacturers to plan, produce, track, and cost their production processes seamlessly.
1. Master Data
In Master Data configuration, ERPNext enables users to set up critical manufacturing elements like Warehouses, Workstations, Operations, Raw Materials, and Finished Goods. Warehouses in ERPNext are physical or virtual spaces where inventories are stored. Manufacturers usually create individual warehouses for raw material, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods so that there is proper stock tracking and valuation.
Workstations are machines or physical plant locations where a particular manufacturing operation takes place. Every Workstation is tied with parameters like hourly cost of operations, availability of time, and capacity. Operations, however, are the discrete manufacturing activities like cutting, drilling, assembly, etc.
They are set up independently and are then related to Workstations in the BOM or Routing hierarchy. Items that are designated as Raw Materials or Finished Goods are defined and handled from the Item master. ERPNext provides for categorization of stock and non-stock items, and supports tracking by serial number or batch number when necessary.
As of ERPNext v15, master data structure at its core is the same as it was in previous versions, but the system includes enhanced capacity planning checks for Workstations and Operations. This implies that ERPNext now checks workload distribution more accurately, avoids over-allocating operations to machines, and ensures more accurate planning.
Furthermore, Workstations currently have improved multi-company visibility such that shared equipment between business units can be more effectively managed. BOM and Routing assignment filters have also been improved, enabling users to have finer control while setting up their production process. More details are as below:
2. Transaction Data
ERPNext facilitates full-cycle manufacturing management via the likes of Bill of Materials (BOM), Work Orders, Job Cards, and Material Requirements Planning (MRP).
The BOM is the master document that details the materials, sub-assemblies, quantities, and operations needed to produce an item. ERPNext has support for multi-level BOMs, enabling complex assemblies with nested components to be defined and costed out. When a Work Order is produced against a BOM, ERPNext picks the necessary raw materials and related operations to direct the production process.
Users can then perform raw material transfers from inventory, monitor consumption, and record production progress. ERPNext v15 improves this flow by adding real-time monitoring of raw material consumption in the Work Order screen. This ensures stock ledgers show usage correctly without having to wait for completion postings.
Job Cards are derived from Work Orders and enable fine-grained tracking of every operation. Time can be logged against these Job Cards by the workers or operators, which is used for labor cost calculation as well as progress marking. The Job Card screen in ERPNext v15 has experienced usability enhancements with improved validations to avoid duplicate entries or going beyond available capacity. ERPNext also offers real-time analysis on workstation capacity usage, which helps in improved load balancing and scheduling.
Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is yet another important feature that compares planned production with current stock levels and recommends replenishments. On the basis of BOMs and open production orders, MRP is capable of auto-generating Material Requests for raw materials so that procurement and stock transfer flows can be triggered in advance. This supports hassle-free production processes without wastage of time due to shortages.
Another major improvement in ERPNext v15 is the BOM costing update automation optionally, based on actual costs captured from finished Work Orders. Dynamic recalculation means that product costings remain up to date with actual production performance, and not just relying on fixed estimates. More details are as below:
3. Types of Production Planning
ERPNext accommodates three primary production planning systems that suit various production strategies: Make to Stock, Make to Order, and Engineer to Order. Each serves a particular production model and can be implemented in ERPNext likewise.
Make to Stock In the Make to Stock (MTS) system, production is planned using forecasted demand instead of direct customer orders.
Products are produced prior to their requirement and kept in stock, waiting to be sold when required. This method is most suitable for companies that handle fast-moving consumer goods such as soaps, packaged foodstuffs, bottled water, or consumer electronics.
The benefit of this process is the easy availability of products to sell but with the disadvantage of overproduction or surplus inventory if actual demand is not achieved. In ERPNext, this process is facilitated through forecast-based planning, stock replenishment rules, and production scheduling through the Work Order and Material Request tools.
Make to Order Make to Order (MTO) is a manufacturing strategy where production starts only once a confirmed sales order is obtained.
It is a model appropriate for products that are customized or not in regular demand. A good case in point would be a wedding cake, for which the details of the product are based on customer specifications and are made only upon confirmation of order.
In ERPNext, this practice is facilitated by connecting the Sales Order directly with the Work Order. This gets raw materials consumed and products made only after there is actual demand, cuts down on unnecessary inventory accumulation, and ties production very tightly with sales.
Engineer to Order Engineer to Order (ETO) is a production process highly tailored to individual customer requirements such that every piece is uniquely engineered and designed according to customer specifications prior to manufacturing.
ETO is applied in industries like specialty furniture, heavy machinery, metal fabrication, and other custom manufacturing types. ETO production in ERPNext integrates the Manufacturing and Project modules. Every order can lead to a new configuration of BOM (Bill of Materials), routing, and costing, specific for the project in question.
This kind of production involves close alignment of design, engineering, procurement, and manufacturing operations, all of which are handled by ERPNext via multi-level BOMs, configurable operations, and project-based production tracking.
4. Manufacturing Effect on Inventory
Manufacturing operations in ERPNext have a direct and formal effect on inventory levels.
Once a Work Order is issued and raw materials are moved to a Work-In-Progress (WIP) warehouse, the system records accordingly. Materials to be used in production are usually transferred from the main Store or Raw Material warehouse to the WIP warehouse. From here, they may be consumed either in a two-step fashion — where raw materials are initially transferred and subsequently consumed via a Stock Entry — or alternatively via a single-step process where material consumption and creation of finished goods occur simultaneously.
ERPNext offers flexibility during this process through facilities like "Backflush" for automatic material consumption, and "Material Consumption Tracking" for partial or progressive consumption of parts.
Moreover, in version 15, accuracy has been enhanced with better support such as validating availability of raw material against the BOM prior to consumption and dealing with ongoing consumption situations. After production, the finished goods are automatically transferred to the Finished Goods warehouse, and the Work Order status is updated.
This whole process provides real-time visibility and control over inventory movement throughout the manufacturing cycle, ensuring optimal inventory levels and operating efficiency.