Custom ERP for Manufacturing SMEs in India
Softwaller builds custom manufacturing ERP for discrete and process units across India — auto components, engineering, machine tools, food processing, pharma, and chemicals. Includes BOM, MRP, work orders, shop-floor barcode, OEE, quality, subcontracting, and GST e-invoicing out of the box. Typically 3-5x cheaper than branded enterprise ERP for SMEs, and live in 4-6 months for a single plant.
Whether you run a 30-user CNC job shop in Coimbatore, a 200-employee auto-component supplier near Chennai, or a small-batch pharma plant in Hyderabad, we right-size the ERP to your workflow — not the other way around. Owner-operator dashboards, Tamil and Hindi shop-floor UI, and India compliance (GST, e-invoice, e-way bill, TDS, TCS) are built in, not bolted on.
Why SMEs Pick Custom ERP Over SAP B1, Oracle & Microsoft Dynamics
Branded enterprise ERP was designed for 1,000-user multinationals. Most Indian manufacturing SMEs run 50 to 300 users with sharper, more specific workflows. Here's why custom wins for that segment.
Cost. Branded enterprise ERP licences plus partner-led implementation typically run ₹40L to ₹1.5 Cr over the first three years for an 80 to 150-user plant — and that's before customisation. A right-sized custom ERP build for the same scope usually lands at ₹15L to ₹40L all-in, with no per-user licence and no consultant lock-in. The savings compound: years 4 and 5 are AMC-only, while branded ERP keeps charging on every user added.
India compliance, built in. GST e-invoicing, e-way bill generation, multi-GSTIN posting, TDS sections, TCS on scrap sales, MSME 45-day payment tracking, and ITC reconciliation are wired into the core — not sold as a separate localisation pack. Read our breakdown of custom ERP vs ready-made for the full cost model.
Regional language UI for the shop floor. Operators in Coimbatore, Hosur, or Aurangabad don't always read English forms quickly. We deliver work order screens, job cards, downtime reasons, and quality entry in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, or Marathi. Reports and audits stay in English. Errors drop, training time halves.
Owner-operator UX, not enterprise procurement. Indian manufacturing SMEs are run by promoters who walk the shop floor every morning. Their dashboards need machine-level scrap, daily despatch, vendor outstanding, and electricity cost per piece — not the 200 KPIs in a global ERP template. We design every screen against that reality.
You own the code. At go-live we hand over the source code, schema, and infra runbooks. If you want to bring it in-house in year 3, you can. Branded ERP locks you to the partner network for the lifetime of the system.
12 Manufacturing Modules — Built for Indian Plants
Every module ships pre-wired for GST, e-invoicing, and audit trails. Pick what you need on day one and add the rest in phase 2.
- 01
BOM & Engineering
Multi-level BOM explosion, alternate items, ECN/ECO version control, drawings attached at item or operation level, phantom assemblies, and where-used reports for engineering changes.
- 02
MRP & Production Planning
Net requirement calculation across open SO, forecast, and stock. Auto-generates purchase requisitions and work orders. What-if simulation for capacity bottlenecks before committing schedules.
- 03
Work Order & Job Card
Routing with workstation, operator, setup time, run rate, and yield norms. Job card prints with QR code; operator scans to start, pause, scrap, or close. Real-time WIP visibility per operation.
- 04
Shop Floor Barcode Data Collection
Rugged tablet or scanner at each workstation. Barcode/QR for items, operators, and bins. Captures production count, downtime reasons, scrap codes — in Tamil, Hindi, or English.
- 05
Quality Control & SPC
Incoming, in-process, and final inspection plans. SPC X-bar/R charts, Cp/Cpk analysis, NCR/CAPA workflow, calibration register, supplier scorecards. IATF 16949 and GMP-aligned templates included.
- 06
Subcontracting & Job-Work
Job-work-out challan with GST 1-year/3-year ageing. Free-issue components, process loss tracking, e-way bill auto-generation, and reconciliation back to the parent work order at receipt.
- 07
Stores & Inventory
Bin location, batch/lot, FIFO/FEFO, expiry alerts for pharma and food. Physical count with handheld, ABC analysis, ageing, and reorder management. Pairs with our warehouse software.
- 08
Sales Order to Dispatch
SO with delivery schedule, credit check, ATP (available-to-promise), pick-pack-pass, packing list, dispatch advice, e-way bill, and customer-portal updates over WhatsApp Business.
- 09
Procurement (PR / PO / GRN)
Purchase requisition from MRP, multi-quote comparison, PO with approval workflow, GRN with QC hold, vendor invoice 3-way match, and ITC tagging for GST.
- 10
Costing & Variance
Standard cost roll-up from BOM and routing, actual cost from work-order consumption, variance by material/labour/overhead. Job-wise P&L for project-based shops.
- 11
GST E-Invoicing & E-Way Bill
IRN through GSP/IRP, e-way bill auto-creation at dispatch, multi-GSTIN posting, GSTR-1/2B reconciliation, TDS/TCS, and MSME 45-day tracking. See our GST billing module.
- 12
MIS & OEE Dashboards
Plant OEE (availability × performance × quality), machine-wise downtime Pareto, scrap %, on-time delivery, WIP ageing. Promoter mobile dashboard for daily numbers. See our BI Dashboards & OEE add-on.
Sub-Industries We Build For
Each sub-segment has its own non-negotiables. Our base manufacturing ERP is templated for the seven below — we configure rather than rebuild.
Auto Components & Ancillaries
Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers in the Chennai auto-component cluster and Pune-Pimpri belt. PPAP, control plans, FMEA, IATF 16949 documentation, customer-portal EDI for daily despatch schedules.
Engineering & Machine Tools
CNC job shops, fabrication, and machine builders in the Coimbatore engineering cluster and Rajkot. Project-based costing, long-cycle WIP, drawing version control, customer hold inventory.
Food Processing
Batch production, FEFO inventory, FSSAI traceability, HACCP CCP logs, allergen management, weigh-bridge integration, returnable crate tracking, expiry-driven dispatch priority.
Pharma (Formulations + Packing)
Hybrid process-then-discrete flow, GMP electronic batch records, deviation logs, 21 CFR-style e-signatures, serialisation/aggregation for export markets, narcotic stock register.
Chemicals & Paints
Process recipes with yield variance, by-product/co-product handling, batch genealogy, MSDS attached to dispatch, hazardous goods transport documentation, tank-farm inventory.
Electronics & EMS
Multi-level PCBA BOM, serial-number tracking down to component level, RoHS/REACH declarations, customer-supplied material handling, AOI/ICT test result capture.
Heavy Engineering & Foundry
Heat numbers, casting traceability, NDT and radiography records, project milestones with retention money, sub-assembly outsource tracking, crane/hoist asset history.
Custom ERP vs SAP B1 vs Oracle vs Tally — A Practical Comparison
Drawn from manufacturing buyers we've spoken to over the last 24 months. Treat as a directional reference; verify with each vendor for your specific configuration.
| Capability | SAP Business One | Oracle NetSuite | Tally Prime | Softwaller Custom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-level BOM & MRP | Strong (production add-on) | Strong | Not designed for it | Built to your routing |
| Shop-floor barcode & job card | Via partner add-on | Via partner add-on | Not available | Native, multi-language |
| OEE & machine downtime tracking | Add-on / consultant build | Add-on / SuiteApp | Not available | Native dashboard |
| GST e-invoice (India) | Localisation pack | Via GSP partner | Native | Native, multi-GSTIN |
| Tamil / Hindi shop-floor UI | English-first | English-first | Limited screens | Full operator screens |
| Subcontracting / job-work flow | Generic, India tweaks needed | Generic | Manual | India job-work native |
| IATF 16949 / GMP audit trails | Possible with config | Possible with config | Not designed for it | Templated by sub-industry |
| 3-year TCO for 80-user plant | ~₹40-90L | ~₹50-1Cr+ | ~₹2-6L (limited scope) | ~₹20-40L all-in |
SAP, SAP Business One, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, and Tally are trademarks of their respective owners. References here are descriptive comparisons only and do not imply endorsement, partnership, or affiliation.
Implementation Process — 6 Steps to Go-Live
A predictable path from first plant visit to operators using the system every shift.
Plant Audit (We Visit)
2-day on-site walkthrough — stores, shop floor, despatch, accounts. We map the as-is process, photograph forms, and interview operators.
Module Scoping & SOW
Phase-wise module list, integration boundaries (CNC, weighbridge, banking, GSP), data migration plan, fixed price, fixed timeline.
Phase 1 Sprints
Core modules first — masters, BOM, SO/PO, stores, GST. 2-week sprints with weekly demos to your core team. Issues fixed before next sprint.
UAT on Shop Floor
We bring tablets to the floor and run real work orders for 2 weeks. Operators flag everything that's slower than the old way — we fix it.
Phase 2 Sprints
Advanced modules — quality SPC, OEE, costing, subcontracting, BI dashboards. Layered on once Phase 1 is stable in production.
Go-Live + 6 Months On-Site
Engineer on-site for the first 4 weeks, then near-site support for 5 more months. Then standard AMC. See live case studies.
Pricing & Timeline
Indicative ranges for a single plant, single GSTIN. Multi-plant or multi-company adds 25-40% per additional unit. All prices ex-GST.
Discrete Manufacturing ERP
Auto components, engineering, machine tools, electronics. Includes BOM, MRP, work order, shop-floor barcode, quality, GST, costing, MIS.
Process Manufacturing ERP
Chemicals, paints, food processing, FMCG. Adds batch genealogy, recipe management, FEFO, HACCP/FSSAI logs, MSDS dispatch attachments.
Heavy Engineering ERP
Foundry, fabrication, project shops. Heat-number traceability, NDT records, project milestone billing, retention money, long-cycle WIP costing.
Pharma ERP
Hybrid process+pack, GMP eBR, deviation log, 21 CFR e-signatures, serialisation, narcotic register, regulatory document control.
Optional add-ons: Factory HRMS (attendance + payroll for shop floor), WhatsApp automation for vendor PO confirmations and customer dispatch alerts, and BI Dashboards & OEE for promoter mobile MIS.
Why Manufacturing SMEs Pick Softwaller
We're a Salem-based custom software house with a manufacturing-first practice — see our company background.
Plant-Floor Experience
Our analysts have walked auto, pharma, foundry, and food floors. We don't learn manufacturing on your time.
Tamil & Hindi UI
Operator screens in the language they actually speak. Office and audit screens stay in English.
3-5x Cheaper than SAP B1
For SME-scale plants, our 3-year TCO is a fraction of branded ERP — without giving up the modules that matter.
You Own the Code
Source code, schema, and infra runbooks handed over at go-live. Bring it in-house any time.
6 Months On-Site
Engineer on the floor for the first 4 weeks, then near-site for 5 more months. Then standard AMC.
Audit-Ready
IATF 16949, ISO 9001, GMP, HACCP, FSSAI templates baked in. Auditors get exactly what they ask for.
Ready to Replace Spreadsheets, Tally Add-Ons, or a Slow Branded ERP?
Get a free 30-minute consultation. We'll review your shop-floor flow, current systems, and recommend a phased path with fixed cost and timeline.
Get Free ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions from manufacturing buyers evaluating custom ERP.