Guide
ERP or Glass Order Software for a Glass Factory?
Every growing glass company eventually faces the same question: "Should we buy an ERP that does everything, or glass order software built for the glass business?" In this article we compare the two approaches against the real needs of glass production and discuss which suits which company.
Why do glass companies ask this question?
When orders run on paper, production on the phone and shipping on memory, things get out of control beyond a certain size. A company looking for a fix gets two kinds of offers: generic ERP packages that claim to cover everything from accounting to production, and glass programs written specifically for glass processing. Both use the words "order", "production" and "shipping"; the difference is in the detail.
Generic ERP versus glass software
A generic ERP is designed to fit every industry: a product is a stock code, an order is a quantity, production is a work order. Glass, however, is sold by size, every piece is different and it passes through several stations. That is why fitting a generic ERP to glass often turns into a long customisation project.
| Topic | Generic ERP | Glass software |
|---|---|---|
| Order line | Stock code + quantity | Width × height × qty; m², lm, kg instantly |
| Insulated glass detail | Needs customisation | Spacer, gas, edge seal built in |
| Extras | Lines added by hand | Argon, bonding, Georgian bars calculated from the glass |
| Production | Work order | Route and station screen |
| Shipping | Generic waybill | Ready, partly ready, partial shipping |
| Accounting | Built in | Transfer to your existing accounting software |
The order line: width × height × quantity
For a glass processor an order line is not "10 units of product" but "1825 × 499 mm, 4 pieces, 4+16+4 insulated glass, argon filled". Order entry in OGTOGLASS follows width → height → quantity without taking your hands off the keyboard; area, perimeter, weight and amount are calculated as you type and the minimum m² rule is applied. In a generic ERP the same calculation means wrestling with formulas or working it out in Excel and typing the result into the program.
Production: work orders or stations?
ERPs usually track production as a work order that is started and finished. In glass production, though, the panes of one order move through different stations at different speeds: one is waiting at cutting while another has already left tempering. That is why glass production tracking is done per station; each station sees its own waiting panes and marks them with one key, and the office sees how many panes of an order are waiting at which station.
Accounting: connect, do not replace
Most glass companies have an accounting program they have used for years and their accountant knows well. Moving to an ERP often means replacing that too. A glass program leaves accounting where it is: delivery notes are transferred to your accounting software as waybills or invoices. Orders and production stay in the glass program; finance stays in the accounting program.
Which suits which company?
Glass software is the better fit if:
- You produce insulated, tempered or laminated glass or do glass processing,
- Your main headache is orders, production tracking and shipping,
- You are happy with your current accounting software,
- You want to be up and running quickly.
A generic ERP may be worth considering if glass is a small part of your business and your main need is bringing many companies in different industries under one financial roof. Even then, connecting a dedicated glass program to the ERP on the production side is a common solution.
Try the OGTOGLASS glass software
See OGTOGLASS with your own orders and let us decide together whether it fits your needs.
6 questions to ask before you decide
- Are m² and linear metres calculated automatically when entering an insulated glass order?
- Can production be tracked station by station, or only as "started / finished"?
- How are partly ready orders and partial shipments handled?
- Do I have to change my current accounting software?
- Can dealers enter their own orders? (See the dealer order link.)
- Can my old data (accounts, prices, open orders) be transferred, and does numbering continue?
For a more detailed buyer's checklist, see What is glass order software?
Frequently asked questions
Does a glass factory need an ERP?
No. If you already have software for accounting, stock and HR, what a glass factory really needs is a glass program that runs orders, production tracking and shipping in the language of glass. The glass program connects to your accounting software rather than replacing it.
Can glass software and an ERP be used together?
Yes. OGTOGLASS transfers delivery notes to your accounting or ERP software as waybills or invoices. Orders and production stay in the glass program; finance and accounting stay in your own program.
How long does switching to a glass program take?
Customer accounts, products, customer prices, quotes and orders are transferred from your old program and numbering continues where you left off. The switching plan is made together, based on the state of your data.
Try the OGTOGLASS glass software
We will give you a short demo using your own orders.
