Frequently asked questions

Start with the things generic ERP gets wrong. Ask whether the system holds versioned formulas rather than parts lists, whether it converts units of measure natively, whether a lot can be traced in both directions in one step, whether quality release actually blocks stock from moving, and whether safety data sheets and labels are version controlled against the formula. Then ask the partner to run one of your real products end to end on a demo instance, from raw material receipt through to the certificate of analysis.

Purchasing gets clearer once demand comes from the formula instead of from memory. Planning reads the recipe for every open batch, nets it against stock on hand and stock already on order, then raises the purchase requirement with supplier lead time built in. Each purchase order line carries the expected date, the supplier price against your standard cost, the incoming quality check and the lot numbers received, so a buyer can see what is late, what is short and what arrived off specification on one screen. Receipts post against the lot, which means the traceability record starts at the supplier rather than at the vessel.

Formula and recipe management with version control and approvals. Batch manufacturing orders that capture actual quantities and yield. Lot and batch traceability in both directions, with quarantine and release control. Unit of measure conversion between weight, volume and percentage. Quality specifications, test points and certificates of analysis. Shelf life, expiry and retest date handling, with defined routes for rework and reprocessing. Document control that ties safety data sheets and labels to the formula revision. Per batch costing that includes yield loss. And accounting connected to all of it, so inventory valuation and margin come out of the same record as production rather than from a separate spreadsheet.

There are two costs and most quotes blur them. The platform license is paid to the vendor: on Odoo, around $31 per user per month on Standard and around $61 on Custom in the United States, billed yearly. The implementation is separate and driven by scope: formula count, data condition, historical lot migration, and whether you need distribution as well as production. Published industry ranges for mid market chemical ERP projects sit roughly between $25,000 and $80,000, which is an industry estimate rather than a quote from us. We do not bill hourly. We scope, quote a fixed fee including migration, and run ongoing support on flat monthly plans.

Batch tracking, yes, and natively. Every receipt, internal move, production step and shipment carries a lot or batch number, so you can trace a finished lot back to the supplier drum or forward to every customer who received it. Quarantine holds unreleased material so it cannot be picked, and shelf life, expiry and retest dates sit on the lot itself. On compliance we are deliberately precise about what we do: we configure the system to support your OSHA, EPA and SDS process, holding hazard classes, storage rules, document versions and the evidence trail in one place. The system supports your compliance program. It does not replace it, and no software makes a plant compliant on its own.

Yes. Safety data sheets are held as controlled documents attached to the product and to the specific formula revision, so when a formula changes the matching SDS version travels with it instead of leaving the old one in circulation. The current document can be attached to shipping paperwork and to the customer record, and access can be restricted by role so only the people who own the document are able to replace it. As with all compliance work, we configure the system to support your SDS process. Authoring and approving the content stays with your EHS team.