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Problem
From Paper to Precision
Operating as a custom job shop, every order at this sheet metal fabricator was entirely bespoke, requiring high flexibility and rapid turnaround. The company previously relied on a blend of Excel trackers, Outlook emails, and OneDrive storage to manage production. Orders were emailed in, saved manually, printed, then physically tracked throughout the shop floor with paper tickets.
This fragmented workflow led to delays, status confusion, and frequent walkarounds just to determine where a job was in production. With workers hesitant to adopt technology, especially those without smartphones or computers at home, the leadership team faced a dual challenge: digitize operations without overwhelming the shop floor.
Q1
Solution
Building Workflows That Actually Work
SmartSuite became the single source of truth for jobs, purchase orders, and production phases. A foundational workflow was created around purchase orders, with linked records capturing each job, drawing, material type, and delivery requirement. The system tracked status through six defined production stages: Ticket Ready, Shear, Additional Fabrication, Bending, Post-Finishing, and Completed. Shop floor staff could now update job status via simple checkbox views on shared tablets, reducing interruptions and centralizing updates. Auto-numbering replaced legacy internal ID systems, while SmartSuite's map view helped visualize delivery logistics across multiple job sites.
Every purchase order tied back to customer records and job names, making it easy to trace status, history, and deliverables. Widgets and dashboards gave leadership immediate insight into work-in-progress, overdue jobs, and deliveries required—without opening a spreadsheet. SmartSuite also enabled future-forward planning, giving the team tools to eventually track costs and integrate with QuickBooks.
Q2
Result
Efficiency Without the Overwhelm
With SmartSuite, the team eliminated their reliance on manual spreadsheets, printing, and disjointed systems. Job tracking became digital, visual, and accessible across the shop. Tasks like checking if a job was "bent" or "delivered" no longer required hallway conversations—just a quick tap in SmartSuite.
The operations lead now spends significantly less time verifying job statuses or locating documentation. SmartSuite’s conditional visibility ensures even the least tech-savvy staff only see what they need, streamlining usage and accelerating adoption. As a result, the company has digitized over 90% of its jobs and is exploring expansion into procurement and external vendor tracking.
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