The FactoStack Field Notes
Practical guides on production, inventory, GST, Tally, and ERP decisions—written for Indian manufacturing teams doing the work.
Latest thinking
55 field-tested articles
FactoStackIndustrial Oven Subcontracting: How to Send a Batch and Cost It
Industrial oven subcontracting means you still own the batch, and another workshop runs the cure, bake, or heat treatment. Here is the rate basis, the return check, and a worked cost per good piece.
FactoStackInvoice for Free Samples under GST
For most free samples under GST, the document is a delivery challan, not a tax invoice. Here is when each one applies, what happens to input tax credit, and how the value is fixed, with the official sources.
FactoStackHow to Calculate Manufacturing Cost per Unit
Manufacturing cost per unit is direct materials plus direct labour plus manufacturing overheads, divided by saleable units. Here is the formula and a fully worked example in rupees for a small Indian factory.
FactoStackRecipe BOM for Food Manufacturing: Ingredients, Yield, and Packaging
Build a food manufacturing recipe BOM that plans ingredients, batches, process loss, packaging, cost, and traceability in one production record.
FactoStackFood Production Yield, Wastage, and Process-Loss Tracking
Track planned and actual yield, ingredient variance, scrap, rework, giveaway, and process loss by food production batch.
FactoStackERP Replacement Project Plan for Manufacturing
A project plan for replacing a manufacturing ERP: which workflows to keep, which history to load, how to test, and how to cut over.
FactoStackERP Implementation Timeline for a Small Factory
Plan a small-factory ERP timeline from workflow mapping and data preparation through configuration, testing, training, cutover, and stabilisation.
FactoStackERP Implementation Consultant for Small Manufacturers in India
Choose an ERP implementation consultant who can turn one real factory workflow, clean data, roles, and training into a usable go-live.
FactoStackERP Implementation Checklist for Manufacturers in India
A practical manufacturing ERP checklist covering scope, data, UOMs, BOMs, roles, testing, training, cutover, and adoption.
FactoStackCertificate of Analysis for Food Manufacturers: Batch-to-COA Workflow
Turn batch specifications, sample results, approvals, and release data into a consistent certificate of analysis for food customers.
FactoStackBatch Traceability in Food Manufacturing: Lot-to-Dispatch Workflow
Trace ingredient lots through production, quality release, packaging, finished batches, customers, and dispatch records.
FactoStackBMR Software for Food Production: Build a Batch Manufacturing Record
Create a digital batch manufacturing record linking recipe version, ingredient lots, process steps, QC, yield, packaging, and release.
FactoStackHow to Give Your Vendors a Self-Service Portal (and Why It Saves You Hours)
A vendor portal can replace repetitive calls about purchase orders, delivery dates, documents, quality issues, and payment status. Here is what manufacturers should include and how to roll it out.
FactoStackPackaging and Dispatch: How Manufacturers Can Track Orders to Shipment
Production is not complete when the last operation ends. Learn how to track packing readiness, labels, quantities, documents, vehicles, and proof of dispatch against every customer order.
FactoStackJob Work Tracking for Textile Units: A Practical Guide
Textile job work moves fabric, yarn, and garments through outside processors. Learn how to track material, challans, shrinkage, rejections, rates, and pending returns without losing control in spreadsheets.
FactoStackHow Garment Exporters in Tiruppur Manage Size-Wise Inventory
Garment stock is not one number. Tiruppur exporters need buyer, style, colour, and size visibility from order booking through cutting, stitching, finishing, packing, and shipment.
FactoStackHow Automotive Ancillary Units in Hosur Track Production Without SAP
A practical production-control model for Hosur automotive suppliers that need schedule visibility, heat and batch traceability, subcontracting control, quality records, and dispatch discipline without an SAP-scale rollout.
FactoStackWorking Capital for Manufacturers: Why Your Factory Always Feels Cash-Tight
Many profitable Indian factories still feel cash-tight. The problem is not sales. It is the gap between when you pay for materials, when you produce, and when you finally collect. Here is how working capital actually works in manufacturing.
FactoStackWhat is Subcontracting in Manufacturing? A Guide for Indian MSME Factories
Subcontracting is how Indian manufacturers scale production without building every capability in-house. This guide covers how it works, how to track materials and costs, and what changes under GST.
FactoStackRejection and Rework: How to Track Quality Issues on the Shop Floor
Every factory deals with rejections. The difference between factories that improve and those that keep repeating the same mistakes is whether they track quality issues systematically or just move on to the next batch.
FactoStackHow Much Does Manufacturing Software Really Cost in India? (2026 Breakdown)
The real cost of manufacturing software is not just the subscription. It includes setup, training, data migration, integrations, and the hidden cost of staying on spreadsheets. Here is a practical breakdown for Indian MSMEs.
FactoStackFactory Modernization in India: What AI Actually Means for MSME Manufacturers
AI in manufacturing is real, but for most Indian MSMEs, the starting point is not machine learning or computer vision. It is getting your factory data into a system that AI can actually work with.
FactoStackYour Factory Data Is Your Credit Score: Here's What That Means
Banks, NBFCs, buyers, and partners increasingly care about proof of business health. For manufacturers, clean operational data can become a practical credit asset instead of just an internal reporting habit.
FactoStackWhat Tally Doesn't Tell You About Your Factory
Tally is strong for accounts, GST, ledgers, and statutory reporting. But a factory needs operational answers that accounting software usually cannot provide on its own.
FactoStackWhy 90% of Indian Manufacturers Are Running on 3 Disconnected Tools
Tally for accounts, Excel for planning, WhatsApp for coordination: this is the default software stack in many factories. It works until volume, delays, and rework expose the cost of disconnected operations.
FactoStackMulti-Level BOM: When Simple Bills of Materials Stop Working
A single-level BOM is enough when you buy everything and assemble once. As soon as your factory makes sub-assemblies, semi-finished goods, or stage-wise production, you need a multi-level BOM to plan materials correctly.
FactoStackThe Hidden Cost of Running Your Factory on WhatsApp
WhatsApp feels fast because everyone already uses it. But when customer approvals, production instructions, vendor follow-up, and dispatch changes live there, the factory starts paying in delay, confusion, and missing audit trails.
FactoStackWhat Indian Manufacturers Actually Need from an ERP (vs What Vendors Sell)
Most ERP demos sell dashboards, modules, and jargon. Most factories need order control, material visibility, production discipline, and cleaner handoffs to accounts. Here is the gap.
FactoStackHow to Track Purchase Orders, GRNs, and Vendor Payments in One Place
A purchase order is not the end of procurement. Manufacturers need one view across ordered quantity, received quantity, rejected quantity, and payment status to avoid delays and duplicate follow-up.
FactoStackHow to Run MRP Without an SAP Budget: A Practical Guide for Indian Manufacturers
Material Requirements Planning is not just for large enterprises. Small manufacturers can run MRP with BOMs, open orders, current stock, and disciplined purchase follow-up.
FactoStackHow Indian MSMEs Can Build a Smarter Sourcing Stack in 2026
Most Indian MSMEs don't have a supplier shortage—they have a supplier-decision problem. Here's how to fix it with the right sourcing route for every type of purchase.
FactoStackHow to Generate an E-Invoice in India: Step-by-Step for Manufacturers
A practical e-invoice workflow for Indian manufacturers: when it applies, what data you need, how IRN generation works, and how to avoid dispatch and GST return errors.
FactoStackOdoo for Small Manufacturers in India: Honest Pros, Cons, and Costs
A practical review of Odoo for Indian MSME manufacturers: where it works well, where implementation gets complex, and what costs to plan beyond the subscription.
FactoStackERPNext vs Odoo for Indian MSMEs: Which Is Actually Simpler?
A practical comparison of ERPNext and Odoo for Indian MSME manufacturers, covering implementation, manufacturing workflows, accounting, customisation, and total cost.
FactoStackHSN Code Guide for Indian Manufacturers: Find Your Code in 5 Minutes
A practical method to find the correct HSN code for manufactured goods, verify the GST rate, and prevent classification mistakes in invoices and item masters.
FactoStackHow to Migrate from Excel to Manufacturing Software: A Practical Factory Plan
A low-risk Excel-to-ERP migration plan for manufacturers: decide what to move, clean master data, run a pilot, reconcile stock, and go live without stopping production.
FactoStack5 Signs Your Factory Has Outgrown Tally
Tally is a great accounting tool. But there's a point where your factory's operational complexity outpaces what any accounting software can handle. Here are the signs you've crossed that line.
FactoStackGSTR-1 vs GSTR-3B: What Manufacturers Need to File and When
GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B are the two most important GST returns for manufacturers. Understanding what each covers, when it's due, and how they relate to each other prevents costly errors.
FactoStackWork Order vs Manufacturing Order: What's the Difference?
A manufacturing order says what finished quantity to make. A work order is one operation inside that order, such as cutting or stitching. Here is the difference, with a comparison table.
FactoStackDebtor Aging Report: How Indian Manufacturers Should Track What They're Owed
A debtor aging report shows what customers owe, how long invoices have been outstanding, and where collection action is needed. Here's how manufacturers should use it.
FactoStackERP vs Tally: What's the Difference for a Small Manufacturer?
Tally and ERP software are often compared as if they compete. They don't — they serve different purposes. Understanding the difference helps you decide what you actually need.
FactoStackHow to Track Work-in-Progress (WIP) Inventory in a Small Factory
WIP inventory sits between raw materials and finished goods — and most small manufacturers have no idea how much is stuck in their production process. Here's how to track it properly.
FactoStackWhat Is a Bill of Materials (BOM) and How to Set One Up for Your Factory
A Bill of Materials is the foundation of production planning. Without one, your inventory deductions are guesswork and your costs are wrong. Here's what a BOM is and how to build one correctly.
FactoStackJob Work Under GST: Rules Every Manufacturer Must Know
Job work is one of the most common manufacturing arrangements in India — and one of the most misunderstood under GST. Here's what the law actually says and how to stay compliant.
FactoStack5 Tally Limitations for Manufacturers (And How to Work Around Them)
Tally is excellent for accounting, but it has serious gaps when it comes to production, inventory deductions, shop floor tracking, and vendor portals. Here's what manufacturers hit and what to do about it.
FactoStackERP Implementation Cost in India for Small Manufacturers (2026)
Build a realistic 2026 ERP budget across software, implementation, migration, customisation, training, and support for a small Indian factory.
FactoStackHow to Digitise a Small Factory in India: A 5-Step Guide
Most digitization attempts at small Indian factories fail within 3 months. Here's the step-by-step approach that actually works — starting with one pain point, not the whole factory.
FactoStackE-Invoice for Manufacturers in India: Rules and Process
Understand who must use GST e-invoicing, which transactions are covered, how IRN generation works, and what manufacturers should verify before dispatch.
FactoStackHow to Manage Garment Factory Inventory in India: From Fabric to Finished Goods
Garment inventory is uniquely complex — multiple fabric lots, size matrices, trim variants, and job work at multiple vendors. Here's how to manage it systematically instead of losing track in Excel.
FactoStackGST Compliance for Manufacturing MSMEs in India
E-invoice mandates, e-waybill rules, GSTR filing cycles, HSN codes, and job-work GST requirements for Indian manufacturing MSMEs.
FactoStackGarment ERP Comparison: FactoStack, ERPNext, Odoo, and Tally
How to compare FactoStack, ERPNext, Odoo, and Tally plus Excel for a garment factory. The product page for garment manufacturing software is separate from this comparison.
FactoStackTirupur Garment Cluster: Why Standard Software Doesn't Work
Tirupur's ₹30,000 crore export cluster has unique operational challenges — multi-vendor job work chains, buyer-wise style tracking, export documentation, and LC management — that standard ERP simply doesn't support.
FactoStackWhy MSME Digital Transformation Fails in India — And What Actually Works
85% of Indian MSMEs that attempt digital transformation fail to sustain it beyond 6 months. Here are the 5 real reasons — and the approach that works for factories and small manufacturers.
FactoStackHow to Move Your Factory from Excel to a Real System
A practical migration guide for Indian factories: what to fix first, how to get a first workflow live in 7 days, and how to keep Tally ready for accounts.
Factory operations, minus the noise
