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Custom ERP Software for Manufacturing and Logistics SMEs

We develop custom ERP systems for manufacturing and logistics SMEs, modeled on your processes: production, warehouse, orders and integration with the systems and machinery you already use.

Custom ERP software: the business management system tailored to your company

Custom ERP software — the business management system built around your processes — doesn't force you to adapt the way you work to an off-the-shelf product: it is the enterprise resource planning platform that adapts to your business processes. At Codebaker we design ERP systems tailored to manufacturing and logistics SMEs, which centralize master data, accounts receivable and payable, production, warehouse and reporting into a single source of truth, eliminate the per-user license costs of standard ERP systems and integrate natively with the systems and machinery you already use. The result is a tool your team actually uses, because it speaks your company's language. The custom ERP system stems from our experience in custom software development and is completed by the digitalization of business processes, to cover the entire value chain from order to shipment. When sales also flow through the online channel, we connect it to a custom e-commerce development platform, so that catalog, stock levels and orders stay synchronized between the online store and the ERP system.

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Tailored ERP system and production management

The value of a custom ERP system lies in its ability to mirror the company's real production and administrative process. We design the production planning and progress modules, the bills of materials, the management of purchase and sales orders, accounts receivable and payable, and batch traceability based on the concrete way you work, with no unnecessary fields and no compromises imposed by the software. At the core we place real-time warehouse control — stock levels, minimum stock, movements and locations — to reduce stockouts and tied-up capital. Dashboards and management reporting make every phase measurable, from quote to delivery, turning data scattered across spreadsheets and disconnected forms into useful information for decision-making. Every custom ERP system is built with attention to data protection and GDPR compliance, because management information is a strategic asset of the company.

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Integration, logistics and Industry 4.0

An isolated ERP system is worth less than a connected one. That's why we design the custom ERP as the hub of company data: we integrate it with CRM, e-commerce, accounting and electronic invoicing software, couriers and logistics portals through secure APIs, eliminating double data entry and alignment errors between departments. In manufacturing companies we connect the ERP system to production machinery and IoT sensors, automatically collecting progress, downtime and consumption data to enable Industry 4.0 and 5.0 projects and access the related incentives. Logistics benefits from shipment management, picking and end-to-end traceability functions, while management has always up-to-date KPIs. Support extends to the continuous evolution of the ERP system, user training and maintenance, so that the platform grows together with the company.

WHY CHOOSE A CODEBAKER CUSTOM ERP SYSTEM

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Tailored to your processes

The ERP system is built around your real production and administrative cycle, not the other way around. No superfluous modules or imposed flows: we include only the functions your company needs, with a clear interface that reduces adoption time and increases the team's actual use of the tool.

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Integrated with systems and machinery

We connect the ERP system to CRM, e-commerce, accounting, production machinery and IoT sensors through secure APIs. Master data, orders, stock levels and production data stay synchronized across all systems, eliminating information silos and double data entry and enabling Industry 4.0 and 5.0 projects.

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No per-user fees

Unlike subscription-based ERP systems, a proprietary ERP eliminates the license fees that grow with the number of users. The initial investment becomes a company asset you can evolve over time, with predictable costs and full ownership of the code and data.

How much a custom ERP system costs for a manufacturing company

The cost of custom ERP software for a manufacturing company depends on functional complexity (number and depth of modules), integrations with existing machinery and ERPs, the number of users and the planned evolutionary maintenance. Based on these drivers, a project falls into one of three indicative ranges. To understand whether a standard ERP or a custom-built one is the better fit, read the article standard ERP or custom-built ERP and the full guide on how much custom software costs.

Type of projectIndicative cost rangeWhat it includes
Simple project / MVP€5,000–15,000A first measurable pilot on a specific process: few modules, a limited number of users and limited integrations, to validate the return before extending the project.
Medium-complexity ERP system€15,000–50,000Coverage of production, warehouse and orders with the accounts receivable and payable, management reporting and integrations with the main business systems already in use.
Enterprise platformover €50,000Multi-plant scenarios, complex ERP integrations and connection to machinery and IoT sensors for Industry 4.0 and 5.0 projects, with high volumes of data and users.

The ranges are indicative: the final quote comes from the analysis of your processes. A custom ERP system is part of a broader path of digital transformation for SMEs and digitalization of business processes, up to Industry 4.0 and 5.0 software projects.

Integration with AS400, SAP and legacy systems

In most manufacturing and logistics SMEs a new ERP system does not arrive in an empty company. It arrives where there is already an AS400 that has run the sales cycle for twenty years, a corporate SAP imposed by the parent group, an accounting package the accountant refuses to change, and two or three vertical applications someone wrote and nobody maintains any more. So the question is not “what do we replace”, but “what has to talk to what”.

Connectors to AS400 and IBM i environments

AS400 (IBM i) environments are often extremely solid and full of business logic nobody wants to rewrite. We connect to the underlying DB2 and, where they exist, to RPG programs exposed as services, building a controlled read and write layer. That way the bespoke ERP system works on real data without the AS400 being touched, and replacing it — if that day ever comes — becomes a separate decision rather than a prerequisite.

Integration with SAP and other corporate ERPs

When SAP is imposed by the parent group, the constraint is that it stays the source of truth for master data, accounting and financial reporting. The bespoke system then fits in where SAP is rigid or too expensive to extend — typically the shop floor and the warehouse — and synchronises in both directions through the standard interfaces (IDoc, BAPI, OData) or a dedicated middleware. For Granarolo we built exactly this kind of custom software integrated with SAP, for more than 2,000 users.

Middleware and REST/GraphQL APIs as a decoupling layer

Wiring every system directly to every other system produces a web that becomes unmanageable at the third or fourth node. That is why we interpose a layer of custom APIs — REST or GraphQL depending on the case — exposing data in a stable format and hiding from consumers how the underlying systems are actually built. The concrete benefit shows up when one of those systems is replaced: one connector changes, not every application that used it.

Progressive data migration, not big bang

A single-shot migration is the most reliable way to bring a company to a halt. We prefer a module-by-module path: one area is moved at a time, old and new systems coexist for a period with synchronised data, and the old one is switched off only once the new one has survived a full cycle — typically a month-end close or a stock count. The most underestimated work in this phase is cleaning up master data: the same item carrying three different codes in three systems is the most frequent cause of the mismatches that surface after the switch. If the starting point is an obsolete application to move beyond, the route is legacy software modernisation.

How to choose the right supplier for a custom ERP system

Choosing the right supplier matters as much as the budget. Before signing, assess the partner against these concrete criteria, meant for those who build ERP systems for manufacturing.

CriterionWhat to check
Experience in manufacturing / Industry 4.0Real cases in production, warehouse and factory lines, not just generic websites or off-the-shelf ERP products.
Source code ownershipThe code and data stay yours, with delivery of the sources and no ties to the supplier's platform.
No vendor lock-inStandard, documented technologies, so you can change supplier or bring development in-house without rewriting everything.
Integration with ERP systems and machinery (API)Proven ability to connect via API to ERPs, existing systems, machinery and IoT sensors already in the field.
Full-stack coverage (web, mobile app, IoT, cloud)A single team covering backend, web, mobile app, IoT and cloud, with no ping-pong between multiple vendors.
Direct access to the development teamDirect dialogue with those who write the code, without commercial filters, and geographic proximity.
GDPR / NIS2 complianceData protection, application security and GDPR/NIS2 compliance designed from the very start.
Evolutionary maintenanceOngoing support and an evolution roadmap, so the ERP system grows with the company.

For us these criteria are not theory. For Piusi, a leading manufacturer of fuel dispensing systems, we developed a Flutter app with Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity to the dispensers, used by around 10,000 users a day, with a joint 6-person team that combined our development with the client's product expertise. For Granarolo we built custom software integrated with SAP for over 2,000 users, reducing onboarding time by 95%. It is the same approach with which we support manufacturing SMEs in their digital transformation.

How long does it take to build a custom ERP system?

The first working module — usually production progress tracking or warehouse control — goes live in 6 to 10 weeks. The project starts with two to three weeks of process analysis on site, followed by a measurable pilot on a single department, then extends module by module: purchase and sales orders, bills of materials, batch traceability, accounts receivable and payable, management reporting. A full ERP replacement across multiple plants typically spans 9 to 18 months, but you are running released software from the first quarter instead of waiting for a single big-bang go-live.

Each release is deployed alongside the system you use today, so production never stops. We agree on the sequence of modules with you at the start, prioritising the process where the return is easiest to measure — normally the one where your team is currently re-keying the same data twice.

Frequently asked questions about custom ERP software

How much does it cost to develop custom ERP software for a manufacturing company?

The cost of custom ERP software for a manufacturing company depends on a few measurable drivers: the number and complexity of the modules (production, warehouse, orders, accounts receivable and payable), the integrations with machinery, existing systems and IoT sensors, the number of users and the amount of data to migrate from current systems. On total cost of ownership (TCO), keep in mind that a custom ERP system eliminates the per-user license fees of standard software: the investment is concentrated up front, but over time the cost stabilizes because it does not grow as the number of users increases. We proceed gradually, starting from a measurable pilot, so you can assess the return before extending the project. You'll find a detailed breakdown of the cost factors on the page about how much custom software costs.

How do I choose the right supplier for custom ERP software?

To choose the right supplier for custom ERP software, assess these criteria: real experience in the manufacturing and logistics sector, a concrete ability to integrate machinery and IoT sensors, a working method based on process analysis and delivery starting from a measurable pilot, ownership of the code and data that remain yours, ongoing support and evolutionary maintenance over time, and geographic proximity that makes direct collaboration easier. Codebaker is a Bologna-based software house that supports manufacturing, logistics and food-production SMEs in Emilia-Romagna with this approach: see how a custom software project takes shape.

Standard ERP like SAP or custom ERP software: which is better?

A standard ERP like SAP (and similar products) is quick to adopt for already standardized processes, but it forces you to adapt the way you work to the software and comes with per-user fees and modules you often don't use. Custom ERP software, on the other hand, is modeled on your real processes, integrates natively with the machinery and systems you already use, has no per-user fees and is a proprietary asset you can evolve. In practice: a standard ERP is worthwhile when processes are highly standardized or when you need the requirements of a multinational with sites in several countries; custom ERP software is worthwhile when your processes are a competitive advantage and you want the software to respect them rather than distort them.

Further reading

If yours is a manufacturing company, we have a dedicated page on how much a custom management system for a manufacturer costs and how to choose the supplier, with the price bands, the eight cost drivers and the ten assessment criteria. If you are already comparing several quotes, the general criteria are in what to assess when choosing a technology partner.

Contact us today for a free consultation!

Want an ERP system truly tailored to your manufacturing or logistics SME? Tell us how your company works and discover how Codebaker can turn production, warehouse and orders into a competitive advantage.