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Kaizenify vs. ERP, inventory software, and job-tracking software
Most shops that call us have been told they need an ERP. Most don't — they need to see where to focus today and whether they made money. Here's how the categories actually differ, and where Kaizenify fits.
| What you need | ERP | Inventory software | Job tracking | Kaizenify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily profitability visibility | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Throughput targets vs. actual by day | — | — | Partial | ✓ |
| Defect, rework & downtime cost | Partial | — | — | ✓ |
| Kanban reorder (visual, at the shelf) | — | Partial | — | ✓ |
| SOPs at the workcell (QR, photo, video) | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Training records / skills matrix | Partial | — | — | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Job costing | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Purchasing / AP | ✓ | Partial | — | — |
| Accounting | ✓ | — | — | — |
Categories vary by vendor; this reflects the typical product in each group.
When you actually need an ERP
Multiple sites, complex bills of materials, integrated accounting, hundreds of employees, or heavy compliance requirements — that's ERP territory. If that's you, an ERP is the right backbone, and Kaizenify runs alongside it as the daily shop-floor layer.
When you need Kaizenify
- You have 1–200 people on the floor.
- You're running on paper, whiteboards, or spreadsheets.
- You can't see by end of day whether the shop made money.
- You know you have defects but nobody manages them.
- You already installed a big system — and still don't know where to focus tomorrow morning.
Start with the shop floor dashboard, add Kanban reordering and quality tracking, and see plans and pricing when you're ready.
Can I run both?
Yes, and most larger shops do. Kaizenify handles daily throughput, quality, Kanban, SOPs, and training on the floor; your existing scheduling and accounting tools keep doing what they do.
If you'd rather not configure it yourself, our done-for-you setup program builds it with your team.
Common questions
- Is Kaizenify an ERP?
- No. It doesn't do scheduling, job costing, purchasing, or accounting. It's the daily management layer that shows your team where to focus and shows you your results.
- Is Kanban the same as inventory software?
- No. Kaizenify Kanban is a visual reorder system — cards at the shelf with reorder points and suppliers — not a perpetual inventory ledger. It ends stockouts without counting every screw.
- Is Kaizenify job-tracking software?
- It tracks throughput and defects by workcell against daily targets; it doesn't route or schedule jobs. Many shops pair it with a scheduler.
From the blog
Learn more about Kaizenify
All Lean for Small Shops resourcesSee Everything. Fix What Matters.
Six simple tools that give you complete visibility and control.
Don't have time to set it up? See our done-for-you program →