The sales-to-assembly process connects your customer promise with your production reality. If it’s not well managed, you risk:
- Delays in fulfilment.
- Costly rework or expedited freight.
- Inefficient use of staff and materials.
- Poor visibility of order progress.
When streamlined, this process delivers faster lead times, stronger margins, and higher customer confidence.
What Best Practice Looks Like
A best practice process isn’t about adding complexity — it’s about removing it. Here’s what it should include:
- Accurate Sales Orders
The journey starts with good data. Orders should capture the right product details, configurations, and delivery dates. System checks and validations reduce errors and set the tone for everything that follows.
- Direct Link to Assembly
Manual re-entry between sales and assembly orders is a recipe for mistakes. Automating this step ensures production teams get accurate requirements instantly, speeding up turnaround and reducing bottlenecks.
- Lean Manufacturing Principles
Applying lean methods — like back-flushing materials, real-time capacity checks, and efficient scheduling — reduces waste and keeps production flowing smoothly.
- Inventory Visibility
Materials need to be on hand when production starts. Integrating stock checks and replenishment ensures smoother planning and avoids last-minute supplier calls.
- Real-Time Tracking
Sales, production, and operations managers should all be able to see order progress in real time. This eliminates spreadsheet workarounds and gives everyone confidence in delivery dates.
- Automated Documentation
Delivery dockets, invoices, and management reports should flow directly from the system. This reduces admin, cuts delays, and improves accuracy.
The Benefits
When businesses streamline their sales-to-assembly process, they see:
- Shorter lead times for customers.
- Reduced costs from fewer errors and less rework.
- Better use of resources, from people to machines.
- Improved customer satisfaction through reliable delivery.
- Clearer oversight for managers, with accurate, real-time data.
Where We Come In
Whether you use Ostendo, NetSuite, or another ERP system, the principles are the same. What matters is ensuring your process is set up to deliver best practice outcomes.
Our team specialises in reviewing and improving sales-to-assembly workflows, bringing together system expertise and lean manufacturing knowledge. We focus on removing bottlenecks, improving visibility, and helping businesses deliver better outcomes for both their customers and their bottom line.
If you’d like to explore how your process could be streamlined, we’d love to help.
As the head of Cutcher & Neale’s Software division, Michael is an expert in providing tailored technology solutions for businesses. Using a variety of operational, ERP, and financial systems, he has managed software implementation projects across a range of industries such as manufacturing, jobbing, services, and wholesale distribution sectors.
Michael has a passion for automation and efficiency — his insights have resulted in cost savings and productivity improvements for numerous organisations. As an experienced data analyst, Michael assesses operational processes, integrates systems, combines data flows and provides tailored reporting solutions for businesses.
