This path is designed for businesses that produce their own goods in-house using their team, equipment, and raw materials. Katana helps you manage your production processes, track materials and stock in real time, and streamline fulfillment from sales orders to final delivery.
Readiness checklist (optional)
Readiness checklist (optional)
Make sure you have the following info ready. It’ll help you move through setup smoothly:
Product list – What goods and subassemblies do you sell or produce? Do you make them in-house, buy them from suppliers, or both?
Materials list – What components or ingredients go into your products?
Product recipes/BOMs – Do you know which materials are used per product and in what quantities?
Basic workflows – Are your products made to order, made to stock, or a mix of both?
Locations – Do you track stock in multiple warehouses, production sites, or storage areas?
Team setup – Who on your team will need access (e.g., production, purchasing, fulfillment)?
Integrations – What tools will you need to connect? Think about ecommerce (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce), marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, Walmart via Extensiv), accounting (QuickBooks, Xero), CRM (HubSpot), shipping (ShipStation, custom workflows), and custom connections via API or third-party platforms (Zapier, Make).
Getting Started
Below are a few of the things we recommend completing (or looking into) to ensure a positive experience as a manufacturer using Katana.
Step 1: Set initial settings
Step 1: Set initial settings
Before adding data or testing workflows, configure these key settings so Katana runs smoothly from the start.
General settings: Check that your base currency is accurate and define default lead times for sales and purchase orders.
Tax rates: If all sales orders come from ecommerce (e.g., Shopify), tax rates sync automatically. If you create sales orders manually, set up and assign tax rates in Settings.
Locations: Track stock across warehouses or production sites by adding locations in Katana.
Barcodes (optional): Enable barcodes if you plan to scan items for receiving, production, or inventory counts.
Supplier item code - Barcodes used by your suppliers for receiving POs
Internal barcodes - For scanning during production via the Shop Floor App or stock counts
Registered barcodes - For labeling retail-ready products with UPCs
Step 2: Add your data
Step 2: Add your data
Next, add the core building blocks of your production workflows: materials, products, and how they're made.
Materials: Raw components you purchase to manufacture products. You can also enable the Sell option if you sell materials directly.
Products: Finished goods or subassemblies you make. Add them manually, in bulk, or import from e-commerce
Product recipes / BOMs: Define the ingredients and quantities required to make each product.
Production operations: List each step in your production process (e.g., cutting, welding, assembly) and track labor time and costs.
Step 3: Try your first workflows
Step 3: Try your first workflows
This is where you start putting your setup to the test. Use real or demo data to explore key flows.
Manufacturing workflows
Make-to-Order (MTO): You manufacture only after a sales order is placed.
→ Try this: Create a sales order → Click + Make from the Sell screen → Choose + Make to order → Open the MO by clicking the production status on the Sell screen or navigate to the Make screen → reprioritize the SO to see how the statuses changeMake-to-Stock (MTS): You manufacture in advance based on forecasts or safety stock.
→ Try this: Go to the Stock screen → Click + Make for a low-stock product, find and open the MO from the Make screen → Reprioritize the MO to see how statuses changeHybrid (MTO+MTS): Use both strategies depending on your products. MTO items are made per order and linked to SOs, while MTS items are made in advance and allocated based on SO priority.
Managing inventory
Use the Stock screen to monitor inventory in real-time. View committed, expected, and calculated stock levels, create MOs or POs when needed. Click the values to open Inventory Intel for an item.
→ Learn more about using the Stock screen.
→ Try this: Set a safety stock level for a product → Create a sales order for the same product → Watch how Calculated stock updates → Click to explore Inventory Intel → Create an MO if needed and POs for missing ingredients
Stock Transfers:
Working across multiple sites? Use Stock Transfers to move goods between locations as needed
Practice some more essentials
Get comfortable with the basics by practicing these core tasks:
Create a sales order (SO) to simulate demand, fulfill orders with and without stock available
Create a manufacturing order (MO) (both MTO and MTS) to track production
Create a purchase order (PO) to replenish materials from different suppliers, and test full/partial deliveries
Step 4: Additional setup and tools
Step 4: Additional setup and tools
With the basics tested, now’s the time to invite your team, tailor your documents, and get familiar with optional tools.
Customize print templates
Want to personalize your documents? Add your logo or adjust the format for SOs, POs, and pick lists.
Optional add-ons:
Advanced manufacturing: Assign tasks to your team and capture production data on the factory floor.
Includes:
Warehouse management: Manage receiving POs, and picking & packing orders with mobile scanning.
Use the Warehouse App
Plan and assign sales order fulfillment
Pick & pack sales orders on the go
Receive goods from purchase orders
Scan barcodes to pick stock
Assign default storage bins
Full traceability: Ensure full traceability for regulated or high-value items.
→ Batch Tracking
→ Serial NumbersPlanning and forecasting: Get demand forecasts, replenishment insights, and production planning tools to optimize inventory and stay ahead of demand.
Step 5: Integrations
Step 5: Integrations
Now that your internal setup is in place, connect Katana to your other essential tools. This helps automate order flow, keep inventory in sync, and reduce manual work.
Ecommerce: Automatically sync sales orders and inventory between your ecommerce store and Katana to streamline fulfillment and keep stock levels accurate.
Marketplace channels: Route orders from marketplace platforms into Katana for centralized order management and inventory tracking.
→ via Extensiv: eBay, Amazon FBA, Amazon (Seller-fulfilled), Walmart
Accounting: Sync invoices, bills, and financial data
CRM: turn deals into Katana SOs and sync inventory data to streamline sales and fulfillment
→ HubSpot
Shipping platforms: Katana supports a range of shipping workflows, from ecommerce orders fulfilled via Shopify or WooCommerce, to B2B or hybrid operations.
Step 6: Add inventory quantities
Step 6: Add inventory quantities
Enter your current stock using one of these methods:
E-commerce import (products only): Sync stock automatically when connecting Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.
Excel import: Bulk upload stock levels and values using a template.
Manual entry: Add stock directly via stock adjustments, ideal for small updates.
Step 7: Count your stock and go live!
Step 7: Count your stock and go live!
Once your inventory is set up, use stocktake to verify actual stock levels and correct discrepancies. When you're done, Katana will automatically create a stock adjustment. You can count items manually or use barcode scanning and track differences between expected and counted stock.
Now that your core setup is complete, use our post-launch guide to review key areas like inventory accuracy, workflow performance, and team usage.
Ready to go live?
After you've launched Katana, there will be further steps you'll want to take to ensure you get the most out of Katana.
Check out the post-launch guide HERE
Your feedback is invaluable. Let us know your thoughts on this article or anything in Katana you'd like to see improved: [email protected]