Katana's interface is organized into several key screens, each designed to streamline different aspects of your manufacturing and inventory management processes. Whether you're a maker, distributor, or small manufacturer, understanding these screens will help you navigate Katana efficiently.
Sell screen
Purpose: Manage sales orders (SOs), quotes, price lists, and customer information.
Key features:
Sales orders tab: View and manage all SOs, track item availability, production, and delivery statuses.
Quotes tab: Create and monitor customer quotes before confirming them as SOs.
Returns tab: View and manage any returned SOs.
Price lists tab: Manage negotiated pricing for different customers.
Customers tab: Store and edit customer contact details and history.
Use Case: If you lack sufficient stock to fulfill an SO, you can check ingredient availability and initiate production tasks directly from this screen.
Make screen
Purpose: Plan, schedule, and monitor manufacturing orders (MOs).
Key features:
Schedule tab: View all MOs (both Make-to-Order and Make-to-Stock), adjust priorities via drag-and-drop, and monitor ingredient availability and production status.
Tasks tab: Assign and track production tasks for operators.
Shop Floor App: Enable operators to access tasks, report consumed ingredients, and log manufactured products in real-time.
Note: Make-to-Order MOs are linked to specific SOs, while Make-to-Stock MOs are not directly tied to any SO.
Buy screen
Purpose: Manage the procurement of materials and outsourced manufacturing.
Key features:
Purchase orders (POs): Track open and completed POs, monitor delivery statuses, and manage supplier information.
Outsourced purchase orders (OPOs): Handle orders where manufacturing is outsourced to contractors.
Suppliers tab: Add, edit, or remove supplier details, which are reflected in POs and OPOs.
Stock screen
Purpose: Monitor and manage inventory levels in real-time.
Key features:
Inventory list: View all products and materials at the variant level, including quantities in stock, committed, and expected.
Safety stock levels: Set and monitor minimum stock thresholds to prevent shortages.
Quick actions: Initiate POs or MOs directly from the inventory list to replenish stock.
Stock movements: Monitor and manage all of the movements of your stock.
Note: Stock movements are automatically updated based on purchasing, manufacturing, and sales activities.
Plan screen (available with Planning and Forecasting add-on)
Purpose: Forecast inventory needs and plan replenishment.
Key features:
Planning tab: Visualize expected inventory levels across different locations based on forecasts from sales, purchase, manufacturing, and outsourcing orders.
Replenishment tab: Receive automated suggestions on when and how much to reorder, simplifying the restocking process.
Insights screen
Purpose: Analyze operational data for informed decision-making.
Key features:
Dashboards: Access customizable reports on sales, manufacturing, purchasing, costs, and inventory.
Filtering and sorting: Easily analyze trends and performance metrics to guide strategic planning.
Learn more about using Insights.
Items screen
Purpose: Manage all products and materials with detailed information.
Key features:
Products, Materials, and Services tabs: View comprehensive lists with details like category, variant codes/SKUs, sales and purchase prices.
Product recipes/BOMs: Define the components and operations required to manufacture each product.
Cost analysis: Evaluate cost prices and profit margins for all product variants.
Learn more about Items, creating Products, and creating Materials.
Note: Items must be created before they can be used in SOs, MOs, POs, or stock adjustments.
Settings
Purpose: Customize Katana to fit your business needs.
Key features:
General settings: Adjust base currency, units of measure, tax rates, and categories.
Locations: Manage warehouse locations and assign default locations for sales, manufacturing, and purchasing.
Templates: Customize the order and visibility of print templates.
Data management: Download import templates, upload data, or clear data for a fresh start.
Your feedback is invaluable. Let us know your thoughts on this article or anything in Katana you'd like to see improved: [email protected]