When launching a manufacturing startup, choosing the right system is one of the most critical early decisions you’ll make. These sought after systems can be often referred too as CRM, ERP or Order Management systems. Many new operations, especially those led by industry veterans familiar with platforms like Infor, JobBOSS, or DBA, come to the search with well-defined expectations: quoting and job management, inventory tracking, CRM tools, accounting integration, multi-unit-of-measure handling, and even more complex requests like multi-level BOMs or system-to-system data exchange. While our Virtual Ops (formerly known as Virtual Office) ERP is purpose-built for supplement manufacturing, our software engineers can work with businesses from adjacent or specialized sectors to provide custom integrations or adapt our platform to their industry’s needs. Often times the functionality already exists but would only require a little bit of re-tooling on our end. Reach out to us today to start a conversation.
Below, we’ll explore several features and common requests from manufacturers—and how Virtual Ops (formerly known as Virtual Office) can support them natively or through custom development.
Job Management, Quoting & Customer Relationship Tracking
Many startups need a system that helps them look polished and professional from day one. Virtual Ops includes built-in quoting tools that allow you to quickly generate detailed, accurate estimates and convert them directly into jobs or production runs. Paired with a simple CRM for managing customer information, communication logs, and order history, the system supports early client relationship building without requiring a separate CRM subscription.
For teams already using marketing or sales platforms such as HubSpot, our development team can explore integration opportunities or API-driven workflows that ensure you maintain a connected business ecosystem as you grow.
Inventory Management With Batch Tracking, Barcoding and Multi-Unit-of-Measure Support
Virtual Ops is designed for businesses that require accurate inventory visibility and strong traceability. Supplement manufacturers rely on tight controls, and many of the same requirements apply to other manufacturing environments:
- Real-time inventory levels
- Batch/lot tracking
- Ingredient or material quarantine
- Barcode scanning support
- Multi-warehouse readiness (starting with one facility)
Although the system’s default handling focuses on supplement-specific units (e.g., kilograms, grams, bottles, capsules), we can review your needs around multiple units of measure—such as square feet, linear feet, pounds, and per-unit conversion—to determine how best to configure or extend the platform.
If your workflow includes remnant management (rechecking scrap or leftover material back into inventory), this is also an area our team can evaluate for customization.
Minimum Levels, Reorder Alerts & Efficient Purchasing
Startups need to control material costs tightly, and the earlier you establish automated inventory safeguards, the better. Virtual Ops supports:
- Minimum stock level settings
- Automated low-inventory notifications
- Quick generation of purchase orders from alerts
- Full traceability once materials arrive
These tools help prevent production delays and keep inventory investment aligned with actual operational demand.
Multi-Level BOMs and Visual BOM Displays
Bill of Materials (BOM) requirements vary significantly by industry. Virtual Ops does not include a traditional multi-level BOM module out of the box because supplement manufacturing rarely requires complex sub-assemblies. However—because BOM searches are highly popular among manufacturing ERP buyers—we want to address this directly:
✔ We can evaluate and develop BOM functionality if your process requires
- three or more levels of subassemblies
- a visual BOM representation
- drag-and-drop structure editing
- costing rollups
- component-level traceability
Our team can build custom modules for companies entering adjacent sectors or hybrid manufacturing models. If BOM structure is essential to your operation, we encourage an early discovery call to verify scope, timelines, technical requirements and expected custom build-out costs.
Integrations With Other Systems—Including Accounting Software
Many startups want light accounting features or prefer to integrate with existing accounting tools such as QuickBooks or Xero. Virtual Ops does not currently include a native accounting suite; however:
✔ We are actively developing a QuickBooks integration
✔ We can explore integrations with other platforms via API
If integrations are a major decision factor, this is an ideal conversation to have early—we can review available APIs, evaluate the data flow you need, and provide a clear roadmap for cost and implementation.
Ready to Talk About Your Requirements?
Even though Virtual Ops is built for supplement manufacturers, our software prowess allows us to consider custom tailored solutions. If you’re a manufacturing startup evaluating your first ERP—and you’re looking for quoting, job management, inventory tracking, CRM support, intelligent reordering, or custom workflows—we’d love to discuss how Virtual Ops could align with your needs today and scale with your future.
Contact Equitable Software for a discovery call and learn how we can tailor Virtual Ops for your operation.
