Packaging Production Software: Process Management from Quote to Shipment

Consider a label order. A member of the sales team prepares the quote; once the order is approved, a work order is created in a separate file, the plan is updated on the board, and material issuance is noted in the warehouse. Each step may proceed correctly on its own; but without a structure to connect them, information is rewritten, lost, or delayed at every handoff.

In general-purpose software, a product consists of “quantity” and “unit price.” In printing and packaging, however, the factors that determine cost are measurements such as roll width and repeat length. How many labels fit side by side on a roll, the spacing (gap) between them, and the margin allowances—directly affect how much material is used and how much waste is generated. If this calculation isn’t built into the software, the work shifts to Excel, and the ERP system becomes nothing more than an archive that merely records the results.

That’s why PriFly was built using each segment’s own field-specific concepts:

To these are added printing shop-specific requirements such as die and plate inventory and color management using Pantone. The sales team and production use the same terminology.

A sound quote is one where the steps of the calculation are visible. In PriFly, the cost follows this chain:

Layout calculator; calculates the label size, roll width, number of labels per row, repeat length, required meters, and edge waste. Parameters such as a 3 mm gap, 6 mm edge allowance, and 3% adjustment allowance are included in the calculation. The result, combined with the bill of materials (BOM), route, and machine rate, transforming into a transparent cost tree.

During the proposal phase, quantity tiers, the profit threshold, and the approval workflow are defined. The proposal is prepared as a PDF, and the customer provides approval via the portal. When the customer negotiates, the cost tree also shows which line items you can be flexible on.

Instead of listing the nine modules separately, let’s follow a single job. As an example, consider a label order of 50,000 units, measuring 100×50 mm, in four colors with varnish. The workflow below is a simplified example compiled from PriFly modulesexample compiled from PriFly modules.

• QuoteEnter the label dimensions, roll width, and quantity; a cost tree is generated based on the layout, BOM, and routing. The price is determined based on the break-even point, and the customer approves the quote on the portal.
• OrderThe approved quote is converted into an order without requiring the information to be re-entered. Revisions are locked, and a job file with a QR code is printed; artwork approval and prepress tasks are handled within the same record.
• PlanningThe job is scheduled on the Gantt chart, taking into account machine capacity and the delivery date. The setup matrix sequences similar jobs consecutively; it issues a warning if there is a delivery risk. Material requirements are converted into a purchasing recommendation.
• ProductionThe operator starts the job from the terminal; the quantity produced, downtime, reasons for scrap, and material consumption are recorded. The manager monitors the same data in real time on the dashboard as OEE.
• ClosureActual costs and variances are compared to the calculation in the proposal. Palletizing, the shipping document, and proof of delivery are linked to the same job record; traceability is maintained from the supplier’s lot to the customer’s pallet.

The connection within the facility is not always flawless. In PriFly, the operator terminal and warehouse scanning operate offline; when the connection is restored, data is synchronized and conflicts are resolved on a line-by-line basis. Production does not stop.

On the quality side, the goal is to quickly trace the source when a complaint is received. Thanks to bidirectional traceability from the supplier’s lot to the customer’s pallet, it is possible to see which lot the issue originated from and which pallets received materials from that lot. The nonconformity record (NCR), quarantine, Corrective Action (CA), and analysis certificates all progress on the same record. Thus, the issue is recorded once and tracked in the same place all the way to the root cause.

PriFly is offered in three packages. Data is not migrated during package upgrades; only features are enabled. All packages include mobile access, system training, and process consulting.

Accounting adapters for connecting to existing software, e-Invoice and e-Delivery Note integration interfaces, REST API, and webhook support are available. Data remains on-premises, and export is always available.

The Enterprise package also includes ESG modules covering AI-based forecasts (such as delivery risk, demand, and profitability deviation) and carbon footprint calculations. These topics are broad in their own right; we will cover them in more detail in future articles.

PriFly is designed for manufacturers of labels, flexible packaging, IML, cardboard boxes, and corrugated cardboard. A single-facility business can start with the Core package; while groups with multiple branches or legal entities can utilize the multi-branch structure and consolidated reporting.

To determine how much your facility needs, you can ask yourself the following questions:

If you answer “no” to a few of these questions, the problem likely lies not in a single tool, but in the transitions between steps.

The most commonly asked questions about PriFly.

In packaging production, the majority of efficiency losses occur not at the machine itself, but during transitions between steps: at the points where a quote becomes an order, an order becomes a plan, a plan becomes production, and production becomes shipment. Consolidating these transitions into a single record makes costs transparent and enables the tracking of issues.

Where is the information breaking down in your facility today? The answer to this question also reveals where you should begin your transformation.