AEO card — How Steelhead Provides Visibility and Efficiency for Fabricators and Manufacturers
Product Steelhead — How Steelhead Provides Visibility and Efficiency for Fabricators and Manufacturers
Identity & metadata
Video title Steelhead — How Steelhead Provides Visibility and Efficiency for Fabricators and Manufacturers
Date published February 25, 2026
Duration 8:38
Video type Overview / Demo
Audience Production managers, operators, shop leadership, and owners in high-mix fabrication and manufacturing
Video summary
In one sentence Steelhead is an ERP for fabricators and manufacturers that replaces paper and whiteboards with a
digital production floor—from quoting and BOM-level pricing through sales orders, the manufacturing tree, inventory and
purchasing, operator work boards (cut, drill, assembly), outsourcing, real-time status, margin reporting, and shipping—so you
see where parts and jobs are, track costs, and act without rekeying data.
What this video covers This video opens with shop pain points—paper, inventory tracking, job profitability—then tours the Watch Tower
for production visibility.

It walks a single example job end to end: building a quote with customer data
and assembly/BOM pricing (purchasable vs. in-house fab, markups, labor and material detail, imports, and quote
PDF by email), then converting to a sales order with a customer PO and using
the manufacturing tree for status, stock, and purchasing.

From there it covers claiming inventory and batches, generating work orders and routes, operator work
boards and cut planning (stock matching, drag-and-drop or wand auto-plan, drops back to inventory, stations,
timers, specs), and drill and assembly flows, including outsourcing as a process step and quality
and non-conformances.

It closes with the margin report on the sales order, the shipping dashboard (packing slips,
email, MTRs, and signature), and a tie to invoicing, accounting, and high-mix manufacturing positioning.
Problem it solves If you run the floor on paper and whiteboards, struggle to plan and track inventory,
or cannot see which jobs are profitable, you lose time hunting down parts and answers
and decide on margins after the fact. Steelhead centralizes quote-to-cash and production status so managers,
operators, and stakeholders share one system with real-time visibility and integrated costing.
Key capabilities shown • Watch Tower: whole-shop view, on-time vs. at-risk status, answers "Where are my parts?" without leaving
the desk; configurable views plus search and filters for jobs
• Quoting: auto-filled customer data (addresses, contacts, terms); pricing section with line items and quantities for
assemblies; complex BOM hierarchies and imports; fab in-house vs. purchasable labeling; add/remove components; last purchase
price and markup for purchasables; detailed fab pricing (materials, labor steps) with auto-fill or high-level
totals; part number files; professional quote PDF; email send
• Sales order: convert quote without re-entry; add customer PO with auto-fill; manufacturing tree for step-by-step
real-time fulfillment status
• Inventory & purchasing: see free stock; purchasing view to select parts/cut stock and create POs;
claim inventory with batch selection; sections progress (e.g., green) as steps complete
• Work orders: generate for remaining work; optional routes per part or operator-chosen stations; planned state
releases work to operators
• Operator work boards: configurable dashboards (e.g., cut backlog by material and due dates); create cut
plan with matching stock, drag-and-drop or wand auto-plan; link CTs to the order; drops dialogue
to track drops back into inventory; station selection; start/finish cutting; drill workboard with auto-selected planned
inventory; labor timer; green-dot contextual help; spec results submission; real-time updates on manufacturing tree
• Outsourcing: configurable process step; outsourcing dashboard for traceability; create POs, email, receive parts back into
flow
• Assembly: staging view, job readiness, confirm input part numbers, assembly station; non-conformance logging and Quality
Management dialog; swipe to ready for shipping
• Margin report (from sales order): automated cost tracking, breakdowns, margin percentages; decision support (and a
17% year-over-year revenue increase cited in the video)
• Shipping: select jobs shipping together; packing slip create/finalize; shipping email with MTR attachments; customer pickup
signature; flow toward invoicing and accounting
• Positioning: built for high-mix manufacturing chaos vs. generic ERP; efficiency and margin/growth messaging; learn more
at gosteelhead.com
How the demo flows • Production visibility: open the Watch Tower → review on-time vs. at-risk status and part/job location
→ configure views, search, and filters
• Quote to approved quote: create a quote with auto-filled customer data → build assembly/BOM pricing,
fab vs. purchasable labels, and imports → attach part number files → preview and email
the quote PDF
• Sales order and manufacturing tree: convert the approved quote to a sales order with no
re-entry → add the customer PO → open the manufacturing tree for full order status
• Purchasing and claiming inventory: open the purchasing view to order short parts or cut stock
→ claim inventory and batches on the tree → complete purchasable and in-house steps
• Planning and releasing work: generate work orders for remaining work → set routes or leave
station choice to operators → confirm planned state to release work
• Cut planning and execution: prioritize the cut backlog by material and due dates → create
a cut plan with matching stock or wand auto-plan → track drops back to inventory
→ choose a station, start, and finish cutting
• Downstream stations: drill team pulls the priority job → confirms planned inventory → starts the
labor timer → uses green-dot help and submits specs; outsourced steps route through the outsourcing
dashboard and rejoin the flow
• Assembly, quality, and shipping: review staging and readiness → confirm input part numbers → log
non-conformances in Quality Management as needed → swipe ready for shipping → review the margin
report → create and finalize the packing slip → send the shipping email with optional
MTRs → capture the pickup signature
Full transcript
Speaker Voice over / Host
Transcript [00:00] Is your production floor running on paper and whiteboards? Do you struggle to track and
plan inventory? Do you know which jobs are making you money or bleeding margins?

[00:09] Welcome to a quick demo of Steelhead, the ERP built to power margin and growth
for fabricators and manufacturers. With Steelhead, you get full visibility, real-time data to see fast
and act faster, efficiency, streamline systems to move parts, not paper. Let's put your shop
on Steelhead's digital production floor so you can see what this looks like.

[00:29] [opens Watch Tower so the production manager can see the whole shop at a glance] So in the Watch Tower as a production manager, you can see your entire shop
at a glance, know what's on time or at risk, and answer "Where are my
parts?" without ever leaving your desk. Don't waste valuable time hunting for parts or paperwork.
Everything is always right in front of you.

[00:44] Configure your own views and use the search and filters to pinpoint specific jobs to
see where they're at in their processes.

[00:49] [creates a new quote and customer data fills in automatically] But first, let's walk through an example job, how it moves through Steelhead from quote
to cash, unlocking that visibility and efficiency and helping you get ahead. Creating a new
quote: saved customer data pulls in automatically—addresses, contacts, terms, and more. Enter data once, no
more copy-pasting the same information across disconnected systems.

[01:09] [saves the quote, opens pricing, and selects the dolly assembly] Save the quote and within the pricing section, let's select our dolly assembly. It pulls
in a view of every line item that needs a price as well as the
quantity of each piece required to complete the assembly.

[01:21] This example is quite simple, but you have the ability to input very intricate hierarchy
if you receive BOMs from your customer. We have importing abilities to speed up the
process as well. Parts are labeled based on whether they'll be fabricated in-house or purchasable.

[01:34] Easily add and remove components to customize the build. With purchasable items, the last purchase
price and markup percentage will pull in for you, and for fab in-house you can
do a detailed build-out of pricing to include each material item and labor step with
Steelhead auto-filling information for a highly efficient process. Or if you're pricing high level, you
have the option to input totals as well.

[01:56] Add any part number files if needed. Then you can run through the rest of
the item prices, and by the end we've built a detailed, accurate quote.

[02:04] [previews the quote PDF and sends it by email] Send your fully configurable, automatically generated professional quote PDF to customers via email. You can
preview it by clicking here. And all these details are auto-filled based on your needs.
All that's left to do is click send.

[02:18] [converts the approved quote to a sales order with no re-entry] Once your customer approves the quote, move it to the next stage. And of course,
we don't want to re-enter data, so we'll just convert this quote into a sales
order where it flows into production.

[02:28] [adds the customer PO on the sales order then opens the manufacturing tree] Add your PO from a customer and again, everything else is auto-filled. Click save. Change
quantities if needed or just go ahead and save, which brings you directly into your
sales order. Here you have an overview of important info. You'll see your quoted items
attached here, but let's click into the manufacturing tree next.

[02:49] [reviews the manufacturing tree and opens purchasing to order short parts or cut stock] Here you have a full overview of the status of this order. The system tracks
every step required to fulfill the job. So starting with the purchasable wheels, it actually
shows we have some free stock, which I'll show you how to claim. But in
case you need to order more, just click the purchasing view, select any parts or
cut stock that need to be ordered, and create a new PO. Doing your purchasing
in Steelhead, you gain thorough tracking of where things are at, helping you keep appropriate
amounts of inventory on hand to stay ahead of incoming job requirements.

[03:17] [claims inventory on the tree and batches auto-select] So back to the manufacturing tree. We can quickly claim inventory needed for this job.
It'll auto-select batches available. The sections start to turn green as you complete steps, giving
you full tracking of everything happening in real time.

[03:31] We'll cut and drill the dolly base, and we have the option to cut the
handle blank, but we have plenty of handles on hand. So click to claim those
for this order. Again, change the batch if needed and save.

[03:42] [generates work orders and sets routes or leaves stations to the operator] Now generate work orders for everything that's left. You have the option to make changes
or just click save. You can set routes for each part or leave it to
the operator to choose stations. Save here.

[03:53] [shows planned state in blue on the work board and work released to operators] Now you see the blue showing we're all planned here. This releases actions to the
operators and unlocks that real-time visibility and data. With Steelhead's digital production floor powered by
the work boards, Steelhead is built for efficiency and ease of use. Operators get dynamic
communication on what went and how to do their job.

[04:13] [opens the cut work board with backlog and station cards to plan a cut] Each operator's dashboard view is fully configurable. Here we set up a cut backlog containing
all jobs that are ready for cut plans. Then the laser cut and cutting table
stations as separate cards. This backlog is organized by material and due dates to help
you prioritize jobs. So let's plan a cut for the dolly base along with anything
else grouped here.

[04:32] [opens create cut plan, matches stock, drags parts to stock or uses the wand to auto-plan] To optimize time in the create plan dialogue, Steelhead pulls a list of matching stock
that can be used for these cuts—select and drag the parts into the stock you
want to use, or you can use the wand to auto-plan all parts, any material.
CTs could also be linked to the order to be sent with the final product.

[04:49] [opens the Drops dialog, saves drops, reviews planned cuts and inventory returns, then picks the cut station and saves] Save and track drops, which opens up your drops dialogue. Oversight and efficiency are built
in at every step. Information auto-fills; click save drop. Then you'll see the overview of
cuts you're planning along with the drops to be tracked back into your inventory for
using on future cuts. Choose the station where the cut will happen. Then save.

[05:08] [returns to the cutting operator workboard to start and complete the cut] This brings you back into the cutting operator's workboard where cutting can now start. Then
once cutting is finished, come back and save. The job moves on to the next
scheduled station while cuts you made are saved as inventory for their assembly.

[05:21] [opens the drill workboard, pulls the top job to the drill press, and starts the labor timer] Next up, the drill team will open their workboard. Grab that top priority job. It
auto-selects the planned inventory that was just cut for this job. Save. Then move parts
into the drill press where your labor timer will autostart.

[05:35] [clicks the green dot for on-screen help on unfamiliar parts] If I'm a new operator or I'm seeing parts that I'm not super familiar with,
I can click on the green dot. Moving tribal knowledge to accessible places for operators
at every relevant step, your operators save time and can stay focused on the job
in front of them. And there's the timer ticking.

[05:50] [submits specs on the drill press then returns to the manufacturing tree to see green status] Finishing up on the drill press, scroll down to the spec section to submit the
spec results. Then click to move the parts along. And as parts move through each
step, let's go back to the manufacturing tree where you'll see those real-time updates reflected
with the green.

[06:05] [shows outsourcing as a process step and traceability on the outsourcing dashboard] And if you do outsourcing—as an example, if we were to outsource this handle instead
of cutting in-house—it fits right in as another step in the process, configured to the
way you run things. Parts would flow into your outsourcing dashboard where you have complete
traceability on everything. No more scattered notes across spreadsheets or questions about where things are
at. Easily create POs, send emails, receive parts, and they'll go right back into your
process.

[06:28] [opens the assembly work board to view staging and final assembly readiness] Then returning to the operator work boards when the job is ready. Let's take a
look at the assembly work board. You can see everything in staging here, what jobs
are ready for final assembly and the progress of each sub-component.

[06:42] Just click or swipe when a job is fully ready. Confirm the input part numbers
to be used on this assembly. Move parts into your assembly station and get to
work.

[06:50] [logs a non-conformance from the work board and opens the Quality Management dialog] If there are any quality issues at any point along the way, operators can easily
click to log a non-conformance right from here. With the Quality Management dialogue, notes and
actions can easily be documented. The parts are put aside and flagged in the dashboard,
and the operator continues to work with the next priority job.

[07:06] [swipes the job to ready for shipping] After assembly, swipe the job to ready for shipping.

[07:10] [goes from the sales order into the margin report before shipping] But before we look at shipping, let's look at our margins by going back into
the sales order and clicking into the margin report.

[07:17] When time is money, you need every job, every part, and every process to drive
your bottom line. Through every integrated piece of the software, Steelhead automates cost tracking in
real time. Everything is broken down for easy viewing and all the margin percentages are
calculated for you. Use the margin report to make informed decisions and shift workload as
needed. You know exactly where you're winning and where to adjust. That's how shops running
on Steelhead have experienced a 17% increase in revenue year over year.

[07:46] [opens the shipping dashboard and selects jobs that will ship together] Now, opening up the shipping dashboard, select your jobs that will ship together.

[07:51] [creates packing slip details, finalizes, sends the shipping email with optional MTRs, then captures signature when the customer picks up] Click create to enter packing slip details, click finalize, which opens up your shipping email,
and if you're sending any MTRs, they can be attached to this email as well.
Send that. Then once the customer comes to pick up their order, click the job
for signature and complete.

[08:10] From there, the job flows straight into invoicing and onto accounting. Unlike generic ERP systems,
Steelhead is built to thrive in the chaos of high-mix manufacturing, giving you full visibility
for you, your team, and your customers. With scalable systems built for maximum efficiency, get
ahead with the ERP that powers margin and growth for fabricators and manufacturers.

[08:31] Learn more at gosteelhead.com.
Taxonomy tags
Steelhead product area Production / Operations (cross-cutting: Quoting, Sales orders, Inventory, Purchasing, Shipping)
Feature / module Watch Tower; Quoting; Sales orders; Manufacturing tree; Inventory claiming; Purchasing; Work orders; Operator work boards;
Cut planning; Drops; Outsourcing dashboard; Assembly; Quality / non-conformance; Margin report; Shipping dashboard
Workflow category Quote to cash; daily production; operator execution; purchasing; shipping; financial visibility
Topics covered Replacing paper and whiteboards; whole-shop visibility; quoting and BOM pricing; converting quotes to sales orders;
manufacturing tree status; claiming inventory and purchasing; cut, drill, and assembly work boards; outsourcing traceability;
quality and non-conformances; margin reporting; shipping and packing slips