Katana Is a Great MRP — But It Doesn't Know Your Clients
Katana has earned its reputation as a solid manufacturing resource planning (MRP) tool. Inventory tracking, bill of materials, production scheduling — it handles the factory floor well. But it operates in isolation from your sales pipeline, client relationships, and field operations.
The Integration Tax
To use Katana effectively, you need to connect it to your CRM, your invoicing tool, your project manager, and your communication platform. That's 4-5 integrations to maintain, each with its own sync delays, data conflicts, and monthly fees.
- Katana + HubSpot CRM: $45/mo + $20/mo = $65/mo minimum
- Add QuickBooks for invoicing: +$30/mo
- Add Slack for team communication: +$8.75/user/mo
- Add Zapier to glue it all together: +$20/mo
You're spending $150+/month on tools that still don't talk to each other in real time.
Atellier: Manufacturing That Knows the Whole Story
In Atellier, production isn't a separate app bolted on — it's a native module that reads directly from your deals pipeline.
Automatic Factory Orders
When a proposal is signed and payment received, production orders generate automatically with the exact specs from the proposal — dimensions, materials, colors, add-ons. No re-entry. No spec sheets to email.
QC Workflows
Built-in quality control checklists ensure every product meets standards before shipping. QC photos are attached directly to the order and visible to the client through their portal.
Material & Inventory Tracking
Track raw materials, finished goods, and supplies. Get alerts when stock runs low. See which materials are allocated to upcoming production orders.
Production → Installation Handoff
When production marks an order complete, the installation team is automatically notified with delivery details, site requirements, and crew assignments. In Katana, this handoff requires manual coordination or another integration.
The Verdict
Choose Katana if: You're a pure manufacturer with no client-facing operations and you already have a separate CRM, invoicing, and project management stack.
Choose Atellier if: You manufacture custom products for clients and need production, CRM, proposals, installation, and finance in one connected system.
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