Precision manufacturing requires accurate control over part revisions, engineering drawings, material movements, and purchase approvals. A mismatch between an issued drawing and a manufactured component can lead to rejection, rework, and customer dissatisfaction.
Shirodkar Preci. Comp Pvt. Ltd. implemented ERPNext to bring greater structure and traceability to its manufacturing and procurement processes. The implementation included customizations to manage part revisions, validate subcontracting receipts, route purchase orders to designated approvers, and control access to transaction print formats.
These changes helped establish clearer process controls and ensured that users worked with accurate, authorized information throughout key business operations.
About Shirodkar Preci. Comp Pvt. Ltd.
Founded in 2004–05, Shirodkar Preci. Comp Pvt. Ltd. is a Pune-based precision components manufacturer operating from MIDC Bhosari, off Telco Road, Pune, Maharashtra.
The company aims to become a world-class supplier of precision-machined components and assemblies for the non-automotive sector. Over the years, it has developed a strong focus on quality, delivery consistency, process discipline, and continuous growth.
Shirodkar serves customers across several industries, including Oil & Gas, Railways, Machine Building, and Electrical & Power. Its product range includes pistons for gas compressors, heat exchanger header blocks, valves, manifolds, cap nuts, traction motor components, stator frames, and generator housings.
The Challenges
1. Part Revision and Drawing Traceability
Each part number could undergo multiple engineering revisions throughout its lifecycle. Standard ERPNext did not provide the required structured method to track a part number alongside its current revision and associated drawing.
Without this control, teams risked using outdated drawings, potentially leading to quality and compliance issues.
2. Risk of Excess Receipts During Subcontracting
The existing process lacked a system-level validation to prevent users from receiving more material than authorized in a Subcontracting Purchase Order.
Received material also needed to be validated against the specific batches originally transferred to the subcontractor. Without these checks, complete material traceability throughout the subcontracting cycle was difficult to maintain.
3. Unstructured Purchase Approval Process
Shirodkar required a flexible approval workflow for purchase orders, particularly raw material POs.
The standard role-based workflow did not allow the document creator to select specific approvers when creating a purchase order. The business needed approvals to be routed to named individuals rather than a generic group based on roles.
4. Uncontrolled Print Format Access
Users could download and print transaction documents while they were still in draft status.
This created a risk of incomplete or unauthorized documents being shared with vendors or customers before formal submission and approval.
Our Solution: ERPNext Customizations for Better Process Control
The implementation team developed targeted ERPNext customisations to address each challenge and improve traceability and control across manufacturing, procurement, and document management.
1. Custom Part No. Doctype for Revision and Drawing Management
A custom Part No. Doctype was created in ERPNext to maintain a master record for every part number in Shirodkar’s product catalogue.
Each record captures:
- Part Number
- Current Part Revision
- Associated Drawing Number
- Drawing file attached directly to the record
The Part No. master is linked to downstream transactions so that the correct revision and drawing reference can be carried through the process. This provides production and quality teams with a single, authoritative source for each part’s engineering status.
2. Subcontracting Receipt Validation
Custom validation was implemented on Subcontracting Receipts to enforce two key controls:
- Quantity validation: The quantity received cannot exceed the quantity authorised in the Subcontracting Purchase Order.
- Batch validation: Material can only be received against the specific batches that were transferred to the subcontractor.
These checks prevent excess receipts and maintain batch-level traceability throughout the subcontracting cycle.
3. PO Type-Based Custom Approval Workflow
A custom Purchase Order approval workflow was designed based on PO Type.
For Raw Material POs, the document creator can specify the First Step Approver and the Final Approver directly on the purchase order at the time of creation.
The system routes the PO to these named individuals rather than to a generic role group. The system records the selected approvers on each document, creating a clear approval trail and ensuring accountability.
4. Print Format Access Control
We added a validation that allows users to download print formats only for submitted documents.
Users cannot download or print a transaction while it remains in Draft status. ERPNext allows users to access the print format once they formally submit the document.
This control ensures that users share only submitted and finalized documents with vendors and customers.
ERPNext also supports manufacturing requirements across different industries. For example, explore how it helped an electronics manufacturer improve production workflows, inventory traceability, and item master management in our ERPNext for Electronics Manufacturing in India case study.
Results and Business Impact
The customizations strengthened traceability, process control, and operational discipline across Shirodkar’s ERPNext operations.
1. Engineering and Manufacturing Traceability
- Single source of truth for part revisions: Transactions carry the correct Part number, Part Revision, and drawing reference, reducing confusion caused by outdated or mismatched drawings.
- Improved engineering data control: Production and quality teams have a consistent reference for part revisions and associated drawings.
2. Subcontracting and Inventory Control
- Prevention of excess receipts: System-level validation prevents subcontracting receipts from exceeding the authorised purchase order quantity.
- Batch-level traceability: The system accepts material only against the batches originally transferred to the subcontractor, creating a clear audit trail from dispatch to receipt.
- Improved reconciliation: Receipt validation supports inventory accuracy and subcontractor reconciliation.
3. Purchase Approval Control
- Named approvers for Raw Material POs: The system routes purchase approvals to the individuals specified on each purchase order.
- Clearer accountability: Explicitly recording the approvers creates a documented record of purchase authorisation.
4. Document Access Control
- Controlled document distribution: Print formats remain inaccessible while transactions are in Draft status.
- Reduced risk of premature sharing: Vendors and customers are less likely to receive draft or incomplete transaction documents.
Key Learnings
Shirodkar’s implementation highlights several important considerations for precision manufacturing businesses:
- Part revision and drawing traceability must be built into master data. Accurate engineering references are essential for maintaining data integrity and avoiding confusion on the shop floor.
- Subcontracting requires quantity and batch-level controls. Validations help maintain a clear record of raw material transfers and returns.
- Approval workflows should reflect actual business requirements. Allowing document creators to designate specific approvers can provide greater flexibility and accountability than role-based routing alone.
- Document access should follow submission status. Restricting print formats to submitted transactions helps prevent the informal distribution of draft records and supports better vendor communication.
Conclusion
Shirodkar Preci. Comp Pvt. Ltd.’s ERPNext implementation demonstrates how targeted customisations can address process requirements that go beyond standard ERP configuration.
By introducing revision and drawing management through a custom Part No. master, validating subcontracting receipts at both quantity and batch levels, routing Raw Material POs to designated approvers, and restricting print access to submitted documents, the implementation strengthened process control across manufacturing and procurement.
For precision component manufacturers looking to improve engineering traceability, subcontracting controls, and purchase approval processes, Shirodkar’s experience offers practical insights into configuring ERPNext around real business requirements.
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