DOC NEXT-INDUSTRIAL · REV 2026.07POWERED BY SEVEN HILLS TECHNOLOGY
Straight Talk for Shop Owners
Insights
Most software content for manufacturers is written for IT buyers at big companies. This isn't. These are notes for the owner of a 20 or 30-person shop deciding whether to finally replace the spreadsheets, written the way we'd explain it over coffee.
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DispositionAcceptOR “NOT YET” — WE SAY WHICH
Notes for the owner of a 20 or 30-person shop
Start Here
If You Are Deciding Whether to Replace the Spreadsheets
The essentials, in the order most shop owners run into them. New articles land here as the cluster ships.
Signs You've Outgrown QuickBooks and Spreadsheets
The tells that the old setup is now costing you more than it saves.
JobBoss vs E2 vs ERPNext: What Actually Changes
A plain comparison of the systems most job shops are choosing between.
Why So Many ERP Projects Fail, and What That Means for a Small Shop
Most failures are about change management, not software. Here is how to lower the risk.
What a Fit Assessment Actually Checks Before We Recommend Anything
What we look at, and how we decide go or no-go for your shop.
The Bigger Picture
Reshoring, Pricing, and the Regional Context
The wider forces shaping what a Midwest shop should do next.
Reshoring Is Real in Ohio and Indiana: What It Means for a 30-Person Shop
What the reshoring trend actually changes for a small regional manufacturer.
Retainer vs Per-Seat ERP Pricing: What You're Actually Renting
Why the pricing model matters as much as the software itself.
OP 10 — Sign here to start
Have a Question We Should Write About?
Or skip the reading and get a straight answer about your own shop. That's what a fit assessment is for.