fabtrol mrp:integrated steel fabrication management

FABTROL MRP: INTEGRATED STEEL FABRICATION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Welcome to FabTrol MRP Software

Integrated MRP software developed specifically for steel fabricators

MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS PLANNING

software has become mandatory inmost types of manufacturing. Steelfabrication is a notable exception.Without a steel-specific MRP option,most fabricators have opted for basicestimating and production controlsolutions or, in rare cases, more powerful but ill-fitting MRP solutionsdesigned for other industries.

Introducing FabTrol MRPToday, there is a better option. FabTrolMRP—the latest generation of ourindustry-leading fabrication software—is the first full-featured MRP solution developed specifically to meet the needs of steel fabricators.

What is MRP?The concept of Material RequirementsPlanning was pioneered by IBM andAPICS in the 1970s. Its goal is to usesoftware systems to tie together thepreviously disparate activities ofmaterial planning, purchasing, stockcontrol, production management, andshipment planning and tracking toincrease efficiency, improve quality,save schedule time, and reduce costs.

20 years of market leadership No company is better equipped todeliver a steel-specific MRP solutionthan we are. Founded by and for steelfabricators, FabTrol Systems is a 20-year leader in fabrication software.More than 1000 steel fabrication companies rely on our software tointegrate their key operations.

Building on the industry standard FabTrol MRP leverages the provenstrengths of our previous releases. Allof the popular estimating, drawingmanagement, and material manage-ment features of FabTrol Version 8have been carried forward into theFabTrol MRP product.

Advanced production, SQL Server & moreBeyond its standard functions, FabTrolMRP offers advanced features for shopswith more sophisticated requirements.These include material managementenhancements like support for materialon order; powerful new modules forproduction and CNC management;more robust shipment planning andtracking functions; optional supportfor Microsoft SQL Server®, and more.

“I am truly amazed at all the enhancements inFabTrol MRP.”

Troy ShawAssistant Production Manager

Fabco Metal ProductsDaytona Beach, FL

“FabTrol has re-definedthe possibilities of steel fabrication managementsoftware.”

Richard BarrettBarrett Steel Buildings

Bradford, England

“We purchased FabTrolfor several reasons: the flexibility, commitmentto long-term service anddevelopment, and thepeople. We have not beendisappointed since.”

Gib PlimptonMyers & Company

Basalt, CO

FabTrol Systems, Inc. • 1025 Willamette St., Suite 300 • Eugene, OR 97401, USA

Tel. (888) FABTROL • Fax (541) 485-4302 • [email protected] • www.fabtrol.com

©2009 FabTrol Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. FabTrol, FabTrol MRP, the FabTrol logo, the trio image, and A Better Way to Manage are trademarks or registered trademarks of FabTrol Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their holders.

FabTrol MRP features

Standard featuresFabTrol MRP maintains all of thefunctionality of its predecessor(FabTrol Version 8), including:• Estimating. Bid and win more jobs

with our fast, accurate, consistentautomated estimating tools.

• CAD imports. Save time and avoiderrors by importing drawing datafrom detailing software.

• Drawing management. Avoid costly rework with an integrateddrawing log, detailed revision control, and instant status updates.

• Material management. Automateand integrate your material plan-ning, nesting, purchasing, receiving,inventory control, and shipping.

• Project organization. Track projectcontacts, correspondence, changeorders, tasks, notes, and more in acentrally accessible location.

Advanced material managementBeyond its standard functionality,FabTrol MRP offers major advances inmaterial management, including:• Material nesting engine. Get highly

efficient multed cut lists with thesteel industry’s best, most provennesting calculation engine.

• Tools for modifying nesting results.Use the Nest Explorer window toreview and edit nesting results. Orcreate custom nestings in theManual Nesting window.

• Support for material on order.Manage mill orders with system-wide support for stock on order.Plan ahead by viewing, nesting into,and issuing cut lists for material duein before it is delivered.

• BOM view for production jobs.Navigate, filter, and edit detailedbills in the BOM Explorer window.

• Accounting export. Use the exporttools to pass FabTrol data (esti-mates, purchases, stock usage, etc.)to your accounting software.

Basic production managementFabTrol MRP supports two types ofproduction management, dependingon your needs. The Basic Productionmethod provides waypoint- and time-based tracking and powerful left-to-do reporting.

Advanced production managementFor more rigorous planning and control, the Advanced Productionmethod offers detailed shop-floormanagement, including:• Workshop setup. Define a shop

model that reflects the capabilitiesof your facilities, work areas, CNCequipment, and subcontractors.

• Routing. Route materials to theappropriate work areas, based onCNC data (if available) and customrouting rules. This process also cal-culates planned fabrication times.

• Production batching. Create andprioritize batches of parts for efficient fabrication and tracking.

• Cut list management. Producetightly nested cut lists by batch, lot,planned load, or other criteria.

• CNC management. Output CNCdata in the specific formats requiredby your shop-floor equipment.

• Progress tracking. View and markoff task lists by work area to seewhat’s done and left to do.

Advanced shipping managementFabTrol MRP offers a powerful shippingmanagement module that is tightlyintegrated with the production system.You can plan, manage, and track byload throughout the system.

Support for SQL Server®Traditionally, FabTrol has relied onMicrosoft Visual FoxPro® to manage itsdata. With MRP, however, there is amore robust option. Storing your datain Microsoft SQL Server® offers greaterstability, security, and scalability, andenables savvy IT staff to access yourdata for additional custom reporting.

The BBOOMM EExxpplloorreerr window makes it easy toview, filter, and edit the bill of materials fordetailed production jobs.

The RRoouuttiinngg WWiizzaarrdd window automaticallyroutes parts and assemblies to appropriatework areas. You can control those routingdecisions with custom rules and even editindividual routing assignments.

The PPrroodduuccttiioonn EExxpplloorreerr window uses colorcodes to quickly indicate the status of eachassembly at its assigned work areas.

The SShhiippppiinngg MMaannaaggeerr window enablesyou to assign assemblies to loads usinglist, manual entry, or explorer-style views.


What Our Customers Have to Say...

Hear from companies that have discovered a better way to manage

LOOKING FOR A PROVEN WAY to outclassthe competition? See what some of ourcustomers have to say about FabTrolsoftware, the top choice of the steelfabrication industry for over 20 years.

Established market leadershipIn the past two decades, FabTrol hasgrown from a popular estimatingapplication into the industry’s mostpowerful and widely used integratedMRP solution.

Today, our software is trusted bymore than 1000 fabrication compa-nies, including 275-plus AISC mem-bers. Our clients range from small jobshops to industry leaders like SchuffSteel, Paxton & Vierling, and SteelFab.

All types of steel fabricationFabTrol MRP is designed to meet theneeds of many types of steel fabrica-tion. Our customers specialize in suchwork as structural steel, miscellaneousmetalwork, bridges, heavy platework,ornamental iron, machinery andequipment, conveyors, and more.

Training & support you can trustA key component of our success—andthat of our clients—is our dedicationto customer support and services. We

are proud to offer a full range ofimplementation and training optionsand the best technical support servicesin the industry. Our staff is dedicatedto meeting your needs and keepingyour company operating effectively.

A tradition of technological leadershipOur constant development effort alsohelps to ensure that you keep derivingthe maximum benefit from yourinvestment. We provide our customerswith a steady stream of maintenanceupdates and generational upgrades.Our developers are proud of their his-tory of industry leadership—havingdelivered the first product of its kindto market, the first for MicrosoftWindows®, the first for 32 bit, and thefirst to support SQL Server®.

Establishing competitive advantagesOur goal is not merely to make yourjob easier. It’s to make your businessmore competitive and successful. After20 years, despite the industry’s variouschallenges, 90% of our customers arestill in business, compared to barelyhalf of other steel fabricators over thesame period. Automate, integrate,outcompete—that’s what we mean bya better way to manage.

“FabTrol is the single bestimprovement at PVS inthe last ten years.”

Mark HollandChief Engineer

Paxton & Vierling Steel Co.A Division of Owen Industries

Omaha, NE

“FabTrol is what makes it possible to keep on topof everyday functions atour fabrication facility.Plain and simple— FABTROL RULES!”

Kent A. WilsonEstimator

S&S Steel FabricationHurricane, UT

“After being awarded alarge bid, we decided it wastime to get FabTrol. Theimpact was immediate—the production controlseemed effortless. Thanksto FabTrol, it was our mostprofitable job ever.”

Kevin BrownleeFabrication Manager

Midwest Industries, Inc.Bozeman, MT




“FabTrol provides a complete, integratedpackage for estimatingthrough shipping and allthe stops in between.”

General Steel FabricatorsLatham, NY

“FabTrol has helped usmeet the demands oftoday’s steel industry.”

Guy ZittingSouthern TradesHumansville, MO

“We have integratedFabTrol throughout ourcompany to achieveimproved controls anddata reporting—rightfrom 3D detailingthrough production,using CNC machinery,to site delivery.”

Cosira InternationalSouth Africa

“FabTrol has helped uswin more profitable workand achieve total controlof all live contractsthrough planning, 3Ddrawing management,procurement, fabrication,and delivery.”

Brian HewittBrian Hewitt Construction

Carnworth, Scotland

“We purchased FabTrolfor several reasons: the flexibility, commitmentto long-term service anddevelopment, and thepeople. We have not beendisappointed since.”

Gib PlimptonMyers & Company

Basalt, CO

“FabTrol has helpedstreamline the flow ofoperations in our company, with steadyimprovements. The relationship that we havedeveloped with the support crew is beyondmeasure. FabTrol hasbecome a vital part ofour company.”

Tim BroadbentOwner

Southern Trades, LCCHumansville, MO

“Having acquired the fullFabTrol system, we aredelighted to see such anoticeable increase in efficiency throughout thecompany.”

Stephen DugganDirector

Duggan Steel Buildings Ltd.Ireland

“The worth of the systemreally becomes apparentafter a few months of usewhen actual costs arecompared to estimates.”

Zonner Industries Ltd.United Kingdom

“FabTrol enables us tofocus on high-speed estimating. We now winmore jobs from promptresponse and greateraccuracy and detail inour bids.”

Jack SandersonCairnhill Structures Ltd.

Coatbridge, Scotland

“With AISC certificationrequiring such intensivedocument control, it wasabsolutely necessary thatwe have one central pro-gram that linked all ofthe areas of fabricationtogether. FabTrol didexactly this. Without thisprogram, we would nothave been able to receivethe AISC certification asquickly.”

Matthew BourneGeneral Manager

Contracting Engineering ConsultantsMaidsville, WV


Estimating & Bidding

Improve the speed, accuracy, and consistency of your project bidding

OUR INDUSTRY-STANDARD FabTrol software debuted 20 years ago as asimple automated tool for estimatingsteelwork. Our company founder usedit in his own fabrication shop, thenrecognized its usefulness for othersand spun it off as a new business.

The system has grown exponentiallysince then. Today, we are proud tooffer FabTrol MRP, which combinesthe original estimating and materialmanagement features with integrateddrawing management, productioncontrol, advanced shipping capabili-ties, and more. For all that’s changedover the years, though, we remain ascommitted as ever to providing theindustry’s best estimating software.

Faster bid preparationFabTrol MRP provides an arsenal oftools for reducing bidding time. Thattranslates into more opportunities towin jobs. Get instant extensions basedon your company standards. Preparetakeoffs faster with coded parts andlabor entry. Store common assembliesfor instant addition to future bids.New users often report doubling theirbid preparation speed with FabTrol.

More accurate estimatesThe next challenge is to improve theprecision of your bids. FabTrol MRPoffers pinpoint control over your fixedand variable costs, using your compa-ny’s established rates. You can adjustthe bid’s selling price with full knowl-edge of your true hard costs—andensure an acceptable profit.

Reduced staffing requirementsFabTrol MRP can also help make upfor the shortage of qualified estimators.Preparing an accurate takeoff by handrequires a tremendous amount ofknowledge—of material availability,labor rates, waste factors. etc. Finding people with those skills is not easy.

Our software offers an alternative.By capturing the knowledge of yoursenior staff in the software’s datatables, it limits the expertise requiredto prepare accurate takeoffs. Workingfrom your company’s rates, even thegreenest apprentice can be trained toproduce reliable bids. This allows senior estimators to focus on adjustingthe details to ensure a winning,profitable final bid price.

“FabTrol enables us tofocus on high-speed estimating. We now winmore jobs from promptresponse and greateraccuracy and detail inour bids.”

Jack SandersonCairnhill Structures Ltd.

Coatbridge, Scotland

“I have had lots of timeto evaluate our systemand would like to expressmy thanks to all of theteam at FabTrol Systemsfor making estimatinglife easier here at XL. Theconsistency, accuracy,and ease of producing an estimate, which is difficult in our industry,is of great benefit”

John LakeOwner

XL Quality Industrial ServicesTrail, BC, Canada




The PPrroojjeecctt SSuummmmaarryy window enablesyou to fine-tune the bottom line of yourbids with pinpoint cost control.

With the LLaabboorrMMaattee functions, you can estimate labor times and costs by operation,based on your actual shop performance.

Estimating featuresFabTrol MRP offers the most trustedestimating system in the industry,which delivers:

Faster bid preparation• Prepare accurate, reliable bids

in half the time.• Get instant extensions of all

weights, lengths, costs, surfaceareas, and labor rates.

• Customize the material database(which comes with 100,000+ items)to reflect your usage and pricing.

• Take off and store common assemblies—such as stair systemsand handrail sections—for instantinclusion in future jobs.

• Organize projects into subsections,sequences, phases, or bid items.

• Import or export data in MicrosoftExcel®, KISS, or plain text formats.

• Switch between imperial and metricunits on the fly.

Accurate estimating• Know your true hard costs.• Estimate labor by individual

operation or using lump sums bysubsection or phase.

• Use the nesting system to quicklycalculate drop percentages andinclude them in the bottom line.

• Calculate realistic paint and freightcosts, based on custom codes.

• Mass reprice your estimates toreflect your suppliers’ latest quotes.

Pinpoint bottom-line control• Get a complete breakdown of all

costs in your estimate.• Manage buyouts, subouts, and

installed items.• Drill down to see details of labor

costs, paint costs, etc.• Adjust your selling price with

precise control of variable costs.

Accessible company-defined rates• Translate the industry knowledge

of your senior staff into accessiblecompany-defined data tables.

• Enable apprentice estimators to prepare accurate bids, based on therates set by your senior staff.

• Free your senior estimators fromsimple tasks like entering materials.

• Centralize bid specifications in acommon area to avoid interruptions.

Bid proposals and other reports• Produce ready-to-fax RFQs.• Prepare bid proposals using your

own standard text.• Prepare and manage multiple

quotes for the same project.• Choose from dozens of material

and labor recap reports.• Use powerful filters to break down

any report by sequence, subsection,phase, material type or size, etc.

Coded parts and labor entry• Cut your takeoff entry time.• Quickly add detail parts to any

main member, automatically sizedfor proper fit.

• Use custom codes to instantly addcombinations of labor operationsand detail parts to main members.

Advanced labor estimating• Estimate labor by specific operation,

rather than just lump sums.• Set up different labor rates for each

operation and piece of equipment.• Build depreciation into your labor

rates to amortize equipment costs.• Calculate accurate welding rates

based on the weld size, length, type,process, and position.

• Add preprocessing operations andhandling labor automatically.

• Ensure that your labor estimatesmatch your actual performance.

Flexible labor reports• Get a complete breakdown of labor

times and costs.• Use labor recap and comparison

reports to analyze your bids.• Use powerful filtering options or

flexible labor departments for custom labor breakdowns.

With the TTaakkeeooffff EEnnttrryy window’s codedlabor and parts entry and ready-to-pasteassemblies, you can prepare accurate bidswith twice the speed of spreadsheets.


Project Management

Take advantage of integrated project planning and managementLOOKING FOR A POWERFUL but easy-to-use tool for planning and trackingyour projects? Spreadsheets are limitedand require too much manual upkeep.Off-the-shelf project managementpackages are tough to learn and can beunwieldy without an accessible, steel-friendly interface.

Now there’s a way to get the best ofboth worlds.

The Project Manager™ module inFabTrol MRP is designed specificallyfor steel fabricators. It offers powerfultools for managing requests for infor-mation (RFIs), tracking change orders,and logging communications. It alsoprovides a two-way link withMicrosoft Project®, so you can easilycreate and maintain realistic projectschedules.

Centralized project detailsAt its simplest level, the ProjectManager module collects key projectdetails and makes them availablecompanywide. Anyone with properaccess rights can check the scope-of-work notes or find project contacts—without having to dig through paper-work or interrupt other departments.A concise report of these generalproject specifications is also available.

Keep track of your tasksThe module offers a straightforwardtask management tool. You can createtasks, assign them to staff with duedates, and track progress.

Manage all of your project RFIsTrack project questions and responsesthrough to resolution and quicklyidentify any outstanding issues. SendRFIs via email and easily attach anyassociated drawings or documents.

Manage your change ordersTracking change orders is just as easy.The change order log keeps a record ofall your project COs, including createddates, reference numbers, estimatedand agreed values, and other details.

Track your communicationsKeep a record of all project-relatedcommunications, including e-mails,faxes, phone calls, on-site discussions,and general notes. Attach related files,such as Microsoft Word® or Excel®documents, for reference.

Dig deeper with Microsoft Project®Export realistic schedules to MicrosoftProject®. You can adjust or update plandetails in either Project or FabTrolMRP—with instant updates in both.

“FabTrol has become themost vital part of ourcompany.”

Tim BroadbentOwner

Southern Trades LLCStockton, MO

The CChhaannggee OOrrddeerr LLoogg tracks project variations,including reference numbers, estimated costs,and agreed values.

In the RRFFII MMaannaaggeemmeenntt window, you cansee all of the RFI’s for the project, see all RFIresponses and associated drawings, andquickly identify any outstanding issues.




Managing change orders• Keep a log of internal and external

change orders (variations).• For each change order, store the

reference number, customer POnumber, notes, and more.

• Instantly see the status and agreedvalue of any change order.

• Set up an automated action in theDrawing Manager™ module to generate COs when appropriate.

• Use the Drawing Manager to seewhat’s changed on new revisionsand even view the drawing file.

Project Explorer utility• Get a hierarchical view of your

project, organized by sequence,group, lot (load), and shipmark.

• See the current material weight,detailing labor, and shop labor forany lot, group, sequence, or project.

• Compare the current totals to yourestimated values.

Two-way Microsoft Project® link• Export jobs to Microsoft Project®

for advanced project planning andmanagement.

• Create a realistic project schedule inGantt chart form, using steel-smartproject templates.

• Develop your own templates toreflect your task timing, sequencing,durations, etc.

• Create multiple templates to suitdifferent types of jobs.

• Set start and finish dates, durations,dependencies, and completionpercentages for each task.

• Designate key tasks as milestones.• Monitor your progress against

established milestones.• Make schedule adjustments and

updates in Project or FabTrol MRP.• Take advantage of the Project

Manager™ module’s two-way linkwith Project, which ensures that allchanges are instantly synchronizedin both programs.

Build customized pprroojjeecctt tteemmppllaatteess toautomatically produce realistic schedulesfor your jobs using Microsoft Project®.

Project Manager™ module

Centralized project knowledge• Collect basic project information,

such as key contacts, scope of work,terms and conditions, etc.

• Avoid interruptions by makingthese details easily accessible.

Buyout and subout tracking• Manage subcontractors, such as

detailers, erectors, other fabricators,or decking specialists.

• Keep track of key action dates.• Monitor completion percentages

and current costs.• Check your progress against

predefined milestones.

Basic task management• Create tasks to be done, and assign

them to people or departments.• Generate individual to-do lists.• Instantly check the status of any

task—without having to interruptother departments.

• Keep an eye on tasks coming due.• Produce reports filtered by person

assigned, date due, or current status.

Communication tracking• Keep track of all communications

about your projects.• Maintain a log of e-mails, letters,

and other correspondence.• Attach Microsoft Word®, Excel®, or

other files, such as invoices or POs.• Store and track notes about phone

calls, memos, conversations, or general project issues.

Managing requests for information• Track project questions and

responses through to resolution.• Quickly identify unresolved RFIs or

view RFIs due by a certain date.• Easily associate all drawings that are

impacted by an RFI or revision.• Automatically create and email RFIs

and attach any associated drawings.• See each RFI or revision and the

response side-by-side in the samewindow.

The PPrroojjeecctt TTaasskkss report shows project tasks,who tasks are assigned to, the current statusof each task, and more. It can be filtered toprovide individual task lists or updates.

The PPrroojjeecctt DDeettaaiillss window centralizes keycontact details and consolidates them intoa useful overview report.


Drawing Management

MANAGING DRAWING REVISIONS can be atremendous nuisance. In the absenceof an integrated solution, many steelfabricators have settled for keeping asimple drawing log in a spreadsheet oron paper. Keeping such a system up-to-date can be a minor hassle. But it’snothing next to the risk of issuing thewrong drawing to the shop becausesomeone lost track of the revisions.

FabTrol MRP offers a better option.Our drawing management solution ismore than just an automated drawinglog. It provides a true managementsystem for your drawing department.

Automated drawing managementHow long does it take to determine thestatus of a drawing in your office?More than 15 seconds? With FabTrolMRP’s integrated drawing log, you canget an instant, up-to-date snapshot ofyour drawing department on demand.

Instantly check the status of anydrawing. Review its assemblies andparts in bill-of-materials format. Seewhich revision is current, and whathas changed since the last one. Reviewthe event log for a full history of thedrawing and its revisions.

Manage drawings electronically to save time and avoid costly errors

Integrated drawing viewersNeed to see the details of a drawing?Import or attach the drawing imagefile from your detailers’ CAD software.Then anyone can view or print thedetailed drawing using free viewers oryour own software.

CAD imports with revision controlTo add new drawings, you can alwaysenter the details in the new DetailedTakeoff Entry window. FabTrol MRP’sdata structure maintains the hierarchyof drawings, assemblies, and parts.And the system saves time by addingdrawings to the log as you go.

Then again, why bother with dataentry at all? Even with automated tools,entering materials by hand is a chore—and generally an unnecessary one atthat. A better approach is to importthe drawing details, image files, andeven CNC data from SDS/2®, TeklaStructures® (Xsteel®), StruCAD®,AutoCAD®, and other standards-compliant detailing software. Byimporting this data, you can save time,avoid potential entry errors, and evenenable automated revision tracking.

“The drawing register,drawing viewer, and newfeatures for releasingparts for production havesignificantly improvedcommunication betweenour office and our shop.”

Kerri SweatMarion Steel Fabricators

Marion, IN

“With AISC certificationrequiring such intensivedocument control, it wasabsolutely necessary thatwe have one central pro-gram that linked all ofthe areas of fabricationtogether. FabTrol didexactly this. Without thisprogram, we would nothave been able to receivethe AISC certification asquickly.”

Matthew BourneGeneral Manager

Contracting Engineering ConsultantsMaidsville, WV




Drawing management featuresFabTrol MRP offers powerful, fullyintegrated tools for importing andmanaging drawing data.

Electronic drawing imports• Import material requirements and

other drawing details from yourdetailers’ CAD software.

• Save hours of data entry time, andavoid costly entry errors.

• Automatically attach image files andCNC data for use downstream.

Powerful import links• Import full details and revisions

from Tekla Structures® (formerlyknown as Xsteel®), SDS/2®, andStruCAD® using our proprietarylinks.

• Use the KISS format to import datafrom SDS/2®, AutoCAD®, andAutoCAD-based applications.

• Maintain drawing/assembly/part hierarchies in imported data.

Complete data validation• Use the customizable translation

table to match up different namingconventions (for example,“PLT” vs.“PL” for plate).

• Check the validation log for anyproblems with imported data.

• Create new translations to identify unextended items—or add anyunrecognized sizes or grades toFabTrol MRP’s material database.

• Ensure that no data is importedwithout successful validation.

Automatic revision control• Get automatic logging of revisions.• Check the revision log to see what

has changed on revised drawings.• With Tekla Structures and StruCAD

imports, see changes by piece.• For KISS imports, get basic revision

tracking information.• Review the history of any drawing

in the event log.

Automated drawing log• Instantly see the status and history

of any drawing in your system.• Enter drawings in the Detailed

Takeoff Entry window—if data isnot available for import—and thedrawing log will fill in automatically.

• Manage all drawing types: shop anderection drawings, subcontracts, etc.

• Quickly review the material requirements of any drawing.

• Attach drawing images or zippedplot files for convenient viewing.

Status tracking and actions• Define statuses for each drawing

type, such as sent for approval,e-mailed for checking, etc.

• Assign automated actions (such asprinting transmittals or issue sheets)to be performed at various points.

• Review the full history of any drawing in the event log.

Managing sets of drawings• Apply an action (such as “Approved”

or “E-mailed for Checking”) tomultiple drawings at once.

• Use checkboxes or powerful filtersto select groups of drawings.

• Automatically produce a cover sheetand distribution list for each issueof drawings.

Integrated drawing viewer• Attach drawing images for each

revision in any format (even TIFF orPDF) for easy systemwide reference.

• View or print common drawing for-mats using free viewers. ExpensiveCAD software is not required.

• Open additional formats using anyapplication you choose.

• Use the zoom and rotate controls tocheck drawing and model details.

• Convert DXF or DWG files tosmaller, more portable DrawingWeb Format (DWF) files.

“FabTrol has helped uswin more profitable workand achieve total controlof all live contractsthrough planning, 3Ddrawing management,procurement, fabrication,and delivery.”

Brian HewittBrian Hewitt Construction

Carnworth, Scotland

“Downloading drawingsfrom our CAD softwarehas freed up our staffand allowed us to getcuttings to the shopfaster.”

Rhonda McClureSteelFab, Inc.Charlotte, NC

The RReevviissiioonn LLoogg window tracks drawingrevisions and shows what has changed. You can attach a drawing image to eachrevision for easy reference.


Material Management

Streamline your material management with integrated toolsSTEEL FABRICATION, particularly in thestructural and platework segments,is a material-intensive business. Giventhe industry’s high fixed costs and lowmargins, improvements in materialusage can result in major bottom-linesavings and higher profits.

Our solutions tackle this challengewith the best weapons that moderntechnology has to offer: automationand integration. The seamless dataflow between the various materialfunctions translate into lower materialcosts and better shop-floor planning.

Basic material managementLike our previous generations, FabTrolMRP offers a fully integrated materialsmanagement system, featuring:

Material planningThe material nesting engine efficientlymults the parts required into availablestock or purchasable materials. Therequired items are then ordered orreserved, verified as being on hand,and placed on cut lists for the shop.

Purchasing & receivingIntegrated purchasing makes it a snapto prepare purchase orders. Vendorand project details are already in thesystem, and you can instantly fill POs

with the requirements figured by thenesting engine. Upon receipt, materialcan be automatically posted into stock—line by line or an entire PO at once.

Inventory control The stock function works with nestingand purchasing for nearly hands-offinventory control. The system automati-cally reserves required items when youapprove a cut list, removes them whenthe cuttings are confirmed, restocksany usable remnants, and maintainsAISC and ISO levels of traceabilitythroughout the process.

Advanced material managementBeyond the basics, FabTrol MRP pro-vides additional capabilities such assystemwide support for material onorder. You can place advance millorders, then view, nest into, and evenprepare cut lists for those items beforethey arrive.

It also offers a configurable nestingengine; explorer-style tools for viewingbills of materials, modifying nestingresults, and switching stock IDs whenconfirming cuts; country-of-origintracking; plus a powerful utility forinterfacing with accounting software,and more.

“FabTrol has deliveredan effective and efficientmaterials managementsolution.”

Brian HopeManaging Director

South Durham Structures Ltd.United Kingdom

“FabTrol has improvedour productivity in pur-chasing and productionand helped us get moreaccurate job costs.”


“Having acquired the fullFabTrol system, we aredelighted to see such anoticeable increase in efficiency throughout thecompany.”

Stephen DugganDirector

Duggan Steel Buildings Ltd.Ireland




Industry’s best nesting engine• Get superior nesting solutions with

a material optimization engineestablished to be the industry’s best.

• Use advanced settings like stockdevaluation and handling factors to better control nesting decisions.

Modifying nesting results• Review nesting results in the hierar-

chical Nest Explorer window.• Modify the results, if necessary, by

saving the nested bars you like, thenrecalculating the rest.

Support for material on order• Work more effectively with advanced

bills of materials and mill orders.• Post ordered material into stock

before it is received.• Prepare nestings and cut lists for

mill materials before they arrive.• Review colorized stock lists to see

what’s been received vs. on order.

Bill-of-materials view• Navigate jobs in a hierarchical

format by drawing & assembly orsequence & lot.

• Quickly make minor edits, or drilldown to see assembly details.

• Use powerful filters to review ormass-edit groups of like parts.

Flexible accounting export• Export FabTrol data in a standard

format for integration with youraccounting or job costing software.

• Choose to include estimating,purchasing, stock usage, time cards,and/or shipping data in the export.

Substituting stock items• When confirming cuts, substitute

an alternate stock ID for the onespecified in the nesting to reflect the actual bar used.

• Accommodate the real-world decisions made on the shop floor to keep your stock file up to date.

In the OOppttiiMMiisseerr window, you can try outvarious material nesting combinations, thenapprove only the best ones for production.

Material management featuresFor material requirements planning,FabTrol MRP offers the features youneed in a single integrated solution:

Material nesting & tracking• Use the nesting engine to efficiently

mult required parts into materialson hand and available for purchase.

• Experiment with trial nesting com-binations before committing stockor purchasing new materials.

• For small nestings or tighter control,create nestings yourself using theManual Nesting window.

• Verify that materials are availablebefore issuing cut lists to the shop.

• Confirm cuttings as they are done,and restock usable remnants.

Integrated purchasing & receiving• Fill POs automatically from nested

buy lists or other sources.• Issue POs for anything: subcontracts,

shop supplies, consumables, etc.• Print POs with or without prices.• Automatically update your material

pricing for accurate estimating.• Receive orders into stock one item

at a time or for an entire PO at once.• Quickly see what’s arrived, what

hasn’t, and when orders are due in.

Self-maintaining inventory• Automate your stock control with

integrated nesting and purchasing.• See what you have in stock, where it

is stored, where it came from, andwhat job, if any, it is committed to.

Rigorous material traceability• Meet AISC and ISO standards for

material traceability and control.• Track materials by PO, heat number,

country of origin, vendor, date ofpurchase, cost, and original job.

Powerful reporting• Access over 100 material-related

reports, including RFQs, materiallists, cut lists, left-to-nest and left-to-cut reports, stock usage reports,monthly costs by job, and more.

With the NNeesstt EExxpplloorreerr window in FabTrolMRP, you can drill down to see detailednesting results. If you need to modify theresults, freeze the bars that you want tokeep, and instantly recalculate the rest.

The SSuubbssttiittuuttee BBaarr window enables you toswitch stock bars when confirming cuts toshow that the shop used a different piecethan originally planned.


Basic Production & Shipping

MANY STEEL FABRICATORS continue tostruggle with the challenge of trackingproduction and shipping activities.Without an efficient solution, projectmanagers can run themselves raggedtrying to keep tabs on activities in thefabrication shop and shipping yard.

FabTrol MRP software offers a better way to manage—one that hasbeen proven effective at hundreds ofreal-world installations. When clientsrequest a progress report or the fieldsupervisor calls in with a problem, oursolutions put the information youneed right at your fingertips.

Production trackingIn addition to the advanced produc-tion features (described on a separatesheet), FabTrol MRP supports a simple, straightforward method oftracking production at designatedwaypoints. Shop floor data is collectedand input by a data entry clerk or inputinstantly through barcode transactions.This enables your project managersand production personnel to quicklyreview the progress of your jobs. The

Keep track of your materials from the shop floor to the job site

progress tracking tools and reportsshow you what has been done—and,more importantly, what’s left to do—on each project.

You can use this same approach tocapture and report on time card data.For example, by monitoring the timeworked on a job by employee or workarea, you can compare the actual values with your estimate to refine therates used in bidding.

Shipping managementBeyond the fabrication phase, FabTrolMRP provides powerful shippingmanagement functions. You can easilybuild shipment loads as assemblies arecompleted, watching the runningweight total to avoid exceeding loadweight limits. Or you can plan loads inadvance, then organize the productionprocess to produce the requiredassemblies as efficiently as possible.

On-demand shipping status reportsshow which assemblies have beenloaded and shipped. You can easilycheck quantities by load to planarrivals and avoid costly leftovers.

“We can now produce cutlists in batches, so that ourshop gets only the instruc-tions they need for the day.”


With the BBaassiicc PPrroodduuccttiioonn method, you cantrack the progress of production by definedwaypoints, such as prep, fitup, and welding.

“FabTrol has helped usmeet the demands oftoday’s steel industry.”

Guy ZittingSouthern TradesHumansville, MO




The BBaassiicc SShhiippppiinngg interface automatesyour routine shipping paperwork, such asthis bill of lading report.

Basic production featuresFabTrol MRP offers two options formanaging production. The basicmethod is discussed below. Theadvanced method is described on aseparate sheet.

Shop floor data collection• Generate production travellers to

collect shop floor information.• Collect the details you want to see,

including the date, project number,erection sequence, mark, operation,quantity completed, and more.

Production waypoint tracking• Designate key work areas or labor

operations (such as drilling, fit up,and paint) as tracking waypoints.

Progress tracking with barcoding• Instantly update progress

through tracking waypoints.• Review work in process in real-time.• Reduce data entry time and errors.

Progress reporting• Review the production reports to

monitor progress through waypoints.• Quickly see what’s done and, more

importantly, what’s left to do oneach job currently in progress.

• Use powerful filters to zero in on specific sequences, waypoints, etc.

Time card tracking• Capture time card details, including

the actual time that each employeeworked on each project.

• Compare your actual productiontimes with your estimates to refinethe estimating labor tables.

Transmittals• Create and track transmittals to

accompany drawing issues.• Search for transmittals by project,

customer, date range, drawing number or description, note, or who prepared them.

Shipping featuresThe shipping functions in FabTrolMRP are integrated with production inboth directions. You can plan loads inadvance to drive the fabricationprocess, and you can quickly reviewthe assemblies on any load to see theircurrent production status.

Load planning• Plan shipment loads by erection

sequence to organize production.• Quickly prepare bills of lading using

the automated load builder.• Watch the running weight total to

avoid overloaded trucks.• See the total quantity of each mark

and how many are on each load.• Automatically include basic job

specifications, plus directions to thedestination, on the shipping ticket.

• Manage fast-tracked projects bydefining standards and exceptions,then producing unit-price invoices.

Shipping tracking• Load assemblies with barcodes

to save time and avoid errors.• Keep track of which trailers have

been loaded and shipped, and when.• Quickly check the status of any

load, and see which shipmarks andquantities it includes.

• See which shipmarks are left to loadand which loads are left to ship.

• Get instant updates of quantity ordetail mark changes.

• Quickly see when any load was sentto a subcontractor or to the job site.

Shipping reporting• Review your shipping activities by

mark, load, or job.• Get complete or filtered left-to-load

and left-to-ship updates.• Filter any shipping report for partic-

ular material types or sizes, finishes,drawings sequence, or more.

• Get status reports for materials designated as “on hold.”

• Print lists of the shop and field boltsrequired for any project.

The LLeefftt ttoo LLooaadd reports show whichassemblies are loaded and left to load.


Advanced Production & Shipping

FOR A STEEL FABRICATOR working alarge contract with multiple deliverymilestones, nothing matters so muchas the status of production. Has thematerial been ordered and received?Have the drawings been delivered tothe shop? Have the parts been madeand assembled? Has the load beenstaged or sent to the jobsite?

For companies with sophisticatedmanagement needs, FabTrol MRPoffers a special advanced productionmethod. Beyond simple waypointtracking, this functionality manageseach step of the production process—from the first release of shop drawingsto the departure of the last trailer.

Automated routingWith the advanced production system,you can assign groups of drawings tospecific shops or subcontractors. Theprogram then determines which workareas should fabricate each part andassembly. These routing decisions arecontrolled by custom rules that youdefine and can take advantage ofimported CNC data, if available, to

Manage more effectively with integrated production and shipping

accommodate hole counts, contours,and other part requirements. The routing process also applies time standards to calculate the expectedtime required to complete the work.

Batch managementNext, you can batch parts together forefficient fabrication, adjust the priorityof those batches, and prepare nestedcut lists for each work area. The systemcan even translate your imported CNCdata and output it in the right formatfor your shop floor machines.

Progress trackingAs you mark tasks as completed, thesystem instantly updates the status ofthose assemblies. Powerful progressreporting is just a click away.

Integrated shippingThe shipping functions are integratedwith production in both directions.You can plan loads in advance to drivethe fabrication process. And you canquickly review the assemblies on anyload to see their current productionstatus.

The SShhiippppiinngg MMaannaaggeerr window shows thedetails of all loads defined for each job. Youcan also quickly check the production statusfor each load or see what’s left to load.

The BBaattcchh EExxpplloorreerr window displays fulldetails and current status information forall batches of work currently in production.

“100% of our productionis now managed byFabTrol. The softwareand associated servicesprovided have exceededour expectations.”

Simon BinghamManaging Director

Caunton EngineeringNottingham, England




Advanced production features

Drawing integration• Organize projects into erection

sequences and lots (subsequences)at the detailing stage or later.

• Import detailed drawings, imagefiles, and CNC instructions fromyour detailers’ software.

Routing to work areas• Automatically route parts and

assemblies to the appropriate workareas for fabrication.

• Set up and refine custom rules tocontrol these routing decisions.

• Develop and apply time-ratingstandards to determine how muchtime the work will take.

CNC management• Take advantage of imported CNC

data (if available) to route based onholes, contours, and other advancedrequirements.

• Set up CNC routing rules even ifyou do not have CNC equipment.

• Translate CNC data into the specificformats required for your machines.

• Output options include multiplePeddimat® formats, CAD CAD 32®for Controlled Automation, DSTV,BeamDrill®, and others.

Production batching• Create production batches to

fabricate similar items together formaximum efficiency.

• Automatically include parts nestedinto the same bars as those in thecurrent batch to avoid unnecessaryhandling.

• Review your progress by batch inthe Batch Explorer window.

Nested cut lists• Prepare tightly nested cut lists for

each work area, or create one ultra-efficient nesting for each erectionsequence, then create sensiblebatches with that nesting.

• Instantly see the current workloadfor any work area.

Progress tracking• Mark batches as they are completed.• See what’s been done and what is

left to do on each active project.• Check production details in the

Production Explorer window.• Effortlessly provide your clients

with up-to-date progress reports.

Progress tracking with barcoding• Instantly update production

progress from the shop floor.• Review work in process in real-time.• Reduce data entry time and errors.

Shipping features

Load planning• Use the automated load builder to

plan efficient, timely loads.• Watch the running weight total to

avoid overloaded trucks.• See the total quantity of each mark

and how many are on each load.• Manage fast-tracked projects by

defining standards and exceptions,then producing unit-price invoices.

Production integration• Plan loads in advance to drive the

production process.• Gain efficiency by managing loads

all the way through fabrication.• Instantly see the status of assemblies

assigned to a load—and identifyany that are behind schedule.

Other features• Load assemblies using barcodes

to save time and avoid errors.• Review details of all loads in a

convenient grid view.• Quickly see when any load was sent

to a subcontractor or to the job site.• Add other items to your loads to

track ladders, tools, etc. to the site.• Take advantage of powerful shipping

reports, including bills of ladingwith project specs and drivinginstructions, load lists showing production status, and many more.

The RRoouuttiinngg WWiizzaarrdd window routes partsand assemblies to appropriate work areas.It also applies customizable time ratingsto determine the approximate timerequired for fabrication and assembly.

In the BBaattcchh PPllaannnneerr window, you can setthe relative priority of production batches to determine what the shop works on first.

The integration between production andshipping allows you to closely monitor theproduction status of each load.

In the PPrrooggrreessss TTrraacckkiinngg window, you canmanage and track outstanding tasks bywork area.


Support & Training Services

GREAT SOFTWARE IS A great start. Moreoften than not, though, it is the qualityof after-sale services that determines asoftware installation’s success. Howquickly can you go live with the soft-ware, get your staff properly trained,and resolve any unexpected issues?

This is where the services team atFabTrol Systems excels. We are proudto offer the industry’s best combina-tion of implementation, user training,and customer support resources. Withthe help of our dedicated professionals,you can get started immediately andaccelerate your return on investment.

On-the-spot implementationThe first steps are always the hardest.That’s why we have implementationengineers available to come to yoursite—individually or as a team—tolead you through a successful launch.They can help you:• Assess your needs and determine or

establish company standards• Install the software on your network

and workstations• Set up user accounts, passwords,

and access rights

Get the most from your software with our dedicated services

• Add job contacts, vendors, etc., tothe FabTrol Address Book

• Customize FabTrol MRP’s databasesto match your company standards(material pricing, labor rates, etc.)

• Create suitable Auto Parts, AutoAssemblies, and library items forfaster bid preparation

• Set up the CAD import and draw-ing management functions

• Set up a shop model to reflect yourplants, work areas, CNC abilities, etc.

• Configure the advanced productionfunctions, including routing rules,CNC capabilities, etc.

Training options for everyoneOnce your system is ready to go, thechallenge moves on to user training.Mastering an integrated system asrobust as FabTrol MRP is no smalltask. Our training department canhelp flatten the learning curve with awide array of educational options.

Regardless of your staff ’s computerproficiency, we can help you workfaster and more efficiently. The sooneryour team is up to speed, the sooneryour investment will start paying off.

“Your support analystwent beyond the call ofduty trying to help meresolve my problems. Ihave the feeling he puteverything else aside tofocus on my problems.”

Kim CrowderPurchasing Manager

Allstate Steel CompanyJacksonville, FL

“The upgrade to FabTrolMRP went like allupgrades should. I amvery pleased with MRP.”

Jared MasonIT Manager

Russellville Steel CompanyRussellville, AR

“I have never worked witha software company thathas been so willing andworked so hard to helptheir customers.”

Michael TerrianProduction Control Coordinator

Merrill Iron & SteelSchofield, WI




FabTrol services

On-site implementationGet your system up and runningquickly and easily with on-siteassistance from our implementationengineers. They can help configurethe materials database to matchyour usage and work types, createdrawing actions to reflect yourapproval process, work out anytranslation issues to import filesfrom your detailers, set up yourshop model for production, andmuch, much more.

Training services

FabTrol Training CenterFor everyday users, we offer a regu-lar schedule of classes in all aspectsof FabTrol MRP. Classes are held atthe FabTrol Training Center, ourlearning facility in Eugene, Oregon.Computers are provided for allattendees to encourage hands-onlearning and practice.

Regional trainingsCustomers east of the Rockies mayenjoy the convenience of ourregional trainings. These events areheld in major Midwestern or EastCoast cities. As in the FabTrolTraining Center, our regionals areheld in computer training facilitiesfor interactive learning. The classesoffered are generally the same asthose offered in our main facility.

On-site trainingOur trainers are also available tocome to you for private trainingsessions. This is a convenient andcost-effective way to train a largegroup of users at once. It alsoenables us to closely tailor the training program to the specificrequirements of your company.

On-site training opportunitiesare subject to resource availabilityand must be arranged well in

advance. For more information, con-tact our training department at (541)485-4719 or [email protected].

Top-notch technical supportFor day-to-day issues with our soft-ware, the dedicated staff at FabTrolTechnical Support is ready to help.We pride ourselves on providing thebest customer support service in theindustry.

Technical support is available byphone, e-mail, or fax. Most calls during regular business hours are connected directly with one of ourfriendly, knowledgeable support analysts. Those requiring a call backgenerally receive one within an hour.

Support planAccess to support services is providedas part of our Annual Support &Maintenance Plan. This renewable contract provides two huge benefits:full access to our highly regarded support services, plus upgrades to newversions of your software at no charge.

Online resourcesParticipants in the support plan alsoget exclusive access to FabTrol SupportOnline. This password-restricted areaof our website includes downloadableutilities, release notes, supplementarydocumentation, and more.

Ongoing developmentContinued development is, of course,another key ingredient of reliable soft-ware. Without it, even the bestdesigned and supported solution willquickly become obsolete.

The development team at FabTrolSystems is firmly committed to main-taining and improving our software.We work constantly to keep pace withnew technologies and better meet theneeds of the industry. Your softwarewill always be up to date and effective,thanks to regular maintenance updatesand timely generational upgrades.

“The aspect of our long-standing relationshipthat stands out most isthe excellent customerservice and support thatFabTrol provides.”

Richard Lewis, Jr.Orange County Erectors

Anaheim, CA

“Good technical supportwas our largest concernwhen purchasingFabTrol. The quality andefficiency of support wereceived exceeded ourbest expectations.”

A. Leita Steel ConstructionSouth Africa

“FabTrol does nothingbut continuously surpriseme with their customer-oriented nature. Theyhave done a marvelousjob recognizing us as asmall company withindividual needs.”

Kristina GodwinSales & Project Coordinator

Mingle & Elrod Inc.Murfreesboro, TN

fabtrol mrp:integrated steel fabrication management

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