If you’re a manufacturer, you already know that Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is the backbone of keeping your shop floor moving. But MRP is only as strong as the systems supporting it. That’s where Fishbowl Inventory shines—and where LilyPad’s suite of tools takes things to the next level.
In this article, we’ll explore how integrating LilyPad with Fishbowl helps manufacturers unlock the full potential of MRP—from better planning and execution to smarter data insights, tighter inventory control, and smoother communication between departments.
Why MRP Needs More Than One Tool
Let’s be honest: planning a production run is complicated. You’ve got sales orders, raw material stock levels, reorder points, vendor lead times, work orders, labor availability, and a dozen other things to juggle.
Fishbowl gives you the foundational structure—bill of materials (BOMs), work orders, part tracking, inventory locations—but when it comes to syncing that with everything else your team touches (like sales platforms, accounting systems, reports, and customer communication), that’s where the cracks start to show.
That’s also where LilyPad comes in.
Key LilyPad Tools That Supercharge MRP
Here’s how LilyPad’s software suite helps plug those gaps and supercharge your MRP workflows:
1. LilyPad Vortex (Automation + Order Flow)
Automatically pulls orders from your eCommerce platforms or CRMs into Fishbowl. That means no more manual entry of sales data—and your MRP schedule always reflects the latest demand.
Use case: A manufacturer selling on Shopify sees new orders instantly reflected in Fishbowl, triggering accurate planning and raw material forecasts.
2. LilyPad Reporting Tools (Custom KPIs)
Fishbowl’s built-in reports are great, but LilyPad’s custom reporting lets you see what actually matters to your production plan—like lead time trends, supplier reliability, or machine utilization.
Use case: A custom cabinet maker uses reporting to flag which materials are consistently late from suppliers, allowing them to adjust reorder points and reduce production delays.
3. LilyPad Data Portal (Team Visibility)
Gives your internal teams or external partners real-time visibility into inventory, job status, and part availability—without needing to log into Fishbowl.
Use case: Your purchasing team sees raw material shortages before they become a bottleneck, while your sales team sees accurate ship dates without bothering production.
4. LilyPad Mobile Warehouse (Execution on the Floor)
Enables your warehouse or production teams to use handheld scanners for picking, kitting, issuing raw materials, or completing work orders—without leaving the production floor.
Use case: Your floor tech scans a barcode to issue materials to a job, and Fishbowl updates the work order in real-time. No paperwork. No lag.
5. LilyPad Commerce + Multi-Cart (Sales Channel Control)
Sync sales channels (Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, etc.) directly with Fishbowl, so production planning always has an up-to-date view of customer demand.
Use case: A candle manufacturer with seasonal demand spikes uses LilyPad Multi-Cart to adjust MRP in response to eCommerce surges without breaking a sweat.
How This All Comes Together for MRP
Let’s walk through a simplified example:
- A sales order is placed via Shopify.
- LilyPad Vortex automatically brings it into Fishbowl.
- MRP planning identifies what needs to be made and which raw materials are short.
- LilyPad Mobile issues raw materials to production.
- LilyPad Data Portal keeps sales and customer service updated.
- Custom reports flag trends (like high scrap rate or supplier delays).
- LilyPad Commerce keeps all sales channels synced for real-time demand.
You’ve now got a closed-loop system. Your data isn’t siloed. Everyone’s on the same page.
Getting Started: What You’ll Need
To implement this system:
- Fishbowl Inventory as your MRP backbone
- Relevant LilyPad tools based on your workflow: Vortex, Reporting, Mobile, etc.
- Your current software stack (eCommerce, accounting, CRM)
- A basic workflow map: how sales, inventory, production, and purchasing connect
Final Thoughts
Fishbowl’s MRP tools are powerful—but they become game-changing when paired with LilyPad’s extensions. From syncing orders to enabling mobile work on the floor, the right mix of automation, visibility, and real-time data transforms planning from guesswork into a well-oiled machine.
If you’re ready to connect your shop floor, warehouse, sales team, and supply chain in a smarter way, the LilyPad + Fishbowl combo might be the upgrade your manufacturing team needs.
Ready to see it in action? Book a walkthrough with the LilyPad team and start turning MRP chaos into clarity.
