Resources - page 2 of 3

Inventory management, manufacturing, and business strategy for small-batch product businesses.

Best Inventory Management Systems for Small Manufacturers in 2026

inventory management

Best Inventory Management Systems for Small Manufacturers in 2026

Inventory software built for retail counts widgets. Small manufacturers need something different: raw material tracking, COGS calculation, and production-aware stock. Here are the best options in 2026.

· 17 min read
How to Track Cost of Goods Sold in WooCommerce (Plugins vs. Manufacturing Software)

bookkeeping tax

How to Track Cost of Goods Sold in WooCommerce (Plugins vs. Manufacturing Software)

WooCommerce doesn't track COGS natively. Compare plugin options against dedicated manufacturing software, and see why product businesses producing their own goods need more than a static cost field.

· 19 min read
Shopify Stocky Discontinued — Why Stocky Is Shutting Down and What to Do Next

inventory management

Shopify Stocky Discontinued — Why Stocky Is Shutting Down and What to Do Next

Shopify Stocky is discontinued and shutting down August 31, 2026. Key features like inventory transfers and forecasting are already gone. Here's what happened to Stocky, why it was removed from the Shopify App Store, and the best alternatives for product businesses who manufacture products.

· 18 min read
Amazon's New QuickBooks Integration: What Sellers Should Know (And an Alternative Approach)

bookkeeping tax

Amazon's New QuickBooks Integration: What Sellers Should Know (And an Alternative Approach)

Amazon now offers embedded QuickBooks access in Seller Central. But is giving Amazon direct access to your financial data the right move? Here's what you need to know — and a different way to connect your accounting without sharing everything.

· 5 min read
Why the Shopify QuickBooks Integration Fails Product Businesses

bookkeeping tax

Why the Shopify QuickBooks Integration Fails Product Businesses

The Shopify QuickBooks Connector just forced a major update — and product businesses are watching their orders fail to sync, customer data vanish, and COGS calculations break. Here's what went wrong, when it makes sense (and doesn't), and a better path for product-based businesses.

· 11 min read
How to Sync Inventory to WooCommerce for Small-Batch Manufacturers

inventory management

How to Sync Inventory to WooCommerce for Small-Batch Manufacturers

Stop updating WooCommerce stock counts by hand. Learn how WooCommerce inventory sync works for small-batch product businesses — and how Stocksmith Stock Push keeps your store accurate automatically.

· 15 min read
QuickBooks for Small Manufacturers: What It Does, Where It Falls Short, and What to Use Instead

bookkeeping tax

QuickBooks for Small Manufacturers: What It Does, Where It Falls Short, and What to Use Instead

QuickBooks is excellent accounting software — but it wasn't built for makers who manufacture products. Here's an honest look at what it does well, where it breaks down for small manufacturers, and how to build a system that actually works.

· 26 min read
General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) - What Every Small Manufacturer Needs to Know

compliance

General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) - What Every Small Manufacturer Needs to Know

The GPSR is now in force. Here's a practical breakdown of what EU product safety compliance looks like for small product businesses selling on Etsy, Amazon, and beyond.

· 20 min read
Cannabis Manufacturing Software — Affordable Alternatives to Industry-Specific Platforms

inventory management

Cannabis Manufacturing Software — Affordable Alternatives to Industry-Specific Platforms

Let's be honest - as a cannabis manufacturer, you're drowning in compliance paperwork, second-guessing your costs, and losing sleep over whether you're tracking things correctly. The $500/month platforms want you to believe that's your only option—but what most small manufacturers actually need is something simpler: cost tracking that's accurate, inventory that's honest, and software that doesn't require a computer science degree.

· 12 min read
Work in Progress Inventory (WIP) — Formula & Examples

inventory management

Work in Progress Inventory (WIP) — Formula & Examples

Work-in-progress inventory is the value of everything you've started making but haven't finished yet. Here's how to track it, calculate it, and stop flying blind on your production costs.

· 16 min read
How Manufacturing Travelers Will Transform Your Production Workflows

inventory management

How Manufacturing Travelers Will Transform Your Production Workflows

A manufacturing traveler is a critical production document that travels with your product through every stage of manufacturing. It captures routing, materials, quality checkpoints, and operator records in one place.

· 14 min read
MoCRA Compliance Guide for Small Cosmetics Manufacturers (2026)

compliance

MoCRA Compliance Guide for Small Cosmetics Manufacturers (2026)

The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) changes how small cosmetics makers handle registration, labeling, and safety. Here's what you actually need to do — and whether you're exempt.

· 12 min read
How to Write a Batch Record for Soap — A Practical Guide

inventory management

How to Write a Batch Record for Soap — A Practical Guide

Learn how to write a soap batch record that meets MoCRA 2026 requirements — covering required fields, lot number formats, cosmetic vs true soap rules, and a free template you can use today.

· 25 min read
Batch Manufacturing Record (BMR) Guide with Free Excel Template

inventory management

Batch Manufacturing Record (BMR) Guide with Free Excel Template

A batch manufacturing record is your proof that every product was made exactly right. Learn what goes in a BMR, how it differs from an MFR, and how to create one — with a free downloadable template.

· 17 min read
What Is Manufacturing Software? A No-Jargon Guide for Small-Batch Manufacturers

manufacturing

What Is Manufacturing Software? A No-Jargon Guide for Small-Batch Manufacturers

Let's deep dive into exactly what manufacturing software is all about, and how it can make your small product business more profitable

· 18 min read