What Is Global Shop ERP?

Global Shop ERP is a manufacturing-specific enterprise resource planning system built for job shops, machine shops and discrete manufacturers. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, it manages the full operational lifecycle from sales order through production, purchasing, inventory, shipping and accounting, all from a single connected system.

What does Global Shop ERP do?

Global Shop ERP manages the full operational lifecycle of a manufacturing business, from the moment a sales order arrives through production, purchasing, inventory, shipping and accounting. The system is built around the idea that all manufacturing data should live in one place, eliminating the spreadsheet-and-email workflows that many small manufacturers rely on by default.

This guide covers what the system does, who it serves, how it is deployed, and what manufacturers typically need from consulting services to get full value from their investment.

Core modules inside Global Shop ERP

Shop Management handles work order creation, routing, scheduling and shop floor tracking, and is the operational center of the system for most job shops. Scheduling provides forward and backward finite scheduling for work centers, with tools for identifying bottlenecks, managing capacity and sequencing jobs to meet due dates.

Inventory Management gives real-time tracking by location, lot and bin, including cycle counting, reorder points and material availability checks against scheduled production. Purchasing covers purchase order management, vendor tracking, receiving and purchasing exception management, with MRP-driven purchasing suggestions.

Accounting integrates job costing, general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, payroll integration and financial reporting directly with production data. Quality Control covers inspection tracking, nonconformance management, corrective action workflows and quality reporting. CRM handles customer contact management, quote history, order tracking and customer portal capabilities, while built-in Estimating and Quoting tools pull routing and material costs directly from the production database.

• Shop Management: work orders, routing, scheduling, shop floor tracking
• Inventory Management: real-time tracking by location, lot, and bin
• Purchasing: PO management, vendor tracking, MRP suggestions
• Accounting: job costing, GL, AP/AR, payroll integration
• Quality Control: inspection, nonconformance, corrective action
• CRM and built-in Estimating and Quoting

Who uses Global Shop ERP?

Global Shop Solutions is optimized for manufacturers running job shops and machine shops, where custom or semi-custom parts are made to order, often for multiple customers at once. Work order management, scheduling and job costing are the primary use cases for these operations.

Metal fabricators handling sheet metal, structural steel, and precision fabrication rely on the system's inventory, purchasing and quality integration alongside production management. Industrial equipment manufacturers building equipment or assemblies with complex bill-of-material structures and multi-step routings also use it heavily, as do automotive parts and Tier 2/3 suppliers who need scheduling precision and on-time delivery tracking.

Aerospace and defense subcontractors use it for lot and serial tracking, quality documentation and compliance reporting, while medical device manufacturers rely on tight integration between production, quality control and documentation. The system supports between 5 and 500 users, is available in both cloud and on-premise deployments, and has been implemented in over 3,000 manufacturing facilities across 25 or more countries.

Cloud vs. on-premise deployment

In cloud deployment, Global Shop Solutions hosts the ERP in a managed cloud environment, removing the need for on-premise server infrastructure and IT management, with software updates handled by Global Shop Solutions.

In on-premise deployment, the ERP is installed on servers at the manufacturer's own facility, giving IT teams full control over the environment. This option is often preferred by manufacturers with data residency requirements or existing infrastructure investments. Both deployment options support the full feature set of the platform.

What is Global Shop GAB?

GAB, or Global Application Builder, is the built-in customization framework that sets Global Shop apart from many competing manufacturing ERP systems. It allows consultants and advanced users to create custom screens, add custom fields and logic, build workflow automation, and extend system functionality without modifying the core application code.

For manufacturers with unique processes, specialized workflows or complex reporting needs, GAB is the primary tool for making Global Shop fit the way the business actually operates.

Why manufacturers need Global Shop ERP consulting

Most manufacturers who invest in Global Shop ERP get the system implemented and running, but not always configured in a way that fully serves their operations. Common gaps include reporting that doesn't match decision-making needs, dashboards that lack role-specific clarity, GAB customizations that were never fully documented or maintained, workflow gaps that push teams toward spreadsheets, and low user adoption when the ERP doesn't match how teams actually work.

Global Shop ERP consulting addresses all of these through GAB customization, dashboard and report builds, workflow alignment, user training and continuous improvement support.

• Reporting that doesn't match decision-making needs
• Dashboards that lack role-specific clarity
• Outdated or undocumented GAB customizations
• Workflow gaps between the ERP and real operations
• Low user adoption from mismatched workflows

How DESSS helps Global Shop manufacturers

DESSS delivers Global Shop consulting services to manufacturers across the United States, focused on practical, fast-turnaround improvements that production teams, buyers, planners and leadership will actually use.

This includes GAB services for custom screen development and workflow automation, dashboard creation for role-based visibility, reports creation for actionable scheduling and costing insight, general customization services, structured implementation services for new or re-implementation projects, and ongoing support services for enhancement and roadmap planning.

Key takeaways

• Global Shop ERP is built specifically for job shop and discrete manufacturing operations
• GAB customization is what lets the system adapt to a manufacturer's specific workflows
• Both cloud and on-premise deployment are supported at full feature parity
• Consulting after implementation often closes gaps in reporting, dashboards and adoption

Frequently asked questions

How many users can Global Shop ERP support?

Global Shop ERP supports between 5 and 500 users, available in both cloud and on-premise deployment. This range covers most small to mid-size manufacturers, which is the core market the system was designed to serve.

What industries typically use Global Shop ERP?

Job shops and machine shops are the primary users, alongside metal fabricators, industrial equipment manufacturers, automotive parts and Tier 2/3 suppliers, aerospace and defense subcontractors, and medical device manufacturers. Each of these industries relies on different combinations of the system's scheduling, quality, and traceability capabilities.

Why would a manufacturer already running Global Shop still need consulting help?

Implementation and ongoing configuration are different problems. A system can be technically running while still showing reporting gaps, generic dashboards, undocumented GAB customizations, or low user adoption because workflows don't match daily operations. Consulting closes these gaps through GAB customization, dashboard builds, and workflow alignment work that goes beyond the original implementation.