That’s a question many companies in the sheet metal industry ask themselves—and rightly so. After all, a modern ERP system already includes modules for quotes, routing, and costing. So why invest in additional software?

The answer quickly becomes clear when you look at the actual process in practice: the requirements for calculating sheet metal parts are high – but the capabilities of an ERP system are often too generic. This is exactly where steel it comes in: a specialized calculation solution that focuses entirely on the fast, automated, and accurate calculation of sheet metal parts.

ERP systems: Versatile, but often cumbersome when it comes to calculations

ERP systems are key tools in companies – there’s no question about that. They connect purchasing, production, sales, logistics, and administration in a unified environment. Calculations can also be mapped using them. But when it comes to sheet metal parts in particular, it quickly becomes clear how complex the process can be.

Anyone who wants to create a new item in an ERP system, draw up a complete work plan, and perform the calculation has to click through numerous screens, fill in fields manually, and have a precise knowledge of the processes. The result: high time expenditure, increased susceptibility to errors, and slow quotation preparation – especially for more complex geometries, entire assemblies, or short-term inquiries.

steel it: Calculation reimagined – fast, automated, precise

In contrast, steel it takes a radically pragmatic approach: calculating quotes for sheet metal parts and entire assemblies as quickly as possible with as little manual effort as possible.

By automatically evaluating STEP, DXF, or DWG files, steel it recognizes relevant geometric data, derives machining processes, and calculates work steps, runtimes, material consumption, machine costs, and more—all within seconds.

This means:

• No manual creation of articles or work plans
• No marathon clicking through ERP masks
• No uncertainties in the calculation logic

The software delivers a complete result consisting of an article master, work plan, and detailed calculation—which can then be automatically exported to the ERP system. There, the data is immediately available for further processes without the need for duplicate work.

No direct competition – but an ideal complement

The key point is that steel it is not intended to be a new ERP system. Nor is it intended to replace an existing one. Instead, the software is designed as a specialized solution for quotation calculation—optimized for sheet metal parts and assemblies, and geared toward speed and efficiency.

A bidirectional interface enables automatic data exchange between ERP and steel it – in both directions.

This means:

• Material master data, machine parameters, cost centers, hourly rates, and price lists flow from the ERP into steel it
• Finished calculations, work plans, and article data flow back into the ERP

No manual follow-up work. No media discontinuity. No loss of time.

Conclusion: ERP and steel it – stronger together

So the crucial question is not: “Can we do this in ERP?” But rather: “Is it efficient, fast, and accurate enough in ERP?”

For many companies, the honest answer is no. And this is precisely where the value of a specialized solution such as steel it comes into play. It does what ERP cannot – and integrates seamlessly into the existing system landscape.

This turns calculation into a real competitive advantage – not a bottleneck.