Trades and workshops
From quote to paid invoice, with the material from stock.
Write the quote, turn it into an order, deliver, invoice and chase payment in one place, on your own server. For plumbers, electricians, carpenters and workshops with a handful of people.
01
A month in this business
A month in steps, with the feature behind each step.
- 01 · Week 1
Quote and order
Write the quote, send it as a PDF by email and turn it into an order. Every document shows where it stands: Quote, Order, Delivered, Invoiced, Paid.
Sales and invoicing → - 02 · Week 1–2
Buy the material
Order from the supplier, book the goods receipt and match the supplier bill against both before you pay.
Purchasing → - 03 · Week 2–3
Deliver and invoice
Delivering the order, or invoicing it directly, takes the items out of stock and posts their cost once. The invoice posts to the ledger automatically.
Products and inventory → - 04 · Week 3
Get paid
Import the bank statement (camt.053, MT940 or CSV) and match payments to open invoices in a two-pane screen.
Banking and reconciliation → - 05 · Week 4
Chase what is late
A dunning run proposes a reminder level for each overdue customer. The letters are drafts; nothing is sent until you send it.
Receivables and dunning → - 06 · Month end
Hand over to the accountant
Export DATEV EXTF files and read the VAT return report. The export is not certified, so have your accountant check the files.
DATEV and SAF-T export →
Facts are checked against the source code. Not legal or tax advice.
02
Main features for this business
Each feature is described in detail on the Features page.
Sales and invoicing
Quotes, orders, invoices and credit notes in one list, with overdue tracking and PDF by email.
Products and inventory
SKU, unit, price, cost and stock on hand, with minimum-stock alerts, transfers and stocktakes.
E-invoicing
XRechnung and ZUGFeRD export for customers who ask for it. A rule subset, not certified.
Appointments and booking
Plan visits with staff and rooms on a calendar; a completed booking can be invoiced in one click.
Import wizard
Bring customers, suppliers, items and open invoices over from Excel, with a dry run and undo.
Role presets and audit log
Owner, accountant, sales, purchasing or read-only, and a log of every change.
03
Related guides
Mandatory invoice details
Every item § 14 (4) UStG requires on an invoice, the small-amount rule up to €250 and the small-business note, and how OpenBusinessERP fills each field.
E-invoicing in Germany from 2025
Receiving since 1 Jan 2025, issuing from 2027/2028: the German B2B e-invoice timeline, XRechnung vs ZUGFeRD, and what OpenBusinessERP supports.
Small-business VAT exemption
The €25,000 and €100,000 thresholds, what an invoice must say, and how OpenBusinessERP sets up a VAT-exempt small business.
DATEV export and SAF-T
What the DATEV EXTF export and SAF-T file from OpenBusinessERP contain, what your accountant receives, and the limits stated plainly.
04
Questions
Does an invoice take the material out of stock?
Yes. Delivering an order, or issuing an invoice for an order that was never delivered, issues the items from stock and posts their cost exactly once. Cancelling reverses it.
Is it software made only for trades?
No. It is a general ERP for small businesses: quotes, orders, invoices, stock, bank and books. This page describes the parts a trade business uses; the Features page lists everything.
Do reminders go out automatically?
No. A dunning run only creates draft letters, and interest and fees are switched off by default.
Can my accountant work with the data?
Yes, through the DATEV EXTF export and SAF-T 2.0. Neither is certified by DATEV or a tax authority, so have each file checked before you rely on it.
Demo and installation
The demo runs with an invented company and needs no sign-up. On your own server, one Docker command installs it.