Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for paper bag manufacturers.
A checklist built from how paper bag manufacturers work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Bag specification master
- Paper reel stock
- Estimates and cut-off length
- Printing and plate record
- Machine runs and changeovers
- Handles and trims
- Carton packing and dispatch
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For the planner
- For machine operators
- For the paper store
- For dispatch
- For owners
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Bag yield per reel against expected count
- Changeover minutes by machine and bag size
- Paper stock by GSM, width and lot
- Orders open by customer and due date
- Scrap and trimmings weighed and sold
- Carton counts against delivery notes
- Handle stock against reorder level
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- SMS
- Barcode label printers
- Accounting export
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Can it work out how many bags a reel will yield?
- Is printing required?
- Can one size carry several handle types?
- How are changeovers counted?
- Can we trace a carton to its paper reel?
- Does it handle reels bought in kilograms and used in metres?
- Can we plan machines to group same-size orders?
- Can open orders and stock be moved?
- How does it treat scrap?
- What do you need to quote the setup?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Paper is bought by weight and used by length
- Size changes eat the shift
- Print and bag stages lose each other
- Handle supply is a separate story
- Cartons on the truck differ from the invoice
Prefer to talk it through? See the paper bag manufacturers page.