Window fashion manufacturing software streamlines the ordering process so only buildable, compatible elements can be selected. Global changes make updating easy.
Window Fashion Manufacturing Software Must-Haves
EDI
- Our system supports EDI transactions with mass retailers and catalog companies e.g. Sears, J.C. Penney, Wal-Mart:
- Sales Orders (850)
- Acknowledgment (855)
- Advanced Ship Notice (856)
- Invoices (810)
Web-based Order Entry
- Electronic Product Catalog provided on-line to your end consumers or dealers
- Supports replacement parts and Finished Goods, ordering with full configuration functions
- No re-keying of orders placed via the web
- Credit Card approvals and user-generated profiles
- Acknowledgment communicated to customer on-line
- Constraint-based order promising is executed for all line items to provide your customers with accurate promise dates at the time of ordering
- Extensive imaging functions for 2-D and 3-D
Remote Dealer/Rep Order Entry
- Fully functional quoting and ordering tool supports both remote sales reps and dealers/distributors
- Includes dealer-specific multipliers and discounts, also enabling dealers to manipulate selling markup or profit percentages to calculate their end user/consumer selling price
- Tracks Deposit Payments and includes Miscellaneous and computed charges such as delivery and installation
- Copy feature enables multiple quotes for the same job, providing easy price comparisons, e.g. Roman Shade vs. Wood Shutter for the same order
- Electronic transfer of orders direct to manufacturer and/or fabricator
- Electronic upload of all product catalog and pricing updates ensures 100% accuracy of orders and quotes taken in the field
- Local Customer Database enables dealers to maintain their own set of customers with pricing and discount rules
- 2D and 3D images and scaled drawings are provided for each line item and printed on quotes
- Check-in and Check-out facility enables users to check a quote out to support a field measurement process
- Option for generic quotes that do not require a full configuration for quoting, such as fabric choice
Material Optimization and Machine Integration
- Production Runs released by the scheduler will create cut files for fabric, header rails, etc, which are then optimized by our lineal and fabric optimizer (ARDIS), including optimization for complex materials like cellular shades.
- Optimizer controls and utilizes all available remnants before using full rolls, greatly reducing your remnant inventory.
- Fabric cut requirements can be passed electronically to automated machines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Frontier handle the dimensional flexibility required for shades, shutters, and blinds?
Window fashion products are defined by complete dimensional flexibility — width and height specified to the fraction of an inch for every order, with combinations that number in the millions across product lines. Frontier’s parametric configurator handles this natively, validating dimensions against engineering constraints for each product line and calculating material requirements, cut specifications, and pricing automatically from the actual dimensions entered. This eliminates the manual calculation and engineering review that makes order processing slow and error-prone at high volumes.
How does Frontier support EDI ordering with mass retailers like Sears, JC Penney, and Walmart?
Frontier supports EDI transactions with mass retailers in standard formats — Sales Orders (850), Order Acknowledgment (855), Advanced Ship Notice (856), and Invoices (810). DataBroker handles inbound order processing from retailer EDI systems, running orders through the configurator to validate they’re buildable before they’re accepted into production. For window fashion manufacturers supplying mass merchants where EDI compliance is a requirement, having EDI integrated with the configurator rather than maintained separately is essential for managing the volume and accuracy required.
How does Frontier optimize fabric and material cutting for window fashion production?
Frontier’s production scheduling generates cut files for fabric, header rails, and other lineal materials, which are then processed by the ARDIS optimizer. The optimizer handles complex materials including cellular shades and controls the use of remnants before opening full rolls — significantly reducing remnant inventory accumulation. Cut requirements can also be passed electronically to automated cutting machines. For manufacturers where fabric and lineal material costs are the largest variable cost component, material optimization directly affects margin per unit.
Does Frontier support both direct consumer ordering and dealer/rep ordering for window fashion manufacturers?
Yes. Frontier supports web-based direct consumer ordering through an electronic product catalog, with full configuration functions, credit card processing, and online order acknowledgment. For the dealer and rep channel, Frontier’s remote dealer/rep order entry tool supports full quoting and ordering functionality including dealer-specific multipliers, deposit tracking, and the ability to generate multiple quote variations for the same job — for example, comparing Roman shades versus wood shutters for the same window dimensions. Both channels feed orders directly into the same production system without re-entry.
