You need a system built for agricultural equipment workshops, one that brings together orders per unit, history by serial number, parts, CFDI invoicing (Mexico’s electronic invoice), and accounting with no double entry. During planting and harvest, many machines come in urgently. A parts or timing error stops the customer and costs you money. Here are the criteria for choosing and how to prepare.
What problems does an agricultural workshop have that a generic system doesn’t solve?
An agricultural workshop doesn’t sell standalone “services.” It works on expensive machines that run by the hour, with model-specific parts and deadlines that depend on the weather.
These are the points where generic tools fail most:
- Repeat units: the same combine comes back several times a year, and you need to know what was done to it before.
- Critical parts: a wrong or out-of-stock part stops the repair, and during harvest every day down matters.
- Maintenance by use: intervals are measured in operating hours, not just dates.
- Duplicate entry: the workshop, warehouse, and accounting work in different spreadsheets, and the data contradicts itself.
What features should a tractor and combine workshop system have?
These are the minimum features to operate without improvising:
- Work orders per unit, with technician, time, labor, and parts.
- History by serial number, to see failures, repairs, and accumulated costs for each machine.
- Maintenance by hours of use, with alerts so you can notify the customer before the machine fails.
- Parts with real-time inventory, connected to the workshop.
- Quotes tied to the order, with no re-entry.
- CFDI invoicing and accounting generated from the same order.
If any of these pieces is missing, someone fills the gap with Excel or WhatsApp, and that’s where peak-season errors start. For maintenance, read how to manage it by hours of use without spreadsheets.
Is accounting software or a generic ERP enough?
Accounting software handles invoicing and taxes, but it doesn’t know which part a combine takes or how many hours it has been running. A generic ERP can grow into the workshop, though it usually requires additional configuration and development: fields by serial number, work order flows, alerts by hours. That work costs time and money, and it’s best done before harvest, not during it.
The software built into the machines doesn’t replace administrative control either. That kind of tool helps monitor the unit in the field, but it doesn’t quote, control your inventory, or invoice. An ERP built for the industry has those processes from the start.
How do you prepare before peak season?
With the system already implemented, 30 days before the season you can be ready if you organize the work by weeks:
- Week 1: review the parts catalog, with prices and suppliers.
- Week 2: set the minimum stock of critical parts (filters, belts, bearings, sensors, blades) based on what moved most last year.
- Week 3: update your customers’ units with serial number and current hours, and schedule their maintenance.
- Week 4: go over training for reception, technicians, and the warehouse, and run a complete test with a real order.
If you still have information in spreadsheets, ask for it to be migrated into the system instead of entering it from scratch.
How much does it cost and how long does implementation take?
The price depends on users, modules, and branches, and the time depends on the size of the company, its information, and its processes. Here we explain what makes up the real cost of a system.
That’s why it’s best to start before the season. A project that kicks off with harvest around the corner competes with your operation for your team’s time.
How does SITIC Software solve it?
SITIC Software develops an ERP for heavy, agricultural, and construction equipment distributors, dealerships, workshops, and parts distributors. It’s a system built for this industry: serial number traceability, manufacturer warranties, and floor plan are included. Workshop, parts, sales, administration, and accounting work in a single system, with no double entry. You can see its solution for agricultural machinery.
An example flow in the middle of harvest
A combine comes in with a failure:
- The order opens with an inspection and photos.
- The technician diagnoses it, labor and parts are quoted, and the customer’s authorization stays on the same order.
- Inventory shows what’s in the warehouse and what’s worth buying.
- When the order closes, the customer signs digitally, the system generates the CFDI 4.0, and the costs go into the unit’s log.
SITIC also offers preventive maintenance by operating hours with alerts, and purchase suggestions based on each part’s turnover. Its implementation includes data migration, training, and adjustments, and after go-live there’s direct technical support. The average implementation takes 12 weeks.
If you want to review your workshop, schedule a 30-minute call at no cost or message us on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work for a small workshop?
It depends on your operation. The review call determines whether SITIC is right for you.
Is my current data migrated?
Yes. The implementation includes data migration, training, and adjustments.
Does it invoice from the system?
Yes. It includes CFDI 4.0 and, when a work order closes, the invoice is generated with labor, parts, and additional services.
How much does SITIC cost?
It depends on users, modules, and branches. After reviewing your operation, you receive a personalized, no-commitment proposal.
When is the best time to start?
At least three months before planting or harvest, because implementation averages 12 weeks. That way you can implement and train without pressure.