Apr. 17, 2023
ERP

Sales, purchasing, and accounting functions are now also managed using Priority

Country:

United Kingdom

Partner:

Medatech UK

Key results at a glance

500+

parts managed centrally

100%

spreadsheet elimination

90%

faster parts retrieval

About Ionoptika

Founded in 1994 and based in Eastleigh, Hampshire, Ionoptika is a leading provider of ion beam technologies for surface analysis and nanofabrication. Its custom SIMS cluster-ion-beam instruments involve over 500 unique parts in complex subassemblies, all manufactured by UK subcontractors.

The Challenge

The challenge

Before moving to Priority, Ionoptika relied on hundreds of Excel spreadsheets to track production, BOMs, and stock. This manual setup caused many issues including:

  • Misconfigurations and rework due to poor BOM control 
  • Delayed manufacturing and purchasing from inaccurate inventory data 
  • Hours lost searching for parts across the facility
  • Blocked growth as spreadsheet breakdowns halted operations

“Managing production via a huge number of Excel spreadsheets became increasingly difficult to control. It caused significant problems with configuration control, BOM management, and stock control, which clearly was a block to the company's growth.”

Tony Adams, Engineering Director.

The Solution

The solution

Ionoptika decided to partner with Medatech UK to deploy Priority ERP's cloud-based system, customizable via a web interface on desktop and mobile devices. The project unfolded in several stages:

1. Data migration and master-data cleansing

  • All 500+ part records, BOMs, routings, and supplier details were imported from spreadsheets into Priority's centralized database
  • Redundant and inconsistent entries were cleaned up, ensuring a single source of truth for every component and subassembly

2. Custom workflow configuration

  • Tailored workflows were built for purchase-to-pay, production order creation, and stock adjustments mirroring Ionoptika's existing processes but executed entirely within Priority.
  • Role-based screens were configured so procurement agents, shop-floor engineers, and account managers each see only the field and actions relevant to their tasks.

3. Integrated sales & CRM

  • Priority's CRM module was activated to capture and track incoming sales prospects through to order fulfillment providing full visibility on quotation, order status, and customer communications. 

4. Real-time inventory & production control

  • Parts issue and receipt transactions automatically update stock levels, enabling accurate material-availability checks before job release. 
  • Production orders generated in ERP include complete BOM details, routing steps and labor allocations streamlining shop-floor execution. 

5. Rapid onboarding & mobile access

  • Medatech UK provided hands-on training and documentation, bringing users up to speed in days, not weeks. 
  • The Web UI works on any device, letting engineers and managers check part availability, update order statuses, or approve purchase requests from the factory floor or on the go. 

Because the system can be customized by Ionoptika's super-users, without external IT support, new processes and reports are added in minutes.

The Results

The results

Since rolling out Priority ERP, Ionoptika has centralized parts and BOM management, eliminated all spreadsheet reliance, and integrated sales, purchasing, manufacturing, and accounting into one consistent workflow. Parts lookup time plummeted from hours to seconds, stock accuracy improved dramatically, and the company now captures and converts sales opportunities faster than ever.

The stats: Before and After Priority

Metric
Before Priority
After Priority

BOM & parts management

Before Priority
After Priority

100% in spreadsheets

100% in ERP

Parts lookup time

Before Priority
After Priority

Hours per item

Seconds per item

Stock accuracy

Before Priority
After Priority

Manual, error-prone

Real-time synchronization

Sales/purchasing/accounting

Before Priority
After Priority

Disconnected systems

Fully-integrated ERP

Sales prospects tracked

Before Priority
After Priority

Ad hoc

CRM module

  • Every part and BOM revision is now auditable in Priority, preventing misconfigurations and rework. 
  • Automatic stock updates avoid stockouts and reduce excess inventory, streamlining purchasing and production planning. 
  • Purchase orders, manufacturing orders, and invoices flow through a single system, accelerating approvals and financial close. 
  • The CRM module delivers clear visibility into sales opportunities, boosting prospect-to-order conversion rates.

With Priority ERP, Ionoptika has torn down data silos, accelerated operational processes, and built a scalable foundation for future growth, empowering its team to focus on innovation rather than spreadsheet maintenance.

“Priority was one of several ERP solutions we evaluated. From the start, its flexible infrastructure made it clear this was the right choice for our business.”

Tony Adams, Engineering Director.

See how Priority works for you