# Empower Software — Full Reference > Empower is workshop management software for jobbing manufacturers — joinery, engineering, and composite workshops across New Zealand and Australia. It combines time tracking, job management, production scheduling, and reporting into one platform, replacing whiteboards, spreadsheets, and paper timesheets with live data from the shop floor. Over 250 workshops use Empower. Founded 2002. --- ## Company - Name: Empower Software - Website: https://empowersoftware.co.nz - Contact: support@empowersoftware.co | +64 9 886 3211 - Address: 18 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand - Markets: New Zealand, Australia, North America - Customers: 250+ manufacturing workshops - Founded: 2002 --- ## Target customers - Joinery, panel, and timber workshops - Engineering and metal fabrication shops - Composite materials manufacturers (fibreglass, carbon fibre) - Company size: 1-60 staff (sweet spot: 11-20 employees) - Buyer roles: Owner/Director, Operations/Production Manager, Factory/Workshop Manager, Admin/Finance - All customers are jobbing manufacturers — businesses that quote most or all jobs, where workshop tasks vary job-to-job --- ## Core solutions ### Job Management Track every job from quote to completion. Know where each job is, who's working on it, and whether it's on budget. Replace whiteboards and spreadsheets with real-time visibility across the workshop floor. Multi-stage job routing tracks work through CNC, fitting, assembly, finishing, and QA as separate stages with individual time and cost data. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/job-management ### Time Tracking (Biometric) Staff clock in and out against jobs from any device — tablet on the shop floor, phone, or desktop. Empower uses facial recognition for biometric verification, eliminating buddy-punching (one worker clocking in for another). Every clock-in ties directly to a specific job and task, building digital timesheets automatically. GPS verification confirms workers are on-site. Accurate hours feed directly into payroll and job costing. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/time-tracking ### Production Scheduling Visual drag-and-drop scheduling that shows who's doing what and when. See capacity at a glance, allocate resources across work centres and machines, and stop double-booking. Gantt-chart production scheduling with capacity planning and work-centre load balancing. Integrates with Google Calendar and Outlook. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/scheduling ### Reporting & Analytics 200+ real-time dashboards and reports on workshop productivity, job profitability, staff utilisation, and capacity. Make decisions based on data, not gut feel. Reports cover labour cost per job, quoted vs actual analysis, staff performance, work centre utilisation, and production throughput. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/reporting --- ## Keyword-targeted solution pages ### Job Costing Software Job costing software is a system that captures every cost incurred during a manufacturing job — labour, materials, overheads, and subcontractor charges — and compares the total against the original quote in real time. Empower does this automatically: biometric clock-ins capture labour, materials are logged at the point of use, and the system multiplies hours by loaded rates to produce a live quoted-vs-actual picture on every job. How Empower calculates job costs (step by step): 1. Set your loaded labour rate (base wage + ACC/super + overheads, divided by productive hours) 2. Workers clock onto jobs biometrically — time is captured automatically 3. Materials and consumables are logged against each job as they are used 4. Empower multiplies hours by rates and adds material costs in real time 5. Quoted vs actual comparison is live on every open job — visible before the job ships Key differentiators: - Live quoted-vs-actual on every open job - Automatic labour capture via biometric clock-in (no manual entry) - Material cost tracking at point of use - Loaded rate calculations (not just base wage) - Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB integration for cost sync - Historical cost data improves future quoting accuracy URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/job-costing-software ### Workshop Management Software Workshop management software is a system that coordinates production, people, and data across a manufacturing shop floor — combining job tracking, time capture, scheduling, and reporting so workshop owners run the floor off facts, not guesswork. Empower covers all four functions in one platform and is purpose-built for jobbing manufacturers. What sets Empower apart from field-service tools: - Biometric clock-in (facial recognition + GPS) — not card swipes or PINs - Shop floor display boards — large screens show live job status to floor staff - Deep integrations — Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB, Google Calendar, Outlook - Productivity guarantee — measurable improvements or continued support - On-site implementation — Empower's team configures the system in your workshop - Quoted-vs-actual job costing — live, not end-of-month URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/workshop-management-software ### Shop Floor Data Collection Shop floor data collection is the process of capturing production information — who is working, on what job, at which stage, for how long — directly from the manufacturing floor in real time, rather than reconstructing it from memory or paper timesheets after the fact. What gets captured at every clock-in: - Who: biometric-verified worker identity - What job: the specific job they are working on - What task: the production stage (CNC, fitting, assembly, finishing, QA) - How long: start and stop times, automatically calculated - Where: GPS-verified location (for multi-site workshops) - Against budget: live comparison to quoted hours URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/shop-floor-software ### Biometric Time Clock Empower's biometric time clock uses facial recognition to verify workers at clock-in — then ties their time directly to jobs and tasks. No cards, no PINs, no buddy-punching. Workers walk up to a tablet or screen, select their name, and facial recognition verifies their identity in under a second. They pick their job and task, and the clock starts. The whole process takes 3-5 seconds. Features: - Facial recognition — contactless, fast, impossible to fake - GPS verification — confirms workers are on-site - Tied to jobs — workers don't just clock in for the day, they clock onto specific jobs and tasks - No buddy-punching — biometric verification means only the right person can clock in - Works on any device — tablets, phones, PCs (most workshops use a wall-mounted tablet) - Privacy-compliant — facial templates (not photos) encrypted at rest and in transit, complies with NZ Privacy Act 2020 and Australia's Privacy Act 1988 URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/biometric-time-clock --- ## Industries served ### Joinery & Timber Purpose-built for joiners, cabinet makers, kitchen manufacturers, and timber workshops who need to track job progress, manage production stages, and keep projects on schedule. Empower has been shaped over 20+ years largely by kitchen and joinery makers. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/joinery ### Engineering & Metal Fabrication Designed for engineering workshops and metal fabricators managing complex jobs with multiple stages, materials, and team members. Handles stainless, alloy, structural steel, and general engineering workflows. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/engineering ### Composite Materials Built for composite manufacturers (fibreglass, carbon fibre, advanced composites) who need precise time tracking, material management, and production scheduling for layup, curing, and finishing processes. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/composite-materials ### Windows & Doors For timber and aluminium window and door manufacturers tracking every frame, sash, and unit from cut list through glazing to dispatch. Proven at Versalite (40% productivity gain) and McNaughton Timber Windows & Doors (20% faster job times). URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/windows-doors ### Sheet Metal Fabrication For high-mix sheet metal shops running laser, fold, weld, and finish. Cost-per-job on every job, machine vs. labour time split, and live priorities. Arlo Express Sheetmetals grew from 10 to 200+ staff on Empower. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/sheet-metal ### Steel Fabrication & Welding For structural, stainless, and general fabrication shops. Tender from real labour history, log variations as they happen, and route jobs through cut, weld, machine, blast, and paint. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/steel-fabrication ### Kitchens & Cabinet Making For kitchen manufacturers and cabinet makers tracking every carcass, bench, and install pack. Montage Kitchens manufactures 20% faster; Peppertree Furniture gained 46% productivity in 10 weeks. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/kitchen-cabinet-making ### Boat Building & Marine For alloy and fibreglass boat builders and refit yards. Weekly actual-vs-budget on long builds, per-trade labour tracking, and variation capture. Makaira Boats grew production 6x; McMullen & Wing lifted productivity 38%. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/boat-building ### Trailers & Agricultural Equipment For trailer, stock crate, and farm machinery manufacturers mixing production runs with custom builds. Compass Trailers lifted productivity 30%; Landquip banks $67,500 a year in ROI. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/trailer-manufacturing ### CNC Machining For CNC and precision machine shops. Setup time split from run time, operators tracked across machines, and repeat work quoted from historical actuals. Tricon Drilling Solutions cut labour costs 20%. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/cnc-machining ### Furniture Manufacturing For commercial seating, panel furniture, and bespoke furniture makers. Labour captured piece by piece. Comseat saved $120k a year in wages while lifting output. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/furniture-manufacturing ### Plastics Manufacturing For plastic component machining, forming, and fabrication. Machine-paced and labour-paced work costed separately, with direct integration to systems like SAP and Xero. Strata Precision Plastics gained 25% factory productivity. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/plastics ### Glass & Glazing Glazing business software for glass shops and glaziers. Quote glass jobs from real labour data, track panes through processing and glazing, and schedule install crews alongside the factory. Versalite (aluminium glazing) lifted productivity 40%; McNaughton cut job times 20%. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industries/glass-glazing --- ## Competitor comparisons Empower is purpose-built for manufacturing shop floors. The competitors below are field-service tools built for trades that send workers to customer sites. Both categories manage jobs and time, but for fundamentally different workflows. ### Empower vs simPRO simPRO is field-service management software for trades (plumbers, electricians, HVAC). Best fit: multi-site service businesses with 20+ field technicians who need field quoting, dispatching, and asset management. Empower is better if your team works on a shop floor, you track time against manufacturing jobs, and you need biometric clock-in, production scheduling, and live job costing. Key differences: Empower has biometric time clock, production Gantt scheduling, live job costing from floor data, work centre tracking, on-site implementation, and productivity guarantee. simPRO has field quoting and invoicing, asset/equipment management. Both integrate with Xero and MYOB. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/empower-vs-simpro ### Empower vs Tradify Tradify is a NZ-built job management app for small trades businesses (under 15 people). Best fit: trades sending workers to sites who need on-the-go quoting and invoicing from a phone. Empower is better for multi-stage manufacturing production with work centres, biometric time tracking, and 200+ reports. Key differences: Empower has biometric clock, production scheduling, 200+ reports, multi-stage job tracking. Tradify has mobile quoting and on-the-go invoicing for field work. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/empower-vs-tradify ### Empower vs Jobber Jobber is field-service management software for home-service businesses (landscapers, cleaners, HVAC). Best fit: businesses needing client-facing scheduling, online booking, and payment collection. Empower is better for manufacturing workshops where jobs go through multiple production stages on a shop floor. Key differences: Empower has biometric clock, production scheduling, multi-stage job routing, work centre tracking. Jobber has client booking portal and online payment collection. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/empower-vs-jobber ### Empower vs Fergus Fergus is a NZ-built job management platform for trades (plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers). Best fit: NZ trades needing compliance documentation (H&S, site diaries), field quoting, and invoicing. Empower is better for manufacturing workshops with production stages, biometric clock-in, and 200+ manufacturing reports. Key differences: Empower has biometric clock, production Gantt scheduling, 200+ reports, multi-stage job routing. Fergus has H&S compliance tools and field quoting/invoicing. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/empower-vs-fergus ### Empower vs WorkGuru WorkGuru is Australian SMB job management software (job tracking, CRM, stock control as a paid add-on) serving fabrication, construction, and trades. Empower is built solely for jobbing manufacturers: biometric floor clock-in, live actual-vs-quoted hours, production scheduling, 200+ manufacturing reports, all core modules in one price, and a written 20-40% productivity guarantee. WorkGuru's published pricing is A$350/month for 10 users plus add-ons; guided implementation is A$3,500 - Empower's hands-on setup costs far less. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/empower-vs-workguru ### Best Job Management Software for Manufacturing A roundup comparing five tools for manufacturing workshops: 1. Empower — purpose-built for manufacturing shop floors (biometric clock-in, production scheduling, live job costing, 200+ reports) 2. simPRO — best for large field-service operations 3. Tradify — best for small NZ trades 4. Jobber — best for home-service businesses 5. Fergus — best for NZ trades needing H&S compliance URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/best-job-management-software-for-manufacturing --- ## Integration / switch pages ### Xero Job Costing Xero handles invoicing and accounts but does not track labour time against individual jobs, capture materials at point of use, or provide live quoted-vs-actual cost data. Empower fills that gap: biometric clock-ins on the shop floor capture labour, materials are logged as they're used, and the system syncs completed job costs back to Xero automatically. The gap Xero leaves: - No per-job labour tracking from the floor - No live quoted-vs-actual comparison - No production scheduling - No biometric time verification How Empower + Xero work together: 1. Jobs are created in Empower with quoted hours and materials 2. Workers clock onto jobs biometrically on the shop floor 3. Empower calculates live job costs (labour x loaded rates + materials) 4. Completed job costs sync back to Xero for invoicing and reporting URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/xero-job-costing ### Job Costing Spreadsheet Alternative Many workshops start with spreadsheets for job costing but hit limits as they grow. Common spreadsheet problems: data entered after the fact (not in real time), formula errors compound silently, version control issues, no connection to the shop floor, manual timesheet entry is slow and inaccurate. Empower replaces the spreadsheet with automatic data capture from the floor — biometric clock-ins feed hours directly into job cost calculations, eliminating manual entry and the errors that come with it. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/job-costing-spreadsheet-alternative --- ## Pricing Empower offers three tiers, priced per user per month and banded by staff count: - Essential — Core time tracking and job management for smaller workshops getting started - Core — Adds scheduling, reporting, and integrations for growing teams - Pro — Full platform with advanced analytics, custom workflows, and priority support Get an instant quote: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/pricing Book a demo: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/book-a-call --- ## Integrations Empower connects with the tools workshops already use: - Accounting: Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB - Calendar: Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook - ERP: Direct integrations available (e.g. SAP — see Allflex case study) - More integrations: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/our-partners --- ## Productivity guarantee Empower backs its product with a productivity guarantee — if your workshop doesn't see measurable productivity improvements, they'll work with you until you do. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/productivity-guarantee --- ## Case studies Real results from manufacturing workshops using Empower: - Arlo Express Sheetmetals (sheet metal) — 25% faster job times, grew from 10 to 200+ staff - Peppertree Furniture (furniture/panel) — 46% productivity gain in 10 weeks, $200k/yr extra profit - EDS Engineering (general engineering) — 30% reduction in labour cost per job - Composite Group (fibreglass boats) — 38% productivity increase, same output with 18 staff instead of 25 - Manta Marine (stainless/alloy fabrication) — 30% reduction in labour hours per job - Landquip Engineering (agricultural equipment) — $67,500/yr ROI, 20% faster manufacturing, 50% less downtime - Makaira Boats (aluminium boats) — 6x total production growth - Montage Kitchens (kitchens) — 20% faster kitchen manufacturing, 22 years on Empower - Halswell Timber (timber/panel) — 25% factory productivity increase = 25% more daily revenue - Versalite Windows and Doors (aluminium windows) — 40% productivity increase, $96k/yr saved in wages, 13 years on Empower - Continental Stairs (timber stairs) — 20% factory productivity increase in year 1 - Strata Precision Plastics (plastic components) — 25% productivity increase in 2 years - Allflex Livestock (electronic products) — 25% reduction in labour times, SAP integration - Comseat Furniture (furniture) — $120k saved in wages, 2 fewer FTEs, more output - Compass Trailers (car trailers) — 30% increase in productivity - McMullen & Wing (superyachts) — 38% increase in productivity, weeks of data entry reduced to minutes - Tricon Drilling Solutions (mechanical components) — 20% reduction in labour costs - McNaughton Windows and Doors (timber windows) — 20% reduction in job times All case studies: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/case-studies --- ## Blog / Industry guides ### How to Calculate Job Costs in Manufacturing Step-by-step guide with a worked example (stainless steel handrail, $8,200 quote). Covers loaded labour rates, material tracking, overhead allocation, and how to compare quoted vs actual costs. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/how-to-calculate-job-costs ### Whiteboard vs Scheduling Software Honest comparison of whiteboard scheduling vs digital tools. Covers when a whiteboard still works (under 5 staff, simple job flow), when to switch (missed deadlines, double-booking, no capacity visibility), and what scheduling software adds (Gantt views, capacity planning, calendar sync). URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/whiteboard-vs-scheduling-software ### How to Track Labour Costs in a Workshop Practical guide covering loaded labour rates, paper timesheet problems, the difference between productive and non-productive hours, and 5 key metrics every workshop should track (cost per productive hour, labour as % of revenue, utilisation rate, quoted vs actual hours, overtime ratio). URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/track-labour-costs-workshop ### Job Costing Software with Xero Integration What NZ manufacturers need to know about connecting job costing to Xero. Covers the gap between Xero's accounting and shop-floor job costing, what integration looks like, and what to look for in a solution. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/job-costing-software-xero-integration-nz ### Signs Your Joinery Shop Has Outgrown Spreadsheets Five signs a joinery shop needs to move from spreadsheets to purpose-built software: scheduling conflicts, manual data re-entry, no live job visibility, quoting from gut feel, and growing admin overhead. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/joinery-shop-management-software-nz ### The True Cost of Not Tracking Time Quantifies five hidden cost leaks in an engineering workshop that doesn't track time: unbilled hours, inaccurate quoting, invisible downtime, payroll errors, and margin erosion. Estimates $224k-$261k/yr impact on a 10-person, $2M-revenue shop. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/time-tracking-engineering-workshop-nz ### Workshop Scheduling and Bottlenecks How bottlenecks form in manufacturing workshops and how scheduling software identifies and prevents them before they damage margins. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/workshop-scheduling-software-nz ### How to Reduce Labour Costs with Time Tracking How workshops achieve 20-40% labour cost reductions through accurate time tracking, with examples from real Empower customers. URL: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/blog/workshop-time-tracking-software-nz --- ## Frequently asked questions ### What types of businesses use Empower? Empower is designed for jobbing manufacturers — workshops that quote most or all of their jobs and where tasks vary from job to job. This includes joinery shops, engineering and metal fabrication workshops, and composite manufacturers, typically with 1-60 staff. ### How does Empower differ from field-service tools like simPRO, Tradify, or Fergus? Field-service tools are built for trades that send workers to customer sites — plumbers, electricians, builders. They manage jobs by site visit. Empower is built for manufacturers who work on a shop floor — it manages jobs by production stage, captures time biometrically, and provides live quoted-vs-actual job costing. The workflows are fundamentally different. ### What is job costing software? Job costing software captures every cost incurred during a manufacturing job — labour hours, materials, overheads, and subcontractor charges — and compares the total against the original quote in real time. This gives workshop owners a live picture of which jobs are profitable and which are bleeding money, while the job is still on the floor. ### How does Empower's biometric time clock work? Workers walk up to a tablet or screen and select their name. Facial recognition verifies their identity in under a second. They pick their job and task, and the clock starts. The whole process takes 3-5 seconds. Facial templates (not photos) are encrypted and stored securely. ### What about privacy with biometric data? Empower stores encrypted facial templates, not photos. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit. The system complies with New Zealand's Privacy Act 2020 and Australia's Privacy Act 1988. Workers are informed and consent before enrolment. ### Does Empower integrate with accounting software? Yes. Empower integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, and MYOB to sync job costs, time entries, and invoicing data. Job costs calculated on the floor flow directly into your accounting system. ### What size business is Empower best for? The sweet spot is 11-20 employees, but Empower works for workshops from 1 to 60 staff. Most customers start with time tracking and expand into scheduling and reporting as they grow. ### Is Empower available outside New Zealand? Yes. Empower serves customers across New Zealand, Australia, and North America. Around 60% of revenue comes from Australian customers. ### How long does implementation take? Typical go-live is 2-4 weeks. Empower's team handles configuration, data setup, and on-site staff training. The system is designed so workshop staff can be clocking onto jobs within days of starting. ### What is the productivity guarantee? Empower guarantees measurable productivity improvements for your workshop. If you don't see results, they continue working with you until you do. Details at https://empowersoftware.co.nz/productivity-guarantee ### Do I need special hardware for biometric clock-in? No. Empower's biometric clock-in runs on any device with a front-facing camera — a standard Android tablet, iPad, or PC with a webcam. Most workshops mount a tablet at the workshop entrance or near the floor-entry point. ### How does Empower differ from an ERP? ERPs are enterprise-wide systems that cover procurement, inventory, HR, and finance. Empower focuses specifically on the shop floor — time tracking, job costing, scheduling, and production reporting. It's narrower in scope but much deeper for the manufacturing floor, and typically costs a fraction of an ERP with a much faster implementation. ### Can Empower replace spreadsheets for job costing? Yes. Many workshops start with spreadsheets but switch when they hit limits — data entered after the fact, formula errors, version conflicts, no connection to the shop floor. Empower replaces the spreadsheet with automatic data capture: biometric clock-ins feed hours directly into job cost calculations, eliminating manual entry. --- ## Key pages - Homepage: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/ - How it works: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/how-it-works - Pricing & instant quote: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/pricing - Book a demo: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/book-a-call - Contact: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/contact - Productivity guarantee: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/productivity-guarantee - About us: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/about-us - Expert testimonials: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/expert-testimonials - Partner integrations: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/our-partners - Case studies: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/case-studies - Blog: https://empowersoftware.co.nz/industryinsights