Empower
Workshop Management Software

One system to run your entire workshop floor.

Empower is workshop management software built for jobbing manufacturers. 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.

Empower workshop management dashboard showing live job and staff data
Why Empower

Built for the shop floor, not the field.

Most workshop owners compare Empower against field-service tools like Jobber, Tradify, or simPRO. The difference: Empower is designed for manufacturers who work on a shop floor, not trades who work on-site.

Biometric Time Clock

Facial recognition and GPS eliminate buddy-punching and time fraud. Only the right person clocks in.

Shop Floor Displays

Workers see job info, drawings, and targets on floor-mounted screens — no trips to the office.

Xero, MYOB & Payroll Sync

Timesheets and job costs flow straight into your accounting and payroll software.

Productivity Guarantee

20–40% productivity gains in your first year, or Empower keeps supporting you free until you see them.

On-Site Implementation

Empower's team configures, trains, and supports on your floor — not from a call centre.

Quoted vs Actual Analysis

Compare every job's quoted hours against real floor data so your next quote is tighter.

Workshops using Empower see 20–40% productivity gains in year one.

Backed by the Empower Productivity Guarantee — if you don't see the gains, we keep supporting you free until you do.

FAQs

Common questions about workshop management software.

What is workshop management software?
Workshop management software is a system that runs the operational side of a manufacturing workshop — tracking time, managing jobs, scheduling production, and reporting on performance. It replaces whiteboards, paper timesheets, and spreadsheets with live digital data from the shop floor.
Who is Empower built for?
Empower is built for jobbing manufacturers with 5–50 staff — workshops that make things to order rather than running continuous production lines. It's used by joinery shops, engineering workshops, and composite manufacturers across New Zealand and Australia.
How is Empower different from field-service software like Jobber or Tradify?
Jobber, Tradify, Fergus, and simPRO are built for trades that work on-site (plumbers, electricians, builders). Empower is built for workshops — manufacturers who work on a shop floor. The workflow, scheduling, and costing are fundamentally different. Empower tracks time against jobs and work centres, not against site visits.
What integrations does Empower support?
Empower integrates with Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, and major NZ/AU payroll providers for timesheets and job costs. It also connects with Cabinet Vision, Microvellum, and other CAD systems for joinery, plus Salesforce and Cin7 for CRM and inventory.
How long does implementation take?
Most workshops are live within 7 days. Empower's team comes to your shop, configures the system to match your workflow, trains your staff, and stays until the process sticks. No generic templates — it's set up to the way your shop actually runs.
Success Stories

Empowering over 250 businesses

Arlo Express Sheetmetals

25% Faster Average Job Times

A 10-person sheet metal shop grew to 200 staff and $15M+ revenue without losing grip on margin — live time tracking on the floor cut average job times by 25%.

Read the story

46% Productivity Increase in 10 Weeks

Ten weeks in, factory productivity was up 46%. Three years on it had doubled — gains that compounded into roughly $200k a year in extra profit.

Read the story
EDS Engineering

30% Reduction in Job Costs

After comparing options nationwide and overseas, EDS chose Empower. Real-time visibility on times and jobs cut labour cost per job by an average of 30%.

Read the story
Composite Group

38% Productivity Increase

Same weekly output, fewer hands: the floor shrank from 25 to 18 staff and productivity climbed 38% — plus a meaningful annual wage saving.

Read the story

30% Reduction in Labour Times

Manta Marine swapped manual tracking for live visibility of every task — labour hours per job dropped 30% immediately, and they say costs would jump straight back if they turned the system off.

Read the story
Landquip Engineering

$67,500 Return on Investment

Landquip recovered $67,500 a year by replacing manual timesheets across 15 staff. Touchscreens on the floor cut manufacturing times 20% and downtime 50%.

Read the story

6x Total Production Growth

Workshop displays paired with Empower let Makaira reshape their production line and cut non-value-added labour — driving a six-fold lift in total production.

Read the story
Montage Kitchens

20% Faster Kitchen Manufacturing

Live, accurate time data on workshop screens makes every kitchen maker accountable — Montage estimate they'd go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture their kitchens without Empower.

Read the story

25% Factory Productivity Increase

More production out the door each day — same staff, same hours. Halswell Timber's production manager credits Empower with a 25% lift, which translates directly to 25% more daily revenue.

Read the story
Versalite Windows and Doors

40% Increase in Productivity

13 years on Empower, $96,000 a year saved in wages, and a 40% lift in staff and factory productivity — Versalite use daily Empower reports to keep their single biggest production cost (labour) under control.

Read the story
Continental Stairs

20% Factory Productivity Increase

Continental Stairs saw an immediate 20% productivity lift in their first year — by handing their floor staff the reporting tools to manage their own times and bring jobs in on budget.

Read the story

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

By moving to a job-and-staff management system with the reporting depth to back it up, Strata achieved a 25% productivity lift in their first two years on Empower.

Read the story

25% Reduction in Labour Times

Allflex integrated their SAP system directly with Empower — every new order instantly available for scheduling — and replaced manual spreadsheets with budgeted-time task plans. The result: a 25% reduction in labour times.

Read the story
Comseat Furniture

$120k Saved in Employee Wages

Comseat lifted weekly output while shrinking the floor by two full-time roles — turning the workshop into a high-margin revenue engine where every hour of labour is accounted for and profitable.

Read the story
Compass Trailers

30% Increase in Productivity

Compass replaced manual systems with live floor visibility — letting management identify bottlenecks and keep staff on the highest-priority task. Output rose 30% with no extra overhead.

Read the story
McMullen & Wing

38% Increase in Productivity

A world-class superyacht builder replaced paper-based tracking with Empower — instant feedback on job status and performance, and weeks of manual data entry shrunk to minutes.

Read the story

20% Reduction in Labour Costs

Tricon use Empower for real-time transparency on job status, time on jobs, and labour cost — improving scheduling, sharpening future quotes, and stopping cost blowouts before they happen.

Read the story
McNaughton Timber Windows and Doors

20% Reduction in Job Times

Digital job tracking gave McNaughton's a live, minute-by-minute view of which staff are on which jobs — eliminating manual status checks and keeping every job on its budgeted timeline.

Read the story
Arlo Express Sheetmetals

25% Faster Average Job Times

A 10-person sheet metal shop grew to 200 staff and $15M+ revenue without losing grip on margin — live time tracking on the floor cut average job times by 25%.

Read the story

46% Productivity Increase in 10 Weeks

Ten weeks in, factory productivity was up 46%. Three years on it had doubled — gains that compounded into roughly $200k a year in extra profit.

Read the story
EDS Engineering

30% Reduction in Job Costs

After comparing options nationwide and overseas, EDS chose Empower. Real-time visibility on times and jobs cut labour cost per job by an average of 30%.

Read the story
Composite Group

38% Productivity Increase

Same weekly output, fewer hands: the floor shrank from 25 to 18 staff and productivity climbed 38% — plus a meaningful annual wage saving.

Read the story

30% Reduction in Labour Times

Manta Marine swapped manual tracking for live visibility of every task — labour hours per job dropped 30% immediately, and they say costs would jump straight back if they turned the system off.

Read the story
Landquip Engineering

$67,500 Return on Investment

Landquip recovered $67,500 a year by replacing manual timesheets across 15 staff. Touchscreens on the floor cut manufacturing times 20% and downtime 50%.

Read the story

6x Total Production Growth

Workshop displays paired with Empower let Makaira reshape their production line and cut non-value-added labour — driving a six-fold lift in total production.

Read the story
Montage Kitchens

20% Faster Kitchen Manufacturing

Live, accurate time data on workshop screens makes every kitchen maker accountable — Montage estimate they'd go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture their kitchens without Empower.

Read the story

25% Factory Productivity Increase

More production out the door each day — same staff, same hours. Halswell Timber's production manager credits Empower with a 25% lift, which translates directly to 25% more daily revenue.

Read the story
Versalite Windows and Doors

40% Increase in Productivity

13 years on Empower, $96,000 a year saved in wages, and a 40% lift in staff and factory productivity — Versalite use daily Empower reports to keep their single biggest production cost (labour) under control.

Read the story
Continental Stairs

20% Factory Productivity Increase

Continental Stairs saw an immediate 20% productivity lift in their first year — by handing their floor staff the reporting tools to manage their own times and bring jobs in on budget.

Read the story

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

By moving to a job-and-staff management system with the reporting depth to back it up, Strata achieved a 25% productivity lift in their first two years on Empower.

Read the story

25% Reduction in Labour Times

Allflex integrated their SAP system directly with Empower — every new order instantly available for scheduling — and replaced manual spreadsheets with budgeted-time task plans. The result: a 25% reduction in labour times.

Read the story
Comseat Furniture

$120k Saved in Employee Wages

Comseat lifted weekly output while shrinking the floor by two full-time roles — turning the workshop into a high-margin revenue engine where every hour of labour is accounted for and profitable.

Read the story
Compass Trailers

30% Increase in Productivity

Compass replaced manual systems with live floor visibility — letting management identify bottlenecks and keep staff on the highest-priority task. Output rose 30% with no extra overhead.

Read the story
McMullen & Wing

38% Increase in Productivity

A world-class superyacht builder replaced paper-based tracking with Empower — instant feedback on job status and performance, and weeks of manual data entry shrunk to minutes.

Read the story

20% Reduction in Labour Costs

Tricon use Empower for real-time transparency on job status, time on jobs, and labour cost — improving scheduling, sharpening future quotes, and stopping cost blowouts before they happen.

Read the story
McNaughton Timber Windows and Doors

20% Reduction in Job Times

Digital job tracking gave McNaughton's a live, minute-by-minute view of which staff are on which jobs — eliminating manual status checks and keeping every job on its budgeted timeline.

Read the story
Arlo Express Sheetmetals

25% Faster Average Job Times

A 10-person sheet metal shop grew to 200 staff and $15M+ revenue without losing grip on margin — live time tracking on the floor cut average job times by 25%.

Read the story

46% Productivity Increase in 10 Weeks

Ten weeks in, factory productivity was up 46%. Three years on it had doubled — gains that compounded into roughly $200k a year in extra profit.

Read the story
EDS Engineering

30% Reduction in Job Costs

After comparing options nationwide and overseas, EDS chose Empower. Real-time visibility on times and jobs cut labour cost per job by an average of 30%.

Read the story
Composite Group

38% Productivity Increase

Same weekly output, fewer hands: the floor shrank from 25 to 18 staff and productivity climbed 38% — plus a meaningful annual wage saving.

Read the story

30% Reduction in Labour Times

Manta Marine swapped manual tracking for live visibility of every task — labour hours per job dropped 30% immediately, and they say costs would jump straight back if they turned the system off.

Read the story
Landquip Engineering

$67,500 Return on Investment

Landquip recovered $67,500 a year by replacing manual timesheets across 15 staff. Touchscreens on the floor cut manufacturing times 20% and downtime 50%.

Read the story

6x Total Production Growth

Workshop displays paired with Empower let Makaira reshape their production line and cut non-value-added labour — driving a six-fold lift in total production.

Read the story
Montage Kitchens

20% Faster Kitchen Manufacturing

Live, accurate time data on workshop screens makes every kitchen maker accountable — Montage estimate they'd go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture their kitchens without Empower.

Read the story

25% Factory Productivity Increase

More production out the door each day — same staff, same hours. Halswell Timber's production manager credits Empower with a 25% lift, which translates directly to 25% more daily revenue.

Read the story
Versalite Windows and Doors

40% Increase in Productivity

13 years on Empower, $96,000 a year saved in wages, and a 40% lift in staff and factory productivity — Versalite use daily Empower reports to keep their single biggest production cost (labour) under control.

Read the story
Continental Stairs

20% Factory Productivity Increase

Continental Stairs saw an immediate 20% productivity lift in their first year — by handing their floor staff the reporting tools to manage their own times and bring jobs in on budget.

Read the story

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

By moving to a job-and-staff management system with the reporting depth to back it up, Strata achieved a 25% productivity lift in their first two years on Empower.

Read the story

25% Reduction in Labour Times

Allflex integrated their SAP system directly with Empower — every new order instantly available for scheduling — and replaced manual spreadsheets with budgeted-time task plans. The result: a 25% reduction in labour times.

Read the story
Comseat Furniture

$120k Saved in Employee Wages

Comseat lifted weekly output while shrinking the floor by two full-time roles — turning the workshop into a high-margin revenue engine where every hour of labour is accounted for and profitable.

Read the story
Compass Trailers

30% Increase in Productivity

Compass replaced manual systems with live floor visibility — letting management identify bottlenecks and keep staff on the highest-priority task. Output rose 30% with no extra overhead.

Read the story
McMullen & Wing

38% Increase in Productivity

A world-class superyacht builder replaced paper-based tracking with Empower — instant feedback on job status and performance, and weeks of manual data entry shrunk to minutes.

Read the story

20% Reduction in Labour Costs

Tricon use Empower for real-time transparency on job status, time on jobs, and labour cost — improving scheduling, sharpening future quotes, and stopping cost blowouts before they happen.

Read the story
McNaughton Timber Windows and Doors

20% Reduction in Job Times

Digital job tracking gave McNaughton's a live, minute-by-minute view of which staff are on which jobs — eliminating manual status checks and keeping every job on its budgeted timeline.

Read the story

Ready to run your workshop on data, not gut feel?

Plug your workshop's numbers into the calculator. See what Empower could save you in your first six months.