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Getting Started with MakeFlow: A Studio Management Guide

MakeFlow Team •
getting-started tutorial studio-management
Ceramic artist working at pottery wheel in bright studio

Welcome to MakeFlow!

If you’re a ceramic artist, woodworker, or maker juggling custom orders, inventory, and production schedules, you’re in the right place. MakeFlow is designed to help you spend less time on admin and more time creating.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to set up your studio profile
  • Managing your material inventory
  • Creating your first custom order
  • Tracking production through workflow stages

Step 1: Studio Setup

First, navigate to your Studio Settings and fill in your basic information:

  • Studio name
  • Work hours per day (for order scheduling)
  • Currency (EUR, GBP, USD, etc.)

This information helps MakeFlow calculate accurate timelines and pricing for your projects.

Step 2: Add Your Materials

Building a materials inventory is crucial for:

  • Tracking what you have in stock
  • Calculating material costs for orders
  • Knowing when to reorder supplies

To add a material:

  1. Go to Materials in the sidebar
  2. Click Add Material
  3. Fill in the details: name, quantity, unit, cost per unit
  4. Save and repeat for all your materials

Pro tip: Use the expense receipt scanner to quickly add materials from your supplier invoices!

Step 3: Create Products

Products are the items you make and sell. Each product should include:

  • Name and description
  • Estimated build time (hours)
  • Materials required with quantities
  • Labour cost (calculated from build time × hourly rate)

MakeFlow uses this information to:

  • Calculate total costs automatically
  • Track order health (are you on schedule?)
  • Reserve materials when orders are added to the build queue

Step 4: Your First Order

Ready to create your first order? Here’s the workflow:

  1. Click Orders → New Order
  2. Select or create a customer
  3. Add products to the order
  4. Set a due date
  5. MakeFlow calculates costs and timelines automatically

Once saved, you can add the order to your build queue to start production!

Step 5: Using the Build Queue

The build queue is your visual production board. Think of it as a Kanban board specifically designed for makers:

  • Drag orders through workflow stages
  • See material availability at a glance
  • Track order health (healthy, at-risk, overdue)
  • View estimated completion dates

Next Steps

Now that you’ve set up the basics, explore:

  • Workflow Stages: Customize stages to match your process
  • Chippy (AI Assistant): Ask Chippy to help manage your studio
  • Analytics: Track revenue, profit margins, and production efficiency

Need help? Visit our documentation or reach out to support@makeflow.xyz.

Happy making! 🎨✨