Help & Tutorials

Your business profile stores the company information that will carry through to your production orders.

How to set it up

1. Open Settings from your Seam Allowance account.
2. Find the Business Profile section.
3. Enter your business information.
4. Upload your business logo, if you have one.
5. Review the information, then select Save.

Tutorial timestamp: 00:25

Tags help Seam Allowance connect your materials and styles to the correct inventory. Create your tags before adding fabrics and styles so those records can use the information already in your library.

How to add a tag

1. Open Library, then select Tags.
2. Choose the tag type you want to create: Brand, Content, or Size.
3. Enter the name and any other information requested for that tag type.
4. Add the cost per unit when it applies.
5. Set a low-stock threshold. Seam Allowance will alert you when the quantity falls below this number.
6. Add a supplier or note if useful. These fields are optional.
7. Select Add Tag.

Choosing a tag type

Tutorial timestamp: 00:44

Add each fabric to your library so Seam Allowance can use its details when you plan production and estimate material requirements.

Before you begin

Have the fabric name, supplier, fibre content, colourway, width, unit of measure, cutting direction, and cost ready if possible.

How to add a fabric

1. Open Library, then select Fabrics.
2. Enter a clear name for the fabric.
3. Add the supplier, if known.
4. Select the correct content tag. This connects the fabric to its fibre-content label.
5. Enter the colourway.
6. Enter the fabric width as accurately as possible.
7. Select the unit used to purchase and track the fabric, such as metres.
8. Choose one-way or two-way cutting.
9. Enter the fabric cost per unit.
10. Add the roll size if you track it. This field is optional.
11. Select Add Fabric.

Tutorial timestamp: 03:19

Seam Allowance uses fabric width and cutting direction to create a more realistic estimate of how much fabric a style may require.

Fabric width

The style’s fabric yield is based on a standard fabric width. In the tutorial, the standard range is approximately 50 to 60 inches. When a selected fabric is narrower, Seam Allowance increases the estimated requirement to account for the reduced cutting area.

For example, if a style uses 1 metre per piece at the standard width, choosing a much narrower fabric will increase the estimated amount per piece.

Cutting direction

Tutorial timestamp: 04:23

Your style library contains the products you plan to manufacture. Each style stores the information Seam Allowance needs when you add that product to a project or production order.

Before you begin

Have the style number, product type, style name, cut-and-sew price, fabric yield per piece, available sizes, and brand tag ready.

How to add a style

1. Open Library, then select Styles.
2. Enter the style number or code.
3. Enter the product type and style name.
4. Add the cut-and-sew price provided by your factory.
5. Enter the fabric yield per piece for a standard-width fabric.
6. Select the sizes available for this style. These options come from the size tags you created earlier.
7. Select the appropriate brand tag.
8. Select Add Style.

Tutorial timestamp: 07:21

Adding tags and fabrics to your library creates the records Seam Allowance will use, but it does not tell the system how much stock you have. Enter your current quantities in Inventory before planning production.

Enter your tag stock

1. Open Inventory, then go to Tag Stock.
2. Review the tags created in your library. New tags will initially show a quantity of zero.
3. Enter the quantity currently available for each tag.
4. Review any low-stock alerts. An alert appears when a quantity is below its threshold.
5. Save your changes.

Enter your fabric orders

1. Open the fabric-order area in Inventory.
2. Select the fabric you want to update.
3. Enter the quantity ordered or currently available using the correct unit of measure.
4. Add the total fabric cost, shipping, and taxes if available.
5. If final costs are not yet known, enter the quantity first and return later to update the costs from the invoice.
6. Save your changes, then repeat for the remaining fabrics.

Tutorial timestamp: 09:17

Add your production partner before creating a project so their information can be selected and carried into the production order.

How to add a production partner

1. Open Partners from the main navigation.
2. Choose the option to add a Production Partner rather than a supplier.
3. Enter the production contact and company information.
4. Review the details for accuracy.
5. Select Add Contact.

Tutorial timestamp: 00:18

Once your library, inventory, and production partner are ready, create a project to hold the styles, fabrics, quantities, and production-order details for the production run.

How to create a project

1. Open Projects from the main navigation.
2. Select the option to start a New Project.
3. Enter the project details shown on the form.
4. Select the appropriate Production House.
5. Confirm that the production contact information has populated correctly.
6. Continue to the styles section of the project.

Tutorial timestamp: 00:55

Pull styles and fabrics from your existing libraries, then enter an approximate piece count to perform the first availability check.

Add your styles

1. In the project, go to the Styles section.
2. Select a style from your style library.
3. Enter the retail price if you want it included in the project.
4. Select Add Style.
5. Repeat these steps for every style in the production run.

Assign fabrics and estimate quantities

1. Open the drop-down for the first style.
2. Select the fabric or fabrics that will be used for that style.
3. Enter an approximate piece count for each fabric.
4. Review any availability alert shown by Seam Allowance.
5. Repeat the process for the remaining styles.
6. Open the Fabric Ordering tab.
7. Review the estimated fabric requirement and approximate cost.

Tutorial timestamp: 01:28

Use the production-order section to add manufacturing instructions and set the final quantities by style and size. Seam Allowance will compare those quantities with your available fabric and tag inventory.

Add the production instructions

1. Open the Production Order section of the project.
2. Confirm that the correct production house has loaded.
3. Enter any tag specifications.
4. Add trim details where needed. Details can apply to the entire style when appropriate.
5. Add any other production notes.

Enter and check the quantities

1. Enter the required quantity for each style, fabric, and size combination.
2. Review the order for inventory warnings.
3. If a fabric warning appears, reduce the quantity or update the available fabric inventory.
4. If a brand, content, or size-tag warning appears, reduce the quantity or add the incoming tag stock to Inventory.
5. Return to the project after updating Inventory.
6. Confirm that the warning has cleared before continuing.

Understanding the warnings

Tutorial timestamp: 02:54

Save the order if you need to return later, then export it in the format that works best for your production partner.

Save and export

1. Save the production order before leaving the project.
2. When it is ready to share, choose Export as CSV or Export as PDF.
3. Choose PDF when you want a formatted production document.
4. Review the exported document before sending it.
5. Confirm that the business name, production-house information, project details, tag specifications, trim details, quantities, and totals are correct.
6. Download the file and send it to the production company.

Tutorial timestamp: 04:49

Complete the production order only when it is final and ready to be reflected in your inventory. Completing it deducts the required fabric and tag quantities from stock.

How to complete the order

1. Perform one final review of the styles, fabrics, sizes, quantities, and specifications.
2. Select Complete Production Order.
3. Read the confirmation warning carefully.
4. Confirm that you want to complete the order and deduct its quantities.
5. Wait for confirmation that the production order is complete and inventory has been updated.
6. Open Inventory and verify the new fabric and tag quantities.

Tutorial timestamp: 05:24