How a Young Turkish Team Built a Perfect Fit for Make-to-Order Manufacturing with 1C:Jet?

Digital transformation sounds intimidating – especially for small manufacturers. But what if you could get the power of an ERP system without the complexity, high costs, or rigid processes of traditional solutions?

That’s exactly what 1C:Jet makes possible.

What Are Low-Code Platforms and Low-Code ERP?

Low-code platforms are development environments that allow businesses to build and customize applications with minimal hand-coding. Instead of writing thousands of lines of code from scratch, developers (and even skilled business users) use visual tools, pre-built components, drag-and-drop interfaces, and configuration to create powerful systems quickly.

A low-code ERP takes this concept further. It combines the comprehensive capabilities of an Enterprise Resource Planning system – managing sales, procurement, production, costs, and finance – with the flexibility and speed of low-code development.

1C:Jet is a prime example: a completely free, open-source (MIT license) business automation solution built on the powerful 1C:Enterprise low-code platform by 1Ci. It gives companies full access to the source code, unlimited customization possibilities, and no subscription fees or vendor lock-in.

When Is a Low-Code Platform Better Than an Out-of-the-Box ERP System?

Most out-of-the-box ERP systems promise everything but often deliver frustration for small businesses, especially those with unique or make-to-order processes.

Here’s when low-code platforms like 1C:Jet clearly win for SMB:

  • Your processes don’t fit standard templates. Make-to-order manufacturing, custom machinery, or highly specific workflows rarely match generic ERP modules.

  • You want to avoid overkill. Implementing a heavy ERP with dozens of unused features creates unnecessary complexity and cost.

  • Speed and cost matter. Low-code solutions can be implemented much faster and at a fraction of the cost of traditional ERP projects.

  • Future flexibility is critical. With open source and low-code, you can easily modify, extend, or scale the system as your business evolves – without waiting for vendor updates.

  • You need tight integration between operations and costs. Especially when tracking real profitability per custom order.

In short, if your business is unique and you refuse to change your processes just to fit software, low-code ERP can be the smarter path.

How to Choose the Right Low-Code ERP Platform

Choosing a low-code platform requires balancing several factors:

  • True openness. Can you access and modify 100% of the source code?

  • Development speed. How quickly can you build custom modules?

  • Cost model. Are there hidden licensing or subscription fees?

  • Industry fit and local support. Does it support local standards or is it possible to adapt to meet them? Especially important in markets like Türkiye (e.g., e-invoicing integration with GİB).

  • Learning curve and community. Is there good documentation, training, and expert support?

  • Scalability. Can the system grow from a simple operational tool into a full ERP with inventory, advanced production, and analytics?

1C:Jet stands out because it combines a modern low-code foundation with complete openness and practical business functionality right from the start.

Who Will Implement It? The Story of SmartBase Team

Behind every successful low-code project is a capable team that understands both technology and real business needs.

SmartBase Dijital Dönüşüm is a young, dynamic team from Istanbul focused on helping companies modernize their operations through digital transformation. They specialize in process analysis, ERP implementations, business intelligence, and turning chaotic manual processes into structured, data-driven systems.

Their journey began with the 1Ci Low-Code ERP Training for Software Developers. A group of young specialists completed intensive training on the 1C:Enterprise low-code platform. Instead of stopping at theory, they took the next step: applying their newly acquired skills to real business challenges.

What started as a training program quickly evolved into a professional team capable of delivering production-grade solutions. Today, SmartBase works on digital transformation projects for manufacturing companies, combining deep process understanding with the flexibility of 1C technologies.

Their approach is practical: they start with “as-is” process analysis, identify pain points, map future workflows, and then build tailored solutions using 1C:Jet – often much faster than traditional development.

Their Success Story: Eratlar Makina

One of SmartBase’s standout projects is with Eratlar Makina, a small but highly specialized manufacturer in Istanbul.

Eratlar Makina designs and produces custom plastic injection molding machines (35 to 320 tons) on a fully make-to-order basis. With only three people on the team, they relied on Excel files, WhatsApp messages, handwritten notes, and personal experience to run the business.

The challenges were significant:

  • No visibility into real machine costs and profitability

  • Fragmented sales, procurement, and production processes

  • No structured tracking of production orders or subcontractors (CNC, coating, etc.)

  • Zero meaningful reporting or analytics

  • Operations completely disconnected from accounting

SmartBase implemented a lightweight yet powerful solution based on 1C:Jet. They built the system around a central Production Order that brings together customer details, machine specifications, timelines, purchases, and external operations.

Key outcomes included:

1. Real profitability per machine — not guesswork
All costs (materials, subcontractors, hidden expenses) are automatically captured and tied to each production order, giving a clear and accurate view of true margins.

2. Full control over outsourced operations
Subcontractor work is no longer a blind spot — every external operation is planned, tracked, and directly linked to production outcomes.

3. One structured workflow instead of fragmented processes
Sales, purchasing, and production are fully connected through a unified document flow, eliminating manual coordination and reducing errors.

4. Hidden costs identified and eliminated from margin leakage
Previously untracked expenses are now systematically included in production cost, improving financial discipline and profitability control.

5. Real-time visibility for faster, data-driven decisions
Live tracking of production, stock, and financials enables the owner to act quickly and manage the business proactively instead of reacting too late.

The results were transformative. WhatsApp chaos gave way to a single source of truth. The owner can now see the real profitability of every machine and make decisions based on data instead of intuition.

The system was deliberately kept simple in the first phase but designed for easy expansion – adding inventory management, detailed production stages, or deeper financial modules later.

Final Thoughts

This project is a perfect example of how low-code platforms, when combined with the right team, can deliver real digital transformation without the usual pain of ERP implementations.

1C:Jet proved to be an excellent choice: free, open-source, highly customizable, and fast to deploy. And SmartBase showed that a young, motivated team fresh from targeted training can deliver professional results that directly impact the bottom line.

For small and medium manufacturers tired of manual chaos but not ready for heavy ERP systems, the low-code route – done right – might be the smartest move you can make.

Learn more about 1C:Jet on official website.