Katana
Katana is a cloud-based manufacturing enterprise resource planning software that gives you real-time visibility into inventory, production, and sales to streamline your entire small-to-medium manufacturing business operations.
Skyward
Skyward provides a comprehensive K-12 school management system that streamlines student information, financial management, and human resources to help you improve student outcomes and simplify administrative operations across your district.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Katana | Skyward |
|---|---|---|
| Website | katanamrp.com | skyward.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Custom |
| Starting Price | $179/month | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2017 | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | Stevens Point, USA |
Overview
Katana
Katana gives you a live look at your entire manufacturing business by unifying your sales, inventory, and production workflows. Instead of juggling messy spreadsheets, you get a visual interface that automatically prioritizes orders based on material availability. You can track raw materials and finished goods in real-time, ensuring you never overstock or run out of essential components during a production run.
The platform is designed specifically for scaling manufacturers who need to move beyond basic accounting tools. You can easily sync your shop floor with your online store, manage outsourced production, and calculate accurate product costs automatically. It helps you eliminate production bottlenecks and fulfill customer orders faster by providing a single source of truth for your entire team.
Skyward
Skyward offers a unified platform designed to manage the complex needs of K-12 school districts. You can handle everything from student grades and attendance to district-wide payroll and financial reporting within a single ecosystem. By connecting your student data with your business office, you eliminate data silos and ensure that every department has access to the real-time information needed to support student success and maintain fiscal responsibility.
The software focuses on automating manual administrative tasks so you can spend more time focusing on education. Whether you are a teacher tracking classroom progress, a principal managing campus safety, or a business manager overseeing multi-million dollar budgets, the platform provides tailored tools for your specific role. It scales to support small rural schools and large urban districts alike, providing a centralized hub for communication between staff, students, and parents.
Overview
Katana Features
- Live Inventory Management Track your raw materials and finished products in real-time to maintain optimal stock levels and prevent production delays.
- Master Production Scheduling Drag and drop your manufacturing orders to prioritize jobs and see how changes impact your material requirements instantly.
- Omnichannel Sales Sync Connect your e-commerce stores and marketplaces to centralize all your sales orders and inventory levels in one place.
- Contract Manufacturing Manage your outsourced production processes by tracking purchase orders and inventory levels at your partner locations seamlessly.
- Shop Floor App Give your operators a digital task list on their mobile devices to track time and material consumption accurately.
- Automated Costing Calculate your precise manufacturing costs based on your bill of materials and production operations without manual calculations.
Skyward Features
- Student Information System. Manage student records, schedules, and health information in one secure location to ensure your staff always has up-to-date data.
- Gradebook & Assessment. Track student performance with flexible grading scales and visual analytics that help you identify and support at-risk students earlier.
- Financial Management. Control your district budget with automated accounts payable, purchasing workflows, and transparent financial reporting that simplifies your annual audits.
- Human Resources & Payroll. Streamline your hiring process and ensure your staff gets paid accurately and on time with integrated position management and payroll.
- Family Access Portal. Boost parent engagement by providing a dedicated portal where families can check grades, pay fees, and communicate directly with teachers.
- Professional Development. Manage staff certifications and track continuing education credits to ensure your educators meet state requirements and grow professionally.
Pricing Comparison
Katana Pricing
- Up to 3 users
- 1 inventory location
- Real-time inventory tracking
- Sales order management
- Basic production planning
- E-commerce integrations
- Everything in Essential, plus:
- Unlimited inventory locations
- Shop Floor mobile app
- Batch and lot tracking
- Multi-currency support
- Full API access
Skyward Pricing
Pros & Cons
Katana
Pros
- Intuitive visual interface is easy to navigate
- Seamless integration with Shopify and QuickBooks Online
- Real-time material availability tracking saves significant time
- Excellent customer support and onboarding resources
Cons
- Starting price is high for very small businesses
- Mobile app functionality is limited for administrators
- Advanced reporting requires higher-tier paid plans
Skyward
Pros
- Comprehensive all-in-one solution for student and business data
- Highly customizable reporting tools for state compliance
- Strong community of users for peer-to-peer troubleshooting
- Reliable customer support with deep K-12 industry knowledge
Cons
- Significant learning curve for new administrative users
- Interface can feel cluttered due to high feature density
- Implementation process requires substantial time and staff resources