Question 1

How do I know if Tracker is right for us?

Accepted Answer

Tracker is designed for garment decoration businesses of all sizes — from a single-head embroidery shop to a multi-location enterprise running embroidery, DTG, DTF, screen printing, heat seal, and licensed team gear simultaneously. If you manage customer logos, send proofs for approval, schedule production across machines, track operator time, or source blank garments from distributors like SanMar and alphabroder, Tracker replaces the spreadsheets, shared drives, and disconnected tools you currently juggle. We offer personalised demos tailored to your specific decoration methods, volume, and integration needs so you can evaluate fit before committing. Most customers see ROI within the first 90 days through reduced reprints, faster proof cycles, and better machine utilisation.

Question 2

What decoration methods does Tracker support?

Accepted Answer

Tracker supports every major garment decoration method used in commercial production: multi-head and single-head embroidery, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, DTF (direct-to-film) transfers, screen printing (manual and automatic presses), heat-seal and heat-transfer vinyl (HTV), sublimation, and hybrid workflows that combine multiple methods on a single order. The system manages logo files in the appropriate format for each method — EMB and DST for embroidery, high-resolution print files for DTG and DTF, and colour-separated films for screen printing. Production scheduling is method-aware, so thread-colour optimisation applies to embroidery jobs while ink-channel management applies to DTG queues.

Question 3

How does Tracker handle embroidery logo files (EMB, DST)?

Accepted Answer

Tracker provides cloud-based logo management with full support for industry-standard embroidery formats including EMB, DST, PES, EXP, JEF, and XXX. When you upload an embroidery file, Tracker auto-detects the format, reads stitch count and colour-stop data, and indexes the file by customer, logo name, thread palette, and hoop size. Every logo is automatically versioned with a complete audit trail showing who uploaded, edited, or approved each revision. When production begins, operators scan a job barcode and Tracker pushes the correct file version directly to the embroidery machine controller — Barudan via bNET or Tajima via Pulse/DG16 — with pre-configured needle assignments and thread sequences. This eliminates USB transfers, wrong-version errors, and the 3–5% reprint rate that plagues shops using shared drives.

Question 4

How do digital proof approvals work?

Accepted Answer

Tracker's digital proof approval system generates professional proofs from your cloud logo library. You select a logo, choose a garment mockup (polo, hoodie, cap, bag), position the decoration, and add thread-chart or ink specifications. The proof is sent to your customer via email with a unique approval link, or through the customer portal. Customers review on any device — desktop, tablet, or mobile — zoom into stitch detail, and leave threaded comments directly on the proof image. When satisfied, they click 'Approve' and the job automatically releases to production scheduling with the approved file version locked. For licensed team gear, proofs can be routed through multiple stakeholders (coach, compliance officer, purchasing manager) before reaching production. The complete audit trail satisfies league licensing requirements.

Question 5

What embroidery and printing machines does Tracker integrate with?

Accepted Answer

Tracker's barcode-to-machine integration supports the industry's most widely used production equipment. For embroidery: Barudan machines via the bNET protocol and Tajima machines via Pulse/DG16 controllers — the design file, thread chart, speed settings, and needle assignments are pushed directly to the machine controller. For DTG printing: Brother GTX series, Epson SureColor F-series, and Kornit digital printers with platen assignment and pre-treatment workflow management. For DTF: Epson-based DTF systems with film-print, powder-cure, and press-application stage scheduling. For screen printing: M&R and ROQ automatic presses with screen-burn sequence scheduling. For heat seal: temperature, pressure, and dwell-time parameters are pre-loaded per job. All integrations are triggered by barcode scanning.

Question 6

How does thread colour optimisation improve production?

Accepted Answer

Tracker's production scheduler analyses all queued embroidery jobs and groups them by thread palette similarity. Orders that share the same thread colours are batched together into sequential runs, eliminating redundant needle re-threading. The algorithm considers needle positions (which colours are loaded on which needles), colour proximity (grouping similar palettes even if not identical), due dates (ensuring urgent orders aren't delayed by batching), and hoop compatibility (matching similar garment sizes). Combined with order stacking — where multiple small orders are placed on the same hoop run — Tracker customers report 20–25% more stitches per machine-hour and up to 40% fewer thread changeovers. For a typical 12-head Barudan machine, this translates to 1.5–2 additional productive hours per shift.

Question 7

Does Tracker track operator time and machine efficiency?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Operators clock on and off each job by scanning a barcode at their workstation. Tracker captures the actual run time for every job, compares it to the estimated time from your quoting system, and calculates labour cost per piece and per decoration method. Real-time dashboards display head utilisation percentages, downtime reasons (thread break, maintenance, setup), stitch counts per hour, and job completion rates across all machines and shifts. Supervisors can view performance by operator, machine, or decoration method to identify training opportunities and equipment issues. The time-tracking data feeds back into Tracker's quoting engine so future quotes reflect actual production costs rather than guesswork — improving margin accuracy by 15–20% on average.

Question 8

What PLM and distributor integrations does Tracker support?

Accepted Answer

Tracker connects to blank-garment distributors including SanMar (50,000+ styles with live inventory, volume-tier pricing, and size/colour matrix), alphabroder (real-time stock and pricing API), and S&S Activewear. These integrations pull product catalogues, live pricing, and warehouse inventory directly into Tracker so your sales team quotes with accurate blank-garment costs. For PLM and ERP, Tracker integrates with SAP Business One, Oracle NetSuite, Sage 50/Intacct, QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 — providing bi-directional data flow for invoices, payments, cost of goods, and general-ledger postings. E-commerce integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce sync orders, inventory, and fulfilment status. Shipping is handled via ShipStation, UPS, FedEx, and USPS.

Question 9

Can Tracker connect to my Shopify or WooCommerce store?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tracker's e-commerce integrations provide two-way sync with Shopify (including Shopify Plus) and WooCommerce stores. Orders placed on your webstore flow into Tracker's production pipeline automatically — including decoration specifications like logo selection, placement, thread colours, and garment sizes if you use a product configurator. Inventory levels sync across channels to prevent overselling. When orders are fulfilled, Tracker pushes tracking numbers and shipping status back to the store so customers receive automated fulfilment notifications. Product data (descriptions, images, pricing) can also be synchronised from Tracker to the storefront for consistent catalogue management. The integration handles multi-location inventory, variant-level stock tracking, and partial-fulfilment scenarios.

Question 10

How does Tracker Charge?

Accepted Answer

Tracker is a Production Operating System, in which its core workflows are interdependent and share a single source of data, from customer order through artwork, production, dispatch and invoicing. The system functions with all core workflows in place.

The core workflows included in the licence are: Artworkers, Base Garments, Customers, Designer, Dispatch, Inventory, Invoices, Logos, Orders (Sales), Production, Products, Purchase Orders, Reports, Suppliers and Finance.

Fees are typically an integration/implementation one off fee determined from discovery; in which we understand your current sales channels, suppliers, ERP provider and WMS situation. Then the monthly subscription of the core license workflows.

Details of what each of these workflows does can be found on the Workflows section of our website.

Question 11

Are there hidden costs once I have Tracker?

Accepted Answer

No. All costs are documented in your project scope and licensing agreement before implementation begins. Your subscription includes cloud hosting, support, software updates, and security patches. If you need additional workflows, integrations, or user seats in the future, these are discussed, scoped, and agreed upon before any work begins — with clear pricing. There are no per-transaction fees, no storage overage charges, and no surprise maintenance costs. Implementation services (data migration, integration configuration, training) are quoted separately at the start of the project so you know the total investment before signing. Ongoing support is included in your subscription.

Question 12

How long does it take to implement Tracker?

Accepted Answer

Implementation timelines depend on your business complexity, data migration requirements, and number of integrations. A small embroidery shop with basic order management and logo storage can go live in as few as 6 weeks. Mid-size operations with distributor integrations (SanMar, alphabroder), machine connections (Barudan, Tajima), and e-commerce sync (Shopify) typically take 3–4 months. Large multi-location enterprises with ERP connectors (SAP, NetSuite), custom workflows, and data migration from legacy systems may require 6–12 months. Every implementation includes a dedicated project manager, data migration support, integration configuration, user training (online or on-site), and a parallel-run period to validate accuracy before full go-live.

Question 13

Is Tracker available globally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tracker is a cloud-based SaaS system accessible from any internet connection worldwide. We have active customers in the United Kingdom, across Europe, and throughout the United States. The system infrastructure is hosted on enterprise-grade cloud servers with data centres in multiple regions for low-latency access. The interface is currently available in English, with multi-language support on the roadmap. Currency handling supports GBP, EUR, USD, and other currencies for international operations. Support is provided during UK and US business hours with emergency coverage available for Enterprise customers.

Question 14

Do I need technical knowledge to use Tracker?

Accepted Answer

No. Tracker is designed for garment decoration professionals — production managers, sales coordinators, shop-floor operators, and business owners — not IT specialists. Day-to-day operations like entering orders, managing logos, sending proofs, and scanning barcodes are intuitive and require minimal training. We provide comprehensive onboarding including role-based training sessions (online or on-site), detailed documentation with step-by-step guides, video walkthroughs for every major workflow, and ongoing support via phone, email, and live chat. Most operators are proficient within 1–2 weeks. Administrative functions like integration configuration and report customisation are handled during implementation by our team.

Question 15

Can I have a demo to see Tracker in action?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. We provide personalised demos tailored to your specific business needs, decoration methods, and operational challenges. During a typical 45-minute demo, we walk through the workflows most relevant to you — whether that's cloud logo management with EMB/DST file handling, digital proof approvals with customer commenting, production scheduling with thread-colour optimisation and barcode-to-machine integration, or distributor feeds from SanMar and alphabroder. We can also demonstrate e-commerce integration with Shopify, ERP connectivity, and shipping automation. Demos are conducted live by a product specialist who understands garment decoration workflows. Contact our sales team to schedule a session at a time that works for your team.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Logo & Artwork Management

Production & Machines

Integrations & Supply Chain

Pricing & Costs

Implementation & Support

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