There’s no need to sugar-coat it: Manufacturing has been turbulent for a few years now.

Labour shortages. Supply chain volatility. Inflation. Rising interest rates. And now? Even more uncertainty on the horizon. Global tensions, fluctuating commodity prices, and persistent economic headwinds continue to challenge production, planning, and profitability.

If you're a manufacturer, you’re likely feeling it every day. But this isn’t just a manufacturing problem, it’s an accounting problem, too.

When margins are tighter, forecasts more fragile, and data less reliable, the role of an accountant or bookkeeper becomes increasingly strategic. The decisions made in the back office now echo loudly on the shop floor.

And that’s why now—not next quarter—is the time to get a handle on operations.

The Hidden Cost of Uncertainty

Market instability doesn’t always show up as a catastrophic event. More often, it creeps in as:

• Lead time inconsistencies that throw off a production schedule
• Overstocking “just in case” inventory that ties up cash
• Under-ordering that halts fulfilment and damages customer relationships
• Poor visibility that leads to decisions based on outdated or siloed data
  

The result? Higher operating costs, more stress on teams, and a growing disconnect between what’s happening on the shop floor and what’s reported in the books.

And for businesses that are still juggling spreadsheets, managing disconnected systems, or trying to reconcile production data manually with accounting software—those risks only grow.

It’s death by a thousand cuts. Each delay or miscalculation might seem small in isolation. But collectively, they erode profitability, slow down cash flow, and put undue pressure on already overstretched teams.

Accountants: Your Role is Evolving

Accountants and bookkeepers who serve manufacturers are being pulled into more jobs than just preparing reconciliations and reports. You’re expected to help business owners:

• Forecast inventory needs with greater accuracy
• Understand the financial impact of production delays
• Make real-time decisions based on cash flow and supply risk
• Plan for uncertain quarters without overextending

But without access to timely, integrated operational data, your hands are tied. You can’t advise confidently if the numbers you’re looking at aren’t being organized quickly enough.

This is the gap between finance and operations—and it’s now too risky to ignore.

The best accountants today aren’t just recordkeepers, they’re strategic partners. And in manufacturing, strategy is only as good as your grasp of the day-to-day.

Manufacturing clients are now asking:

• “Why are my margins slipping even when revenue is up?”
• “How much inventory is too much?”
• “Can I afford to take on that new customer order?”

Without operational context, it’s hard to answer these questions with confidence. But with the right systems in place, the accountant becomes the bridge between volatility and clarity.

The Call for Connected Decision-Making

To navigate today’s volatility, manufacturers and their financial partners need to shift from reactive to proactive. That requires a few things:

• ‍Operational visibility in real time You need to see what’s happening across inventory, orders, suppliers, and fulfilment at all times—not just at the end of the month. ‍
• Integrated systems Your accounting software and inventory tools should talk to each other. Seamless data flow reduces human error and enables faster, more accurate decisions. ‍
• Scenario-based forecasting In an unstable environment, the question isn’t “What will happen?” but “What could happen—and how do we prepare for different scenarios?” Smart forecasting helps you model different supply and demand conditions before they hit. ‍
• Margin protection When supply costs rise and demand wavers, protecting your margins becomes a daily effort. That means smarter purchasing, better stock planning, and fewer cash flow surprises. ‍
• Streamlined compliance and reporting With increasing pressure from HMRC in the UK, IRS requirements in the US, and evolving trade regulations across APAC, accurate recordkeeping is non-negotiable. Manufacturers are being held to higher standards of transparency, traceability, and timeliness. Digitising your inventory and operations makes it easier to meet compliance needs across jurisdictions—without the last-minute scramble or risk of costly errors.

For small to medium-sized manufacturers, long-term success and surviving the current market isn’t about massive digital transformation or spending six figures on new systems. It’s about equipping teams with the right tools to manage uncertainty with clarity—and giving accountants the visibility they need to help businesses grow smarter, not just faster.

Why Now is the Time for Manufacturers to Act

Too often, the instinct is to wait. Wait for the economy to stabilize. Wait for demand to return. Wait for the next budget cycle.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Instability is the new normal.

The manufacturers that will win in this next era aren’t the ones with the biggest balance sheets; they’re the ones with the clearest view of their operations and the agility to adapt.

Customers expect consistency. Partners expect reliability. And your bottom line depends on how quickly you can move from guesswork to grounded decision-making.

That shift starts with data, visibility, and alignment between operations and finance.

How Fishbowl is Helping Manufacturers

Fishbowl was built for this moment.

In a market defined by volatility, manufacturers need more than stopgap fixes. They need clarity, control, and the ability to make fast, confident decisions—without compromising long-term goals.

Manufacturers can use Fishbowl to connect the dots between what’s happening on the shop floor and what’s reflected in the financials. With greater visibility into inventory, orders, and production costs, leaders can align operations with demand, manage cash flow more effectively, and respond to market shifts without hesitation.

Meanwhile, for accountants and bookkeepers, Fishbowl turns operational complexity into actionable insight. When inventory and production data flow directly into the accounting platform, financial professionals gain the real-time context they need to move beyond compliance—and help drive smarter, faster decisions.

Because today’s manufacturers aren’t just trying to survive the chaos. They’re trying to grow through it. And with the right visibility, they can.