CONSIDERING YOUR OPTIONS

Which path?

Most dealers choose PATHwd after considering two other possible paths first: piecing together a stack of separate tools, or customizing an enterprise system. Let's take an honest look at all three options: DIY, PATHwd, ERP.

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Three paths, one decision

Every dealer ends up choosing one of these. Here's what each one actually looks like day to day.

Too Basic

Building it yourself

A CRM here, a scheduling app there, inventory in a third tool, and so many spreadsheets.

  • Nothing talks to anything else natively
  • Your staff has to upkeep a million disconnected pieces, forever
  • Cheap per tool, expensive in chaos and labor
Just Right

PATHwd

One system built for window and door dealers specifically, out of the box, from lead to install to service.

  • Sales, ordering, warehouse, installation, and service coordinated in one place
  • Purpose-built for window and door dealers specifically
  • Transparent, predictable pricing
See how it all connects →
Too Much

Enterprise ERP

Platforms like Epicor BisTrack, Salesforce, or NetSuite — powerful, comprehensive, and more generic.

  • Long, complex implementations
  • Often more than you need in many areas, and still not enough in others.
  • Six-figure+ licensing and consulting

The full comparison

Same questions, three answers. See where each option actually holds up.

Category
DIY Stack
PATHwd
Enterprise ERP
Built For
Generic — every tool configured from a blank slate.
Window and door dealers, out of the box.
BisTrack: broad building supply. Salesforce/NetSuite: fully generic, any industry.
Setup & Time to Value
Weeks of stitching tools together yourself or with a paid consultant helping to figure it out.
About 12 weeks to go live, plus another 3–6 months to fully ramp up and fine-tune your processes.
6–18 months, a paid implementation team, often a long-term paid consultant relationship.
Purchase Orders & Vendor Integration
Manual — no manufacturer Order Manager integration exists on this route.
Native Marvin Order Manager integration; PO tracking and order acknowledgment processing for all vendors built in.
BisTrack has broad procurement tools, not tuned to W&D manufacturer feeds. Salesforce/NetSuite need custom-built integration.
Warehouse & Inventory
A bolt-on inventory app, disconnected from the job.
Bin-level, barcode-scanned, tied to the job automatically.
BisTrack: strong for bulk/lumber, not unit-based window & door items. Others: separate WMS required.
Field & Crew Tools
Mobile access exists per tool, nothing purpose-built for crews.
On-site capture, customer sign-off, and job docs standard for every crew.
Usually a separate field-service module or add-on cost.
Accounting Integration
QuickBooks alone — no shared "job" concept, so entry is duplicated.
Native two-way sync with QuickBooks Online and Enterprise.
Deep financial modules exist, but usually built for a bigger back office than a W&D dealer needs.
Cost Structure
Several monthly subscriptions, cheap individually — plus hidden integration and labor cost.
Transparent, metered pricing that grows with your business.
Custom quote. Licensing and implementation frequently into six figures, plus ongoing consultant fees.
Right-Sized For
Very small shops just getting off spreadsheets.
Window and door dealers roughly $2M–$60M in revenue.
Large, multi-location distributors with dedicated IT/admin staff to run a heavily customized platform.

What it actually costs to get there

Sticker price is only part of the story. Time, integration, and ongoing support affect the ROI too.

DIY Stack

$1,790–$10,820/mo

Range of fees across 6–9 separate tools, plus integration software or ongoing manual data re-entry. Your team figures out how to make it all more or less work.

PATHwd

$1,295–$2,695+/mo

A flat monthly license by plan, plus one-time implementation and a small metered fee on higher tiers — configured by a team that already knows window and door dealers.

See full pricing →

Enterprise ERP

$50K–$500K+

Custom pricing, 6–18 month implementation process starting with weeks of you teaching them about our industry.

Pricing for non-PATH options based on publicly available information and estimates; actual pricing varies.

Want the sharpest operation around?

Let's go.

Your call won't be with a sales rep reading a script. It'll be with someone who knows exactly what it means to manage sales teams, service techs, and install crews — to run window and door jobs from sale to completion.

Tell us what you're trying to solve. We'll talk through in concrete terms how PATH can be a useful tool for that, or we'll tell you it's not the right fit. Either way, you'll get real information to help you move forward.

Book your call