Last updated: June 2026

Cutlist Manager: Get More Pieces From Every Sheet

Cutlist Manager auto-generates cutting patterns for wood, sheet goods, plus other materials, so you get more usable pieces from each board. Preview every layout, compare yield against waste, and adjust by hand before anything hits the saw.

Can Cutlist Manager cut down on material waste? Yes. It auto-generates cutting patterns from your templates, projects, plus individual parts, then lays out each option so you see yield against waste before you commit. You compare layouts, override by hand, plus batch multiple jobs. In June 2026 that means less material in the scrap bin.
Cutlist Manager screen showing cutting patterns and yield

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Why does so much material end up as scrap?

Cutting by eye wastes material. A worker grabs a full sheet, makes the cuts that are top of mind, and the offcuts pile up because nobody planned how the parts fit together. On one board the loss is small. Across a production run it adds up to a real number.

The waste hides in two places. Raw material you paid for ends up in the bin, and the labor to recut a botched panel is time you do not get back. In 2026, with sheet goods priced the way they are, throwing away usable material is throwing away margin.

Cutlist Manager plans the layout before the first cut. It nests the parts onto each sheet, shows you the yield, plus flags the remnants worth keeping. The saw operator follows a pattern.

How does Cutlist Manager get more out of each sheet?

Every cutlist generates from a source you already have. A project template, a parts list, plus a one-off part you key in by hand. The app lays out the cuts and gives you more than one pattern to choose from, so you can weigh a nested layout against a simpler vertical run.

Each option comes with a visual preview and the yield math behind it. You see waste and remnants per scenario, batch several jobs together, and tie the output into part numbering and pattern tracking. When a last-minute change comes in, you edit the output by hand instead of starting over.

Most deployments run in weeks, not months. Your templates and parts lists come over clean, and the patterns match the stock you actually buy. The operator stops guessing and the scrap pile shrinks.

What apps does Cutlist Manager connect to?

Project TemplatesProject Templates
Inventory ControlInventory Control
Materials and Parts ListMaterials & Parts List
Manual LibraryManual Library
Pattern LibrariesPattern Libraries
Saw and CNC output Spreadsheet import and export Barcode and part numbering

How is your cutlist data protected?

Your templates, patterns, plus the parts behind them sit on a platform hosted by Phoenix Consultants Group, not handed to a third party you never chose. Access is set by role, so a saw operator sees the patterns for the job in front of them and nothing else.

Every edit to a cutlist is logged, so a last-minute override never gets lost and you can trace any change back to who made it.

What does Cutlist Manager give your team?

  • Auto-generated cutlists drawn from templates, projects, plus the individual parts you key in.
  • Multiple cut pattern options, including nested layouts.
  • Visual layout previews for each cut scenario before anything reaches the saw.
  • Material usage math for yield, waste, plus remnants.
  • Batch processing that runs multiple jobs or patterns in one pass.
  • Tie-in with part numbering and pattern tracking.
  • Editable output for manual override when a last-minute change comes in.
The Cutlist Manager has saved us thousands in raw materials and labor hours by optimizing every cut.
Production LeadCustom Cabinetry Business

Built by people who answer the phone

Phoenix Consultants Group has built custom software since 1995. About a third of that work has been operations and compliance tracking for environmental and industrial firms. Cutlist Manager comes from that same practical line of work, not from a generic optimizer bolted onto a website.

The same platform now adds AI reporting. A shop lead can ask a plain-English question about yield or waste across recent jobs and get an answer from live data, with no canned report and no waiting on IT. Most deployments still run in weeks, not months.

What changes operationally after deployment?

  • The saw operator works from a printed pattern, not a mental plan.
  • Scrap shrinks on every production run.
  • A last-minute change gets edited into the output in seconds.
  • Yield and waste turn into trackable numbers.
  • Less material hits the bin, so you reorder stock less often.
Ikhana on-screen guide character
On-Screen Guide

Ikhana walks your team through every field

From the first click to the last entry, Ikhana sits on the page as your on-screen tutor. Every field, every button, explained the moment you need it. No thick manual, no support ticket.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Cutlist Manager cut down on material waste?
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Yes. It plans the layout before the first cut, nesting parts onto each sheet so less material ends up as scrap. You see the yield for every pattern and pick the one that gets the most usable pieces out of the stock you have.
Where do the cutlists come from?
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From sources you already keep. A project template, a parts list, plus one-off parts you enter by hand all feed Cutlist Manager. It turns any of them into a cutting pattern without re-keying the dimensions.
Can I see the layout before I cut?
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Yes. Every cut scenario comes with a visual preview and the yield math beside it. You compare a nested layout against a simpler run and choose before a single board goes through the saw.
What happens when a job changes at the last minute?
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The output is editable. You adjust the pattern by hand instead of regenerating the whole cutlist, so a late change does not cost you the work you already planned.
How long does it take to get Cutlist Manager running?
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Most deployments run in weeks, not months. Your templates and parts lists come over clean, and the patterns match the stock you buy. Training the saw team is part of the setup.
Does Cutlist Manager handle a full production run, not just one item?
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Yes. Batch processing runs multiple jobs or patterns in one pass, so a production run gets laid out together instead of one sheet at a time. The output ties into part numbering and pattern tracking.
Allison Woolbert
Allison Woolbert
Principal, Phoenix Consultants Group

Allison has built custom software since before Phoenix Consultants Group opened its doors in 1995. Across 31 years she has delivered more than 500 applications, with about a third of that work in compliance and operations tracking for environmental and industrial firms. She answers the phone herself.

phxconsultants.com fireflightdata.com

Phoenix Consultants Group. Founded 1995. FireFlight Data Systems is PCG's hosted platform. Last updated June 2026.

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