About
The person behind CarterDevSystems.
Husband, Frenchie dad, and full-stack developer who's spent over a decade building the software that keeps manufacturers running.
I'm Joseph Carter. The short version of what I do: when a factory needs software to take an order, schedule it, track it through production, and get it out the door, I'm the person who builds and maintains that software. I've spent my whole career inside manufacturing companies, working on the systems everyone depends on but nobody sees — ERP systems that run the business, MES systems that run the shop floor, and the reports, integrations, and tools that tie it all together.
What I enjoy most is that the work is real. When something I build works, people on a shop floor have an easier day. When a scheduling tool is flexible, a plant can adapt when plans change — and plans always change. That's the thread through every job I've had.
Where I've been
MackTool & Engineering
Programmer · 5 yearsMy first stop out of the gate, and where I learned how software really gets used on a factory floor. I spent five years working on the company's homegrown ERP system — the software that ran everything from orders to production. I built SQL reports that gave people the numbers they needed to make decisions, and when the company moved to Syspro, a commercial ERP platform, I helped carry that migration through.
Smart Cabinetry
Software Developer · ~3 yearsAnother homegrown ERP system, and a lot more room to build. Beyond enhancing the core system, I wrote inventory software that ran on Android devices so the warehouse could count and track stock from the floor instead of a back office. I built EDI integrations so orders could flow electronically between Smart Cabinetry and its trading partners, and whenever a problem popped up on the shop floor, I built the custom tool that solved it.
Bennington Marine
Software Developer · CurrentAt one of the country's largest pontoon boat manufacturers, I've helped move the business from Macola to SyteLine — a major ERP migration — while maintaining and enhancing the custom MES that guides boats through production, with integrated document viewing and production tracking built in. I recently redesigned the custom scheduling tool so jobs can be scheduled and rescheduled flexibly across both the MES and the ERP, and helped the company transition to new CPQ (configure-price-quote) software, refactoring the MES so the two systems cooperate and communicate cleanly.
For those who want the technical shorthand, these are the tools I reach for most:
CarterDevSystems LLC
CarterDevSystems is how I do that same work independently: I build and maintain custom software for manufacturers — ERP integrations, production systems, and the tools off-the-shelf software doesn't cover. It's a registered limited liability company, so when you work with me you're engaging a real business entity — professional invoicing, clear contracts, and the accountability you'd expect from a trusted partner.
Beyond the code
Software is what I do, not all I am.
Married
Happily married and settled in Indiana. Home is the best part of every day.
Frenchie dad
We share the house with a French bulldog who firmly believes every keyboard is a pillow.
Happiest outside
Getting outdoors is my reset button — fresh air fixes most things a debugger can't.
Plays games, makes games
Video games are both my hobby and my side project — I enjoy building them as much as playing them.
Jiu-jitsu
A few years on the mats taught me patience, humility, and how to stay calm in a bad position.
Edwardsburg athlete
Played football and wrestled at Edwardsburg High School — the work ethic stuck around long after the season ended.