Software production is becoming an important activity in the development and manufacturing of communication products as the volume and complexity of software data in modern communication networks grows. The introduction of ISDN and intelligent networks will further accelerate this evolution. As an example of software manufacturing processes, the authors describe the existing build procedures for the System 12 and System 12B digital public and private switching systems. They discuss the role of software manufacturing in executing an order from design to installation, and outline the most important factors for quality assurance in this area.