Best practice for workflow and automation

Hi, I will try to make this brief - I need to track parts that customers (Accounts) send to me and set a workflow for our process. Is it better to create a View under accounts that includes a list of products sent to me and set the workflow rules to follow a status "Pick List" field (Received, Repaired, Shipped)? OR would it be better to create a new module to track customer products and if so how do I make sure that the products are tied to the Accounts? Part of the process for each status will be a checklist if that makes a difference.