Entries by Bizowie

Why Your Manufacturing ERP System Needs Strong Distribution and Warehouse Management Functionality

November 10, 2025 in /by

Manufacturing doesn’t end when products roll off the production line. In fact, what happens after production—how you store, track, and distribute your finished goods—can make or break your profitability and customer satisfaction. Yet many manufacturers struggle with disconnected systems where production planning happens in one platform, warehouse operations in another, and distribution management in yet […]

ERP vs. MRP: What’s the Difference?

November 10, 2025 in /by

When it comes to managing business operations, choosing the right software system can make or break your efficiency. Two acronyms you’ll frequently encounter are ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and MRP (Material Requirements Planning). While they sound similar and share some functionality, these systems serve distinct purposes in modern business operations. Understanding the difference between ERP […]

Why the Next ERP Evaluation Will Be Led by Operations, Not IT

November 4, 2025 in /by

Twenty years ago, selecting an ERP system meant assembling a technical evaluation team. Your IT director led the process, assessed database architectures, evaluated server requirements, scrutinized integration frameworks, and made recommendations based primarily on technical criteria. Business users participated nominally, but the real decisions happened in IT’s domain because implementing and maintaining ERP was fundamentally […]

Why Full Accounting Audit Logs Are Non-Negotiable: The $380,000 Question No One Could Answer

November 4, 2025 in , /by

The Audit That Exposed a $380,000 Problem The external auditors asked a straightforward question: “This account had a balance of $127,000 at the end of Q2 and $507,000 at the end of Q3. Can you explain the $380,000 increase and provide supporting documentation for the transactions that created it?” The controller pulled transaction listings from […]

Why RMA Management Can’t Be an Afterthought: The Hidden Cost of Poor Returns Processing

November 4, 2025 in /by

The Return That Took 47 Days and Cost a Customer A manufacturing customer ordered $8,500 worth of industrial components. The shipment arrived with the wrong specification for three high-value items totaling $2,400. The customer contacted the distributor immediately, expecting quick resolution. The distributor’s customer service representative was helpful and apologetic. She said she’d send a […]

Why Weak Credit Management Is the Silent Profit Killer in Distribution

November 4, 2025 in /by

A customer who’s been ordering steadily for three years suddenly places an unusually large order—$45,000 instead of their typical $8,000. Your sales rep is thrilled. Your warehouse picks and ships the order that afternoon. The invoice goes out the next day. Thirty days later, the invoice remains unpaid. At 60 days, you discover the customer […]

Why Your Distribution ERP Must Include Commission Tracking

November 4, 2025 in /by

It’s the last day of the month. Your sales manager is fielding angry calls from three different reps who claim their commission calculations are wrong. Your finance team is working late—again—trying to reconcile commission statements with actual orders, returns, and payments. Meanwhile, someone just discovered that a major account’s orders were credited to the wrong […]

From Brewery to Bar: How ERP Connects the Beverage Supply Chain

November 4, 2025 in /by

A craft brewery in Portland brews a limited-edition IPA on Tuesday morning. By Thursday afternoon, cases are arriving at bars and restaurants across three states. By Friday evening, consumers are enjoying fresh pints while the brewery already has real-time visibility into which accounts are selling through quickly and need restocking. This seamless flow from production […]

ERP for Furniture Distributors: How to Manage Complex Inventory and Long Lead Times

November 4, 2025 in /by

The Container That Cost $47,000 More Than Expected The purchase order was straightforward: a container of dining room furniture from a Vietnamese manufacturer, FOB price negotiated at $42,000. The furniture distributor had ordered similar containers dozens of times and expected total landed cost around $52,000 based on historical freight rates and typical duty calculations. Four […]

How ERP Helps Industrial Distributors Manage Vendor Rebates and Pricing Tiers

November 4, 2025 in /by

The $127,000 Left on the Table The purchasing manager realized the problem while reviewing year-end financials. The company had purchased $3.2 million from a major supplier who offered a 4% rebate on annual purchases exceeding $3 million. They qualified for a $128,000 rebate—but never filed the claim because no one tracked purchases systematically against rebate […]