A Connecticut Distributor Adds Order Entry, Inventory Planning & Container Management for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Thor, a Connecticut based manufacturer and distributor of specialty chemicals, recently chose Microsoft Dynamics GP as their financial management/ERP system.  This system provided the core financial tools they needed plus purchasing, inventory and sales order processing for their distribution business. But Thor was experiencing rapid growth in their business and they wanted to find even more ways to be efficient.  Three add on ISV tools were chosen to really take their distribution functionality to the next level.

1)       SalesPad: At CAL Business Solutions we recommend SalesPad to every distribution business we work with.  SalesPad presents the information in Dynamics GP in a very clear way.  From a single screen you can track orders, inventory, shipping, purchasing, accounting, sales statistics, margins, profits, and customer information.  Thor says that one of the biggest improvements has been the new, easy-to-use order entry system in SalesPad. “Being able to link to all the inventory processes that we do through Dynamics GP and then pull that information up to easily view it in SalesPad is a huge benefit. We can tell a customer exactly what’s available and when it can be shipped out,” reports Robert Boyle, Controller, Thor.

2)       Rockysoft: RockySoft’s ‘Pack Light Inventory Management Suite’ provides distribution users with exactly the right inventory, in the right place, at the right time. Robert says, “We added RockySoft for the inventory planning and it is just fantastic. It works so smoothly with Dynamics GP and has really improved our visibility. I use it heavily to see what inventory I have, all the way down to the item level. And we’re finding that the more history we have with RockySoft, the better it gets. We are better able to tell where we’re headed and how much more or less we need to purchase.”

3)       Blue Moon: Thor also uses Container Management from Blue Moon to handle the receipt of imported products. “Blue Moon makes the receipt of products from overseas easier and has drastically reduced the number of entries for us in the background.” says Robert.

But wait, if you need to add all this functionality does that mean that Dynamics GP is not the right product for a distribution company. Definitely not. That is like saying the iphone is not a good phone because you need so many apps.  Dynamics GP is a stable, easy to use, easy to customize core financials system you can rely on to run your business.  And when you want to add specific functionality for your business needs, there are plenty of choices available. Robert Boyle from Thor stateed it perfectly when he said, “These add on tools really simplify our processes but I know it is Dynamics GP that wraps them all together.” Read the full Thor case study: Distributor Handles 40% Growth with Microsoft Dynamics

If you are a distribution company looking for a flexible financial management system to run your business, call CAL Business Solutions.  We are a New England Microsoft Dynamics GP partner focused on the distribution industry and we are committed to recommending the right combination of tools to fit your specific distribution needs. Check out the CAL Marketplace for more recommended ISV/add on tools for Dynamics GP .

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Distribution Partner