Distribution
Distribution networks with disciplined stock, routes and settlements
Primary and secondary distribution on one platform — van sales, route plans, scheme settlements and warehouse accuracy, with visibility down to the retailer.
+20%
Route productivity with optimised journey plans
99.5%
Picking accuracy after barcode-led warehousing
Days
Not weeks, to settle schemes and claims
Retailer
Level secondary sales visibility
Definition
What transformation means in distribution
Distribution management software coordinates procurement, warehousing, route-based sales, claims and settlements across a network of depots, vans and retail outlets.
Challenges
What we usually find on day one
Each challenge is quantified during assessment so the roadmap is ordered by value, not by preference.
No secondary sales visibility
What leaves the depot is known; what reaches the retailer is not.
Scheme and claim disputes
Trade schemes are calculated manually, creating disputes and delayed settlement.
Warehouse errors
Manual picking causes wrong despatches, returns and credit notes.
Expiry and batch losses
Near-expiry stock is discovered too late to redistribute.
Capabilities
How we solve it for distribution
Distributor ERP
Procurement, stock, pricing, credit and settlement across depots and entities.
Van sales & DMS
Mobile order capture, route plans, on-van stock and instant invoicing offline.
Warehouse management
Barcode picking, putaway strategies, batch/expiry control and cycle counts.
Scheme & claim engine
Automated slab, combo and QPS calculations with audit-ready settlement.
Retailer app
Direct ordering, order status and outstanding balance for retail outlets.
Network analytics
Coverage, productivity, fill rate and expiry-risk dashboards.
KPIs we move
Metrics that define success
- Order fill rate
- Lines per hour picked
- Route productivity
- Claim settlement days
- Expiry write-off value
- Outlet coverage
Compliance
Regulatory and audit coverage
- GST and VAT invoicing
- Batch and expiry traceability
- Pharma cold-chain records where applicable
- Credit policy enforcement
Implementation roadmap
How the programme is phased
Indicative timeline for a single-entity programme; groups and multi-site operations are phased per site.
- 01
Network mapping · Week 1-2
Depots, routes, outlet master and scheme structures.
- 02
Core ERP · Week 3-9
Procurement, stock, pricing, invoicing and credit control.
- 03
Field rollout · Week 8-13
Van sales app, route plans and offline invoicing per territory.
- 04
Warehouse · Week 12-16
Barcode picking, batch control and cycle counting.
- 05
Automate · Ongoing
Scheme automation, expiry alerts and coverage analytics.
Comparison
Manual distribution vs ERP-only vs ERP plus field DMS
| Capability | Manual | ERP only | ERP + field DMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary sales data | None | Partial | Complete |
| Offline field invoicing | Paper | No | Yes |
| Scheme settlement | Spreadsheet | Manual | Automated |
| Expiry control | Reactive | Reports | Proactive alerts |
What you gain
- Field teams sell from accurate, live stock and pricing
- Claims settle faster, which improves retailer relationships
- Expiry losses fall because risk is visible weeks in advance
- Coverage and productivity become measurable per route
Trade-offs to plan for
- Field adoption needs device provisioning and territory-by-territory training
- Outlet master data cleanup is a prerequisite, not an afterthought
- Scheme complexity can extend the configuration phase
Decision guide
Where should you start?
Match your situation to the recommended first phase.
| If this sounds like you | We recommend |
|---|---|
| Single depot, growing van team | Distributor ERP plus van sales app first. |
| Multi-state or multi-country network | Multi-entity ERP with central pricing and scheme governance. |
| Warehouse errors dominate complaints | Start with barcode-led warehouse management. |
Case snapshot
FMCG distributor, Western India
Challenge
Scheme settlement took six weeks and secondary sales were invisible.
Result
Automated scheme engine plus van sales app settled claims in days and exposed outlet-level demand.
Services
Services we deliver for distribution
Relevant solutions
FAQ
Distribution questions, answered
Related industries
Adjacent sectors we serve
Trading
Deal-level control for import-export and commodity traders: landed cost that includes every charge, shipment documents assembled automatically, and margin known before the invoice.
Logistics
Order to proof of delivery in one thread — dispatch planning, driver app, live tracking and customer visibility, with utilisation and cost per trip finally measurable.
Retail
Multi-store and online retail on one stock ledger, with loyalty, promotions and replenishment that respond to what is actually selling this week.
Ready to scope your distribution programme?
Share your context and we will return an approach, phased timeline and indicative investment — under NDA.