SAP for Wholesale Distribution vs Inform ERP

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Our analysts compared SAP for Wholesale Distribution vs Inform ERP based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Distribution Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

SAP for Wholesale Distribution Software Tool

Product Basics

SAP Wholesale Distribution helps retailers with warehouse and bin management, inventory planning and forecasting, pick and packing facility, integrated inventory system with finance and import and export operations. It automates the supply and distribution chain and provides a real-time view of all the transactions. Integration with eCommerce portals is easy and the inventory planner checks the stock constantly. Automated operations streamline the order-to-cash process and complex operations of import and export. It supports mobility and can be customized according to the business.

Pros
  • Comprehensive functionality
  • Strong integration capabilities
  • Global support and expertise
  • Scalability for growth
  • Industry-specific features
Cons
  • Complex implementation
  • High cost of ownership
  • Steep learning curve
  • Potential for customization challenges
  • Reliance on SAP expertise
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Inform ERP is a software solution that helps with distribution, production and financial activities. It integrates these processes to automate and streamline operations across various aspects of a business. Its financial management tool coordinates with production workflows so that as transactions are made, they are automatically inputted to the general ledger. It also allows users to plan transportation logistics and look at factors such as volume and necessary stops when planning routes.

This program further enables users to optimize the supply chain through visualization and control of a variety of processes. Users can benefit from personalized dashboards that leverage real-time data so that quicker and more relevant insights can be developed.
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$10,000 One-Time
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Product Insights

Here's the HTML-formatted list of benefits of SAP Wholesale Distribution:
  • Boost operational efficiency: Streamline workflows, automate core processes, and enhance order fulfillment accuracy with real-time inventory visibility and intelligent order management.
  • Enhance customer satisfaction: Deliver exceptional customer service through faster order processing, improved delivery times, proactive communication, and integrated CRM and omnichannel capabilities.
  • Optimize inventory management: Minimize carrying costs and prevent stockouts by gaining granular control over stock levels with demand forecasting, automated replenishment, and multi-warehouse optimization.
  • Drive profitable growth: Make data-driven decisions, optimize pricing strategies, and identify new market opportunities by gaining actionable insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and profitability.
  • Increase agility and resilience: Adapt to changing market dynamics and disruptions with a flexible and scalable solution that supports evolving business needs and enables rapid innovation.
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  • Paperless Workflows: Inform ERP includes electronic signature and electronic document scanning functionality. The system can also store documents such as product images, material safety data sheets (MSDS) and descriptions. 
  • Increased Productivity: This program can increase productivity through its demand planning tool, which forecasts material and production needs. The system also contains the ability to make orders into quotes and to create price inquiries with just one click, therefore reducing the amount of time that employees spend on these tedious tasks. 
  • Automation: Automation is a driving factor of increased productivity and, by extension, increased revenue. An example of how Inform ERP uses automation to its benefit is through its financial management tool, which archives important documents and posts transactions to the general ledger automatically. 
  • Improved Customer Relationships: The Embedded CRM tool allows users to keep track of important customer information. By using and sharing this data, employees can hone their sales tactics and improve customer relationships through more personalized and targeted conversations. 
  • Insight Development: This program uses real-time data and customizable dashboards to help users manage workflows such as sales and production. It includes drill-down functionality that allows users to find the specific data that they need to access. 
  • Accessibility: Inform ERP is available both on-premise and as a cloud-based solution. This makes the program accessible to a wide variety of businesses. If cloud deployment is opted for, the program can be accessed anytime and anywhere as long as there is an internet connection. 
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  • Supply Chain Planning: Ensure timely and accurate forecasts with demand sensing and planning. Make sure future demands are fulfilled with real-time supply chain management using in-memory computing technology. Improve service and reduce inventory cost with demand-driven replenishment.
    • Resource Planning: Tackle unexpected situations with resource planning and allocation management. Achieve inventory targets with replenishment and supply panning. Keep a tab on and respond promptly to supply chain status with complete visibility. Manage demand, inventory risk and opportunities with sales, operation and inventory planning. 
  • Procurement: Minimize purchase cost with partially refunding of purchase prices with rebate management. Efficiently claim, collect and manage chargeback amount with chargeback management. Improve external workforce with robust analytics and reporting. 
    • Data Management: Automate invoices, discounts and taxations. Simplify how data from accounts payable vendors is managed. Enhance contract spend and invoice compliance with contract invoicing and management. Improve decision-making with data-driven machine learning. Standardize procurement processes with managed catalogs. Optimize order with load build functionality. Minimize cost and improve saving opportunities with a global business network. 
    • Supplier Risk Management: Implement supplier risk management with third-party risk and data augmentation. Gain a view of spend visibility with real-time reporting and monitoring. Use this format if a feature description is too long to fit comfortably into one point or if the feature contains multiple sub-features that should be dealt with individually. 
  • Supply Chain Execution: Effectively manage life cycles, keep a tab on the production cost and allocate resources effectively. Ensure compliance with item serialization and product traceability. Leverage blockchain to trace multi-ingredient food production across n-tiers. Use central workload information to plan yard processes. 
    • Resource Optimization: Optimize resource use and boost planning, execution and billing in a single system. Enhance warehouse management with optimized planning and automated process. Balance freight cost and constraints with freight planning and optimization. Centralize transportation requirements and enhance transportation efficiency by polishing the process.  
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  • Financial Management: Inform ERP contains accounts payable, accounts receivable and bank reconciliation functionality. It gives users access to financial reports and allows them to perform tasks such as posting transactions to the general ledger as they occur. The program also contains the ability to archive documents such as invoices, financial reports and statements automatically. 
  • Inventory Management: This feature enables users to visualize inventory information such as purchase orders, availability, returned goods and open orders. It also allows for adjustment to sporadic demand and can balance warehouse overstocks. The advanced demand planning and forecasting tool contains a real-time replenishment calculation that facilitates adjustment to actual demand. 
  • Order Fulfillment: Inform ERP lets users make quotes into orders with the click of a button. Defective parts can be tracked through the system along with vendor reimbursement claims. The customer checkout process is streamlined through PCI-compliant card processing. 
  • Embedded CRM: This program enables users to gather relevant customer information such as purchase history, order status and personal notes to assist in the personalization and improvement of the customer experience. It can also create order entries and price inquiries with one click. Individual and group calendars are included in the program so that staff can look at operations and sales opportunities in real-time. 
  • Analytics and Reporting: Inform ERP’s reporting dashboards are customizable and can be segmented by user level. The Inventory Pivot Table Cube Editor allows users to manage stock transfers. The program also leverages real-time data and includes drill-down menus so that users can find relevant information. 
  • Warehouse Logistics: With this tool, users can assign transportation to orders. Delivery routes can also be created while keeping factors such as weight, volume and necessary stops in mind. Additionally, users can create and print manifests and shipping documents through this feature. 
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Product Ranking

#113

among all
Distribution Software

#124

among all
Distribution Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

SAP for Wholesale Distribution
Inform ERP
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Accounting And Financial Management Customer Relationship Management E-commerce Capabilities Integrations And Extensibility Inventory Management Mobile Capabilities Purchase Order Management And Procurement Reports, Dashboards And Business Intelligence Sales Order Management Warehouse And Transportation Management 100 99 50 39 99 97 97 94 80 96 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

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Excellent User Sentiment 72 reviews
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91%
of users recommend this product

Inform ERP has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 72 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

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3.7 (5)
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4.6 (67)

Awards

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SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Inform ERP and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Accounting and Financial Management and Customer Relationship Management. Inform ERP stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Accounting and Financial Management Award
Customer Relationship Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Improved order accuracy: Real-time inventory visibility and automated order management minimize errors and ensure timely deliveries.
Enhanced customer satisfaction: Faster order processing, proactive communication, and omnichannel support lead to happier customers and repeat business.
Reduced inventory costs: Optimized stock levels and automated replenishment prevent overstocking and understocking, saving money on storage and carrying costs.
Data-driven decision making: Gain actionable insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and profitability to make informed business decisions.
Scalability and flexibility: Adapt to changing market demands and integrate with new technologies with ease.
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Comprehensive Functionality: Inform ERP provides a wide range of features that cater to various aspects of distribution businesses, including inventory management, order processing, financials, and customer relationship management. This comprehensive functionality eliminates the need for multiple software solutions, streamlining operations and reducing complexity.
Industry-Specific Focus: Inform ERP is specifically designed for distributors, with features and functionalities tailored to their unique needs. This industry-specific focus ensures that the software aligns with the workflows and processes of distribution businesses, providing a more efficient and effective solution.
Scalability and Flexibility: Inform ERP is a scalable solution that can grow with the needs of a business. It offers flexible deployment options, including on-premise, cloud-based, and hybrid models, allowing businesses to choose the best fit for their infrastructure and budget.
User-Friendly Interface: Inform ERP features a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and learn. This intuitive design reduces training time and allows users to quickly become proficient with the software, improving productivity and user adoption.
Strong Reporting and Analytics: Inform ERP provides robust reporting and analytics capabilities, enabling businesses to gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions. Users can generate custom reports, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze trends to identify areas for improvement.
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High initial investment and ongoing costs: Implementing and maintaining SAP Wholesale Distribution can be expensive, requiring skilled personnel and ongoing licensing fees.
Complexity and learning curve: The system can be complex to learn and use, requiring significant training for users to maximize its potential.
Limited flexibility for customization: While configurable, adapting the system to specific business needs may require additional development and expertise.
Potential integration challenges: Integrating with existing systems and legacy applications can be complex and time-consuming.
Overkill for smaller businesses: The feature-richness and complexity may not be necessary or cost-effective for smaller distribution operations.
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Customization Challenges: Making modifications to Inform ERP to fit specific business needs can be complex and time-consuming, often requiring specialized developer skills. This can lead to frustration for businesses with unique workflows or industry-specific requirements.
Reporting Limitations: Generating reports and extracting data from Inform ERP can be cumbersome, with limited built-in reporting tools and a steep learning curve for creating custom reports. This can hinder data analysis and decision-making processes.
User Interface: The user interface of Inform ERP can feel outdated and clunky, leading to a less-than-optimal user experience. Navigating through the system and finding specific functions can be challenging, especially for new users.
Integration Complexities: Integrating Inform ERP with other business systems, such as CRM or e-commerce platforms, can be a complex undertaking. This can create data silos and hinder overall business efficiency.
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SAP Wholesale Distribution is a double-edged sword for distributors. Users praise its ability to streamline workflows and boost efficiency, with one reviewer noting, "Inventory visibility went from 'black hole' to crystal clear, and order errors dropped significantly." This real-time control and automation are often compared favorably to competitors like NetSuite, which users find "less intuitive and data-driven." However, the complexity and cost are major drawbacks. "Implementation felt like climbing Mount Everest," said one user, and ongoing maintenance can be "a steep financial climb" compared to more affordable options. This complexity also translates to a steep learning curve, with some lamenting the "months of training" needed to truly master the system. Ultimately, SAP Wholesale Distribution shines for larger distributors seeking unparalleled data insights and operational control. "It's like having a digital brain for your business," one user raved, praising its ability to "predict demand and optimize pricing like magic." But for smaller businesses or those prioritizing affordability and ease of use, competitors might offer a more accessible path to distribution success. As one user concluded, "It's powerful, but not always the perfect fit."

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Inform ERP receives praise for its robust functionality and adaptability, particularly in managing complex distribution operations. Users appreciate its ability to handle diverse tasks, from inventory and order management to financials and reporting. Its strength lies in providing a comprehensive solution that streamlines processes and enhances efficiency. However, some users note that the initial setup and learning curve can be challenging due to the system's extensive features. Inform ERP distinguishes itself by offering industry-specific modules and customization options, allowing businesses to tailor the software to their unique requirements. This flexibility is crucial for companies with specialized workflows or niche markets. While Inform ERP excels in functionality, some users mention that the user interface could be more intuitive and modern. Despite this, the software's strengths in customization, scalability, and industry-specific features make it a valuable tool for mid-sized to large distributors and manufacturers with complex operational needs. Its ability to adapt to evolving business requirements ensures long-term value and supports growth.

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