Increase your support for customers and partners by improving traceability, transparency, and efficient

The only constant in the distribution industry is change. This change comes in the form of globalization trends, new cross-sell capabilities, and third-party logistics, among other things.

With so many disparate products—some are fresh, others are frozen—organizations must respond to industry pressures and complexities with a strong focus on the consumer. For example, processes vary greatly in the distribution of food and beverages, and customer service expectations continue to grow.

See how Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Microsoft Business Solutions−Great Plains) can help you meet demands to improve supply chain processes, manage inventory more effectively, and incorporate better business insight into distribution and supply chain processes for your customers. In these key areas, Microsoft Dynamics GP can help you achieve success with traceability, transparency, and efficiency.

Expand the use of IT in your organization with automation at each touch point in the overall process and integration across distribution processes. In this way, you can add greater value to your business while supporting more cost-effective operations.

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Improved supply chain processes

A Web-based approach for business communications enables distributors to manage all the complex parts of the process—from portals that provide product availability and delivery time to a Web-based storefront with integrated order and inventory management.

Traceability is the key to improving the supply chain process. And traceability is both a regulation and a component of building customer relationships in the distribution industry. Food-safety regulations require that organizations trace raw materials throughout all stages of the process, and customers demand high quality and consistency in their products. This is why it is essential to have supply chain processes for producing, transporting, and storing products that go beyond the regulations.

Microsoft Dynamics GP can help distributors. With this software, you can trace chemical and physical data of your raw products and packaging so that the data is easily accessible when needed.

Tighter inventory management

Even small-cost improvements can have an impact on profits. Internationalization and competition are forcing organizations to focus on the cost-effectiveness of some core processes.

Microsoft Dynamics GP can help you streamline inventory management and maintain transparency. Reduce errors with bar codes and scanners to maintain real-time inventory data. And use critical forecasting to help plan for future inventory needs. With Warehouse Management tools, you can optimize layout, picking methods, and movement processes. And Order Management capabilities help to ensure on-time order fulfillment.

Consider the food and beverage industry, for example. Food safety is an important part of the inventory management process. Microsoft Dynamics GP can help food-and-beverage distributors comply with FDA requirements and other food and beverage regulations.

Better business intelligence for improved customer response

You need easy access to the important data that can help you plan for the future of your organization. With Microsoft Dynamics GP, you can access information with online inquiries, Web-based reporting, customer self-service tools, sophisticated financial consolidation, and online analytical processing (OLAP) analysis applications. Automated solutions tailored to the sales team help to ensure that the team can provide real-time information to customers and manage sales orders with ease and efficiency.

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