Almost every distribution business starts on spreadsheets and messaging apps. They're flexible, familiar and free. At some point, though, the time spent reconciling them costs more than a proper system would.
Signs you've outgrown spreadsheets
- Two reports show different numbers for the same thing
- Only one person knows how the main file works
- Orders are re-typed from WhatsApp into another file
- You can't see a customer's balance without asking accounts
- Month-end takes days because data has to be gathered first
What 'one system' actually means
It means each fact is recorded once. An order creates the stock reservation, the invoice and the receivable automatically. Everyone reads from the same record, so reports agree.
Moving without disruption
- Start with masters: customers, products, price lists and opening balances
- Run the new system alongside the old one for a short period
- Move one process at a time, starting with order entry
- Retire each spreadsheet once its process is live