Distribution & wholesale
ERP for distributors and wholesalers in Kenya
Take a wholesale order from available stock to a collected payment. VisionONE connects branch inventory, customer pricing, credit, dispatch and finance so sales, warehouse and accounts teams work from the same business records.
Stock across depots
Review availability by branch, warehouse and bin. Follow transfers between locations before promising stock to a wholesale customer.
Orders & customer pricing
Keep the customer, item, selling unit and agreed price with the order. Review the price list and discounts used for each account.
Credit & receivables
Read the customer’s balance, agreed terms and credit limit together. Resolve credit exceptions before releasing the order.
Dispatch & invoicing
Connect the quantities sent to the delivery note and invoice. Review the configured eTIMS response alongside the source document.
Purchasing & replenishment
Bring shortages and replenishment needs into the purchasing review. Keep orders, receipts and supplier costs connected to stock.
Cost, margin & collections
Read sales against the cost of goods issued, then follow the receivable and matched payments. Keep margin and cash collection distinct.
Wholesale operations connected to VisionONE ERP
Discuss your distribution workflowOn this page
Part of VisionONE ERP
Order-to-cash for wholesale teams
From the order
to stock, margin and cash.
Follow one fictional wholesale order through a price and credit review, depot allocation, dispatch and a matched receipt. The same records carry through every view.
Stage 1 of 4 · Order
Start with the customer’s order and account.
In this fictional example, CUSTOMER-DEMO-A orders 30 cartons at KES 1,500 each. The order value is KES 45,000. With KES 20,000 already outstanding and a KES 80,000 example credit limit, the prospective balance is KES 65,000. Check overdue terms and approval rules as well as this amount.
Illustrative record
- Sales order
- SO-DEMO-019
- Order quantity
- 30 cartons
- Order value
- KES 45,000
- Prospective balance
- KES 65,000
Stage 2 of 4 · Allocate
Check the stock where the order will be filled.
Nairobi has 100 cartons and Nakuru has 40. The illustration allocates the 30-carton order from Nairobi, leaving 70 cartons available there for other orders and 40 in Nakuru. Physical stock remains 140 cartons until dispatch; allocation is a commitment, not a goods issue.
Illustrative record
- Nairobi physical stock
- 100 cartons
- Order allocation
- 30 cartons
- Nairobi available stock
- 70 cartons
- Company physical stock
- 140 cartons
Stage 3 of 4 · Dispatch
Record what actually leaves the warehouse.
All 30 cartons are dispatched under DN-DEMO-019 and invoiced as INV-DEMO-019 for KES 45,000. Nairobi physical stock falls to 70 cartons; Nakuru stays at 40. At the example’s KES 1,100 unit cost, issued stock cost is KES 33,000 and illustrative gross margin is KES 12,000.
Illustrative record
- Delivery note
- DN-DEMO-019
- Invoice
- INV-DEMO-019
- Issued stock cost
- KES 33,000
- Illustrative gross margin
- KES 12,000
Stage 4 of 4 · Collect
Allocate the receipt to the customer’s invoice.
A fictional KES 30,000 receipt, RCPT-DEMO-019, is reviewed and allocated to INV-DEMO-019. KES 15,000 remains on that invoice. Together with the prior KES 20,000 balance, the customer now owes KES 35,000. Payment matching and the invoice’s eTIMS status remain separate checks.
Illustrative record
- Matched receipt
- KES 30,000
- This invoice remaining
- KES 15,000
- Prior outstanding
- KES 20,000
- Customer closing balance
- KES 35,000
Fictional records explain the process; they are not product screens or customer results. Amounts exclude tax, discounts, delivery charges and returns. The credit limit is an invented company policy; exact checks and posting rules are reviewed during setup.
Multi-branch stock, margins and receivables
One order.
Three useful views of the outcome.
Wholesale ERP software in Kenya should connect the stock issued, the margin earned and the balance still to collect. Review those questions using the same order and customer account.
See physical stock and order commitments separately.
After the 30-carton delivery, Nairobi holds 70 cartons and Nakuru holds 40. Closing company stock is 110 cartons. At the unchanged illustrative KES 1,100 unit cost, that stock is worth KES 121,000. A transfer between depots would change location balances without being a customer sale.
- Closing physical stock
- 110 cartons70 Nairobi + 40 Nakuru
| Depot | Cartons | Value KES |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi | 70 | 77,000 |
| Nakuru | 40 | 44,000 |
| Company total | 110 | 121,000 |
Opening stock was 140 cartons worth KES 154,000. The 30-carton issue cost of KES 33,000 reconciles to closing stock of KES 121,000. No in-transit transfer is included.
Read the sales value against the cost of the goods.
The example sells 30 cartons for KES 45,000 and issues stock costing KES 33,000. Gross margin is KES 12,000, or 26.67% of sales. This does not include delivery overhead, financing costs or other operating expenses.
- Illustrative gross margin
- KES 12,00026.67% of KES 45,000 sales
| Measure | Amount KES |
|---|---|
| Sales value30 × 1,500 | 45,000 |
| Issued stock cost30 × 1,100 | 33,000 |
| Gross marginSales less issued cost | 12,000 |
This is gross margin, not net profit or collected cash. If freight or import charges change the item cost, recheck margin using the agreed costing policy.
Follow the outstanding amount after allocation.
The prior KES 20,000 balance plus INV-DEMO-019 at KES 45,000 gives KES 65,000 before payment. Allocate the reviewed KES 30,000 receipt to that invoice, leaving KES 15,000 on it and KES 35,000 on the customer account.
- Closing receivable
- KES 35,000KES 65,000 less KES 30,000 receipt
| Account movement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Prior outstanding | 20,000 |
| INV-DEMO-019 | 45,000 |
| Allocated RCPT-DEMO-019 | −30,000 |
| Closing customer balance | 35,000 |
Review invoice due dates to assess ageing. The illustration supplies no due dates, so it does not classify the prior balance as overdue. The remaining credit headroom by amount is KES 45,000.
The views are educational examples, not live reports. Use approved product screens and a permitted distributor transaction to confirm available reports and document links.
Dispatch, eTIMS and receivables
Keep the delivery,
invoice and payment connected.
For a Kenyan wholesale distributor, the handover from warehouse to finance matters. Connect dispatch records to ERP invoicing, then review the configured eTIMS result and customer receipt allocation with their own source references.
- Match delivered items and quantities to the order and invoice.
- Review the eTIMS response; a delivery note is not evidence of invoice acceptance.
- Allocate reviewed bank or M-Pesa receipts to the correct customer and open invoice.
Three records, three different checks.
A dispatch records the goods sent. An invoice records the amount billed and its submission history. A receipt records the payment and its allocation. Review shortages, returns and uncertain responses before completing the account.
Keep the ERP invoice and returned integration details together, with exceptions available for review.
Agree the business and branch records, supported integration route and responsibilities before live invoicing.
Identify the customer and invoice behind a payment reference. Review unmatched receipts before allocating them.
Confirm the eTIMS add-on and payment integration scope for your deployment. Logos identify the services referenced; they do not establish certification or endorsement.
Purchasing, landed cost and margins
Replenish the right depot.
Know the cost behind the price.
Keep purchasing decisions close to wholesale demand. When goods are imported, the supplier price alone may not explain the final inventory cost or the margin on the next customer order.
Review replenishment by depot
Compare demand, available stock and goods expected into each location. Decide whether an approved transfer or a supplier purchase meets the need.
Connect purchasing with accepted receipts
Review supplier quantities, actual goods received and shortages before completing the purchase record. Keep the receipt and supplier invoice available for matching.
Agree the landed-cost allocation
For imported goods, identify freight, duty and clearing charges that belong in stock cost. Agree the allocation basis and review the resulting item cost with finance.
Price lists, customer credit and stock controls
Check the details
that change an order’s outcome.
Put wholesale exceptions into the workflow review: a changed selling unit, a credit breach, an incomplete transfer, a short delivery or a payment without a reference.
Price lists and selling units
Confirm whether an order uses cartons, packs or individual units. Review customer pricing, effective dates, discounts and permitted price changes before invoicing.
Customer credit and release
Check the balance, pending commitments, limit and payment terms together. Demonstrate how the configured workflow handles an over-limit order and who can authorise an exception.
Branch transfers and visibility
Check available, committed and in-transit quantities separately. Confirm both ends of a depot transfer so the company total remains explainable.
Batch and expiry at dispatch
For FMCG distribution, keep the item, batch and expiry with the goods being picked. Confirm the supported picking policy and trace a returned carton to its delivery.
Partial deliveries and returns
Keep delivered and outstanding quantities with the original order. Review the agreed treatment of a short delivery, return and linked credit note without losing the source trail.
Collections and account ageing
Match the receipt reference, customer and invoice. Review unidentified payments and due dates with the accounts team before treating the balance as settled or overdue.
Connected distribution workflows
Keep the operation
and its accounts in view.
Choose the modules around the order, goods movement and finance records your distribution team needs.
Scope the whole distributor journey. Include sales, purchasing and imported-cost requirements in your demo. Explore the VisionONE ERP suite for the wider module scope, and agree the supported workflows in your proposal.
Implementation around your routes and depots
Your locations,
records and rollout plan.
Start with the way your depots take orders and release stock. Agree the data, approval rules, integration scope and reconciliation your team needs before cutover.
Prepare the depot and customer records
Bring branches, warehouses, routes, items, selling units, batches, customer price lists, credit terms and opening balances. Identify who owns each source file.
Demonstrate the connected workflow
Run one order through credit review, allocation, picking, delivery, invoice and payment. Include a short delivery, depot transfer, supplier receipt and credit exception.
Reconcile and train before rollout
Reconcile stock quantities, valuations and customer balances. Test the agreed eTIMS route, train sales, warehouse and finance users, and document support and cutover responsibilities.
Questions, answered
Before your
distribution demo.
Bring one customer order and the stock, price and credit records behind it. Include the exception your team handles most often.
Can branches share stock visibility?
VisionONE describes stock visibility by branch, warehouse and bin. In your demo, use one item across two depots and review physical, allocated and available quantities. Confirm user access and the status of in-transit transfers before promising stock.
How are customer credit limits controlled?
Review the customer’s current balance, credit limit, payment terms and commitments before release. The example compares a KES 65,000 prospective balance with an invented KES 80,000 limit. Demonstrate the actual warning or blocking behaviour, override authority and overdue-account rules in your configuration.
How does dispatch connect to invoices?
Keep the delivery note tied to the original order and actual quantities sent, then review the invoice created through the configured workflow. For Kenya, check the invoice’s eTIMS response separately. Include a partial delivery and a return in the demo so the remaining quantities and credit treatment are clear.
Can imported costs affect margins?
Yes. Costs included in inventory valuation affect the cost of goods issued and the margin on a sale. Agree which charges belong in the landed cost and how they are allocated. Demonstrate a supplier receipt with freight or clearing charges and reconcile the item cost to finance before using it for margin review.
Which distributor workflows can be demonstrated?
Bring a customer order, price list, credit terms and a depot stock record. Ask to follow allocation, dispatch, invoicing and payment, then include a stock transfer, replenishment receipt and an exception. Use approved current screens to confirm the available workflows and reports.
Does this suit an FMCG distributor?
Review the requirements for selling units, customer pricing, batches, expiry and frequent depot replenishment. Add a short-dated item, a return and a mixed customer order to the demo. Confirm supported picking, barcode and route requirements rather than assuming every distribution option is included.
Is eTIMS included in every distribution setup?
Confirm the proposed eTIMS add-on, integration route, onboarding and support scope in writing. Review a permitted invoice and response from the current version. A stock or dispatch demonstration alone does not establish the live integration scope.
What determines distribution ERP pricing?
The scope depends on users, locations, modules, data migration, required workflows and integrations. Request software and implementation costs separately, with training, support and recurring charges stated. No fixed price or unverified savings figure is assumed here.
See it with your records
Bring one wholesale order.
Follow it through to collection.
Review depot stock, customer pricing, credit, dispatch and the resulting account. Include purchasing and one exception so the demo covers your actual operation.
A focused demo around your wholesale workflow, with no obligation.