The ultimate success of your inventory-dependent business is linked to your view of inventory investments.

Now, the capabilities that distributors need are exactly those provided by Microsoft Dynamics  SL (formerly Microsoft  Business Solution Solomon). For starters, the software can save time and reduce error-prone manual processing by allowing users to enter information in a single integrated system that covers such diverse functions as inventory or shipping tasks and computing landed costs or handling online orders.

That translates into potentially substantial time savings. For example, using Microsoft Dynamics SL, Michigan-based Echelbarger, Himebaugh, Tamm & Co., PC, a regional accounting and information technology consulting firm, helped cut one client's order-to-shipment time from hours to minutes.

The kicker is that Microsoft Dynamics SL doesn't offer just a single set of capabilities. It's a complete tool kit with a host of built-in features that can be expanded and tailored to meet the needs of any business through its modular design. For example, with the Microsoft Dynamics SL Order Management module, "order types" and configurable "order steps" functions can help your staff define and configure the steps they need to complete tasks at any point in an order's life cycle, from sales entry to distribution to shipping. Order steps may also be customized.

The same module also offers "hands-off" automated options, such as the automatic assignment of order numbers and the generation of pick tickets, bin labels, shipping documents and packing lists. These options ultimately help reduce errors caused by manual processing or from rekeying information.

The challenges of tracking inventory from receipt to shipment can be mastered by using the Inventory Item Status Inquiry and by drilling into the Transaction Detail Warehouse. Every inventory transaction down to the time and date can be confirmed so it's clear who "touched" it last and when. Indeed, all these capabilities (as well as metrics for the whole picking and shipment process) can be derived from the Order Management module, which allows you to track item movement performance, access transaction history to perform audits, and view transaction information to track inventory.

Because keeping accurate inventory counts and reducing costs are constant challenges for companies that take orders and manage inventory, Microsoft Dynamics SL offers an inventory module that allows your warehouse staff to take a snapshot of inventory at any time. This facilitates cycle count-versus-book variance checks, and can even help you focus on specific portions of the warehouse.

Visibility into Investments
Of course, the ultimate success of your inventory-dependent business is linked to your view of inventory investments. With the Microsoft Dynamics SL Purchasing module, warehouse personnel can track fast-moving versus slow-moving items in order to adjust purchasing reorder points, set automatic reorder points and order quantities. This helps them pinpoint what to order and when, as well as which warehouse to ship to.

To help you better understand inventory movement, the Microsoft Dynamics SL Inventory Replenishment module also provides integrated reporting capabilities based on inventory, order management and purchasing module transactions, including return on investment (ROI), turnover, margins (gross and adjusted), customer service level, and expediting.

Finally, companies that manufacture products with component parts face additional inventory management challenges, so the Microsoft Dynamics SL Work Order module offers the flexibility to create a work order for the product and all its components.

All these modules Order Management, Inventory, Purchasing, Inventory Replenishment and Work Order are part of the Microsoft Dynamics SL Distribution Series. The package also includes the following modules:

• Advanced Shipping Manager adds precise and efficient shipment functionality to Microsoft Dynamics SL Order Management and e-Commerce Gateway EDI Edition. The module automatically creates shipping labels, builds shipment details, charges shipments and more.
• Bill of Materials defines, analyzes and manages your company's products. Comprehensive features in three important manufacturing categories bill of materials, production routings and product costing provide support for costing and production of manufactured and assembled goods.
• eCommerce Gateway EDI Edition works with Microsoft Dynamics SL Order Management to support electronic business so you can integrate and automate business transactions with customers, vendors and remote warehouses.
• Landed Cost captures actual shipping, handling and import fees (landed costs), and easily rolls them into the total cost of goods so distributors and manufacturers can calculate accurate inventory valuation by including additional charges beyond item purchase costs.

Whether you mass manufacture, build-to-order, or are purely in the business of distribution, Microsoft Dynamics SL provides the capability to better manage the movement of goods at any stage in the process. "Project-driven organizations and distributors need business management applications that adapt to their unique processes," says Eric de Jager, director of Microsoft Dynamics SL. "Microsoft Dynamics SL is easily adaptable and provides the capability to manage workflow and transactions in a reliable and affordable manner."