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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Blue Link's Guide To Food Distribution Software

With numerous standards and regulations set by governing bodies, as well as an overall level of quality that must be upheld to customers, the food distribution industry is very unique. When evaluating food distribution software systems, it is essential that the system be designed specifically for food wholesalers and distributors. Many software packages have similar standard inventory and accounting functionality, but it is the additional food industry specific features such as lot tracking, landed cost tracking, multiple units of measure, and flexible pricing that make a system optimized for the food industry.

Key Features to Look For In Food Distribution Software:

o Lot Tracking: This facilitates robust product traceability functionality in order to keep records of which customers received specific groups of items or shipments. This functionality is especially important to food distributors as it is a key competency in achieving FDA/ISO/CFIA compliance.

o Landed Cost Tracking: This allows a company to arrive at its ‘true inventory costs’, which may include duty, brokerage, freight, insurance, and storage, in addition to the cost of the inventory itself. Landed cost tracking provides important information to business owners and decision makers when making purchasing and pricing decisions.

o Multiple Units of Measurement: Due to the nature of the products, food items are often purchased and sold using different units of measure - an effective software optimized for food distribution should be able to account for the variance.

o Flexible Pricing: Your software should automatically allow for different prices for different customers. It is also important to be able to quickly adjust prices in the system based on changes to market prices – a common occurrence in the food industry.

These are just a few of the features that most food distribution companies find useful in a software system. It is important for companies to carefully evaluate potential software vendors to ensure that their solution encompasses the features outlined above, as well as any additional features that are identified throughout a detailed sales and implementation process. To learn more about Food Distribution Software, download the special "Lot Tracking Whitepaper" on Blue Link's Industry News blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace 2015-16 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides are currently available for download. Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Click to download the: 2015 Distribution Software Guide
Click to download the:  2015 Manufacturing Software Guide
 
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