What is the Global Food Safety Initiative and how does it affect food producers like me and retailers like Wal-mart?

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is a collaborative effort by manufacturers and retailers to provide a uniform food safety management system that streamlines the certification process for complying with regulatory requirements while reducing the cost of doing so.

The effort to create a global system of compliance has been underway in Europe for several years. In the US, Wal-mart announced in February, 2008 that all food suppliers will have to have their factories certified against one of the GFSI standards.

With Wal-marts’ high-visibility adoption, it is expected that this standard in the US will be required by other food retailers. This is likely to accelerate the effort of retailers, distributors and suppliers to harmonize food safety standards.

Under the current standards environment there are many certification bodies and thus, many different audit checklists that a supplier must comply with. This is expensive and time-consuming for suppliers to comply with. The GFSI provides for a uniform group of standards that all certifying bodies comply with and thus only a single audit will be needed to achieve the certification.

The Safe Quality Food Institute administers the program in the US and is responsible for managing the many components of this process. They publish the codes, train and license the SQF consultants and auditors, maintain the centralized database of certification and compliance records and provide on-going training.

This initiative has many components to it and companies that participate in the Food Supply Chain need to understand the process so that they can comply with process and reduce their compliance costs. Gary Smith, Technical Director of the SQF Institute will be conducting a free webinar to introduce the GFSI and answer questions on December 3, 2008. To learn more go to http://www.software4distributors.com/sage/registration.html.

Activant B2B Seller Version 5.5 is Now Available

Activant Solutions Inc. announces the availability of Activant B2B Seller version 5.5, an integrated Web-based storefront solution.

"The new version of B2B Seller is remarkably stable and reliable," said Shelby Scanlan, IT manager for Cascade Orthopedic Supply, an early adopter of B2B Seller 5.5. "The feedback we have received from customers is extremely positive."

Activant analyzed users’ specific needs and market trends to determine which features to include in B2B Seller 5.5. The result: a product release designed to help distributors further increase sales, improve customer service and reduce operating costs.

B2B Seller offers distributors the tools they need to service customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. B2B Seller allows them to extend their geographic reach and increase market share, without hiring dozens of additional employees or building new warehouses.

New Features Include

* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) -- Customize meta-tags and titles of specific HTML pages to allow the user's desired site page to have a better chance of being returned in Internet searches triggered through Google and other search engines. Available in B2B Advanced and above.

* Admin users may make changes to the site -- When any setting changes are made, the Web site will be immediately updated with the changes. The areas that can now be configured by the user are: e-mail recipients; feature enablement for certain features; screen configuration for category search results, contact us, item detail, item search; and my account report configuration. Available in B2B Advanced and above.

Special Functionality for Activant Prophet 21 Users

Prophet 21, the leading enterprise software solution for distributors, combines the familiarity of Windows with the power of SQL Server to help distributors increase sales, improve customer service, and reduce operating costs. B2B Seller fully integrates with Prophet 21 and acts as an additional customer support representative 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

* Shopping Carts and Shopping Lists -- Automatically recognize Item ID/Item Code changes in the backend system to allow existing data to continue to work without updating when Item ID/Item Code changes are implemented. Also available to Activant Acclaim users; B2B Advanced and above.

* Select contracts at the line-item level -- Shoppers can choose from a list of contracts associated with a given item; the selected contract will then be used to calculate pricing for that item. Available in B2B Advanced and above.

* Open Quotations can be viewed in the My Account Open Quote section -- View and print quotations stored in their system. This feature adds the capability to select those quotes to be converted to orders. When selected, the shopper will go through the typical checkout process and the quote converted to an order in Prophet 21. Available in B2B Premier and above.

* Distributors with multiple Prophet 21 Companies can now share a single B2B Seller site -- B2B Seller will set the proper Prophet 21 Company ID based on Customer associated with the Shopper. Available in B2B Premier and above.

* Shoppers may apply Merchandise Credits to orders -- Customers can cover a part of the order by using a Merchandise Credit and cover the rest of the order by either invoice or using a credit card. Available in B2B and B2C.

About Activant Solutions Inc.

Activant Solutions Inc. ("Activant") is a leading technology provider of business management solutions serving retail and wholesale distribution businesses in three primary vertical markets: hardlines and lumber; wholesale distribution; and the automotive parts aftermarket. Founded in 1972, Activant provides customers with tailored proprietary software, professional services, content, supply chain connectivity, and analytics. More than 30,000 customer locations use an Activant solution to manage their day-to-day operations. Activant has operations throughout the United States and Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

For more information, please visit distribution.activant.com.

ISSA's Guide

We encourage you to take a look at the link below, to view our Endorsing Association's annual distribution software guide.

This guide helps to paint a better picture of the computer systems used in the industry. One of the surprising things found, is that there are still a lot of distributors running their businesses with off-the-shelf programs like QuickBooks and Peachtree. There are a variety of reasons for this.

Most sophisticated enterprise-resource-planning (ERP) systems are still too expensive for many distributors. Profit margins are tight (as always), and new computer systems just keep costing more. In some ways, that seems counterintuitive: You would think that software companies could lower their prices once they’ve recouped the cost of their initial investment. But in reality, software companies need to continually invest in research and development to stay competitive and expand their customer base.

Another important reason a goodly number of distributors still run their businesses with off-the-shelf programs is that these products are becoming quite sophisticated. What started out as a simple accounting program on personal computers has grown into a robust business solution with a full suite of products. These systems now handle functions like payroll, point of sale, EDI, and warehouse management, just to name a few. About the only thing that hasn’t changed is that they still run on personal computers (although QuickBooks recently introduced a version called QuickBooks On-Line that you can use with nothing more than a Web browser).

And, of course, the users are becoming more sophisticated, also. Ten years ago, people were looking for turnkey solutions. They wanted the software company to install the system, do the training, and provide comprehensive ongoing support. Today’s user is often unafraid to install his or her own software or handle his or her own system configuration.

But what about the big ERP systems? As usual, the large software companies are still swallowing the smaller ones. Rarely do these acquisitions result in a better product or better services for the customer.

If you are looking to upgrade your computer systems this year, should you look at the bigger ERP systems? Absolutely—see the guide by clicking on the link below, listing only those systems that have some real experience serving the cleaning industry.

As for the off-the-shelf software like QuickBooks and Peachtree, they can be a great alternative—although they still aren’t powerful enough for a sophisticated warehouse with bar code scanning and lot control. They also require a tremendous time investment to properly configure them to your unique business processes, especially in a multibranch environment.

Download the Sixth Annual ISSA Today Software Guide

For Immediate Release: From the Editor and Publisher of Progressive Distributor Magazine by Rich Vurva

To learn more about researching, evaluating, analyzing and comparing software request the 2008 Progressive Distributor Supplement Guide released this month.
To order a complimentary copy visit http://www.software4distributors.com/pdsupplementguide/default.aspx

A sagging economy has forced distributors to search for ways to streamline their businesses. One way distributors can become more efficient, lower their cost of doing business, and potentially increase sales is to utilize technology.

For example, in our recent annual reader survey, distributors anticipate that while outside and inside sales efforts will remain their primary sales solicitation methods, they expect Internet sales to grow in popularity in the next 12 months. Doing business online not only provides a quick and easy way for customers to place orders, it’s also more cost-effective for distributors because it reduces costly in-person sales calls.

Technology can help distributors streamline their operations in other ways as well, such as providing greater customer access to inventory, speeding the order entry and invoicing processes, utilizing EDI, CRM and WMS systems, and much more.

In order to gain the greatest benefit from the latest technologies, distributors must have reliable software vendors to help them determine the best solutions for their business.

That is why Progressive Distributor magazine is especially pleased for the opportunity to partner with the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group to publish this supplement to the Distribution Software Guide. For nearly 20 years, the Distribution Software Guide has earned a reputation as a reliable resource for detailed information that helps distributors make informed choices when it comes time to upgrade their distribution software packages. Our hope is that this valuable supplement will enable your business be better equipped to succeed in a challenging economic environment.

About The Author
Rich Vurva is the Editor and Publisher of Progressive Distributor Magazine, which reaches 37,000 executives and salespeople at industrial and contractor supply distribution companies.

About The Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group
The Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group has been serving the distribution community for more than 20 years through the publication of the Distribution Software Guide, speaking at industry programs, giving free telephone advice to distributors and providing fee-based consulting services to companies who need help selecting the best software packages for their business. For more information visit http://www.software4distibutors.com/.

EDITORS NOTE: Permission to reprint is hereby given to all print, broadcast and electronic media. Permission is also granted for reasonable editing, including article title change and customizing for your audience/industry. Please send a copy of the published information to: Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, Sara Nelson, 10151 Corporate Square, Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63132

For More Information Contact:

Sara Nelson
314.983.1393
snelson@bswllc.com

Four Actions Every Distributor Should Take To Improve Inventory and Supply Chain Management

In the face of global, multi-channel markets and increasingly tough economic conditions, are traditional inventory management and supply chain practices becoming obsolete?

In this special Insight Report, Aberdeen identifies the key inventory and supply chain technology initiatives planned by distributors for 2008 and beyond. The report also details the strategic action distribution should take in response to rising logistics cost and lack of supply chain visibility.

Read this report to learn:

* Why inventory optimization, forecasting and replenishment are key to success in distribution
* Why you need end-to-end supply chain visibility now
* How your technology priorities compare to your competitors

Find out how you can transform inventory and supply chain management into a customer service differentiator, a market strategy differentiator, and a profit center.

Click here to read more

NetSuite Expands Lead in Vertical Suites by Leveraging Core Strength In Wholesale / Distribution to Tackle Demands of Light Manufacturing

NetSuite Inc. (NYSE: N), a leading vendor of on-demand, integrated business management software suites for the mid-market enterprise and divisions of large companies, today announced a new vertical suite for manufacturing companies. NetSuite for Manufacturers, which includes new functionality for Assembly, Work Order and Bill of Materials, takes aim at SAP's core market and seeks to exploit the prolonged delay of SAP's Business ByDesign product roll-out, providing mid-sized manufacturers with an integrated on-demand solution they can put to work today.

" NetSuite has been offering vertical suites for the wholesale / distribution industry for a while with a proven track record," said Bruce Richardson, Chief Research Officer, AMR Research. "Manufacturers have been longing for SaaS offerings to build better overall total cost-of-ownership. Until this release from NetSuite, there haven't been any broad SaaS product offerings that include financials, CRM, Ecommerce and manufacturing. The on-demand suite approach — pioneered by NetSuite — could prove to be a major market accelerator."

Today's new release leverages the core strength of the NetSuite Wholesale / Distribution Edition — launched in April 2006 — and is a natural progression of NetSuite's leading role in delivering Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business suites designed to address the specific requirements of vertical industries. NetSuite's offering for manufacturing, initially aimed at the light manufacturing sector, is also the latest example of how NetSuite's SaaS-based business management technology has evolved to address more complex processes in industries long dominated by on-premise vendors such as SAP. The company's rapid move into manufacturing comes at a difficult time for SAP, as they have struggled to deliver their own on-demand offering, Business ByDesign, to address customer requirements in their core market. NetSuite for Manufacturers now gives SAP customers and others an option they can purchase and deploy without delay. For more information about NetSuite for Manufacturers, please visit www.netsuite.com/manufacturing.

Manufacturers Have Varying Challenges

Light manufacturing businesses typically overlap with wholesale / distribution and span a huge spectrum of categories from apparel to furniture to small electronics. Regardless of which category a light manufacturer is in, the challenge has always been the management of the bill of materials, assembly build and work order process for both production orders that add to general stock levels, as well as special orders built uniquely for one customer. Software traditionally used by mid-market light manufacturing companies encompasses dozens of on-premise silo applications — one for accounting, one for customer relationship management, one for work orders, one for inventory management, one for warehouse management. The list goes on. This fragmented approach can add large IT cost, introduce a high rate of errors throughout the business process, provides little visibility on available-to-promise inventory, and decrease business efficiency and accuracy.

Enterprise Power at Lower Total Cost-of-Ownership

NetSuite for Manufacturers provides companies with essential visibility into the key build processes that light manufacturers need to compete effectively in the market. Since NetSuite's delivery model is SaaS and all functionality and data is within one system, the total-cost-of-ownership is greatly reduced and light manufacturers gain the following benefits:

1. Greater insight into production processes — from inventory, to assembly, to demand based replenishment;
2. Real-time visibility throughout the entire organization — from sales to warehouse operations to invoicing;
3. Minimal integration hassle — NetSuite provides one system to manage the end-to-end business life-cycle;
4. Cost savings — reduced IT costs, reduced labor costs and reduced errors;
5. Reduced risk — instant information can help reduce time to respond to change;
6. Stay competitive in the ever competitive global economy for light manufacturers.

Powerful Functionality Key to Light Manufacturers

NetSuite adds a myriad of important functionality that is key to running a light manufacturing business. The new features unveiled today include:

• Assembly Management — building on NetSuite's core strength in inventory and warehouse management, assembly items have been extended specifically for light manufacturers which enable companies to more effectively manage component quantities and multi-level assemblies. Assemblies are closely tied with work orders and allow for multi-level assemblies to be built one level at a time, or all at once.
• Work Orders — new work order capabilities allow light manufacturers to readily manage the build process for production work orders to replenish standing inventory levels of finished goods or special order work orders built to exact specifications for a particular customer. For example, a furniture light manufacturer may have standard sized wood or glass-top dining tables they build on an on-going basis, but they may also offer custom-sized dining tables as a special order for individual customers.
• Bill of Materials (BOM) — any build process requires a bill of materials that outlines what components are required to successfully build the finished good. BOMs are tightly coupled with both assemblies and work orders and cover the components required for a single assembly plus all the components required by a particular work order. Assembly instructions can also be included in the printable BOM in PDF format.
• Demand-Based Inventory Replenishment — light manufacturers can now dynamically set re-order points and preferred stock-levels for both components of assemblies as well as finished goods based on a variety of factors including average lead time, historical or seasonal sales demand, and number of days from supply to stock. Work orders drive the demand for components as they are completed, thereby automating the replenishment of source materials and components.

"Today's launch of NetSuite for Manufacturers validates our strong commitment to vertical industries by delivering functionality designed to drive greater efficiencies and competitiveness," said Mini Peiris, NetSuite's VP of Product Marketing. "NetSuite enables manufacturers to automate complex business processes without the cost and complexity of cobbling together multiple business applications, and numerous spreadsheets. As a result, customers can stop wasting precious resources and start focusing on increasing customer service levels, cutting costs, and growing their businesses."

Pricing and Availability

NetSuite for Manufacturers is available now at $999 per month and $99 per user per month.

For more information about NetSuite Inc., please visit www.netsuite.com.

For Immediate Release: From the Editor and Associate Publisher of Industrial Distribution Magazine by Jack Keough

To learn more about researching, evaluating, analyzing and comparing software request the 2008 Industrial Distribution Supplement Guide released this month To order a complimentary copy visit http://www.software4distributors.com/supplementguide/default.aspx.

In a recent survey conducted by Industrial Distribution, distributors told us that one of their top concerns was soaring operational costs. It’s been a continuing problem that has been rising in importance in recent years.

One of the chief ways distributors can reduce those costs is through the use of technology. With the advent of expanded technological software, distributors can reduce errors in shipments; track and control inventory; and improve the manufacturer-distributor relationship as well as the customer-distributor relationship.

Technology can help in all those areas. But finding, evaluating and deciding on which software provides the best solution to solve your specific problem can be a daunting and time consuming task. That’s why Industrial Distribution is publishing this special section. This report, a supplement to the 18th edition of the Brown, Smith, Wallace Consulting Group’s Distribution Software Guide, is the number one source of detailed information for distribution-oriented companies beginning their selection process for new business software.

The guide is designed to provide independently researched information to make it easier for distributors to evaluate and select the right software for their specific needs.

Our survey clearly indicates that distributorships of all sizes will be looking for information on how technology can improve their internal and external operations. We hope this supplement will help you research, evaluate, compare and analyze the tools that are essential to your business operations.

About The Author: Jack Keough has been editor of Industrial Distribution for 21 years. Nine years ago he was also named associate publisher. Jack is considered a leading spokesman for the distribution industry. He has spoken at many industry conventions as well as at national sales meetings. He has also served as a panelist on radio and television and taught journalism at the college level. Prior to joining Industrial Distribution, Jack worked with community newspapers in Massachusetts for 15 years. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts.

About The Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group: The Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group has been serving the distribution community for more than 20 years through the publication of the Distribution Software Guide, speaking at industry programs, giving free telephone advice to distributors and providing fee-based consulting services to companies who need help selecting the best software packages for their business. For more information visit http://www.software4distributors.com/.

EDITORS NOTE: Permission to reprint is hereby given to all print, broadcast and electronic media. Permission is also granted for reasonable editing, including article title change and customizing for your audience/industry. Please send a copy of the published information to: Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, Sara Nelson, 10151 Corporate Square, Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63132

For More Information Contact:
Sara Nelson
314.983.1393
snelson@bswllc.com