ERP for Hardware Dealers & Distributors in India
Manage a large hardware catalogue, quotations, contractor credit, stock across godowns and GST from one connected system.
What ERP is suitable for hardware dealers and distributors?
A hardware business needs an ERP that can hold thousands of similar items by brand, size and finish, quote quickly, control contractor credit and keep GST correct across many HSN codes. TradeFlow is a business ERP for Indian traders and distributors that does this: products carry brand, category, size, finish, unit, SKU and HSN code, stock is kept per warehouse, and quotations, deliveries, invoices and payments are linked.
Who it is for
- Hardware dealers, wholesalers and distributors
- Businesses selling to contractors, fabricators and retail counters
- Hardware businesses with more than one godown
Common problems in the hardware trade
- 01
Thousands of near-identical items
The same screw, hinge or fitting comes in many brands, sizes and finishes, and keeping each one distinct in a register is slow and error-prone.
- 02
Counter and contractor quotes get lost
Rates are quoted on the phone or a slip, revised a few times, and nobody knows which version the customer accepted.
- 03
Contractor credit gets out of hand
Contractors and fabricators buy on account, and dues are chased only when someone checks the ledger.
- 04
Quantity and customer discounts are applied from memory
Discounts vary by product, category, customer and order size, and are worked out by hand at billing.
- 05
Fast movers run out while slow lines pile up
Common fasteners and fittings go out of stock, while slow-moving lines sit in the godown for months.
- 06
Many HSN codes and GST rates
A mixed catalogue spans several HSN codes and GST rates, and mistakes surface only at return time.
How TradeFlow addresses them
01Thousands of near-identical items
Each product carries a brand, category and sub-category, size, finish, unit, SKU and barcode. Products can be imported in bulk from an Excel template.
- Product master
- SKU, barcode & MRP
- Excel import & export
02Counter and contractor quotes get lost
Quotations are recorded with a valid-until date, revised as new versions, and carried through to sales order, delivery challan and invoice.
- Quotations
- Quotation revisions & validity
- Linked sales documents
03Contractor credit gets out of hand
Each customer has a credit limit and credit days, payments are recorded against invoices, and receivables show outstanding and overdue amounts.
- Credit limit & credit days
- Receivables
- Customer payments
04Quantity and customer discounts are applied from memory
Discount rules are defined by product, category or customer, with minimum quantities and priorities.
- Discount rules
- Price lists
05Fast movers run out while slow lines pile up
Each product has minimum, maximum and reorder levels with a reorder quantity; reorder alerts flag what is low and inventory aging shows what is sitting.
- Minimum, maximum & reorder levels
- Reorder alerts
- Inventory aging
06Many HSN codes and GST rates
HSN code and GST rate are set on each product, so GST is applied on every invoice and bill, and return data is prepared from those records.
- HSN codes
- GSTR-1
- GSTR-3B
The hardware sales and stock workflow in TradeFlow
- 1
Purchase order
Order from the brand or supplier.
- 2
Goods receipt
Receive against the order into a godown. Stock goes up.
- 3
Stock
Stock is held per product and warehouse, with reorder levels set per product.
- 4
Quotation
Quote the contractor or retailer, revising the quotation if rates change.
- 5
Sales order
Convert the accepted quotation into a sales order.
- 6
Delivery
Dispatch on a delivery challan. Stock goes down in that warehouse.
- 7
Invoice
Raise the GST invoice against the order and challan.
- 8
Payment
Record payment against the invoice; unpaid amounts stay in receivables.
A product master built for large hardware ranges
Brand, category and sub-category, size, finish and unit on every product, with SKU, barcode, MRP, purchase and selling prices, and bulk import and export through Excel.
- Product masterProducts with categories, brands, units, sizes and finishes.
- SKU, barcode & MRPRecord an SKU, a barcode (displayed as a CODE128 barcode), MRP and purchase and selling prices for each product.
- Excel import & exportImport products in bulk from an Excel template, and export the product list to Excel.
- HSN codesMap products to HSN codes so GST rates apply correctly.
Quote, revise and convert without re-typing
Quotations with a valid-until date and revisions, converted into sales orders, delivery challans and GST invoices. Discount rules and credit notes sit alongside.
- QuotationsPrepare and track quotations before they become orders.
- Quotation revisions & validityRevise a quotation as a new version, and set the date it is valid until.
- Sales ordersConfirm customer orders and track them to delivery.
- Delivery challansRecord goods dispatched against an order.
- GST invoicesRaise tax invoices with HSN codes and GST applied.
- Discount rulesSet discounts by product, category or customer, with minimum quantities and priorities.
- Credit notesHandle returns and price corrections against invoices.
Keep fast movers in stock across godowns
Stock per product and warehouse, minimum, maximum and reorder levels, reorder alerts, inventory aging, transfers between godowns and cycle counts.
- Stock levels by warehouseSee current stock per product and per warehouse.
- Minimum, maximum & reorder levelsSet minimum and maximum stock, a reorder level and a reorder quantity for each product.
- Reorder alertsFlag products that have fallen below their reorder level.
- Inventory agingSee how long stock has been sitting, to spot slow movers.
- Multiple warehousesRun several warehouses, each with its own stock.
- Stock transfersMove stock between warehouses with a record of each transfer.
- Cycle countsCount stock in parts and reconcile differences.
Know what every contractor owes
Credit limit and credit days per customer, outstanding and overdue invoices, payments recorded against invoices, and customer groups for contractors, retailers and fabricators.
- Credit limit & credit daysSet a credit limit and credit days for each customer; the AI CEO Dashboard shows how much of each limit is used.
- ReceivablesOutstanding invoices by customer, including overdue amounts.
- Customer paymentsRecord customer payments against the invoices they settle.
- Customer groupsGroup customers, for example dealers, retailers and contractors.
Buy from brands with a full trail
Purchase orders, goods receipts into a godown, supplier bills with GST and supplier payments against bills.
- Purchase ordersRaise and track orders to suppliers.
- Goods receiptReceive stock against purchase orders into a warehouse.
- Purchase billsRecord supplier bills with GST for input tax credit.
- Supplier paymentsRecord payments to suppliers against their purchase bills.
GST across a mixed hardware catalogue
HSN codes and GST rates on each product apply GST on every invoice and bill. GSTR-1 data (exported as Excel or JSON) and the GSTR-3B summary are prepared from those same records, and GSTR-2B data is used to review input tax credit. TradeFlow prepares the return data; the returns themselves are filed outside TradeFlow, by you or your CA.
- HSN codesMap products to HSN codes so GST rates apply correctly.
- GSTR-1Prepare GSTR-1 from sales data and export it as Excel or JSON.
- GSTR-2BWork with GSTR-2B data for input tax credit.
- GSTR-3BPrepare the GSTR-3B summary return.
- Reverse charge (RCM)Handle purchases where GST is payable under reverse charge.
Counter, stores and accounts, each with the right access
Role-based permissions and an audit log; sales, purchase and inventory reports; and the AI CEO Dashboard with rule-based business insights.
- Role-based permissionsControl who can view or change each module.
- Audit logSee who changed what, and when.
- Business reportsSales, purchase, inventory, profitability and vendor performance reports.
- AI CEO DashboardAI CEO Dashboard with rule-based business insights on overdue dues, aging stock and the sales pipeline.
Is TradeFlow suitable for your hardware business?
- Hardware dealers and distributors with large, multi-brand catalogues
- Businesses selling on credit to contractors and fabricators
- Hardware businesses that quote before they sell
- Dealers running more than one godown or branch
- Businesses with several HSN codes and GST rates
- Teams where counter, stores and accounts need separate access
Frequently asked questions
What ERP is suitable for hardware dealers?
An ERP for hardware dealers should handle large multi-brand catalogues, quotations, contractor credit, reorder levels and GST. TradeFlow is a business ERP for Indian traders and distributors, including hardware businesses, and covers each of these.
Can TradeFlow handle thousands of hardware items?
Yes. Each product carries a brand, category and sub-category, size, finish, unit, SKU, barcode and HSN code, and products can be imported in bulk from an Excel template and exported to Excel.
Can TradeFlow track contractor credit?
Yes. Each customer has a credit limit and credit days, payments are recorded against invoices, and receivables show outstanding and overdue amounts by customer.
Can TradeFlow handle quantity and customer discounts?
Yes. Discount rules can be set by product, category or customer, with minimum quantities and priorities.
Does TradeFlow warn me before stock runs out?
Yes. Each product can have minimum and maximum stock, a reorder level and a reorder quantity, and reorder alerts list products that have fallen below their reorder level.
Does TradeFlow support GST compliance?
Yes, for preparing returns. HSN codes apply GST on invoices and bills. From those transactions TradeFlow prepares GSTR-1 data, which you export as Excel or JSON, and the GSTR-3B summary, and it uses GSTR-2B data to review input tax credit. It also supports reverse charge (RCM). TradeFlow prepares the return data; the returns themselves are filed outside TradeFlow, by you or your CA.
See TradeFlow on a hardware catalogue
Book a demo and we will load sample hardware products by brand, size and finish and walk through a quotation, sale and collection.