ERP for Industrial Supplies Distributors in India
Run quotation-led B2B sales, customer discounts, approvals, batch-tracked stock across warehouses and GST from one connected system.
How does an ERP help an industrial-supplies distributor?
Industrial supply is quotation-led: buyers ask for rates, negotiate and then order, often at agreed discounts, and larger orders need an internal check. TradeFlow is a business ERP for Indian traders and distributors that revises quotations, applies customer discount rules, routes invoices for approval, tracks batches and keeps stock by warehouse, with a REST API for connecting other systems.
Who it is for
- Distributors of tools, fasteners, bearings, safety and maintenance supplies
- Suppliers to factories and maintenance teams
- Distributors with approval steps before invoicing
Common problems in industrial-supplies distribution
- 01
Every order starts with a request for quotation
Buyers ask for rates, negotiate and ask again, and several versions of the same quote circulate.
- 02
Agreed discounts differ by buyer
Each factory account negotiates its own discount, and applying it correctly depends on the person billing.
- 03
Large invoices go out unchecked
A large order or an unusual rate is invoiced before anyone senior has seen it.
- 04
Consumables need batch traceability
Adhesives, lubricants and similar consumables must be traced to a batch, and some have expiry dates.
- 05
Stock spread across branch warehouses
Stock is held near customer clusters, and moving it between warehouses is not always recorded.
- 06
Orders need to reach other systems
Customer portals or internal tools need order and stock data, and it is re-typed by hand.
How TradeFlow addresses them
01Every order starts with a request for quotation
Quotations are revised as new versions with a valid-until date, and the accepted version is converted into a sales order, delivery challan and invoice.
- Quotations
- Quotation revisions & validity
- Linked sales documents
02Agreed discounts differ by buyer
Discount rules are set by customer, product or category, with minimum quantities and priorities.
- Discount rules
- Customer groups
03Large invoices go out unchecked
Invoices can be routed to named approvers, and an approval matrix defines who approves what.
- Invoice approvals
- Approval matrix
04Consumables need batch traceability
Products can be marked for batch tracking, and batches carry batch dates.
- Batch tracking
05Stock spread across branch warehouses
Stock is kept per warehouse, transfers between warehouses are recorded, and cycle counts reconcile physical stock.
- Multiple warehouses
- Stock transfers
- Cycle counts
06Orders need to reach other systems
TradeFlow provides a REST API documented with OpenAPI, and outbound webhooks when records change.
- REST API
- Webhooks
The quotation-led workflow in TradeFlow
- 1
Enquiry
Record the buyer’s request as an opportunity.
- 2
Quotation
Quote the items the buyer asked for, with a valid-until date.
- 3
Revision
Revise the quotation as a new version during negotiation.
- 4
Sales order
Convert the accepted version into a sales order.
- 5
Pick
A pick list guides the warehouse.
- 6
Delivery
Dispatch on a delivery challan. Stock goes down in that warehouse.
- 7
Invoice
Raise the GST invoice against the order and challan, with approval where required.
- 8
Payment
Record payment against the invoice; unpaid amounts stay in receivables.
From request for quotation to invoice
Opportunities, quotations with revisions and validity, sales orders, pick lists, delivery challans and GST invoices, each linked to the one before.
- OpportunitiesTrack potential deals through a pipeline.
- 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.
- Pick listsGenerate pick lists for outgoing orders.
- Delivery challansRecord goods dispatched against an order.
- GST invoicesRaise tax invoices with HSN codes and GST applied.
Agreed discounts and a check before invoicing
Discount rules by customer, product or category with minimum quantities; named price lists; invoice approvals and an approval matrix.
- Discount rulesSet discounts by product, category or customer, with minimum quantities and priorities.
- Price listsMaintain named price lists with product-wise rates and validity dates.
- Customer groupsGroup customers, for example dealers, retailers and contractors.
- Invoice approvalsRoute invoices to named approvers before they go out.
- Approval matrixDefine who approves what.
Batch-tracked stock across warehouses
Stock per warehouse and location, batches with batch dates, transfers, cycle counts, reorder alerts and weighted-average valuation.
- Multiple warehousesRun several warehouses, each with its own stock.
- Storage locationsDefine locations inside a warehouse.
- Batch trackingTrack stock by batch, including expiry where relevant.
- Stock transfersMove stock between warehouses with a record of each transfer.
- Cycle countsCount stock in parts and reconcile differences.
- Reorder alertsFlag products that have fallen below their reorder level.
- Weighted-average cost valuationValue inventory at weighted-average cost in reports.
Credit terms for every account
Credit limit and credit days per customer, outstanding and overdue invoices, and payments against invoices.
- 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.
Connect TradeFlow to your other systems
A REST API documented with OpenAPI, and outbound webhooks when records change.
- REST APIRead and write ERP data over a REST API with OpenAPI documentation.
- WebhooksSend events to other systems when records change.
GST on every industrial-supplies invoice and bill
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.
- TDSTrack tax deducted at source.
Access control and reporting
Role-based permissions and an audit log; sales, purchase, inventory and vendor-performance reports; 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 industrial-supplies business?
- Distributors of tools, fasteners, bearings, safety and maintenance supplies
- Businesses where most orders start with a quotation
- Distributors with negotiated discounts per account
- Teams that need approval before large invoices go out
- Businesses handling batch-tracked consumables
- Distributors that need to connect the ERP to other systems
Frequently asked questions
What ERP is suitable for industrial-supplies distributors?
An ERP for industrial-supplies distributors should handle quotation-led sales, negotiated discounts, approvals, batch tracking, multi-warehouse stock and GST. TradeFlow is a business ERP for Indian traders and distributors, including industrial-supplies businesses, and covers each of these.
Can TradeFlow revise quotations during negotiation?
Yes. Quotations can be revised as new versions with a valid-until date, and the accepted version is converted into a sales order.
Can TradeFlow apply a different discount for each customer?
Yes. Discount rules can be set by customer, product or category, with minimum quantities and priorities.
Can invoices require approval?
Yes. Invoices can be routed to named approvers, and an approval matrix defines who approves what.
Can TradeFlow connect to other systems?
Yes. TradeFlow provides a REST API documented with OpenAPI, and outbound webhooks when records change.
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) and TDS. TradeFlow prepares the return data; the returns themselves are filed outside TradeFlow, by you or your CA.
See a quotation-led sale in TradeFlow
Book a demo and we will walk through a quotation, revision, approval and invoice on sample industrial items.