Currently, we have to set each of our locations up as separate companies in order to keep inventory separate and prevent users from shipping to each other's customers or producing for each other's warehouses, etc. For example, in the packaged concrete and cement industry production and distribution is done mostly on a local level because of freight cost and the weight of the product. Furthermore, raw materials (mainly aggregates) are locally sourced and affect the bill of materials for the product as far as cost and amount required. Further, some products aren't available at all locations depending on brand or market demand. Therefore, in Sales Order it's not desirable for a user to see all items. They should see only the items for their location. Each location has local customer service personnel who service only their local markets. Having one location ship into another's area is rare and would have to be initiated at a regional level only. Since we have to keep locations as separate companies for inventory we have separate AR. Some large customers cross plant service areas so we have to set the same customer up in more than one company and move AR between companies manually and split payments, etc. Also, we have to handle plant inventory transfers like sales between companies rather than just inventory transfers which generates AP and AR paper.

by: James B. | over a year ago | 3 - Sales & Distribution