Microsoft business solutions for industrial distributors

Microsoft Business Solutions is software designed to assist industrial distributors in effectively managing their inventories (Schreibfeder, Maintaining Stock 5). This software integrates business management and distribution systems to further support “ order and purchasing management, sales forecasting, e-commerce and warehouse management” especially for firms in the industrial distribution industry (Schreibfeder, Maintaining Stock 5). What is more, the business management component of the software is designed to help distributors with accounting, HR and payroll, customer relationship management and supply chain management among other things.

As these essential functions of the distribution business increase in efficiency with the use of Microsoft Business Solutions, the industrial distributor may experience an increase in profits, seeing that the software reorganizes and connects each step of business operations, eliminating many of the old processes and reducing costs. It also allows everybody in the organization access to needed information throughout the day (Schreibfeder, Maintaining Stock 5). Even if an industrial distributor has more than one branch for the maintenance of stock, accurate information may be retrieved by any employee in any of the branches at all times.

Miscommunication and misinterpretations are thus avoided (Schreibfeder, Maintaining Stock 1). Unsurprisingly, therefore, Schreibfeder refers to “ effective inventory management” while promoting Microsoft Business Solutions (Schreibfeder, The First Steps 2). In his words, “ Effective inventory management allows a distributor to meet or exceed customers’ expectations of product availability by maintaining the amount of each item that will also maximize their company’s net profit” (Schreibfeder, The First Steps 2).

He further writes on “ effective inventory analysis” with reference to the software (Schreibfeder, Effective Inventory Analysis 2). Of course, Jon Schreibfeder, the author of “ The First Steps to Achieving Effective Inventory Control,” “ Effective Inventory Analysis,” and “ Maintaining Stock in Branch Locations” is considered an authority on the topic of inventory management for industrial distributors. He is the president of Effective Inventory Management, Inc. , inventory management consultant for STAFDA, and author of many books and articles on the subject (Inventory Columnist).

Besides, all three white papers perused to understand Microsoft Business Solutions for industrial distributors have been published by the well-known Microsoft Corporation. Thus, all three sources must be considered credible or good. If, however, all three of these white papers were focused on advertising Microsoft Business Solutions instead of having Schreibfeder discuss in depth the importance of effective inventory management, the reader may have had doubts about the veracity of the advertisements.

Fortunately, this is not the case with these white papers, which must be considered scholarly given the author’s experience with the subject. Works Cited “ Inventory Columnist: Jon Schreibfeder. ” Construction Supply. Oct/Nov 2008. 9 Feb 2009. . Schreibfeder, Jon.

“ The First Steps to Achieving Effective Inventory Control. ” Microsoft. 2002. 9 Feb 2009. . “ Effective Inventory Analysis. ” Microsoft. 2003. 9 Feb 2009. . “ Maintaining Stock in Branch Locations. ” Microsoft. 2003. 9 Feb 2009. .