By Matthew Spieler
(Second of two parts. Part 1 appeared in the March 24/31 issue.)
Proper inventory management can add to a dealer’s bottom line. Using a software package can aid in better accuracy, control, time savings and efficiency, thus adding even more profit to the business. With such a proliferation of systems available, deciding which one is right for your business can be a confusing task, sometimes to the point of foregoing one altogether.

In an effort to help retailers better understand which inventory management systems are available, FCNews contacted some of the industry’s leading software providers to discuss their latest offerings. (Editor’s note: Companies are listed in alphabetical order.)

CDMS ( Carpet Dealer Management System)

Cathy Welsh, operations manager, said CDMS is very comprehensive in that it not only handles all floor covering products and supplies, “we have several customers who use it to track furniture, window treatments, plumbing supplies, lighting fixtures and many other products.”

In addition, CDMS allows for the creation of multiple categories within product types, such as “builder grade,” “commercial grade,” and “high-end residential.” This helps create pricing formulas for each sub-category as well as running sales and purchase analysis reports for them.

Welsh said there are some unique elements to CDMS, such as allowing users to perform an implied transfer of goods between two companies on the same system. “We have several customers with stores that have their own tax identification numbers. CDMS allows you to view the inventory in each location and transfer the goods automatically to the other company.” It also runs combined consolidated financial statements so owners have only one report.

Because CDMS is fully comprehensive, Welsh noted every feature is included at one price. “We do not sell individual modules. It allows users to completely streamline the entire sales process and retrieve all information from one place.”

For more information, call 888.848.2367.

Kashmoo

The company believes software should mold itself to the dealer’s business. “Why should a retailer have to change the way he runs his business just to use a software package?” asked the company’s Mark Magnuson. “Kashmoo’s inventory module provides the full range of functionality to meet each dealer’s unique requirements.”

Kashmoo’s inventory module not only completely integrates with QuickBooks, he said, it “adds special features and functions to support the unique needs of the flooring industry.” Kashmoo inventory handles all flooring-specific requirements such as dye lots, reference numbers, the automatic creation of purchase orders and colors for each product.

He noted Kashmoo even custom-configures its system to match the dealer’s unique business process, from the words and colors used to custom forms with the businesses logo and unique calculations. This ability to mold itself to the way a dealer runs his business is a great advantage, Magnuson said. “Kashmoo is so flexible we can configure the system to look and feel like an electronic version of the manual systems they have been using while providing the integration, searching and record-keeping functions. This reduces the learning curve to almost zero.”

For more information, call 888.448.0101.

Pacific Solutions

Don Kilbourne, vice president of sales, said the company’s inventory management software “is designed to successfully allow dealers to practice pre-delivery staging and simultaneously maintain accurate on-hand inventory information that matches their physical count, and accurately and easily reconciles with their general ledger.”

In addition, clients can plug a small scanner into a standard pocket PC loaded with the included software—at no extra charge— and read bar codes to reconcile system inventory with a physical count.

Like many, B2B is playing a more important role, and at Pacific, Kilbourne said “maintaining an accurate perpetual inventory has become part of our ever-expanding system that, in part, capitalizes on B2B and spreadsheet data flowing into a product catalog” all the way through cost verification with a vendor payable.

Pacific also allows the user to assign material from multiple batches of inventory to the same line on the job. “In the past the user had to split a line to assign materials of different batches to satisfy the needed quantity, a process that is not only confusing and error prone internally but can also be confusing to clients when they see added lines on their invoice.”

For more information, call 800.400.4927.

QFloors

When creating the software, Chad Ogden, president, said the primary goal was to provide “a user-friendly system with complete features and accurate numbers, all at a reasonable cost with no surprises.”

The biggest differentiating feature to QFloors, he added, “is our ease of use. Creating user-friendly software was our primary focus. It resulted in a very tightly integrated, cohesive, efficient system that provides greater automation and accuracy.”

With QFloors there are only five main screens to work within, and each works in a similar manner. “Sometimes being user- riendly is mistaken for being simplistic,” Ogden explained. “The opposite is true here. We’re just efficient.” Along with being able to work within the industry’s B2B standard, Odgen noted, “All our software products are compatible with the Floor Software Data Exchange (FSDE) [protocol].”

Trent Ogden, CFO, noted the system gives users “immediate, accurate, important information they didn’t get with previous systems or used to have to wait for from accountants, many of whom do not know this industry’s nuances. All too often, CPAs unfamiliar with the industry miss things or account for inventory in the wrong way. The same goes for generic accounting software packages. Accurate accrual accounting is so important in this industry. You can’t have accurate financial statements without it.”

For more information, call 866.563.0140, ext 101.

RFMS

Terry Wheat, president, said the company’s inventory module is “an integrated part of RFMS’ core system and interfaces with its order entry, products and accounting modules.”

He noted RFMS does not offer a stand-alone inventory module because “to control inventory effectively, it is imperative the system capture special orders, track order status, assign stock, etc., using standardized and consistent cost information.” And, he added, this information has to flow to accounting so inventory is valued correctly, on-hand quantities are accurate and suppliers are paid within terms.

“Accurate on-hand information is vital for closing sales and can avoid unnecessary orders of the same product,” Wheat explained. “It is also important to identify canceled orders that need to be returned for vendor credit and to report on slow-moving items that may need to be discounted. And, you can identify if your stocking levels are aligned with your sales activity.”

RFMS does offer add-on modules such as a bar-coded inventory system. “We are always adding features to make it easy for users to search inventory and track important core stocking levels,” he added. “For example, re-order quantities can now be tracked by store and specific dye lot. This helps retailers with multiple stores balance inventory between locations.”

For more information, call 800.536.7367.

RollMaster

Dev O’Reilly, president and CEO, said what makes this system attractive to dealers is its real-time data-rich features that enable enhanced margin and business process control. “Additionally, sample tracking, electronic signature capture, document scanning and bar code software all integrate with our software.”

The RollMaster system is Internet-based. Today’s businesses are challenged with how to work across dispersed environments while staying connected, he said. “They must consider the impact a system has on current business process flow, their accounting system, their employees and their salesmen.”

Because of these considerations, O’Reilly said “net-based, hosted software enables you to work seamlessly with your team, from anywhere instantaneously. We offer hosted services with the same power and functionality that the largest, server-based businesses enjoy in the net-based model. Our offerings also permit a retailer to start small and expand as growth demands. This eliminates over-investing in hardware and networking infrastructure, which are quickly obsolete. Additionally, the common interface enables easy upgrades and eliminates the need to start over or learn new systems.”

RollMaster does offer select features depending on the option selected, he added, including B2B opportunities.

For more information, call 800.777.4107.