Using Dynamics 365 in the Distribution and Logistics Industry

Manage Supply Chain Uncertainty

Supply chain uncertainty can cause serious disruptions, including delays and inventory issues.

Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management allows you to connect your entire supply chain to your organisation to ensure you can limit the amount of uncertainty within your network. 

• You can connect your system to provide real-time visibility of ‘in-transit’ goods, which may be coming from other countries or regions based on your location. It allows you to see the current inventory levels and stock held in transit, giving accurate and up-to-date information.
  
  
• D365 supply chain management allows you to score suppliers based on several factors to inform your employees of the most reliable and consistent suppliers, which helps to improve lead times and supplier relationships.
   
• You can onboard new suppliers quickly and improve your supply resilience with multisourcing functionality.

Predict any disruptions and be fast to respond with Dynamics 365 for distribution. 

Improve Internal Warehouse Efficiency

Inventory and warehouse management is perhaps one of the largest causes of distribution-related issues across almost every industry. Dynamics 365 gives you total visibility of your warehouse, tracking the movement of goods in real time. 

• Take action on warehouse processes that need optimising with warehousing analytics in one place including receiving, picking and shipping operations. 
  
  
• For inventory-related issues, D365 uses barcoding functionality to allocate items and goods to physical storage locations throughout your warehouse.
  
  
• D365 automates key warehouse processes and limits the amount of human interaction that is needed. This ensures the accuracy of your data increases over time and helps to reduce costly mistakes. Use in-built AI guidance to help with decision-making and limit errors. 
  
  
• Using the Dynamics 365 mobile app helps to keep your warehouse up to date. As your workforce completes tasks throughout the warehouse, they can update the system in real time using their mobile device, so everyone has the latest data.

Handling eCommerce

E-commerce has fast become the norm for many distributors, with over 80% of the UK population making purchases online*.

• Dynamics 365 allows you to connect your system to a variety of third-party e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify, Sana Commerce, Big Commerce, Magento, and WooCommerce. This makes it an ideal solution that requires minimal disruptions to your operations.
  
  
• These integrations mean you can automatically update stock availability and delivery information for your customers, making it a great ERP solution for distribution.
  
  
• Automatically push order information from your website or online store into Dynamics to save double-keying or manual imports. 
   
• Integrating e-commerce into Dynamics 365 allows you to scale your operations and automate business processes, and you'll have a single source of truth for your team.

Procurement & Sourcing

Dynamics 365 offers robust tools for procurement and sourcing, enhancing efficiency and accuracy throughout the process.

• Streamline your procurement process from identifying product and service needs to procurement, receipt, invoicing, and payment. This includes managing purchase requisitions, orders, and vendor catalogues. 
  
  
• Dynamics 365 facilitates effective vendor management by allowing the creation and updating of vendor catalogues, sending requests for quotations, and handling vendor bids. This helps in selecting the best suppliers based on various criteria like price, lead time, and quality.
  
  
• The platform supports automated workflows for procurement and sourcing, including approval hierarchies for purchase orders and requisitions, ensuring adherence to purchasing policies and minimising manual errors.
  
  
• Real-time analytics and insights into procurement activities help you make informed decisions and optimise sourcing strategies.
  
  
• Dynamics 365 modules, such as Finance and Supply Chain Management, integrate smoothly, offering a comprehensive view of procurement activities and their impact on overall business operations.

These features help you streamline your procurement processes, reduce costs, and improve supplier relationships.