GUIDED SELLING STEP 4 - FROM QUOTATION TO ORDER IN ERP

As you saw in our latest blogs, there are different challenges in the sales process. Each step leads to new questions. That’s why a sales rep should be guided through the sales process (Guided Selling). In this blog I would like to elaborate on the fourth step in the sales process: from quotation to order in ERP. How do you get an order of an error-free and manufacturable product?

Manual or automated process?

As soon as the quotation has become an order, all the order data need to be passed on to the ERP system. You can do this manually by copying data and entering them into ERP (with a great risk of error). Or you can integrate your product configurator with your ERP system.

Saving information only once

The great advantage of integration is that information does not need to be saved more than once, e.g. in your product configurator and in ERP. Information is entered only once. Shared information usually concerns article data, customer data, prices... Usually the ERP-system is leading. The other system is e.g. periodically brought up to date (immediately, every hour, day, week or month with these master data.

Preventing mistakes

Another advantage of integration is the prevention of mistakes. The integration with ERP makes sure that all order data are transferred fully into the ERP system, including bills of materials, routings and costs. In this way, the ERP system automatically receives all data required to permit production, delivery and invoicing to take place.

Integrations – daily business

Integrations are a daily business for Sofon. Not only integrations with ERP systems, but also with CRM, CAD and PDM systems. In fact, almost every Sofon implementation includes one or more Connectors.

Technological standards

Sofon makes integration with other systems possible based on various technological standards, such as XML, API’s and web services. ERP connectors are realized for e.g. SAP, Infor ERP LN/Baan, Microsoft Dynamics NAV and AX, QAD MFG/Pro, Oracle and IFS. CRM connectors are available for Salesforce.com, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Update.Seven and Siebel. Client-specific integrations have also been developed for various PDM systems such as Teamcenter and SmarTeam. Integrations for custom-made systems are also built regularly.

Do you have any questions about integration? Do not hesitate and post your question!

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