Order management system (OMS): orders from every channel in one flow
A distributor receives orders through five or six routes at once: the field rep, the customer ordering in the portal, the online shop, marketplaces, retail chains through EDI, plus email and phone. When each channel has its own system or its own spreadsheet, an order is retyped two or three times before it reaches the ERP, and the stock promised is no longer the stock on the shelf.
An order management system (OMS) puts all these orders into one flow: the same validation, the same stock reservation, the same path to the warehouse, the invoice and delivery.
Signs you need an OMS
- The same order is entered more than once: in the CRM, in the ERP and sometimes in the courier platform.
- Reps and the online shop sell the same stock, and whoever comes second finds it gone.
- EDI orders from retailers are typed in by hand from the supplier portal.
- You cannot tell a customer where their order is without calling the warehouse.
- Reports per channel are built at month end, in Excel.
What an OMS must do, channel by channel
1Field reps
The rep takes the order in the mobile app, at the customer's contracted price and with real available stock, even without signal. The order syncs when the connection returns and enters the flow directly, with no retyping at the office.
2The B2B portal
Repeat customers order on their own, at their prices, and see order status and invoices. For the sales team, the portal takes small repeat orders off the phone.
3Online shop and marketplaces
Orders from WooCommerce or Shopify and from marketplaces such as eMAG arrive automatically through the API. The stock published on each channel comes from the same place, so the same item is never sold twice.
4EDI with retail chains
Orders from Kaufland, Carrefour, Lidl or Dedeman arrive through EDI and enter the flow with no typing. CRMconnect has pre-mapped EDI flows with 10 retail chains. Confirmation, despatch advice and invoice go back the same way.
5Email and phone
Orders arriving by email or phone are entered once, directly in the OMS, on the customer record. From there they follow the same path as everything else.
6One path after intake
Whatever the channel, the order is validated, reserves stock, lands on the warehouse picking list, then in the ERP for invoicing and with the courier for the waybill. CRMconnect connects to your existing ERP (18 documented integrations) and to 230 couriers.
Who uses CRMconnect for multi-channel orders
Pro Trade Impex uses CRMconnect for orders from several channels, connected to its ERP and warehouse.
What to measure after go-live
- Time from order receipt to the picking list, per channel.
- How many orders are still entered by hand, and from which channel.
- Orders confirmed against stock that no longer existed.
- How many "where is my order" questions still reach sales or support.
Questions to ask any vendor
- Which channels arrive automatically today and which stay manual?
- Where does the stock shown to reps and the online shop come from, and how often is it refreshed?
- What happens to an order if the ERP is down for an hour?
- Who builds and who maintains the integration with my ERP?
When you do not need an OMS yet
If orders arrive through one channel and go straight into the ERP without errors, a separate OMS adds little. It starts to matter from the second or third channel, especially when they share the same stock.
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Frequently asked
What is the difference between an OMS and an ERP?+
The ERP handles accounting, stock value and invoicing. The OMS takes orders from every channel, validates them, reserves stock and passes them on to the warehouse, the ERP and the courier.
Do I have to change my ERP to get an OMS?+
No. The CRMconnect OMS connects to your existing ERP and sends orders there for invoicing.
Does it take EDI orders from retailers?+
Yes. EDI orders from retail chains enter the same flow as every other channel.
Does it work for reps without signal?+
Yes. The rep app works offline and syncs the order when the connection returns.
Can I try it before deciding?+
Yes, 14 days, no card required.
Where CRMconnect fits
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