Systems & operations
Van sales vs ERP and why FMCG distributors need an operating layer between them
6 min read
Distributors are often told to choose: a van sales app for the field, or an ERP for the back office. In practice they need both — and something that keeps them in step.
What each tool does well
Van sales and order-taking apps are fast in the field: capture the order, print a receipt, move on. ERPs are strong at the ledger: stock valuation, accounts and statutory reporting.
Where the gap shows
Orders arrive by WhatsApp, voice note and SMS as well as the app. Credit limits in the ERP are hours out of date in the field. Stock sold from the van is not reflected at the depot until someone keys it in. The result is an ERP moving at the speed of humans.
An operating layer, not another system
Disti iQ sits across the tools a distributor already runs — ERP, CRM, warehouse, fleet, or spreadsheets and messaging — and coordinates the order-to-cash flow continuously: order intake, inventory and credit checks, dispatch and loading, field delivery and invoicing, and reconciliation.
Common questions
- Should an FMCG distributor use van sales software or an ERP?
- Most need both: van sales tools for fast field capture and an ERP for the ledger. The bigger opportunity is coordinating them so credit, stock and payments stay current across both.
- Does Disti iQ replace an ERP?
- No. Disti iQ works with existing ERPs, CRMs, warehouse and fleet systems — and with distributors running on spreadsheets, email and WhatsApp — coordinating the order-to-cash process across them.