Challenge
A BC manufacturer was running Sage 300 2016 on office servers past their supported life. Month-end close and production reporting depended on that hardware.
Sage 300 for Distribution
Sage 300 ERP for distributioncompanies in Canada.
Inventory control, order entry, purchasing, multi-location stock management, and Sage CRM integration for distribution companies. From a Sage Authorized Partner founded in 2014.
SageAuthorized Partner
FixedPrice, agreed before work begins
8 to 16Weeks, typical go-live
What's included
The modules and connections a distributor typically runs on.
Multi-Location Inventory
Stock across warehouses, distribution centres, and remote storage, with documented transfers that post to the GL and reports by location or consolidated.
Order Entry
Orders against customer records and price lists, with picking slips and packing lists for the warehouse, and shipments that update inventory.
Purchasing and Landed Cost
Purchase orders from reorder points or minimum stock levels, receipts that update quantities, and landed costs allocated across received items.
Sage CRM
A native connection between sales and operations, so account managers share customer, order, and invoice data with the back office.
E-commerce and 3PL
Integrations with platforms including Shopify and WooCommerce, plus shipping and 3PL systems, so orders can flow into Order Entry and stock levels can flow back.
Financials and Reporting
Receivables, payables, and General Ledger tied to every shipment and receipt, with Crystal Reports and Sage Intelligence for margin and stock reporting.
Fit
Who Sage 300 fits in distribution, and who it does not
BC mid-market distributors and wholesale firms are a common profile for Sage 300. It is not the right system for every operation, and we say so during discovery when another path is cleaner.
Typically a good fit when
- You hold stock in more than one location and need one view of it
- Lot or serial tracking matters for traceability
- Orders arrive from more than one channel, such as sales reps, e-commerce, or a 3PL
- You want sales and operations working from the same customer and order data
Often a weaker fit when
- You run a single location with simple stock, and an entry-level tool may be enough for longer
- You want a cloud-native suite with broad CRM and e-commerce built in, and have budget for that class of subscription
- Your warehouse and order processes are still too undefined to configure. Stabilize them first
Typical project path
From discovery to go-live, around your stock and close calendar
Timelines depend on the number of modules, data migration complexity, integrations, and locations. We scope that in writing before any work is approved.
Discovery
We map how orders, stock, and purchasing move through each location, list the modules and integrations in scope, and write a fixed-price proposal before work begins.
Configuration
Chart of accounts, item master, price lists, locations, and security roles are set up around how your team works, then reviewed with your finance and warehouse leads.
Data migration
Open balances, customer and vendor records, item masters, and agreed history come across from your current system, and balances are validated before anyone goes live.
Testing and training
User acceptance testing runs on your own order, shipping, and receiving scenarios. Order desk, warehouse, purchasing, and finance staff are trained on the workflows they use each day.
Go-live
Cutover is planned around your stock count and close calendar, with support on hand during the first weeks of live transactions. A typical project takes 8 to 16 weeks from kickoff.
Ongoing support
Most firms keep a support retainer for month-end help, report changes, and version upgrades. Your call goes to the engineer who knows your system.
Manufacturing
Case study: Sage 300 upgraded and moved to Azure
- Sage 300 2016 to 2024
- Moved to Azure Virtual Desktop
- Local printers kept working
What we did
We upgraded Sage 300 from 2016 to 2024, moved it to Azure Virtual Desktop, and connected the office network so local printers stayed available.
Result
Staff reach Sage 300 in a secure cloud session, and the business is no longer tied to one aging office server for the ERP.
Our technology partners
Distribution ERP FAQ
Sage 300 ERP questions for distribution companies.
Common questions about this service answered directly.
What Sage 300 modules do distribution companies typically use?
Distribution companies typically run Sage 300 with Inventory Control, Order Entry, Purchase Orders, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and General Ledger as the core operating platform. Companies with field sales or account management also implement Sage CRM, which connects natively with Sage 300 to share customer, order, and invoice data without a separate integration layer.
Can Sage 300 handle multi-location inventory for a distribution company?
Yes. Sage 300 Inventory Control supports multi-location inventory tracking across warehouses, distribution centres, and remote storage locations. Stock transfers between locations are documented and post to the GL. Reports can be produced per location or consolidated across all locations. Lot and serial number tracking is also available for companies with traceability requirements.
How does Sage 300 handle the order-to-invoice process for distributors?
In Sage 300, the order-to-invoice cycle runs inside the system. Orders are entered in Order Entry against customer records and price lists, picking slips and packing lists are generated for the warehouse, shipments update Inventory Control, and invoices post to Accounts Receivable when orders are shipped. The GL updates at each step without manual journal entries.
Can Sage 300 integrate with our 3PL or e-commerce platform?
Yes. SFS Technologies has built integrations between Sage 300 and e-commerce platforms including Shopify and WooCommerce, as well as shipping and 3PL systems. Orders placed online or received from a 3PL can flow into Sage 300 Order Entry, and inventory updates in Sage 300 can be pushed back to the e-commerce platform to keep stock levels current.
How long does a Sage 300 implementation take for a distribution company?
A Sage 300 implementation for a distribution company typically takes 8 to 16 weeks depending on the number of modules, data migration complexity, integration requirements, and the number of locations. SFS Technologies scopes each implementation before work begins and quotes a fixed price for the full project.
Can our sales team see order and invoice history without logging into the ERP?
Usually, yes. Sage CRM connects natively with Sage 300 and shares customer, order, and invoice data, so account managers can work from the CRM. Which screens and data they see is decided during configuration, based on how your sales team works.
Get Started
Sage 300 scoped for your operation.
Start with a complimentary assessment. We review your current systems and outline what a Sage 300 implementation would look like for your locations and channels.