Slashing Purchase Order Routing Delay by 65% for SteelWorks
By integrating SAP ERP database endpoints with a tailored distributor portal, we optimized supply chain workflows, automated inventory forecasts, and secured logistics data.
Order Processing Speedup
Active Portal Wholesalers
Direct SAP Production Sync
The Operational Challenge
SteelWorks, a major industrial steel fabricator and logistics provider, faced severe communications delays. Their wholesale distributors placed orders via emails and phone calls, which support staff manually re-entered into an outdated SAP ERP database.
This manual routing created data backlogs, resulting in order fulfillment delays of up to five days. Furthermore, distributors had no visibility into inventory forecasting tables, leading to order cancellations when raw materials ran short. Sales teams in the field also lacked offline access, making it impossible to check warehouse logs during site visits.
SteelWorks commissioned our group to design a ruggedized manufacturing CRM case study solution capable of bridging their ERP data channels with distributor workflows.
Bottlenecks Identified
- Purchase order entry delays of 3 to 5 business days.
- High cancellation rates due to blind spots in supply chain forecasting.
- Lack of mobile customer dashboards for field logistics teams.
ERP-Integrated Supply Stack
| Component | Legacy Stack | Custom CRM Integration |
|---|---|---|
| ERP Database | SAP ERP (Siloed) | Bidirectional REST API Sync |
| Order Channel | Manual Phone / Email | B2B Distributor Portal |
| Logistics Tracking | Offline Spreadsheet | Live Fulfillment Dashboard |
| Inventory View | End-of-Week Reports | Real-time Forecast Tables |
SAP ERP Synchronization
We developed a secure, REST-compliant database connector linking SteelWorks' central SAP ERP with the CRM platform. Whenever a distributor submits an order, it is validated and synced directly with ERP production queues.
We constructed a dedicated B2B distributor portal. Through this dashboard, wholesalers can review live stock counts, submit purchase orders, check invoicing records, and view delivery updates.
To assist field teams, we implemented offline database storage on their mobile application. Sales representatives can query warehouse inventories and log client orders without cellular connection, with automatic syncing upon reconnect.
Optimized Distributor Pipelines
The quantitative results of connecting supply chain nodes to custom CRM dashboards.
Order Routing Speedup
Purchase order processing delays dropped from 4 days to under 4 hours via automated SAP routing.
Distributor Engagement
Self-service dashboard access increased active distributor accounts by 80% in the first quarter.
Logistics Query Speed
Field logistics teams access active shipment tracking coordinates in under 10 seconds.
"Entering orders manually into SAP used to delay shipment updates by days. This distributor portal has transformed our supply chain logistics. Order errors have plummeted, and our field teams have the live data they need."
Ready to Integrate Your ERP and Supply Chain CRM?
Partner with our industrial database developers to scope SAP/Oracle endpoints sync, custom B2B portals, and mobile offline capability.