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The global business landscape continues to evolve. Developments in technology have made it more competitive, and it becomes complicated due to the changes in government policies and regulations, workforce culture, and consumer behavior. With enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, such as Visibility ERP and Blue Link, a company can leverage the agility and flexibility it provides.
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Visibility ERP vs. Blue Link ERP: An overview
Visibility ERP is a fully-integrated enterprise resource planning platform built for manufacturers. It delivers various suites of advanced applications to optimize business effectiveness, gain insights into processes, and enhance performance.
Blue Link ERP provides an accounting and inventory enterprise resource planning system designed for small and midsize distributors — wholesale, retail, or e-commerce. Its capabilities are integrated with accounting and inventory management, and they are specific to distribution.
Visibility ERP: A manufacturing-specific ERP
The enterprise planning solutions of Visibility ERP are designed to enhance the processes and improve your manufacturing and production.
Analytics and business performance
With its business performance management (BPM) suite that provides a focused approach to data analytics, Visibility ERP allows you to consolidate data from different sources and organize them in one place for easy access. You can analyze your data and gain insights into specific business processes for better decisions that can improve business operations.
Financial management
Visibility ERP integrates analytics and reporting capabilities into its financial management suite. It allows you to track financials in real time and synchronize financial operations with milestones. Visibility ERP supports general ledger, project accounting, accounts payable/receivable, revenue recognition, installment billing, product costing, cost accounting, and payroll.
Project collaboration and management
Communicate and collaborate with users across the business. Visibility ERP features a collaborative product foundation offering real-time access to information. It streamlines processes, automates communication, and integrates collaboration capabilities into its project communications platform to ensure on-time delivery of products.
Operations management
Visibility ERP’s operations management suite allows you to simplify the processes of your day-to-day operations. You can align tasks with the overall operational objectives. It also lets you handle the allocation of personnel and resources with efficiency.
Engineering and product lifecycle management
The engineering and product lifecycle management application of Visibility ERP provides the tools for managing complex product manufacturing. It offers product data management, continuous engineering, and other advanced capabilities. Visibility ERP allows you to develop products, create detailed product descriptions, and communicate product information more effectively.
Material and production planning
Manage your production and resources with Visibility ERP’s material and production planning suite. It is a valuable tool in meeting the supply and demand requirements through the entire product life cycle. Visibility ERP increases the efficiency of your planning and procurement processes. It features material requirements planning (MRP) and capacity requirements planning (CRP).
Customer relationship management
Visibility ERP offers a CRM application to assist you in maximizing the value of your customer interactions. You can manage and coordinate customer engagements more effectively with its advanced tools. Visibility ERP lets you interact with your clients through the entire buying cycle — from leads-building to delivering after-sales service.
Blue Link: An ERP for distributors
Distributors will benefit from the advanced capabilities that Blue Link offers.
Reporting and analytics
Blue Link offers pre-built analytics and custom reporting tools, providing real-time visibility into your accounts, orders, inventory, and sales. You can collect and consolidate data across the enterprise, perform analytics, and gain insights into your processes and operations. Blue Link features automated data analytics, real-time insights, and custom reporting.
Distribution
Blue Link’s distribution platform streamlines complex processes and operations. It integrates accounting, inventory, and contact management into the system to accelerate transactions. The application highlights distribution-specific capabilities, including order management, pricing rules and contracts, multiple warehouse locations management, bin and shelf locations, shipping and pickup, B2B online order portal, B2C e-commerce, and financial and sales reporting.
E-commerce
Existing B2B or B2C businesses can take advantage of Blue Link’s pre-built e-commerce integrations. You can easily connect your online shop with the system. Blue Link features third-party integrations, allowing you to link your Amazon, eBay, Magento, or Shopify webstore to the platform.
Import/export
Blue Link offers an extensive suite of specialized import/export business solutions to ensure efficient cross border distribution operations. It features landed cost tracking, multi-currency support, warehouse management, inventory, logistics, accounting, order entry, invoicing, automated customs processes, and tracking capabilities.
Light manufacturing
For your light manufacturing needs, Blue Link also has a solution. Although it’s not that extensive as that of Visibility ERP’s platform, it’s good for kitting and assembly. It features bill of materials (BOM), assembly and control, and kitting.
Retail management
As a distribution ERP, Blue Link delivers an all-in-one retail management system built for distributors selling B2C. It simplifies the processes of your multi-channel operations — online shops, storefronts, and showrooms. Blue Link offers various capabilities, such as order entry and invoicing, point-of-sale (POS), warehouse shipping & transfers, credit card processing, e-commerce integration, mobile app, and commission tracking.
Finance and accounting
Blue Link integrates inventory, order management, and warehousing with its financial management system. It makes distribution monitoring easy, and it supports multi-company, multi-location, and multi-currency operations. Blue Link offers general ledger, account receivable/payable, advanced landed cost tracking and custom reporting features.
Service and repair
Blue Link provides tools for managing your service and repairs requirements. It features service manager, job and project costing, order management, invoicing, appointment and maintenance reminders, service and appointment scheduling, and accounting capabilities.
Which ERP system better suits you?
The distinction between Visibility ERP and Blue Link is easier to draw. The former is built for manufacturers, and the latter, for distributors. If you’re a manufacturer of complex products, Visibility ERP is the better fit. It supports make-to-order, engineer-to-order, project-based, discrete, and hybrid manufacturing.
However, if you’re a retailer or a wholesaler with multi-currency and multi-language operations, Blue Link provides applications that meet your specific distribution requirements. Ultimately, your choice depends on your business needs and preferences.
For more ERP software options, check out our Product Selection Tool. It’s easy to use and free of charge.