We believe that Merchanter's power comes from our intimate understanding of merchant’s needs. Our team has spent over 40 years immersed in the world of inventory management, sales order processing, and pricing strategies, catering to the unique challenges of merchanting, and this deep expertise is what makes our software truly effective. That’s why we're thrilled to strengthen that expertise even further with the arrival of Ryan, our new System Implementation & Project Manager . With 20 years of experience working in the timber industry, Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to the table. He'll be instrumental in ensuring Merchanter continues to evolve and excel in serving the specific needs of timber merchants. We had a chat with Ryan about his past roles, and how he hopes to use them to improve the Merchanter implementation process. Q: Welcome to the team, Ryan! You’ve got a fascinating background in timber and IT - Can you tell us a bit about how it brought you to Ten-25? Ryan:  It’s actually a two-part story. While working at Hopping's Softwood Products, I saw firsthand the potential of Ten-25’s software (Unitrade and UT360 at the time), especially for timber importers like us. I even helped Ten-25 understand our specific needs, such as forward contracting and Timber Certification, and develop relevant features, user experience and layout. When Hopping's was sold, I moved to Silva Timber, using a different system. That experience, unfortunately, wasn't ideal. Poor project management, implementation and lack of user testing led to major launch problems. I knew there had to be a better way to help companies transition smoothly to new systems, so I reached out to Ian at Ten-25, hoping to put my experience to good use. Q: What unique perspective do you bring to the Ten-25 team? Ryan: I'm not just an IT guy; I've lived and breathed the timber industry for 20 years. I understand the quirks, the B2B and B2C dynamics, and the specific challenges timber companies face. This helps me see things from both sides – the customer and the software developer – and bridge the gap between them. Q: And how does Merchanter compare to other systems, based on your experience? Ryan: Merchanter shines in user control and flexibility. With other systems, you’d have to contact developers for any changes as they don’t natively understand timber, which of course adds expense and delays to the project. With Merchanter, much of that can be handled by users after a little training. It's like giving them the keys to their own system, saving time and money on development. Q: So, what's do you want to achieve from your role as System Implementation & Project Manager at Ten-25? Ryan: I'm in constant learning mode, soaking up everything I can about Merchanter and Ten-25’s customers. It's a fresh challenge, and I'm excited to be part of making a difference. My ultimate goal is to hear someone say, "Thanks, Ryan, you've saved me an hour a day!" That'd be pure satisfaction. Q: On a lighter note, what are your passions outside of work? Ryan: When I’m not diving into tech, I'm probably lost in a world of music, art, or a good old-fashioned Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Keeps the creative juices flowing!   Thanks for the insights, Ryan! We're thrilled to have you on the team, and we can't wait to see how your unique expertise helps Ten-25 and our customers thrive. If you're looking for a new system, and you'd like to benefit from Ryan's timber expertise, why not give our demo system a go ? Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Time moves fast, right? Time is precious. Time is finite. Time is impossible to reclaim once you’ve spent it. And for most of us, there’s just not enough of it. So what if we told you that you could gain back a month or more of time, simply by changing your software system. And what if we told you that was a month EVERY YEAR. And what if we told you that was just in one area of your business, and that the potential time savings across the whole operation could be much, much more ? What could you do with that time? Time is precious A clichéd expression, perhaps, but in business, it’s actually true. Time equates to cold, hard cash at the end of the day. The faster a process can get done, the less time it takes, the lower the cost of each process or transaction to the business, and the more time is freed up to process more, or focus on other things. A customer recently told us that the automations in the invoicing system of Merchanter was saving them three days a month in admin time. 3 days a month! 36 days a year. That’s over a month, just in the invoicing department . "Due to the multiple ways in which Merchanter can deal with customer price terms, we are saving at least three working days per month on invoicing and invoice issues, which makes a huge difference." Mike Tregunna, Build Supplies When you look at all the time-saving features included in other areas, you start to see how having a better software system at the heart of your business can really add up to major time-savings. If you could build perpetual inventory methods into your daily stock management processes , how much time could you save a year in stocktaking? If you had alerts to flag up potential stock issues before they became a problem, how much time could you save reacting to issues and managing customer expectations? If you could make changes to document branding and layout quickly and easily in-house, how much time and money could save outsourcing or asking your IT supplier? If every PO, sales order, milling instruction or quote took a few seconds less – how much time would your workforce save in a year? How many more transactions could they process? How much more profitable could you be? It’s easy to see how the savings add up, and a system that saves you that much time (as well as reducing waste, streamlining efficiency and boosting profits) will pay for itself very quickly . When we say time is precious: we mean it. Compound value adds up to more It’s important as well to think about what you could do with that time. We’re not talking about laying off staff or paying them less; but freeing up large amounts of time does enable you to focus more on the areas of the business which drive profit. "The searchability and visibility throughout the whole system makes every task quicker, easier and that bit less painful." Mike Tregunna, Build Supplies So, you could be spending longer analysing product sales trends to inform your buying decisions. You could be redeploying admin staff into sales or customer success teams. You could be using the savings in transport and logistics to invest in new, greener technologies or additional resources for your business. You could be leaving on time more often. You could be on holiday without having to dial in every day. You could be growing your business. It’s not just the day-to-day time savings that are tangibly reducing overheads and improving quality of life for your workforce. It’s also the added value of using that time in a more efficient, productive and profitable way, to drive more sales and revenue and help your business grow in a stable and sustainable way. If you’d like to find out how much time you could save across your business, why not try our free online demo system for 30 days. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Stock management and optimisation are critical to any merchant or materials supplier. A generic, off-the-shelf stock control system isn’t likely to be able to offer you the flexibility and complexity that you will need as a timber or builders’ merchant , or supplier of any measured construction materials. Even in 2022, some merchants are still having to close branches on a semi-regular basis to carry out manual stocktakes, and the day-to-day figures being reported in many merchant businesses simply do not reflect the reality of the stockholding situation. With supply chain issues and volatile price fluctuations all part of the new normal, it’s time for merchants to take back control over their stock management . Here are 8 ways that merchants can take back control of their stock management , and avoid the risks of using outdated or legacy techniques and technologies. Stock profile. What you stock and where you stock it is critical, so use the data in your stock control system to identify the products that are moving quickly and those which are languishing. Using metrics like stock turn and analysing profitability helps you to make more of the right opportunities and stop doing things that aren’t working. Stock profitability . Some stock could actually be costing you more to range than it’s actually worth. Make sure you aren’t keeping things in stock that are costing you money, and make sure your stock is working for you. Use tech tools like margin protection and credit control to minimise risks and reduce human when calculating discounts, and standard, average and most recent cost price tracking to mitigate the impact of market price fluctuation. Stock taking . Manual stock staking is not just time-consuming, it also costs money in lost revenue from closed branches. It can also be frustratingly futile – no sooner have you got your figures up to date, they’re off track again as soon as trading resumes or online orders are received. Keeping on top of your stock every day helps your service proposition, efficiency and reliability, and means you can keep trading all year round without undue impact on staff. Cloud inventory management systems like Merchanter ensure your stock figures are up to date all the time, so you always know what’s where without having to hit the pause button. Stock certification . If you supply construction materials like timber or steel, you’ll know just how important it is to keep track of the right certification – but also how much time that can take. Using your digital ERP system to file and store the certification records will save time, reduce error and ensure you’re compliant with sustainability measures. Stock information . It’s becoming more and more important for merchants to ensure their product data is up to date and accurate, not just for internal systems but to feed into other platforms like websites and eCommerce systems. Using a digital system will make it easier to integrate with PIMs and use standardised data models like ETIM, keeping compliant with market standards on consumer education while making life much easier for your business. Stock requirement . Keeping the right stock on hand is not just about predicting what you’ll need when – it also helps you track which suppliers are most reliable so you can make smart choices about replenishment partners. It’s also vital to monitor the fluctuating costs of materials so you understand real-cost of replenishment, and gives you insight into which customers are worthwhile selling to when you’ve got limited stock. Information really is money when it comes to understanding stock! Stock movement . Having a clear overview of what stock you can where means you can offer better availability to your customers but also build in better efficiency in your logistics and route planning. It also means your click and collect service is reliable and not over-promised, but that you also have a better chance of being able to meet customer requests and going that (sometimes literal) extra mile for them. Stock confidence . This one is unique to Merchanter and we’re mighty proud of it. In a nutshell, it’s a metric that lets you see how accurate your stockholding stats are at any one time, using a complex algorithm that takes into account all the usual factors which account for stock erosion and error in reporting. If you’d like to see how easy Merchanter is for improving stock control and how it might be able to help your merchant business, why not try our 30 day free online demo so you can explore at your own pace? Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

If you’re using a financials platform like Sage, Xero or QuickBooks to run your sales, order processing and stock management , you might well be finding it’s not giving you everything you need. If that’s the case, we’ve got good news for you: you can turbo-charge your financials package and get the best of both worlds, with all the advanced sales management, order processing and stock management functionality you need. Lots of merchants are in the same boat. You’ve got a great financial package with the likes of Sage, QuickBooks or Xero, and it’s doing a brilliant job of handling your accounts. On the face of it, it’s also a simple, cost-effective way to manage orders, basic stock control and sales. However, these platforms simply don’t have the advanced operational capability that an industry-specific system has. You could be missing out on really important, beneficial functions which might be able to transform not just your efficiency but also your profitability, scalability and growth trajectory. Merchanting isn't as simple as retailing, as you know. You're dealing with complex orders, information and timelines. Having more advanced sales management, order processing and stock optimisation software at your fingertips could be extremely advantageous (and you don't even have to ditch your financials package to do it!) Pros and cons of upgrading to an industry-specific, cloud-based ERP system It’s a big decision, we know. And yes, we’re a bit biased when it comes to the solution we think you should opt for. The bottom line is though, you have to opt for a system that is right for you. Chances are, if you’ve been using a financial package so far, it has a lot of benefits. And there’s no denying, there are some drawbacks to upgrading. The cons might include: Expense: ERP systems are expensive, there’s no doubt. (That said, they ought to be able to pay for themselves , and then some, in the benefits they return) Disruptive, intimidating scale of change: There’s a lot of learning (and unlearning) to do and that can be painful for a while. Significant training required: A good reason to choose a system that’s as easy as possible to use! Complete overhaul of systems and processes internally which could also highlight flaws / loopholes and cause resistance Trusting technology where previously you’ve relied on human judgement (don’t worry, a good system should still allow for the best of both worlds and reduce error, not remove people) Timescales can be extensive for initial set up. Getting your system customised and fit for purposes takes a fairly hefty time commitment. There’s often a lot of work involved for you to get all your information and data carried across. Obviously your ERP provider can help with this to a point, but there’s no getting away from the fact that there’s quite a lot to get done But the benefits of a strong, industry-specific order management and stock control system far outweigh the temporary inconveniences of that initial investment. Advantages of upgrading to an industry-specific ERP system include: Scalability: Your system can grow with your business and you can add users, features and functionality as you need it. Keep your financial system: There’s no need to ditch your current financials package – we simply integrate with it so everything ties together and you get the best of both worlds. We already have successful integrations with Sage, QuickBooks and Xero (among others) in place with customers so we know first-hand the benefits this offers. Clarity: Functionality is aligned to user role so your system can flex to meet the needs of the people using it. Your trade counter staff can just have access to the tools they need, without their system being cluttered with irrelevant information. Automation of repetitive, day to day processes saves A LOT of time. Auto-emailed invoices, reminders and so on really do add up and you can save multiple days every month in admin time alone. Alerting focuses the attention where it’s needed, whether in stock gaps, pricing changes, credit control issues or unfulfilled orders. And because you know where the issues are you can quickly identify solutions before things get out of hand, and manage customer expectations. Consistency: With everyone accessing the same system, using consistent processes and recording information in the right way, information is far easier to find and errors are reduced. It also means that over time, the quality of information in your system gets better and better, meaning fantastic reporting and analytics insights to drive smarter decision-making. Clean slate: Yes there may be some teething pain getting set up, but once you’re up and running you can be confident the information is current, accurate and relevant. Product specific capability: Construction materials don't all come in neat packs with barcodes on the back. Merchanting specific features like length reporting, metrics conversion and stock confidence are all designed specifically for the types of materials you work with day to day. Stock optimisation: The advanced stock control functionality lets you enhance your stock profile , see exactly what’s happening in the business, reduce duplication and help you make more informed decisions around replenishment and merchandising. The intelligence and insights available in the system represents an enormous opportunity for merchants. Perpetual inventory is always preferable to intermittent and disruptive stocktakes, which are usually outdated by the time the next delivery leaves the yard. Sales and order management: The complex nature of merchanting vs retailing makes advanced sales and order management software a must for merchants, agents and importers. The stock control is a huge bonus of course, but the sales processing power alone is enough of an advantage to be worth the investment. Being able to manage complex time lines, bulk orders, forward contracting, back to back deliveries and milling / processing instructions straight from an order really does make life a lot easier! Convenience: The system fits around you, being available and accessible to you where you are. You aren’t tied to a desk or a PC – you get access in the yard, on the road, at the sawmill or port. It gives you control and visibility from wherever you are, and ensures the information held in the system is always up to date. Quicker access to critical documents: You can digitally attach documents together – certifications, delivery notes etc, so you’re using less paper for a start, but also enabling much faster retrieval, fewer mistakes, and a lot less time spent searching through filing cabinets! Amplified impact of every member of your workforce: When everyone plays their part, the sum of the information held within the system and its capabilities far outweigh the individual parts. Everyone’s role is key, and the magnified benefits of that system, where everyone pulls together to form a powerful whole, are huge. Better service: All this adds up to a business offering the best service to your customers. The easiest sale you’ll ever make The easiest sale you’ll ever make is when you have the right stock in the right place at the right time, at the right price – and the right people know about it. But in merchanting, making that "simple" scenario happen is far from straightforward without the right tools. With the advanced sales management , order processing and stock optimisation capability that an industry-specific ERP system can offer, you’re in the perfect position to make this happen more often, reducing your cost per sale while boosting productivity and profitability along the way. If you’d like to see how easy Merchanter is to use , why not sign up for our online demo system? We’ll send you login details and you can have 30 days to test drive the system with your own data, and discover what a difference it could make for your business . Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Few things fuel stress like feeling out of control. As a business owner or manager, chances are there will be times you feel out of control. And sometimes, that’s OK. There will always be some things that are outside your control, and trying to influence those things is unlikely to end well. But it’s important to recognise where you DO have the ability to be in control, and see the impact that those areas can have across your workforce. You can’t micromanage every aspect of the business and you need to trust your team to do their thing. But having visibility of the critical factors can make it much easier to let go of the small stuff and retain better balance in your life without ending up in panic mode. Key metrics, relevant to your role Which are the figures that keep you up at night? Whether it’s sales , invoicing, stock control , customer insights or logistics, having quick and easy access to the metrics which accurately reflect what’s happening in your business is key. Sure, some of the external factors causing the numbers to be the way they are might be outside your control (the last 18 months have been a stark reminder of that!) but once you can see where you’re at, you can make informed decisions quickly and confidently. Having accurate figures relies on a strong business system , consistently adopted processes across the business and an accessible interface which allows you to see the numbers that matter most at a glance. Having to spend valuable time wading through endless mazes of spreadsheets and sales reports is not a great start! Being able to generate accurate reports about all areas of business performance simply and quickly is a relief for everyone, and means you can keep on top of the business day-to-day without it taking over every minute of your life. It’s also important that you have the control to customise the metrics you see. Too much information can be overwhelming, so being able to tailor your everyday dashboard to ensure that you’re seeing the most relevant figures for your area of the business helps to sift through the “noise” and get right to the heart of what matters. Confidence in the numbers So, you’ve got access to the numbers – but can you trust them? We know as well as you do that stock figures aren’t always 100% accurate. Even if you checked everything yourself last week, mistakes can happen, like mis-counts, delivery errors or missing paperwork. If everyone is using the same system and the same processes, and that system is integrated throughout the business, there’s less room for error. Also, with features like Stock Confidence , you can actually see how reliable your numbers are immediately, which helps you to focus on the gaps and issues rather than diluting attention across the entire stockholding. Automatic alerts There really are only 24 hours in a day, and hopefully you’re spending a decent portion of those either sleeping or not working – so it’s impossible to stay on top of every metric manually. If the major issues, gaps and potential problems are flagged automatically, it gives you more confidence to be able to focus on other important areas. You don’t always have to be watching out for the shortfalls, the late deliveries or the overdue payments because the system will let you know when you need to know. Likewise, you can programme in the safety nets you need, like margin control and credit issues. People and performance As the saying goes, everyone you meet is fighting a battle you have no idea about. Sometimes, in business, the numbers speak for themselves, and being able to see who is struggling can be a huge help in managing your workforce wellbeing and performance. If a sales manager who is routinely ahead of targets is suddenly falling behind, there might be something else going on. A new starter might need extra support, or a series of absences could signal a different kind of issue. Whatever the scenario, having the key metrics front and centre makes it so much easier to spot performance discrepancies. The sooner an issue is spotted, whether personal or professional, the faster it can be resolved. Your people are the heart of your business so staying on top of how they’re doing is really important. Of course you can’t “control” them, but if you can easily track how they’re doing, you’ve got a much better chance of spotting trends and patterns that might signal something more serious, either individually or for the wider business. Check in with yourself and your team How in control do you NEED to be? This will vary by individual but if you are feeling really out of control a lot of the time, it can be a really stressful place to be. Ask yourself why you feel the need to be in control of everything, and look around at your team for support. Don’t keep these worries bottled up – it’s always better to speak to someone else to get a sense-check. If the issue is in the business performance, being able to see and organise the numbers and KPIs easily will help you identify and solve the problems. Sometimes, it’s hard to trust a team to take over the bigger responsibilities, but again, one person can’t do everything so learning to let go is important. If you’re struggling with this, try writing a list of things within your control (this can be as basic as diet, exercise, what you choose to wear, who you employ or what processes you implement at work) and which are not in your control. Be honest about whether you are spending time worrying about things you can’t influence – and start looking more closely at the areas you actually can. Remember, some things in life genuinely are outside your control, and trying to overcome those is a recipe for stress. But having clear visibility of the areas that are within your control can give you a much more solid foundation and bolster your confidence to let those things go and focus your attention on the areas in which you can have the most effective impact. If you’d like a taste of how simple it can be to take control of your business, register today for a free trial of our digital ERP system, Merchanter . Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Ah, the summertime. Feet up, sandy beaches, sunglasses on and a cold beer or ice-cream in your hand – time for our independent plumbers merchants to sit back and relax, with not a care in the world. After all, it will only be three or four months before the trade comes piling back in, all after boilers, radiators and spares, and unlike all the years before they’ll be patient, standing at the counter while you and your staff struggle with your manual order processing and pricing systems. They will be understanding, of course, when you are short of 15mm copper, pipe slices and waste traps because your stock system just wasn’t man enough to cope. Ball Cocks? Yes, you’re probably short of them as well. But relax, safe in the knowledge that you’ll soon be back, making calls to chase suppliers, spending your evenings doing paperwork, chasing debts, sending out statements and answering those late “have you got this specific thing-a-ma-jig in stock for my job at 8am tomorrow?” queries. Enjoy your time off - you’ve earned it! You’ll have earned it again in a few weeks, after the temperatures drop and the evenings draw in. Failing to prepare… You could, of course, prepare, and use the next few months to install a tried and tested, easy-to-use and affordable ERP system (that’s business system to most of us) to automate the very tasks that take up so much precious time when it gets busy again. By the time the autumn comes around you could have installed completely (or the foundations at least) a system that will not only speed up operations, but also save on human error, improve customer service and help generate more business . If the software is user-friendly enough - and designed specifically for a merchant - then it will have all the tools you need to rapidly place sales orders with the correct pricing and terms, produce invoices, statements and remittances (and the inevitable payment-chasing letters) automatically with zero fuss and minimal manual work. As a result of taking sales orders, the same system can accurately work out what you will need from suppliers, create a suggested order and purchase order (priced correctly), email it to the supplier, and even chase for late deliveries if needed – whether you’re dealing direct with the supplier or via your buying group. With a little more thought and time, the same software could help with the marketing , sending out promotional emails to your contacts and making sure that your internal sales team are speaking with customers on a regular basis. With the analysis produced, automatically, you’ll be able to identify drifting customers and those that only buy certain ranges from you – enabling you or your team to pick up the phone and have a friendly discussion about expanding their product horizons. Push a little further and you might even be able to setup a rudimentary website (to be enhanced and expanded as time permits) with a customer portal so that they can answer their own account queries 24/7. This is not pie-in-the sky-thinking - it is achievable, especially for those migrating from a manual system or a pure accounting solution that doesn’t effectively handle the trade sales, pricing and buying. The reality is, the best time to start installing an ERP system is when you are quiet, when you and your colleagues have time to think and prepare, because you won’t stand a chance when the trade counter becomes busy. Before you know it, you’ll be back on the beach putting off the decision for another year. It’s a fallacy to think that business systems are difficult and expensive to install. Well okay, we can admit that some are, but not if it’s designed specifically for your size and type of business. If your new system requires an IT Manager to run it, then maybe consider something more practical to install – and in the process save yourself a lot of expense and heartache. Is it worth it? Does it work? You probably know a competitor that has moaned about their computer system (or more likely supplier) but we doubt, very much, if you will ever find a merchant that has bought a system and was disappointed enough to revert to a manual or accounts-only setup. Now put down the beer, or ice-cream, pick up your smartphone and google “ computer systems for Plumbers Merchants ”. Or save yourself a step and treat yourself to a free 30-day demo of Merchanter – the perfect solution. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Technology is opening up many new opportunities for merchants. New routes to market are being offered by construction supply marketplaces such as Plane & Simple , which recently won a UK Development Award. Whether you are going down the eCommerce route or not, online awareness is still a vital part of modern sales, and it pays to be able to take advantage of as many options as possible. That’s exactly why we are delighted to announce that we have been working hard on an integration with local marketing experts NearSt – and it’s now ready to roll out to customers with the next system update of Merchanter. What is NearSt? NearSt works on a very simple principle: it lets people search local outlets for specific products which are in stock near them. Predominantly using Google and Facebook search algorithms, it integrates with a seller’s stock list to let potential customers know which items are currently in stock in local branches, avoiding wasted trips and boosting footfall. It’s convenient for customers and can significantly increase footfall and sales to your branches with minimal investment, so it really is a win-win for merchants. If you’d like to find out more about NearSt, we wrote a blog on it a while back, or check out their website . Why are we integrating with NearSt? Merchanter is a cloud-based trading system and, as modern system architecture is designed to do, it integrates well with third party platforms. We already integrate with leading financial platforms like Sage, Xero and QuickBooks, and with eCommerce solutions like Shopify, eBay and WooCommerce. It’s a natural extension to be able to link up with other helpful third parties to give our customers every advantage available to them in such a competitive landscape. More and more, integration is considered the best model for modern software. Rather than needing one massive, cumbersome system trying to do everything in your business, you have an agile, co-operative system acting as a kind of hub at the operational heart of the business, allowing you to link up with the best solutions to suit your particular needs. We are continuing to investigate other potential integrations all the time, but if there is a specific platform you’d like your system to hook up with, please do let us know so we can assess the viability. What else is new? As a cloud system, we are constantly honing and improving Merchanter for our customers. As well as the inevitable bug-fixes required by every software platform in the world, we are always adding functionality and value to the system. Sometimes these are all-new features, and other times they are refinements or improvements to existing functions. In this month’s roll-out, for example, we have added: The ability to allocate lots to mill lines The option to export end-of-day cashing up reports as excel files, making them much simpler to work with The capacity to auto-code customers and suppliers And a whole load more. We have some other pretty juicy updates lined up for the next few months, including some brilliant advanced customer pricing features and our brilliant new notification centre. All of these are in testing and we’ll be letting you know more in the coming weeks so watch this space. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Stocktakes are a pain in the arse. You know it, we know it – so we decided to do something about it. We’d like to see the days of closing branches, divvying up the stock across the workforce (who have all had to give up their weekend to help), manually entering everything into the system and then updating stock records over the following weeks, banished to history. So we built Merchanter to make life easier. And it really does. “The simplicity and options available to control our stocks will be a gamechanger to our company.” - Mike Tregunna, Build Supplies Most merchants already appreciate the need for enhanced stock management, and more and more are already adopting perpetual stocktake processes, counting a handful of products each day rather than everything in a dedicated, disruptive period, which is a big step forward. But we wanted to produce a system that would go a step (several steps actually) further, to not only make stock taking itself easier, but also to help prioritise which stock should be counted, and optimise value across the entire stockholding. Stock Confidence Introducing a pioneering new metric unique to Merchanter, we would like you to meet the brand new Stock Confidence rating. Most merchants would agree that having a real-time picture of your entire stockholding would be great – but that it’s not really achievable, because it’s just too time consuming. But what if your software could do it for you – and do it as accurately as if you were doing it yourself, but in a fraction of the time? Expressed as a percentage, Stock Confidence is basically an accuracy gauge to show how sure the system is that the stockholding figure being displayed is accurate. Immediately after a physical stocktake, for example, the Stock Confidence rating would be 100%. But over time, that confidence rating is reduced, due to a number of factors, such as loss, damage, theft or error. In Merchanter, a complex algorithm has been designed to calculate that erosion level, so you have a good idea which products are most at risk from stock data inaccuracy. Stock Confidence works across both your entire stockholding, and by individual product, so you can gauge how accurate your overall figures are, as well as knowing which specific products are least definite. What that means is that you are always able to focus on the products which need checking most urgently. The system makes an intelligent assessment of where you need to make checks, and points you in the right direction so you’re only ever having to check a few products each day / week, and you know that those products are the ones most worthy of your resources. Stock Confidence is a massively powerful and innovative metric and we will be talking about it a lot more depth in future posts, so watch this space. Unlock more value from your existing stockholding Merchanter has been designed to help you unlock the maximum value from your stockholding by helping to show you where the real value lies, where the opportunities are, and where you might need to take action. Using various metrics like Stock Turn and Stock Confidence , you can see at a glance which products are returning the best value, which could be working harder, and which represent the best opportunities (or threats!) Our customers are already feeding back the value they are finding in these insights – it really does pay to know these figures, and Merchanter makes it astonishingly easy to find them. Real time accuracy (with real world flexibility) Since you’re counting the stock in the yard or warehouse and adding it directly to the system from your tablet / phone / smart device, you know to the second when it was counted. The system knows every transaction happening around that point in time, so discrepancies can usually be explained instantly; click and collect orders being put through, goods in or out, items being picked or despatched within a few minutes – it’s all there, giving you real time accuracy. But of course, we live in the real world, and we know that not everywhere has 4G or 5G, and so sometimes you have to work offline. Well, that’s no problem either, because you can simply export a spreadsheet (literally at the click of a button), add the numbers offline, and then click “import spreadsheet” when you’re back in the office and, ta-dah, it’s all up to date again. We have spent years developing this system so it’s easy to use, and so that it works exactly how merchants need to it. Even in the real, imperfect world. Stock Excellence is at the heart of the system A merchant’s stock is the beating heart of its business – therefore, excellence in stock optimisation is at the heart of our merchant ERP system. From unlocking hidden value to providing the simplest, most accessible, most accurate, real-time view of your entire stockholding, Merchanter goes further to help you build better business. And if you don’t believe that it’s really as good as we say, that’s not a problem – because you can try it out for yourself, at your leisure , completely free. Happy counting!

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is the process by which organisations (such as merchants, wholesalers or distributors) manage the operational and commercial functions of their business. ERP software is an integrated system to manage all those separate functions in one place. Simply put, it helps you buy , stock and sell , plus service and manage your business, seamlessly and simply. ERP software helps business managers to track, manage and review business operations, providing the tools to facilitate stock management , purchasing, selling, logistics, accounting, administration and all the other processes that need to happen within a business. They’re not always called ERP systems, though it’s increasingly common to hear that term. You may have also heard them called commercial systems, trading systems, business systems, merchant trading software , stock and inventory management software and so on. Some ERP software has evolved from single-function software (so, having separate systems for accounts, stock management, CRM, purchasing etc) to become an integrated business management system . Why do you need one? No two merchant businesses are exactly the same. Every business has its own unique history, and each will be at a different stage in its journey at any one time. Some merchant businesses still use manual and paper-based systems; others use sophisticated software that integrates all functions and operates across multiple sites. Connecting all the dots of your business and improving the communication between functions and processes is enormously beneficial for staff, customers, suppliers – and your profitability. If you’re looking for the best ERP software for merchants , there will be many advantages of an integrated system - especially one which has been developed specifically for your industry. These include: Transparency and availability of information across your whole business, without having to dig around for it Advanced stock control across multiple branches, depots and warehouses to give you a clear and accurate view of your stockholding at any one time Greater efficiencies in every individual process, combining for even greater efficiency across the whole business Advanced and intelligent analytics that actively help you spot opportunities and gaps, improve forecasting and drive better availability Prepares your business operations for eCommerce platforms and future growth Business and function-specific KPIs to allow every user to track and monitor the information most relevant to them more easily The best ERP systems for merchants will provide industry-specific metrics and stock specifications which allow you to process, monitor, stock and trade materials and products exactly as you need to, without forcing you to fit into pre-defined categories or measures Advantages of a cloud-based ERP system We’ve looked at the many benefits that the best ERP systems for mechants can provide. But when you combine the seamless connectivity and integration of a merchant ERP system with the possibilities of Cloud computing, those advantages just scale up and up. They include: Instant updating of information from anywhere to give real-time accuracy Electronic PoDs, despatch notes, invoices and more for faster, integrated service Accessible operations and reports from anywhere, at any time Always having the latest version of the system with automatic updates and features Remote training and implementation Accessible via any smart device (NB: some systems may require specific hardware but a true Cloud system should be as simple as logging in from a browser for the ultimate accessibility) Enabling of eCommerce platforms to be integrated more easily with your business If you’re looking for the best ERP software for your specific type of business it’s important to shop around. There are lots of great systems available, but it’s important to choose one that is specifically built to cater to your industry, so you can unlock the most useful features and get the best value. Feel free to get in touch if you have any queries about how an industry-specific ERP system could benefit your business – we’re here to help! Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Digital transformation is a big theme for merchants across the UK and Covid-19 has accelerated the trend significantly. For Cornish builders’ merchants Build Supplies, moving to the Cloud for its operations was already on the agenda, and with a brand new, 17-acre site just opened and an eCommerce platform launching, the business needed to prepare for the challenges ahead. Established in 2005, Build Supplies is a family-run, independent timber and builders’ merchant. Its aim is to offer construction companies , trades, self-builders and the general public a range of good quality, well-priced materials with a fast, easy and reliable delivery and collection service. Whilst wanting to compete with national merchants in terms of service and product offerings, Build Supplies maintains its focus on uncomplicated, traditional family business values. With its eCommerce site launching, Build Supplies needed to update its infrastructure to be able to align the digital front end of the business with the operational back end. Thanks to sustained growth, Build Supplies recently acquired a brand-new, 17 acre site. The expansion, combined with the move into eCommerce, highlighted the growing need to look at the systems used in the business to manage the stock, workflow and business, and so director Mike Tregunna began the task of selecting a new, cloud-based ERP system. “We needed to improve every area of the business,” he says. “Operations, logistics, admin, stock management, forecasting – we had to find a new system to help us evolve.” A new system to support growth and expansion Like many legacy systems, the software in place felt “cumbersome, overcomplicated, outdated and difficult to get the best out of.” Mike and the team wanted to find a new provider where training and support would be responsive and effective, and which could flex with the company’s growth. After a lengthy selection process involving several leading software providers, Build Supplies opted for a brand new, cloud-based system from another family-run business, Ten-25 Software. “The online demo system was without a doubt the key reason that we signed up. Any company that has the confidence in its product to allow potential customers to use it, at their leisure and with no pressure, gets my attention. It demonstrated how easy Merchanter is to use and gave us the most in-depth testing of all the companies we contacted.” Mike Tregunna, Director, Build Supplies. A modern solution for today’s challenging commercial world “We wanted to find the most up to date, browser-based builders’ merchant ERP system to put us on a level playing field with the nationals in terms of technology,” explains Mike. “But it was also important to find an easy and straightforward company to deal with, which offered responsive service and the same family values we have ourselves. Ten-25 ticked all those boxes, and the online demo system convinced us it was the right way to go.” They identified that they wanted a package that fed through information on key operations and analysis data easily, rather than having to hunt for it. “Merchanter’s KPIs and reports are exceptionally easy to use and will massively improve all areas of our operation and performance,” says Mike. Accessibility and Control Accessibility and control were also incredibly important factors in choosing the new software. Mike says, “We loved the idea of a browser-based system, which was fully accessible on any device, from anywhere. With Merchanter, we can control our software the way we want to, making the changes we want, when we want them, without the need to log support calls or speak to account managers.” Cloud software can of course be updated and refreshed automatically, and remotely, which was another benefit, meaning the user always has access to the latest version of the system and the newest features, without disruption or additional cost. “We’d found that needing client software downloads and VPN access to get into our existing system was extremely restrictive, which was further highlighted by the ongoing pandemic and need for flexible working,” he says. “Opportunities to work remotely will be hugely advantageous to motivating our team.” Ease of use helps the whole team Merchanter has been built on the principle of usability, and Ten-25 has gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure that the interface is simple to use but incredibly powerful, enabling users to perform daily functions more easily and access information more simply. This proved to be a deciding factor for Build Supplies, and one that brought the whole team on board with the decision. “Merchanter has clearly put its users at the forefront of its development,” says Mike. “From the gaming designer’s layout of intuitive functions, big fonts, and bold graphics, which make it a pleasure to use all day, making it less draining on your eyes and less tiresome.” As Ten-25 Managing Director Ian Oldrey says, “We wanted to make the system as simple as possible to use. Simplicity leads to more use; more use leads to better information within the system, and better information leads to better decisions, better processes and ultimately, better business.” Mike agrees, adding, “All of our staff are extremely excited about using Merchanter as it makes all of our working lives so much more enjoyable. The flexibility and control in terms of pricing, the simplicity, and options available to control our stocks, will be a gamechanger to our company.” He also looks forward to the opportunities the software will provide for staff in the longer term, saying, “Merchanter and its superb remote training will allow us to employ new sales staff members once the pandemic has passed, and we are confident that they will require minimal input in terms of training to get up to speed.” Flexible - and affordable - solutions for merchants Given the uncertain commercial climate and ongoing challenges of Covid and Brexit, among others, it was important for the chosen system to be not only affordable but flexible for the shifting demands. “The format of user subscription, which we see works so well for many software applications, really works for us. The ability to add and subtract users at the click of a button is really innovative for our industry and it will no doubt help growing pains in a growing business as will the ability to add additional branches in minutes.” The ease of implementation helped to clinch the decision too; with everything from demo system to training being available remotely, it meant that Covid restrictions didn’t hold up the process and the whole project could be delivered in a very short space of time. “Everything is done remotely,” says Mike. “This has saved a huge amount of time, cost and waste in terms of unnecessary travel, fuel and accommodation. It has really highlighted the way business can and should be done moving forward.” The cloud-based nature of the system allows total flexibility of use and guarantees that the user always has access to the latest version of the software and its features. Again, this was an attractive proposition, especially given the day-to-day control it enables. “The Super User allows us to control our software, the way we want to. We can make the changes that we want, when we want, without the need to log support calls and go through account managers,” he says. “We can see how good Merchanter is already, and it is clear that this is the weapon of choice for any building and timber merchant that want to bring their business up to date and drive forward.” The right foundations for eCommerce and future growth Launching its eCommerce website via industry experts eCommonSense , Build Supplies is confident it now has the right system to run its operations efficiently and effectively. Mike says, “We are excited about using Merchanter to run our business and the great opportunities that this, linked with our eCommonSense website, will give us.” Mike and the team now feel ready to face the challenges ahead, with the freedom and control to flex where needed and the insights and information to make the right business decisions day to day – and it has been a really motivating change for the whole business. “Merchanter will make a huge difference,” he says. “The ease of use, control and monitoring have motivated a huge culture change for our company. This piece of software gives our family business the opportunity to be right up alongside the national merchants in terms of technology, without the need for a dedicated in-house IT team. I really cannot praise Merchanter, Ten-25 and the team highly enough.” Discover the beautiful simplicity of Merchanter yourself on the online demo system .

Back in 2020, Cornish builders’ merchants Build Supplies chose Merchanter as its new trading and stock management system. With plans for an eCommerce site and a need to drive greater efficiency and profitability in the face of the pandemic, Build Supplies needed a modern, digital system with the capacity and scope to evolve alongside the business. 18 months after our original case study , we caught up with director Mike Tregunna to find out how things are going. What are some of the challenges Build Supplies has faced over the last year? "Like many businesses within the construction sector, 2021 was another difficult year for us, with pandemic staffing problems, supply chain fragility and material price increase pressures. 2021 also saw lots of changes and modifications to the operations of our business including new trading software, a new ecommerce website and streamlining of our delivery processes." Our staff love using Merchanter. The system makes every task, quicker, easier and that bit less painful. What are you most proud of over the last year? "We are proud of several things that were achieved in 2021. We managed to maintain turnover, successfully implemented Merchanter, launched our ecommerce website and vastly improved our stock control and delivery service; but ultimately, managing to stay open throughout the whole year is probably the biggest achievement of all." What learnings have you taken from the last year? "With so many changes going on in all areas of the business, there have been lots of learnings and not everything always goes to plan. For example, we changed the way our collection operations ran to fit around Covid guidelines, moving from self-service to using our staff to collect ordered materials and bring the goods to the customer. However, customer feedback suggests that they’d rather handle materials themselves and that quicker service isn’t always a priority, so we listened to that feedback and adapted our processes accordingly." How did the Merchanter implementation process go? "Overall, the implementation has been very impressive. As we were one of the first onto the new system so you’d expect some teething issues getting initial data across, but this was dealt with rapidly and the implementation has been smooth. We’re really pleased with the system and it’s making a big difference in all areas of the business." What were some of the quick wins that Merchanter enabled? "Our goal when choosing to implement Merchanter was to improve every area of our business in some way, whether that change was a big or even just a small improvement. And I’m happy to say, there have been lots of wins! The searchability and visibility throughout the whole system makes every task, quicker, easier and that bit less painful. Due to the multiple ways in which Merchanter can deal with customer price terms, we are saving at least three working days per month on invoicing and invoice issues, which makes a huge difference and really adds up across the year. The number of set prices that we have to override is now minimal and the ability to re-issue invoices to any customer within a few seconds saves real time." What improvements have you observed? "We have seen huge benefits from our Merchanter system. Time is saved in every business process from quotation through to credit control. The ability to update the information quickly within Merchanter has improved the following; Quote times – the ability to produce quotes so rapidly and with such ease Profitability – the ability to set product costs that reflect a rising market with such little administration has definitely maintained and improved margins Stock Management – the stock confidence and ad hoc stock countability has seriously improved our stock controls and internal processes for the way that we manage stock. There’s still room for improvement but we have seen massive improvements in stock control and this will continue to improve Operations – improved stock control has led to more complete first time deliveries, fewer unhappy customers and an overall improvement in efficiency which will put us in very good stead for the future with the jump in operational costs such as fuel, energy and supply price increases. Merchanter has made a massive saving to our business, and improved our profitability significantly. Being able to manipulate cost prices responsively in a changing market, along with the improved stock control and system visibility has markedly improved our cost to serve." What are the main advantages of Merchanter for builders’ merchants? Ease of use - We have managed to train new staff to competently use the system within a couple of weeks and they enjoy using the system day to day. Efficiency in finding the information that you need to process orders rapidly . Setup times and the ability to link to any printer, work from anywhere, email and document in any format are all massive wins. Our staff love using Merchanter - they comment on how easy it is to use and generally, other than the odd bug or niggle, I hear nothing bad about the system which can only be a positive. How have you found the move into eCommerce? "It’s been a relatively slow start in terms of actual orders, but we’re now achieving a steady flow of orders so we hope that moving forward this will improve. We’ve also noticed interest in new areas coming through from the website forms so that’s helping to direct us in new business ideas. We see the site primarily as our shop window, and it’s definitely helping to attract new customers. There are always teething issues with new sites and we are working with our supplier to resolve these, but I’m confident things will continue to improve as time goes on." What are your ambitions for 2022? And how can Merchanter and Ten-25 help you deliver them? "For 2022 we would like to see our stock confidence above 80%. We would like to see profitability and sales increase even further, and to improve our online sales. The development ideas we’ve put forward will really help with that and with enhanced reporting, we should really be able to get a handle on the metrics and see the improvements even more tangibly." We have seen huge benefits from our Merchanter system. Time is saved in every business process from quotation through to credit control. Are you happy with the service you’ve received from Ten-25? "Yes, we are extremely happy with the service from Ten-25. Several of the development requests that we have made have been integrated into the system which we are very grateful for. There are a few new ideas for developments which we’ve flagged, mainly to help link in with the website, and the growing resource of self-help training videos on the customer portal will be a massive help for us in getting even more out of the system." We’d like to say a huge thank you to Mike and the team for their positive feedback and for being brilliant customers. We really do take pride in our customers’ successes and it’s wonderful to see Build Supplies going from strength to strength. If you would like to try Merchanter for yourself, just register here for login details and get 30 days’ FREE access to the online demo system.

Now that HMRC has introduced compulsory adoption of Making Tax Digital for all VAT-registered businesses, it’s essential that businesses keep the right financial records and submit their VAT returns in the right way. This is now mandatory in the UK so every VAT-registered business should know about these rules. Corporation Tax: currently it is not mandatory for businesses to use Making Tax Digital for corporation tax though according to the HMRC website, this will be introduced from 2026. Income Tax: Self-employed businesses (and landlords) with income over £10K pa will be required to follow the new digital rules from 6th April 2024. All VAT-registered businesses are required to follow the Making Tax Digital rules by keeping digital records and using software to submit their VAT returns. So why are we talking about it? It’s really just a quick reminder that when you’re using software in your business that links all your operational functions together, it makes keeping digital records an awful lot easier. For systems like Merchanter, which have a high degree of interoperability (i.e. it integrates well with other platforms), it’s dead easy: as the system will be integrated with your financial platform already (Sage, Xero, QuickBooks etc), that platform will have all the information necessary to keep you VAT compliant. Generating invoices digitally is really easy (and automated), and your sales ledger will automatically be linked with the financial platform, so digital reporting becomes a piece of cake. (OK, maybe not cake – it’s still tax, after all – but it’s a whole lot easier and quicker than having to duplicate everything manually.) Some ERP systems have in-built financial systems which are no doubt compatible with the new regulations, so those should keep things simple too. If you are still using a manual system to run your business, it’s all still perfectly possible, though of course you will need the right software for submitting your VAT returns and financial records. It’s worth noting, however, that it is becoming increasingly expected for businesses to operate digitally, and the efficiencies on offer are really quite significant. If you would like to have a chat about how to go about implementing a cloud-based ERP system which can integrate with your existing accounts platform, please get in touch: info@ten-25.co.uk