How do cabinet manufacturers stop re-keying dealer orders?

Cabinet manufacturers stop re-keying dealer orders by having dealers price and submit their own orders in a dealer portal, so each order arrives as structured data instead of an email, a fax or a spreadsheet. KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal & Order Automation gives each dealer the manufacturer's catalog at that dealer's own pricing, lets the dealer turn an estimate into an order online, and can export the accepted order to the manufacturer's ERP or accounting system.

Why do cabinet dealer orders get re-keyed?#

Cabinet dealer orders get re-keyed because the order path still runs on documents. A dealer reads a PDF catalog or an Excel price sheet, types the items one at a time and totals the quote by hand. The order then reaches the manufacturer by email or fax. Someone at the manufacturer checks the configuration and types the order into the ERP or QuickBooks.

Every hand-off in that chain is a place where a door style, finish or modification can be entered wrong. Designs drawn in 2020 Design add another step, because each design has to be translated into a list of catalog items before anyone can price it.

What does a dealer portal replace?#

• Dealer prices from a PDF catalog or Excel sheet. With KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal, the dealer opens the manufacturer's digital catalog, priced with that dealer's multiplier or price level.
• Dealer re-types a 2020 Design project as a list of items. With KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal, the dealer imports the project from a file exported from 2020 Design.
• Dealer emails or faxes the order. With KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal, the dealer converts the estimate into an order and submits it online.
• Manufacturer types the order into the ERP. With KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal, the order is exported to the ERP or accounting system through an integration.
• Dealer calls to ask about order status. With KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal, each order stage the manufacturer sets up can email the dealer automatically.

How does KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal handle a dealer order?#

1. The dealer logs in to the manufacturer's branded portal and sees the catalog at that dealer's pricing.
2. The dealer builds an estimate from catalog items, options and modifications, or imports a 2020 Design project into the estimate.
3. The dealer converts the estimate into an order and submits it.
4. The manufacturer's team reviews and approves the order and moves it through its own stages, such as pick, pack and load. Each stage can send the dealer an email.
5. Where the manufacturer has an ERP or accounting integration, the order is exported to that system instead of being typed again.

Every order in KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal keeps its own message history, so the emails, stage notices and internal notes for one job stay with that job.

Does a manufacturer have to replace its ERP?#

A manufacturer does not have to replace its ERP to use KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal. The portal is the dealer-facing side, and the ERP stays the system of record. KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal has integrations with QuickBooks (including QuickBooks Desktop), Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Odoo and Acumatica. What each export contains depends on the manufacturer's system and how the integration is set up.

What still takes work?#

Three parts of a dealer portal rollout take real effort, and a manufacturer should plan for them:

• The catalog. Styles, finishes, sizes, options and modifications have to be built in the portal before dealers can price anything. On most KitchenDEV onboardings, the catalog build is the longest step.
• 2020 Design files. Dealers export a file from 2020 Design and import that file. KitchenDEV's Dealer Portal does not take a 2020 .kit file by drag and drop.
• Dealer adoption. Dealers who keep ordering by email or phone keep the re-keying alive. The rollout to dealers matters as much as the software.

FAQ#