Retailing for Wholesale

This specialist article describes how FIS/wws, the ERP wholesale software solution, accelerates your processes in purchasing, sales and distribution and logistics.

Marc Bernhardt

Productmanager at FIS

What is the FIS/wws wholesale solution?

FIS/wws is an ERP system developed for technical wholesale and based on SAP, which can be used on premise as well as in SAP Cloud ERP Private. It has constantly been developed since 1996 and tailored in the best possible way to the requirements of wholesalers and their compound groups.

By means of predefined industry processes, FIS/wws reduces the implementation efforts of SAP software as well as the project duration: this means that your implementation project is no development project but a preconfigured retailing system that can be used immediately. With over 30 years of industry experience and as the market leader in the DACH region, FIS is your central contact and accompanies you with consulting, implementation and support from a single source.

FIS/wws Oberfläche

Individual modules of the FIS/wws retailing solution can also be implemented separately. These individual functions can be used, for instance, for the integration of express delivery service providers, cash sale processing or the implementation of a GAEB interface.

FIS/wws

Retailing for technical wholesale

Integrated wholesale processes and industry-specific functions

To the product

What functions does FIS/wws include for wholesale?

FIS/wws provides benefits for various business areas:

Benefits for procurement & purchasing: reduction of purchase order costs

From forecast to vendor invoice verification, FIS/wws includes appropriate optimizations for the purchasing and procurement department to ensure best delivery capacity and low capital tie-up.

Rapid processing times are the be-all and end-all. This is why FIS/wws provides the best possible order proposals for your purchasing department through its functions for forecast and MRP. Here, FIS/wws also considers possible scaled conditions with vendors and helps effectively reduce purchase order costs. According to individual requirements, these purchase orders can be triggered automatically or after a check.

Relevant FIS/wws functions for purchasing are for instance:

Optimized MRP list through automated order proposals and material shortage check
Optimized purchase order through independent system proposals
Display and selection of several scaled conditions during purchase order processing
Forecast optimization for optimal warehouse stocks in trade
Support for procurement processes through stockholding indicators
Calculation through purchasing data directly available in the sales order
Fully or partially automated stock transfer function
Vendor Managed Inventory
ABC/XYZ analysis for optimized warehouse stocks
Reduction of your capital tie-up through overstock transfer
Cross-plant display of your stocks
…

Benefits for advance booking:

Processing of GAEB files
Processing of ÖNORM files
Title and total function analogous to the structure of service specifications
Vendor inquiries directly from the quotation and GAEB processing
Integration of vendor quotations into customer quotation entry (GAEB)
AI-supported assignment of article master data
Object processing and management (e.g. of building projects)
Optimized quotation costing (e.g. with calculation of material/discount groups as well as PUR+)
Automatic copy of a sample quotation into specific customer quotations
Quotation creation with object reference

Benefits for sales & distribution: increased efficiency

From quotation creation to payment processing – FIS/wws includes many practical functions to ensure processing effectivity and high customer satisfaction.

Apart from optimized user interfaces for your sales clerks, FIS/wws provides useful tools for effective bid invitation processing. It goes without saying that industry-specific interfaces, such as GAEB/ÖNORM and DATANORM, are supported.

Relevant FIS/wws functions are for instance:

Processing of cash sales with integrated (online) cash register function for the DACH region
Optimized order entry through a more user-friendly interface, improved user experience for the person responsible (e.g. for telesales)
Order creation with object reference
Order creation with automatic reference to valid quotations (e.g. best price)
System monitoring of profit margin limits
DEL listings for listed metal surcharges
Connection of shadow databases (e.g. industry-specific PIM systems)
One-time/diverse article: temporary amendment of article data, e.g. via shadow database
Stock transfer function directly from your SD documents
Option of executing release orders (main release or single release)
Optional article search within an online store system with direct transfer of shopping cart
Use of remaining length management and batch management
Processing of DATANORM files
Variable document creation through extended print functions
Rental equipment management
Convenient exhibition processing
…

Benefits for warehouse & shipping: process acceleration

FIS/wws controls the complex internal and external flows of wholesale goods in such a way that your warehouse and shipping logistics are given optimum support. Central functions, such as picking and route planning, are optimized according to the requirements of technical wholesale. However, FIS/wws also provides practical wholesale optimizations for shipping processing (e.g. for shipping with express delivery service providers, such as DPD and DHL). Shipping costs are therefore reduced and warehouse processes can be executed in a highly efficient way.

The seamless integration of FIS/wws with embedded warehouse management SAP EWM (SAP Extended Warehouse Management) ensures smooth end-to-end intralogistics processes.

Relevant FIS/wws functions for your warehouse are for instance:

Cash desk sales (with comprehensive cash sales processing)
Execution of pickup orders
Optimization of the complete material flow along the supply chain
Fully integrated Warehouse Management system (SAP EWM Basic) including configured relevant FIS/wws processes for SAP EWM
Quick and easy processing of goods receipts, goods issues and stock transfers
System-controlled backorder updating
Connection and integration of express delivery service providers
Central packaging cockpit: several deliveries of your customer can be combined into one consignment (e.g. when shipping with express delivery service providers)
Route planning monitor
Easy creation of transport documents, freight lists, delivery note printouts and unloading lists
Returns monitor: all business processes concerning customer and vendor returns can be controlled in a clear user interface
Empties cockpit and returnable packaging cockpit
…

Benefits for accounting & finances (integrated processes):

Full mapping of your accounting and controlling processes
Digital G/L accounting
Accounts receivable accounting and accounts payable accounting
Asset accounting
Bank accounting
Overhead cost accounting
Product cost accounting
Profitability analysis

Benefits for management board & controlling:

Make faster decisions than your competitors with FIS/wws as a retailing system – with data based on real time. FIS/wws is based on SAP S/4HANA with the SAP HANA in-memory technology.

Which SAP core processes does FIS/wws support?

Procure-to-pay: from forecast to invoice verification

The procure-to-pay management for technical wholesale describes the SAP standard process chain from demand determination and procurement process to the settlement of vendor invoices.

FIS/wws extends the SAP standard processes by adding elementary functions for technical wholesale. FIS/wws optimizes the procurement process in the company: from forecast and MRP, vendor management and strategic order and price management to goods receipt and invoice verification. The use of FIS/edc is recommended for automated and accelerated document processing in accounting.

Process diagram displaying the end-to-end procurement workflow in wholesale distribution. The sequence includes Forecast, MRP, Purchase Requisition, Purchase Order, Goods Receipt, and Invoice Verification. Customer picking is linked to the purchase requisition step. Supporting functions highlighted include demand forecasting, automatic stock transfers, cross-plant stock visibility, purchasing conditions, optimized purchase orders, warehouse bin management, and automated invoice processing. — Procure-to-pay: core process in FIS/wws

Order-to-cash: from quotation to payment

The order-to-cash management for technical wholesale describes the SAP standard process chain from the first quotation creation to the settlement of invoices.

FIS/wws extends the SAP standard processes by adding elementary functions for technical wholesale. In this way, FIS/wws increases the efficiency of logistics processes and ensures smaller processing efforts.

Process diagram showing the end-to-end order-to-cash workflow. The process starts with Project and Quotation, followed by Order creation and a stock availability decision. If goods are available, the process continues with Delivery, Picking, and Goods Issue. If not available, third-party business or procurement processes are triggered, including purchase order, goods receipt, and incoming invoice. All paths lead to Billing Document creation and Payment processing, supported by functions such as route planning, warehouse management, and electronic account statements. — Order-to-cash: core process in FIS/wws

Request for proposal: from bid invitation to order

Besides the support of customers from the craft sector, the processing of public bid invitations (also: request for proposal) is also part of the day-to-day business of a sales clerk.

FIS/wws provides numerous tools for the efficient processing of bid invitations. Binding quotations, e.g. concerning a bid invitation, can be created for customers (craftsmen) directly from the service specifications. Moreover, the monitoring of bid invitation dates or submission deadlines is guaranteed at any time. It goes without saying that FIS/wws supports industry-specific data formats such as GAEB (Gemeinsamer Ausschuss Elektronik im Bauwesen – Joint Committee for Electronics in Civil Engineering), ÖNORM (standardization for Austria) or DATANORM. The use of the standardized GAEB format, for instance, is also of great importance for the transfer of building data in the BIM (Building Information Modeling) environment and enabled by FIS/wws.

Process diagram illustrating the request-for-proposal workflow in construction projects. The process begins with bid invitation or building project creation, followed by project management and GAEB inbound processing. Sample or reference quotations are created and used for requests for quotation, leading to sales document copying and end customer quotation. The process concludes with order creation and automatic rejection of non-selected quotations. — Request for proposal: core process in FIS/wws

How can I use FIS/wws to execute my SAP evaluations and reportings?

By implementing a system-aided reporting, wholesales always keep an overview of important corporate key figures and make fact-based decisions. FIS/wws CDS Views (Core Data Services) seamlessly combine SAP S/4HANA and analysis tools with each other and enable the execution of wholesale-specific evaluations without technical efforts.

FIS/wws CDS Views can be used to read data from system tables and format it. The user can clearly view the evaluations in the form of tables, graphics or charts in the analysis tool of their choice (e.g. using tools such as SAP Analytics Cloud or from SAP BusinessObjects Portfolio). The data models are always flexible and can be independently extended by additional features. In this way, reportings can be executed easily and in real time.

FIS/wws CDS Views for “live billing document reporting”, for instance, can be used to create sales volume evaluations for different business units (e.g. executive board, branch office manager, field service manager, field service) with just a few clicks. These analyses can be created in different summarization levels, e.g. from sales organization, profit center, distribution channel, customer and goods to single documents. The integration of ERP and analysis tools is executable from the very first day. Relevant FIS/wws additional fields can be evaluated as well.

How does wholesale benefit from FIS/wws?

Deep industry functionality for technical wholesale with standardized yet adjustable processes

High integration capacity (SAP standards, open interfaces) and end-to-end processes without media changes

Modular, scalable structure, cloud readiness, openness for innovations (e.g. AI) and automation

Rapid implementation through template approach and best practices, transparency of project scope & costs, clear profitability advantages

Experienced and industry-proven consulting, individual support, real partnership at eye level from a single source – for more than 30 years. Our proof: more than 550 satisfied customers and 44,000 SAP users.

Highlights

Predefined industry-specific core functions and processes
Available in 16 languages and used internationally
User association with “cost sharing” for specific further developments
Over 100 highly qualified SAP consultants & supporters from Germany
Accelerated implementation instead of complex development

Conclusion

With FIS/wws, you decide in favor of a future-proof ERP system based on SAP and specially designed for wholesale – with clear processes, rapid implementation and real efficiency in your business processes. In this way, your company will be made fit for the requirements of digitization and automation.

FAQ – frequently asked questions

The ERP software by SAP (S/4HANA on premise or SAP Cloud ERP Private) is implemented in combination with FIS/wws. Your company does not need any SAP products in advance.

You particularly benefit from processes that are explicitly optimized for wholesale – in particular for the purchasing, sales and warehouse departments. Moreover, the considerably faster implementation of the FIS/wws retailing system clearly reduces the project costs.

Yes, FIS/wws for wholesale can already be used with SAP Cloud ERP Private.

FIS Wholesale Distribution Suite is the ideal and future-oriented solution for SAP Cloud ERP. It combines decades of industry experience with advanced cloud, AI and clean core technologies into a fully integrated ERP platform.

Yes. Any software can be properly integrated by means of standardized interfaces and the services of Business Process Integration by FIS.

Contact us: we offer functional ERP apps for numerous wholesale business processes that are quickly ready for use: Would you, for instance, like to digitally share data and documents with business partners such as vendors, manufacturers and craftsmen? With FIS/OpenDocumentExchange, we provide you with the industry standard solution!

The efforts depend on the functional scope required. Compared to a standard SAP implementation project, however, the implementation duration is much shorter thanks to numerous preconfigured standard processes and the minimization of customer-specific developments.

HVACR (sanitary, heating, air conditioning)
Electrical parts & accessories
Colors & interior decorations
Building materials & industrial needs
Tools, screws & fastening technology

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