active source
Distributor ERP
Agreed sales documents, warehouse inventory and master data.
Skip to main contentCHANNEL VISIBILITY source validated Governed exchange ERP DMS FILE Channel commercial balance Illustrative scenario · no customer data Compare with sell-out Illustrative scenario · no customer data Investigate the exception Illustrative scenario · no customer data Check freshness Data quality passport Exception centre Source quality Master data Commercial exception Channel execution Decision loop Product boundaries Controlled first scope Evidence and next step Questions before the first scope
Channel visibility · sell-out and inventory
Distributor Sell-out and Inventory Visibility
Sell-in shows what entered the channel. The management decision starts with sell-out, inventory and source quality.
Smartup receives agreed distributor data, validates it and links it to territory, outlet and SKU. The team sees not just the metric, but source freshness, the reason for the exception and the next action.
Book a process review- 01Sell-out down to outlet and SKU
Every secondary sale keeps its date, source and available grain.
- 02Inventory in context
Stock is read alongside sales velocity, warehouse and refresh period.
- 03Data quality stays visible
Missing batches, duplicates and unknown identifiers do not disappear inside a report.
Different sources. One traceable fact for sales and inventory.
The source format may differ, but the data path stays consistent: receive, validate, match and only then publish to the management view.
active source
Partner DMS
Secondary sales and the available operating detail of the channel.
active source
Governed file
A controlled transition path based on a prepared template.
- 01
Receive
The source, period and batch are registered.
- 02
Validate
Structure, required fields, dates and duplicates are checked.
- 03
Match
SKUs, outlets, warehouses and units are linked to governed master data.
- 04
Management fact
Accepted records are available for analysis; exceptions go to their owners.
Data frequency and grain depend on source capability and the agreed exchange policy.
Three views explain product movement better than one report.
Switch the focus between supply into the channel, sales to outlets and inventory. This illustrative scenario explains the diagnostic logic and contains no customer metrics.
Sell-in
What was supplied to the distributor
Does supply match actual product movement through the channel?Sell-in growth without comparable sell-out may indicate inventory build-up or incomplete secondary-sales coverage.
- Supply period and document
- Distributor, warehouse and portfolio
- SKU, quantity and unit of measure
Next actionReview inventory and secondary-sales coverage
Sell-out
What was sold to outlets
Where did sales slow, and which dimension explains why?Territory, outlet, SKU and active customer base help separate a demand change from a data gap.
- Sale date and outlet
- Territory, channel and accountable owner
- SKU, assortment and available order detail
Next actionOpen the territory, outlet or SKU
Inventory
What remains in warehouses
Where does inventory not match the selected sell-out rate?Inventory is read with its refresh date and movements so that a stale value is not treated as a current fact.
- Warehouse, SKU and available lot detail
- Date and age of the latest refresh
- Sales and movements for the reconciliation period
Next actionReconcile the source and replenishment rules
Before trusting a metric, the team knows where it came from.
Every management view must answer four questions: when it arrived, how complete it is, how it was matched and whether it reconciles with movement.
01 Freshness
When was the source refreshed successfully?- Evidence
- Period · received at · expected window
- Owner
- Source owner
02 Completeness
Are all distributors and periods represented?- Evidence
- Partner · period · batch · status
- Owner
- Commercial data owner
03 Matching
Are external SKUs, outlets and warehouses linked?- Evidence
- Source ID · group ID · mapping version
- Owner
- Master-data owner
04 Reconciliation
Do movements explain the submitted ending inventory?- Evidence
- Opening · movement · closing · variance
- Owner
- Reconciliation owner
Separate a sales issue from a data issue.
The same metric decline can require different actions. Select a scenario to see its evidence, owner and next step.
Data did not arrive inside the expected window
The period has no accepted sales or inventory batch.
- What to check
- Exchange calendar · receipt log · latest successful batch
- Owner
- Distributor source owner
- Next action
- Confirm the cause, restore delivery and verify the period again.
An SKU or outlet is not matched
The record enters exceptions and must not distort the analysis.
- What to check
- Source ID · value · source · possible matches
- Owner
- Master-data owner
- Next action
- Link or create the record, then reprocess the batch safely.
Inventory rises while sell-out slows
Supply is moving faster than secondary sales in the selected slice.
- What to check
- Sell-in · sell-out · inventory · freshness · active outlets
- Owner
- Commercial Director / Regional Manager
- Next action
- Review the territory, assortment and next supply plan.
Sales slow while inventory remains available
Product is available, but outlet activity or assortment is declining.
- What to check
- Active outlets · SKU · territory · orders · visits
- Owner
- Commercial lead / field team
- Next action
- Assign a review of coverage, assortment and outlet execution.
From source to verified action - five connected steps.
The loop does not end with a report: the team returns to the same slice after a source correction or commercial action.
- 01
Source
Record the partner, period, batch and data owner.
- 02
Validate
Separate an accepted fact from a missing batch, duplicate or unknown ID.
- 03
Diagnose
Compare sell-in, sell-out, inventory and active outlets.
- 04
Act
Assign a data correction or commercial task to an accountable owner.
- 05
Verify
Open the same period again and confirm that the exception is closed.
Visibility depends on the agreed source and exchange policy.
Smartup makes lineage and data quality visible, but it does not invent a missing fact or replace a partner’s system of record.
- 01
Source grain
Detail down to outlet, SKU, warehouse or lot is available only when the source provides it.
- 02
Exchange frequency
The refresh interval is defined by the integration, system capability and the parties’ operating policy.
- 03
System of record
The distributor ERP or DMS may remain the owner of source documents and master data.
Start with a governed sample and measurable data quality.
The first wave needs only a bounded group of partners, core master data and several exceptions that lead to real management decisions.
- 01
Select partners
Choose one or more distributors with accessible sales and inventory sources.
- 02
Agree master data
Define key SKUs, outlets, warehouses, units of measure and external IDs.
- 03
Set quality gates
Agree freshness, completeness, duplicate, date and unknown-record rules.
- 04
Verify decisions
Reconcile a source sample and confirm owners for commercial actions.
Review the method, product capabilities and operating scenarios.
These materials separate DMS capability from data requirements and prepare a focused review of your exchange model.
What to agree before the first exchange
The answers define source boundaries, quality rules and how the outcome will be verified.
Do we need to wait for a monthly distributor report?
Not when regular exchange is agreed. Frequency is set by the source and project, while freshness and missing batches remain visible.
How is sell-out different from sell-in?
Sell-in is supply into the channel; sell-out is the distributor sale to an outlet. They are analysed separately and together to explain product movement.
Can data come from different systems?
Yes. Each source receives a format, external-ID rules and validation policy before records are aligned to governed master data.
What happens to an unknown SKU or outlet?
It is not silently mixed into reporting. The record enters a mapping exception with source and reason preserved.
Can inventory be viewed across several warehouses?
Yes, when the source provides warehouse detail. The available grain and aggregation rules are documented during integration design.
How is pilot quality checked?
Reconcile a source sample, assess completeness and freshness, review exceptions and confirm that each important signal leads to accountable action.
Review your exchange model
Book a process reviewConnect sell-in, sell-out and inventory without manual consolidation.
Select pilot distributors, sources, master data and exceptions that must lead to an accountable action.