Introduction
Our client, a distributor managing a warehouse inventory, was seeking to streamline and improve the efficiency of their order placement and tracking process through a customized solution. While they were already using Unleashed Software for inventory management, the existing process for identifying low-stock items and placing replenishment orders was time-consuming and prone to manual oversight.
To address this, we developed a synchronized system that connects seamlessly with Unleashed Software, allowing sales representatives to quickly assess stock levels and place accurate, timely orders based on predefined thresholds. The solution features a web dashboard for administrators and a mobile app for on-site sales reps, significantly optimizing the end-to-end ordering workflow.
Application Details
The development was carried out in well-defined phases to ensure a structured rollout of functionalities.
1. Admin Dashboard
A comprehensive web interface was created to manage the business backend operations. Key modules include:
- Customer Module: Displays customer data synchronized from Unleashed.
- Product Module: Shows all products, where units of calculation can be edited. Product information is updated via regular synchronization with Unleashed.
- Sales Representatives Module: Allows the admin to invite and manage sales reps who use the mobile app to conduct stock assessments and place orders.
- Order Module: Displays detailed and historical order data fetched from Unleashed Software, ensuring visibility into past transactions and real-time updates.
2. Sales Representative App
We developed a mobile view application for sales representatives with the following core functions:
- Sales reps select a customer and view the product list.
- For each product, they input the available stock level.
- If a product’s availability is below the defined threshold, the app automatically calculates the required order quantity using a custom formula and places the order directly in Unleashed.
- Orders are processed considering the product’s minimum quantity requirement, ensuring inventory is replenished efficiently without overstocking.
Technical Implementations
- Frontend
The frontend was developed using Next.js and Material UI, providing a fast, responsive, and modern interface. Next.js enabled server-side rendering and efficient page routing, ensuring smooth navigation and faster load times. Material UI helped maintain design consistency and offered pre-built components that allowed us to create a clean, professional, and user-friendly experience across both web and mobile views. - Backend
We used Node.js and Express.js for the backend, which allowed us to build fast, scalable APIs that could efficiently handle requests from both the admin dashboard and mobile app. Node.js’s non-blocking architecture ensured smooth performance, while Express.js made it easy to structure routes and middleware for secure and maintainable backend operations. - Database
While Unleashed Software handled the main business data (like customers, products, and orders), we integrated MongoDB to manage application-specific data, such as configuration settings, user roles, and access control. MongoDB’s flexible schema and fast querying capabilities allowed us to easily adapt to evolving business needs without sacrificing performance. - Unleashed Integration:
APIs were used to synchronize product, customer, and order data between the platform and Unleashed Software, ensuring consistent and real-time information.
Implementation Insights
Order Calculation Logic for Inventory Optimization:
One of the most critical aspects was the implementation of a dynamic ordering formula. This logic considered various variables—current stock
, minimum quantity, and reorder thresholds. Designing a formula that consistently delivered the correct order quantity was key to ensuring stock levels remained optimal.
The system was engineered to perform these calculations in real-time, removing the burden from sales reps and minimizing manual errors.
Handling Customer-Specific Pricing Without Direct Flags:
The other key complexity we addressed was identifying “Customer Price” products in Unleashed Software. These products required visual differentiation after order placement, where their prices needed to be clearly marked. However, Unleashed does not provide any direct flag or identifier through its standard API to distinguish these items. To solve this, we implemented a workaround by accessing and analyzing specific pricing data through the Unleashed APIs, enabling us to reliably detect such products. This allowed us to highlight them within the Unleashed,ensuring accurate pricing communication.
Subunit Management for Accurate Quantity Calculations
To ensure precise order placement, the system allows defining subunits for each product (e.g., boxes, pieces, cartons). During order creation, quantities are automatically calculated based on the selected subunit, aligning with how products are actually stored and sold. This feature minimizes confusion, improves accuracy, and supports better inventory and billing consistency.
Conclusion
The platform significantly improved the client’s operational workflow by integrating Unleashed Software with a user-centric admin dashboard and a purpose-built mobile app for sales representatives. It reduced manual effort in order placement, ensured accurate inventory tracking, and enabled sales reps to make quick, data-driven ordering decisions. With real-time synchronization and intelligent order logic, the system empowered the client’s team to operate more efficiently and with greater accuracy. The client expressed satisfaction with the solution, appreciating the enhanced control and visibility it brought to their distribution operations.