By Imran Kamal, Head of APAC, at Fluent Commerce – exploring how modern Order Management Systems are helping businesses extend the value of their ERP and meet the growing demands of B2B fulfilment.
For decades, the ERP has been the backbone of wholesale and distribution. It runs the numbers, manages purchasing, tracks inventory, and keeps the lights on. But in the world of modern B2B fulfillment, the ERP alone is no longer enough.
Customer expectations are higher. Supply chains are more complex. Orders flow through multiple channels and need to be fulfilled faster than ever. While the ERP remains critical, it wasn’t designed to handle the orchestration required to meet these demands.
That’s where an Order Management System comes in. An OMS doesn’t replace your ERP. It extends the value of it. Think of it as the missing layer of agility, visibility, and optimisation. Here’s why.
1. Real-Time Inventory Visibility
Many ERP systems only update inventory in batches, not in real time. In a B2B network with multiple warehouses, 3PLs, and suppliers, stock levels change constantly. This lag creates overselling, missed sales, and higher costs. An OMS aggregates inventory from all sources and updates it in near real time, so sales teams, partners, and customers always see the most accurate information.
2. Optimal Sourcing Across Multiple Fulfilment Locations
ERPs aren’t built for complex order routing. Add DCs, 3PLs, or drop ship vendors, each with their own systems, and complexity grows. An OMS applies business rules to select the best fulfillment location, factoring in speed, profitability, cost to serve, and stock availability. It becomes the master of the order, ensuring consistent and accurate execution across every channel.
3. Managing Complex B2B Order Flows
B2B orders are often split across multiple locations and destinations, with frequent changes mid-process. Incorrect inventory, rescheduled deliveries, or fragmented visibility slow everything down, driving up costs and leaving teams with manual workarounds. An OMS manages every order from creation through to pick up or delivery. It keeps systems aligned even when orders are split, delayed, or sent to different places, giving teams the real time view they need to keep things moving.
4. Streamlining Multiple Order Methods
ERPs aren’t built natively for complex order routing. Add multiple DCs, 3PLs, or drop-ship vendors, each with their own WMS and processes, and the complexity grows exponentially. When they are all selling at once, the ERP plays catch-up. Causing overselling, underselling, and delays. An OMS brings all orders into one platform, giving teams a single view to track and manage them. This reduces complexity, improves visibility, and makes fulfillment smoother for both staff and customers.
5. Scaling for Peak Demand
Seasonal spikes and product launches can overwhelm legacy systems. A modern OMS is cloud native and scales instantly to handle high volumes of both orders and fast-moving inventory. It adds a protective layer over existing systems, ensuring you can manage peak demand with confidence.
6. Improving OTIF (On Time, In Full) Performance
B2B customers expect orders to be accurate and reliable. Late shipments or incorrect quantities cause frustration, penalties, and damaged relationships. An OMS provides real-time visibility and automates exception handling, so issues can be resolved before they affect the customer. That means spotting problems early, keeping orders moving, and consistently hitting OTIF targets.
7. Continuous Improvement with Lower Risk
B2B organisations need to adapt quickly to market shifts. That may mean changing delivery ETAs, adjusting order routing, or adding new warehouses. Making these changes in an ERP is costly and slow. An OMS, built on modular architecture, allows you to test and implement smaller changes safely and quickly. Reducing risk while enabling continuous improvement.
8. Managing WISMO (Where Is My Order?) Calls
When orders come from multiple channels and move through different systems, they are hard to track. Service teams end up piecing together updates, wasting time and frustrating customers. An OMS creates a single, real-time view of every order across all locations and channels. Customers get clearer updates, while your team spends less time chasing information.
Optimised B2B Fulfilment at Scale
An OMS helps overcome ERP limitations and unlocks the full potential of fulfillment operations. It delivers real-time inventory visibility, coordinates supply chains, and unifies multi-channel orders into one seamless workflow. By applying business rules to route orders to the best fulfillment location, it increases profitability, improves OTIF performance, reduces manual processes, and scales with confidence.
If you’d like to learn more about how Fluent Order Management can help your business, contact Fluent Commerce today.
