Benefit from full control and visibility of your stock across all sales channels.
Our business and inventory management software is designed to tackle the challenges faced by the Bearings and Transmission industry and supplies you with the tools you need to drive your business forward.
OGL Software connects all your business processes into one central system, allowing you to be in control of your success.
Streamlining your order process, from initial enquiry to dispatching of goods, will remove the manual processes that have been holding you back.
Our software is used by many members of the following Bearings & Transmissions buying groups, networks and associations:
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Yes, whether you're in the office, working from home or on a sales visit - you can access Profit4 from any location via your internet browser.
Making sure you keep your Compliance with ISO 9001Traceability
In sectors like construction and aerospace, especially, Lot Tracking really is a non-negotiable requirement. Due to this, ERP like Profit4, for instance, will provide you with full ISO 9001 Traceability, allowing you to track every component back to its specific production batch. This then, in turn, makes sure that safety-critical bolts are fully documented throughout the entire supply chain. To maintain a professional nut and bolt inventory, our DIN Standards tracking feature also allows you to filter and categorise stock by international technical specifications. So, whether you are searching by thread pitch or tensile strength, the system ensures your customers receive the exact specification required for their project.
How do I manage thousands of fastener SKUs?
Via the ERP with attribute-based filtering to categorise by thread, pitch, and material.
Can I track zinc vs stainless steel stock levels?
Yes, by using "Technical Attribute" tags within your fastener inventory software.
What is threaded rod stock control?
It is a specific inventory method for tracking various lengths and finishes of rod using a single base SKU.
How do I manage nut and bolt inventory variations?
Within the system, it supports parent-child relationships for different sizes and grades.
Does the software support M8 and M10 standards?
Yes, standard fastener sizes are pre-configured as searchable attributes.
How do I handle DIN and ISO standard tracking?
High-end ERPs like Profit4 allow you to store and search by international compliance standards.
Can the system handle decimal quantities for bulk weights?
Yes, it supports unit-of-measure conversions from weight to count.
What is the best way to track fastener finishes?
By using attribute filters to separate zinc, galvanised, and stainless steel options.
How do I reduce picking errors for small parts?
You can do so by implementing warehouse bin tracking to guide staff to the exact shelf location.
Can I track batch numbers for safety-critical bolts?
Yes, the system includes full batch and lot traceability.
In this industry, you rarely sell at one fixed price. Youmight have trade prices, bulk discounts, or special rates for loyal customers.
The Solution
The software uses "Matrix Pricing".
This means the system can automatically apply the correct discount based on who the customer is and how many they are buying. This, in turn, protects your profit margins and stops staff from making mistakes on quotes.
In hardware distribution, Matrix Pricing is far superior to fixed price lists. As here fixed lists are rigid and prone to"sales leakage."
In contrast, Matrix Pricing uses automated logic to apply discounts based on customer volume and profile, ensuring your margins are protected even during complex trade counter negotiations.
Safeguarding your profits with margin protection logic
Then, to prevent "sales leakage", a good ERP system employs robust Margin Protection Logic.
This automated safeguard then monitors every quote at the trade counter; so if a discount would push a sale below your required profit percentage, the system flags it instantly for review.
This then, in turn, helps you to make sure that even during bulk negotiations, your bottom line remains protected.
Many distributors will also buy in bulk and sell in smaller bags, or they create "kits" (for example, a box containing a specific mix of screws and wall plugs).
The Solution
If this is you, then a specialist ERP software, Like Profit4 includes "Kitting and Assembly" tools.
So, when you sell a kit, the system automatically lowers the stock levels for every individual item inside that kit. This then keeps your stock levels 100% accurate without you having to count them manually.
What is matrix pricing for bolt distributors?
These are an automated system that applies specific discounts based on the customer type and volume.
Seamless Unit of Measure (UoM) Conversion
Managing fasteners often requires complex Unit of Measure(UoM) conversion. Our ERP handles the math for you—whether you are buying screws by weight (kg) from a supplier but selling them in individual bags or kits. This ensures your stock levels and financial ledgers remain 100% accurate regardless of how the product is sold.
How to stop sales leakage in fixings distribution?
By automating discounts, you ensure staff cannot manually override prices to a level that hurts margins.
Can I set trade-only prices for specific customers?
Yes, the ERP allows for unlimited price lists assigned to individual accounts.
How do I manage bulk-buy discounts automatically?
You can set "Price Breaks" so the unit cost drops as the quantity in the basket increases.
What is margin protection logic?
It is a safeguard that alerts managers if a sale price falls below a set profit percentage.
Can I update prices for thousands of items at once?
Yes, use global price update tools to handle supplier price rises across all SKUs.
How do I handle "back-to-back" ordering prices?
The system links the purchase cost directly to the sales quote to protect your margin.
Does the system show real-time profit per order?
Yes, margins are calculated instantly at the point of sale.
Can I set expiry dates on promotional quotes?
Yes, you can set "Quote Validity" periods to protect against fluctuating steel prices.
To maintain a professional nut and bolt inventory, distributors must understand the transition from older DIN standards to the modern ISO specifications.
Our fastener inventory software allows you to map these technical attributes in real-time, ensuring safety-critical components always meet project requirements.
To grow your business, you also need to work smarter. Here are the key features you should look for in a fastener-specific ERP to help you:
Knowing you have "some" stock isn't enough.
You need to know exactly how many are on the shelf, how many are already promised to other customers, and how many are arriving on a delivery truck tomorrow -this is where the Stock Control feature comes in. With real-time data, you can set "minimum stock levels", so when a product runs low, the system automatically creates a purchase order for your supplier. This then makes sure that you never run out of your best-selling items.
With real-time data, you can set "minimum stock levels,", so when a product runs low, the system automatically creates a purchase order for your supplier. This then makes sure that you never run out of your best-selling items.
If you have a physical trade counter, your shop staff need to be fast. An integrated EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) system means that when a customer buys a box of nails at the counter, the stock is updated immediately across your website and warehouse at the same time. This then prevents you from "double-selling" the last box to someone online by mistake.
Professional warehouse bin tracking is essential for fastener distributors. Because parts like washers and small screws are visually similar, the ERP uses unique location identifiers. This level of detail is a core requirement for any high-performance fastener merchant software to reduce picking errors and improve dispatch speed.
By you then utilising your new bin location tracking and mobile scanning devices, we can help distributors like you significantly increase their Picking Accuracy Rates.
In a high-volume warehouse where small parts look identical, these digital safeguards ensure the right product is dispatched every time, reducing costly returns and customer dissatisfaction. So much so that implementing a Warehouse Management System (WMS) with bin locations and mobile barcode picking can increase picking accuracy to over 99.9%.
A busy fastener warehouse can also be a maze.
Here, Profit4 ERP software uses "Bin Locations" to help you make your Warehouse management much easier. So, when a picker goes to find an order, the system tells them exactly which aisle and shelf to go to.
This then reduces the time spent walking around and ensures the right parts are sent out every time.
Cloud-based ERP systems host data on secure remote servers,enabling fastener businesses to access real-time stock and sales data via mobile devices. This architecture then ensures that you get automatic data backups, cybersecurity compliance, and seamless software updates without requiring on-site IT infrastructure. Modern ERP systems like Profit4 are "Cloud-based".This simply means the software and your data are stored securely on the internet rather than on a single computer in your office.
For instance, this then allows you and your team to
Work from anywhere. You can check your sales figures or stock levels from home, on a building site, or at a customer’s office using an internet connection.
computer breaks
Automate backups
You don’t need to worry about losing your data if a computerbreaks. Everything is backed up automatically.
Easy updates.
The software is always kept up to date with the latest features without you having to do anything.
When looking for a partner to provide your software, you should consider the following:
Do they understand fasteners?
OGL, for example, is an associate member of the British Industrial Association of Fastener Distributors (BIAFD) This means the software is built for your specific trade by people who know your industry.
Can the software grow with you?
You might start with 5 users, but you really want a system that can handle 50 as you expand.
Does the provider offer UK-based phone support to help your team if they get stuck?
Profit4 is highly recommended, as we here at OGL Software are an associate member of the BIAFD itself with many members using Profit4 software
You can use the "Assembly Tool" to group individual items into a single kit SKU.
It is a specialised ERP designed for high-volume, small-part distribution.
An integrated accounting for fixings system is better because it removes the need to sync data between different apps, which is a primary benefit.
You can use mobile picking devices linked to the ERP's bin location data. Read more about warehouse efficency here
Yes, cloud ERPs like ours allow for access from any building site or office as long as you have an internet connection.
Implementation varies, but when you talk to our team, we can assist directly. The average time frame is 6-8 months, including all processes.
You want to look for providers that offer UK-based phone support and industry-specific training - just like we do. Don't rely on AI chat bots and support tickets!
By moving to a dedicated Fastener & Fixing ERP, you are investing in the future of your company.
As a result, you can expect to see:
By spotting "sales leakage" (where you are losing money on low-margin sales) and automating manual tasks.
You can give customers instant, accurate answers about stock and delivery times.
With one "source of truth," everyone in your business is looking at the same data. No more arguments over"missing" pallets or incorrect stock counts.
