Cape Town importer with shifting landed costs and stock pressure
The client was a mid-sized importer in Cape Town handling a mixed product range through warehouse stock, local distribution and supplier orders. The team was dealing with changing freight, duties, clearing charges and exchange rate movement, which meant the true landed cost of each line was often only known after the fact. That made margin checks slow and purchasing decisions uncertain.
Stock was moving through more than one location, with sales, buying and finance each keeping their own records. At month end, the team spent too much time matching supplier invoices, goods received notes and inventory counts. During peak import periods, a single delayed shipment could throw off reorder planning for several weeks.
The brief: clearer costing, less rework and better buying control
The brief was to implement an ERP setup that could track landed cost properly from purchase order to received stock, while giving the business better control over inventory levels and supplier commitments. The client also wanted one reporting structure for buyers, finance and management, with less manual spreadsheet work and fewer back-and-forth checks between departments.
- Track freight, duty, clearing and internal handling charges against stock receipts
- Improve purchase order approval and supplier follow-up
- Support multi-location inventory planning for warehouse and distribution stock
- Give management reporting on margin, ageing and stock cover
- Reduce duplicate data entry between finance and operations
What we put in place for the rollout
We started with process mapping across purchasing, receiving, finance and stock control. That gave us a clear view of where data was being entered twice and where approvals were being bypassed under pressure. From there, we configured the ERP workflow to suit the way the business actually ordered, received and priced stock, rather than forcing them into a generic setup.
The rollout included data migration from the old system and multiple spreadsheets, including supplier records, product masters, open purchase orders and stock balances. We then built integration points so the importer could keep its trading records aligned with accounting entries and stock valuation. Custom reports were added for landed cost, open orders, slow-moving stock and gross margin by product group.
- Process mapping workshops with buying, finance and warehouse users
- Data migration for items, suppliers, stock and open transactions
- Custom reporting for landed cost and inventory valuation
- Workflow automation for purchase approvals and goods receipt checks
- User training for office and warehouse teams
Timeline, team structure and delivery pace
The project ran over 12 weeks from discovery to go-live, with a staged approach that limited disruption to daily trading. The first phase focused on process review and master data cleanup, followed by configuration, testing and report sign-off. We worked closely with the client’s finance lead and operations manager so decisions could be made quickly when product rules or approval steps needed adjusting.
Our team on this project included Oupa Mabuza overseeing delivery, Zulfa Rhoda leading ERP configuration, Gerhard Pienaar handling systems integration, Mpolokeng Tshabangu managing project delivery, Muneeb Ismail covering support planning and Thembisa Mabandla running user training and adoption. That mix helped keep the business side and the technical side aligned, which mattered because the importer could not afford a long freeze during stock movement periods.
Results after go-live in a busy trading environment
After go-live, the client had a cleaner view of stock value and more reliable landed cost tracking on imported lines. Buyers could see committed spend earlier, finance could close month end with fewer manual adjustments, and management had better visibility of margin by category. That made it easier to decide when to reorder, when to hold back and which products needed price review.
The warehouse team also benefited from a simpler receiving process. Goods could be checked against the purchase order, received into stock and then rolled into cost reporting with less rework. The business reported less time spent chasing missing paperwork and fewer stock disputes between departments. It was not magic, just better process control and accurate information in one place.
- Improved landed cost accuracy on imported stock lines
- Reduced manual reconciliation between finance and operations
- Better visibility of stock cover and reorder timing
- Faster month-end reporting with fewer corrections
- More consistent approval steps for purchases and adjustments
What we would repeat on another importer project
If we were starting a similar project again, we would keep the same sequence: process mapping first, then master data cleanup, then configuration and testing, followed by focused training before go-live. For importers in Cape Town, Durban or Gqeberha, that order matters because landed cost calculations and receiving practices are only as good as the source data going in.
We would also keep change management close to the rollout. Trading teams are often under pressure from shipping delays, supplier lead times and load-shedding, so the system needs to support real trading conditions not ideal ones. A short user support window after go-live helped the client settle in quickly, and we would use that same approach again for any SME importer with multiple stock locations and tight margins.
Key facts
| Client type | Mid-sized importer based in Cape Town |
|---|---|
| Project scope | ERP implementation, integration and reporting |
| Timeline | 12 weeks from discovery to go-live |
| Core focus | Landed cost tracking, purchasing and inventory planning |
| Coverage | Finance, buying, warehouse and management reporting |
| Delivery model | Process mapping, data migration, training and support |
