Industries · Wholesale distribution
ERP for wholesale distributors in Australia
Distribution businesses hit the wall the same way every time: stock in one system, accounts in another, orders arriving by email, prices drifting between the webshop and the price list, and purchasing done on gut feel because the real numbers take too long to assemble. MYOB's research puts a number on it: 45% of Australian decision-makers say disconnected systems limit growth. In distribution that limit shows up as dead stock and missed margin.
The short answer
A wholesale distributor needs an ERP that holds stock, purchasing, landed cost, customer pricing and the ledger in one database, so margin is known per SKU and per customer before the invoice goes out. In Australia the two credible mid-market choices are MYOB Acumatica (finance-led, Distribution Edition, 12-week FastStart for smaller Queensland wholesalers) and Odoo (channel-led, native B2B portal and webshop). Auboros implements both from Brisbane and will tell you which one fits before quoting either.
At a glance
- Who this is for
- Wholesalers, importers and trade suppliers with 5 to 100 users selling B2B
- Platforms
- MYOB Acumatica Distribution Edition, or Odoo Inventory, Purchase, Sales and Accounting
- Fastest go-live
- 12 weeks on MYOB FastStart Wholesale Distribution (fixed scope, under 10 users, Queensland)
- Typical go-live
- 3 to 5 months for a scoped distribution implementation on either platform
- Verticals we have delivered
- Food and beverage, electrical, building and plumbing supplies, importers
- Where we work
- Brisbane and Queensland on site; Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and New Zealand remotely
- Last verified
- October 2026
| Criteria | Odoo | MYOB Acumatica |
|---|---|---|
| Licence model | Per user per month, Standard or Custom plan, all apps included | Per named user, quoted by MYOB for each business |
| AU/NZ localisation | AU chart of accounts, GST and BAS; payroll is a separate decision | AU and NZ payroll, STP Phase 2, super, BAS built in |
| Hosting | Odoo Online, Odoo.sh or self-hosted | MYOB-hosted cloud (AWS Sydney) |
| Customisation path | Studio and custom modules; wide open | Generic inquiries, customisation projects, Acumatica framework |
| Ecosystem | Native webshop, B2B portal, POS, barcode app | Third-party commerce, EDI and WMS integrations via partners |
| Typical implementation cost | Lower licence cost; implementation from fixed packages | Higher licence cost; FastStart fixed scope or scoped project |
| Typical go-live | 2 to 4 months | 12 weeks (FastStart) or 3 to 5 months |
| Best fit | Distributors that also sell direct or run several channels | Finance-led distributors with multi-entity or project needs |
| Watch-outs | Payroll and bank feeds need checking; licence price rose Sep 2026 | Commerce needs an integration; licence quoted, not listed |
Both platforms are implemented by Auboros. Go-live ranges are from our own projects and depend on data condition and channel count.
What does an ERP for a wholesale distributor need to do?
Distribution ERP is a short list of things done properly rather than a long list of modules. These are the six that decide whether the system pays for itself.
One stock figure across warehouses and channels
Quantity on hand, committed, on order and available are one set of numbers whether the order came from a rep, the B2B portal or the webshop. Multi-warehouse and bin locations are standard on both platforms we implement; what matters is that the sales order checks availability at entry and the pick list is generated from the same record.
Landed cost into margin
Freight, duty, insurance and brokerage are allocated to the receipt, so the cost of goods on the invoice is the real cost, not the supplier's FOB price. Importers who skip this run on a margin they cannot see. Our landed cost calculator shows the arithmetic the ERP automates.
Customer-specific pricing and trade terms
Price lists by customer group, contract prices by SKU, quantity breaks, promotional dates and rebates, enforced at order entry rather than corrected on the invoice. Credit limits and overdue holds stop the order before the truck leaves.
Replenishment that is not a Friday spreadsheet
Reorder points and safety stock per SKU per warehouse, driven by sales velocity and supplier lead time, producing suggested purchase orders a buyer approves rather than builds. The reorder point and safety stock tools show the formulas the system runs.
B2B ordering without re-keying
Customers place orders against their own prices and see their own stock availability, invoices and statements. Odoo has this natively; MYOB Acumatica does it through an integrated portal. Either way the order lands in the ERP, not an inbox.
Warehouse operations on a scanner
Receiving, put-away, picking, packing and stocktakes on a handheld, with the ERP as the only record. For most wholesalers under 100 users this removes the case for a separate WMS.
Which ERP is best for wholesale distribution in Australia?
There are two we would put a distributor on, and the choice usually comes down to whether finance or channels are driving the project.
MYOB Acumatica has a Distribution Edition built for this operation: purchasing, warehousing, sales order workflows and deep financials, with Australian payroll and BAS in the same system. We are a MYOB Acumatica partner in Brisbane, and for eligible Queensland wholesalers under 10 users we deliver it through MYOB FastStart for wholesale distribution, a fixed-scope program that goes live in 12 weeks. Our guide to what FastStart includes covers the detail, and if manufacturing is creeping in, the Distribution vs Manufacturing Edition guide covers that fork.
Odoo suits distributors that also sell direct: inventory, purchasing and barcode operations sit on the same database as a native webshop and B2B portal, and the licence covers every app. We are an Odoo partner in Brisbane and have moved several distributors off inventory tools they had outgrown; if that is your situation, start with Cin7 alternatives in Australia.
The full logic is on the Odoo vs MYOB Acumatica comparison. Because we implement both, we have no reason to steer you to one.
When an ERP is not the next step
If you have under five users, one warehouse, no imports and your accounting package plus an inventory add-on still reconciles, stay put. An ERP earns its cost when landed cost, customer pricing or multi-channel stock start costing margin you can measure.
Verticals
ERP by wholesale vertical
The core is the same; the edges differ. These are the verticals we have written up from projects.
Food and beverage wholesalers
Batch and expiry tracking, FEFO picking, catch weights, chilled and frozen storage, and the margin squeeze of supermarket terms.
ERP for food and beverage wholesalers →Fresh produce
Daily price changes, consignment and grower settlements, short shelf life and market-floor sales. Fresh produce shares the food platform with different pricing mechanics; until our produce guide is up, the food and beverage guide covers the overlap.
Read the food and beverage guide →Electrical wholesalers
Deep catalogues, supplier price files updated monthly, contract pricing per electrician and trade counter sales.
ERP for electrical wholesalers →Building and plumbing supplies
Project quotes, back orders across long lead times, trade accounts and QBCC-adjacent customers.
ERP for building and plumbing supplies wholesalers →Importers and trade suppliers
Container planning, landed cost, foreign currency purchasing and lead times measured in weeks. The container loading and pallet tools come from this work.
What does a distribution ERP implementation involve?
The platform work is the smaller part. The distribution-specific work is data and discipline, in this order:
- SKU rationalisation before migration, not after. Dead and duplicate SKUs are retired in the old system so they never enter the new one.
- A stocktake the opening balances can survive, timed to the cutover date.
- Pricing rebuilt deliberately: customer groups, contract prices and quantity breaks modelled, then loaded, rather than imported as they stand.
- Supplier data cleaned: lead times, minimum order quantities, currencies and landed cost rules per supplier.
- Channel and portal setup, with customers invited before go-live so the first orders arrive in the new system.
- Cutover planned around the ordering cycle so suppliers and customers barely notice.
This is why the 12-week FastStart number holds: the scope is fixed before the clock starts. A scoped implementation with more users, entities or channels runs three to five months on either platform.
How much does an ERP cost for a wholesale distributor?
Two costs, quoted separately. Licensing is per user per month on both platforms; Odoo publishes its prices and MYOB quotes Acumatica per business, so we do not print a figure that may be wrong by the time you read it. Implementation depends on scope: FastStart is a fixed price for its fixed scope, and scoped projects are quoted after discovery. Our MYOB Acumatica cost guide and Odoo implementation cost in Australia give realistic all-in ranges for a 10 to 50 user distributor.
Who we do this for
Our distribution clients are typically Queensland and east-coast wholesalers between 5 and 100 users: importers, trade suppliers and B2B distributors, including businesses that came to us on inventory tools they had outgrown and businesses upgrading from AccountRight-era accounting. We are a MYOB Acumatica Partner offering FastStart in Queensland and a certified Odoo Silver Partner, with 15 verified references and 100% client retention across both practices.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ERP for wholesale distribution in Australia?
For a finance-led mid-market distributor, MYOB Acumatica Distribution Edition, available through the fixed-scope 12-week FastStart program in Queensland. For a distributor selling direct through a webshop or B2B portal, Odoo. Auboros implements both and will say which fits before quoting.
How fast can a wholesale distributor go live on a new ERP?
Twelve weeks on MYOB FastStart for eligible Queensland wholesalers under 10 users, because the scope is fixed in advance. Scoped implementations on Odoo or MYOB Acumatica typically run three to five months depending on channels and data condition.
Can the ERP run our B2B ordering portal?
Yes. Odoo includes a native B2B portal and webshop on the same database as stock and pricing. MYOB Acumatica handles B2B ordering through an integrated portal and sales module. In both cases the order lands in the ERP, not an inbox.
Does a distribution ERP handle landed cost and import duty?
Yes. Freight, duty, insurance and brokerage are allocated to the receipt so cost of goods and margin reflect the real landed cost. This is usually the biggest reporting change importers see after go-live.
We run inventory software plus Xero. Is an ERP the next step?
Only once finance depth, landed cost, customer pricing or channel complexity outgrow the stack. Our Cin7 alternatives page covers where that line sits, including when staying put is right.
Do we need a separate warehouse management system?
Usually not under 100 users. Both platforms run receiving, picking, packing and stocktakes on a handheld scanner with the ERP as the only record. A separate WMS is worth it for high-volume pick operations or automation, which is a conversation to have after the ERP decision, not before.
Running a distribution business on disconnected systems?
We implement ERP for Australian wholesale distributors from Brisbane, on the platform that fits rather than the one we happen to sell. Straight answers on scope, cost and the 12-week path.
Brisbane-based team, AEST business hours.