Unlocking profitability with Cin7 Core: Why expert implementation is essential

By our partner Accountfully

Implementing Cin7 Core can significantly enhance your overall efficiency and drive long-term profitability. By following best practices and partnering with experts, you can ensure a successful implementation that supports your business growth in an ever-evolving market.

Why you need a professional implementation team

A common misconception about inventory management systems (IMS) is that they are “plug-and-play.” While Cin7 Core is an excellent, modern-day tool that supports your need for real-time data, it requires a clean setup and regular inputs once implemented. Attempting to do this on your own can become overwhelming. This is especially true for companies new to the influx of information. The overwhelming data volume and needed integrations can lead a layman down a foggy road.

Take it from a team that has supported hundreds of successful implementations. Investing the time and money into using a team that understands your business information and Cin7’s products can make a big difference.

Using a dedicated team of inventory management system experts will set your business up for long-term success and give you a lucrative tool in your profitability and business growth toolbox.

Common misconceptions of IMS implementation that lead to failure before launch

What are the common misconceptions of an IMS implementation? Here is a brief list of the misleading beliefs that can stop a company’s journey to success in its tracks:

Things to know before implementation

Before diving into the implementation process, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind:

1. Mission-Critical Workflows: Identify workflows that are essential to your business operations. For example, calculating shipping as a percentage of cart value may be critical for your e-commerce business.
2. Go-Live Date: Determine the implementation’s drop-dead go-live date. Understanding this deadline will help prioritize tasks and ensure a timely rollout.
3. Internal Stakeholders: Identify individuals within your organization who need to understand the system. Determine which team members need access to track Key Performance Indicators and other pertinent information.
4. Success Metrics: Clearly define what success looks like for the implementation. What metrics will you use to measure the effectiveness of Cin7 in meeting your business objectives?

The data required for a successful implementation of Cin7 Core

Even the best team will stand still if the data is old, outdated, or unavailable. With every successful implementation, there is a need for organized and current data. Items that must be brought to your implementation team include:

• Products List/SKUs
• Bill of Materials
• Locations (warehouses, etc.)
• Supply chain details
• Access to systems like Shopify, Amazon, Faire, etc.
• Any data supporting a migration from QuickBooks Enterprise, Omni, etc.

Accountfully clients have all of this data housed within their Inventory Workbook, a proprietary document designed to house all the key product data that supports understanding the journey of each SKU and where and how everything is sourced, housed, and sold.

Implementation DOs

When implementing Cin7, here are some essential DOs to keep in mind:

• Clean-Up Data: Before beginning the migration process, ensure your data is clean and organized. This will prevent issues during the migration and ensure accuracy in your new system
• Check with Team Members: Consult with all team members affected by the switch to Cin7. Understand their workflows and KPIs to assess how the new system will impact their performance
• Testing: Perform thorough testing of Cin7 before going live. This includes testing all functionalities and workflows to identify any potential issues or areas for improvement
• Stakeholder Communication: Conduct a full stakeholder review before the go-live date to ensure alignment across the organization. Communication is key to a successful implementation

Implementation DON’Ts

Avoid these common pitfalls during the implementation process:

• Procrastination: Don’t wait until the last minute to begin the implementation process. Give yourself ample time to plan, execute, and troubleshoot any issues 
• Panic: If something doesn’t work as intended during the implementation, don’t panic. Use this time to reassess and refine processes that may not be aligned with industry best practices

Where a partner can help

Partnering with experts can significantly enhance the success of your Cin7 implementation. Here’s how:

• System Expertise: A partner brings in-depth knowledge of Cin7 and can tailor the platform to align with your existing workflows or recommend best practices
• Experience: With hundreds of implementations under their belt, partners can anticipate and mitigate potential roadblocks before they occur
• Industry Insights: Partners leverage insights from other projects to provide valuable recommendations and guidance tailored to your specific industry needs

Planning for the post-implementation phase

Once Cin7 is up and running, it will be time to “fly from the nest” of your implementation team and start using the system independently. You must identify who on your team will be responsible for regularly updating, syncing, and reviewing the data. Ask yourself these questions before setting off on your own:

Entire Team:

• Are the responsibilities clearly defined across the team?
• Does each user working in the system know how to use their portion?

Accounting Team:

• Does the accounting team know how this will affect them?
• Do they know how to track suppliers/customer deposits?

Operations Team Stakeholders:

• Does the Operations team know who should be entering purchases/sales?
• Do they know how to enter assemblies?

Time requirements when maintaining an IMS

To keep the system operating at maximum potential you should update it consistently. The level of complexity in products, warehouses, and sales channels will affect the frequency and detail of updates. Some companies may need hourly updates, while others may have a weekly update cadence. At a minimum, updating the system a few days a week is optimal. Playing catch-up can cause problems.

Don’t fall into these common failures of DIY IMS maintenance

Avoid these common implementation traps:

• Changing things to “meet your needs” after paying your team to set things up properly
• Not keeping the system up to date
• Trying to play catch-up at the end of the month or entering purchases months after the inventory or bill arrived
• Only tracking purchases or sales in Cin7, thinking the system will figure the other side out
• Changing integration settings without knowing how it will affect the system(s) involved
• Changing SKUs in sales platforms (e.g., Shopify, Amazon) without knowing how to handle the Cin7 side of things

Real-World Example: How David’s Toothpaste Uncovered Its Potential By Implementing Cin7 Core With Accountfully

David’s Toothpaste was experiencing lucrative sales and adding SKUs to their already-successful product line. With the increase in sales and their product expansion, David’s was struggling to keep track of the raw materials on hand and where everything was located.  

The team knew that the time had come to implement an inventory management system.  They chose Accountfully because of their stellar reputation as a Cin7 Core implementation expert, in addition to their ability to provide the specialized accounting support required.  

As a result of implementing Cin7, David’s Toothpaste has experienced the following benefits to their business:

• Increased efficiency in inventory management
• Better financial oversight and reporting
• Being able to track COGS by SKU
• Increased visibility into inventory levels for raw materials
• Increased accuracy of landed cost by allocating things like freight-in to their inventory expense

Implementing Cin7 Core with the help of professionals can transform your business by providing the tools and insights needed for long-term success. Investing in a knowledgeable team ensures that you can leverage Cin7 Core’s full potential and confidently navigate the complexities of inventory management.