Distribution – Distribution Center – Item Comparison

What is an Item Comparison Dashboard for a Distributor? Item dashboards are considered product analysis tools and are used by analysts and managers to analyze KPIs for the items they carry. Some of the main functionality in this type of dashboard is that it provides graphical analysis from eight different perspectives: 1) Inventory turnover rate by item, 2) Back order rate, 3) Order cycle time, 4) Quantity on hand, 5) order picking accuracy, 6) Rate of return, 7) Inventory carrying cost, 8) Inventory value. The dashboard is parameter-based and the user can run it for any period. You find an example of this type of dashboard below.

Purpose of Item Comparison Dashboards Distribution businesses use Item Comparison Dashboards to benchmark performance for various KPIs across their products. When used as part of good business practices in a Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) department, a company can improve its product strategies and inventory processes, and it can reduce the chances that managers miss outliers in their product portfolio.

Who Uses This Type of Dashboard? The typical users of this type of dashboard are: COOs, inventory managers, distribution executives, product managers. Other Dashboards Often Used in Conjunction with Item Comparison Dashboards Progressive Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and operational departments sometimes use several different Item Comparison Dashboards, along with  inventory and sales reports, margin reports, sales dashboards, sales forecasts, supplier reports, costing and allocation reports and other management and control tools.

Where Does the Data for Analysis Originate From? The Actual (historical transactions) data typically comes from management systems or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems like: Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) Finance, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365 BC), Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics SL, Sage Intacct, Sage 100, Sage 300, Sage 500, Sage X3, SAP Business One, SAP ByDesign, Acumatica, Netsuite and others. In analyses where budgets or forecasts are used, the planning data most often originates from in-house Excel spreadsheet models or from professional xFP&A solutions.

Built for distribution finance teams and aligned with Solver's xFP&A platform, this Solver report template connects directly to your ERP data via the Solver Data Warehouse, enabling near real-time analysis with minimal setup. Designed for QuickStart deployment, it can be activated rapidly so your team can focus on analysis and decisions — not data preparation.

What is the Distribution – Distribution Center – Item Comparison in Solver? The Distribution – Distribution Center – Item Comparison is a pre-built xFP&A report template in Solver designed for distribution organizations. It delivers key financial and operational metrics in a single, easy-to-use interface — purpose-built for distribution finance workflows.

Who uses this Solver report template? Finance leaders at distribution organizations — including CFOs, operations managers, and distribution finance teams — use this template to get fast, reliable answers without waiting on IT or building custom reports. It supports both day-to-day monitoring and strategic decision-making.

Where does the data come from? Data is sourced automatically from your ERP system through the Solver Data Warehouse, which integrates with platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics 365 Finance, Acumatica, Sage Intacct, and other leading ERP solutions. Once connected, the template updates in near real-time with no manual data entry required.

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