AI automation for manufacturing and distribution
Orders still arrive as emails, PDFs and phone calls that someone retypes into the ERP. Quotes take days because the information lives in several systems and a few people’s heads.
- Customer
When will PO 77812 ship? We need it by Monday.
- AI agent
Hi, I’m Norvell’s AI assistant. PO 77812: 18 of 20 lines are picked. The 2 remaining SKUs arrive tomorrow, ship date Friday.
- Customer
Can you ship the 18 lines today?
- AI agent
I’ve requested a partial shipment for today and alerted your account rep for approval.
- Order status from ERP
- Partial ship requested
- Rep alerted
Where manufacturers and distributors lose customers today
Manual order entry
Purchase orders retyped from email and PDF into the ERP, with errors.
Slow quoting
RFQs wait for someone to pull prices, stock and lead times together.
Order status calls
Customer service spends hours on "when will it ship?"
Built around how manufacturers and distributors work
Every rule below is configurable. You decide what the agent can answer, book or escalate, and what always goes to a person.
Fits your stack. We can connect to tools such as NetSuite, SAP Business One, Acumatica, Microsoft Dynamics, QuickBooks Online, plus your calendar, phone line and CRM, where the vendor provides API access.
- Reads incoming purchase orders and creates draft orders in your ERP for review
- Prepares quotes from price lists, stock and lead times
- Answers order status questions for customers and reps
- Sends low-stock and reorder alerts
- Connects ERP, CRM, accounting and shipping systems
What it looks like when it’s working
Orders stop being retyped
Purchase orders from email and PDF become draft orders in your ERP for a quick review, reducing manual entry and its errors.
Quotes go out sooner
RFQs are assembled from your rate sheets, stock and lead times, so sales can review and send instead of hunting for data.
Customer service gets ahead of questions
Order status answers come straight from your systems, and proactive alerts reduce the number of customers who need to call.
Built with the rules in mind. Export-controlled and ITAR technical data is designed to stay out of AI tools entirely: those documents are excluded from the agent's sources and workflows. Order and pricing data stays in your ERP with role-based access, and draft orders require human approval before they are released.
Where to start for manufacturers and distributors
AI Document Processing
AI reads invoices, intake forms, contracts and receipts and puts the data where it belongs.
Learn moreCustom ERP & Operations Systems
Operations software for inventory, orders, dispatch, field teams, purchasing and finance, connected end to end.
Learn moreIntegrations & API Development
Connect your software: APIs, webhooks, data sync and migrations between your systems.
Learn moreQuestions from manufacturers and distributors
Do we need to replace our ERP?
Usually not. We automate around your current ERP, and build custom modules only where it falls short.
Can it read drawings or spec sheets?
It can extract text and key fields such as part numbers, materials and quantities from many spec sheets. Engineering judgments about drawings and tolerances stay with your team, and controlled drawings are kept out of the system.
Can it work with our EDI setup?
Yes. We can connect to your EDI provider so orders arriving by EDI, email and PDF all land in the same review queue, with one consistent process. Validation rules check item numbers, units and ship-to addresses before anything reaches your ERP, and mismatches are sent to a person.
How do you handle customer-specific contract rates?
The agent reads contract terms and customer-specific rate sheets from your ERP and never invents numbers. If a rate is missing, expired or conflicts with a newer agreement, the quote is held and flagged for a person on your sales team instead of being sent, and the reason is noted on the record so it can be fixed quickly.
Let’s map what AI can do for your business.
Tell us what you want to automate. We’ll show you a live demo built for a business like yours and send a tailored proposal.