ERP Sidecar · Available now
Stop cleaning vendor price files by hand.
ERP Sidecar helps distributors turn messy vendor Excel and CSV files into ERP-ready import files, with exception reports for missing fields, duplicate records, UOM/pack issues, large cost changes, and margin risks before the data reaches your ERP.
Start with exported or sanitized files. No production ERP login and no direct ERP write-back are required for the first engagement.
1Vendor sends fileExcel/CSV price list, cost update, or import file
2ERP Sidecar validatesMap columns, check required fields, duplicates, UOM, costs, and margins
3Review exceptionsOnly problem records are highlighted for human review
4Import with confidenceReceive ERP-ready file plus validation and margin reports
ImportGuard-style service
Vendor file cleanup and ERP import safety.
Send a messy vendor price or cost file. ERP Sidecar prepares a clean import file and highlights the rows that should be reviewed before anyone imports the data into ERP.
Vendor Excel or CSV
A vendor price list, supplier cost update, item file, or the ERP import format you are trying to prepare.
Import risk before ERP
Required fields, duplicates, invalid values, UOM/pack mismatches, large cost changes, margin risk, and unmapped items.
Clean output package
ERP-ready import file, exception report, validation summary, margin impact report, and processing notes.
What you receive
A professional ERP import readiness package, not just another spreadsheet.
Each engagement should produce consistent deliverables so managers know what passed, what failed, and what needs review before import.
Executive Summary
Management-friendly overview of records processed, warnings, critical issues, and readiness status.
Validation Summary
Pass/warning/fail results for required fields, duplicates, invalid values, UOM, mapping, and import format.
Exception Report
Row-level issues with severity, affected SKU/vendor item, explanation, and suggested action.
Margin Impact Report
Highlights cost increases, margin erosion, below-threshold records, and items needing pricing review.
ERP-ready Import File
A cleaned file structured for the customer’s ERP import process or internal upload format.
Processing Notes
Assumptions, mapping choices, open questions, and recommendations for the next recurring template.
Why this is a real problem
Vendor cost updates already sit between spreadsheets, ERP imports, and expensive middleware.
ERP Sidecar is not trying to be a full ERP replacement or a heavy supplier integration platform on day one. It is the lower-risk step before deeper integration: prepare the vendor file, validate the business risk, and return an ERP-ready package your team can review before import.
ERP imports are normal
Many ERP teams already import vendor prices, costs, item data, or pricing files. The pain is that vendor files rarely arrive clean, consistent, or ready for import.
Middleware proves budget exists
EDI and ERP middleware vendors charge significant setup and integration fees because companies already value supplier-to-ERP automation.
Data quality is the hidden work
Before automation can be trusted, teams still need mapping, duplicate checks, UOM review, margin checks, and exception reporting.
Where ERP Sidecar fits
A practical pre-middleware option.
Instead of asking for ERP access immediately, ERP Sidecar starts with one vendor file and one import workflow. If the workflow repeats, the mapping and validation rules become reusable templates. Integration can come later, after the value and controls are proven.
Available now
Start with one vendor file or one ERP-adjacent workflow.
ERP Sidecar is built to start small: review one file, one workflow, or one import process before considering a larger pilot.
Vendor Price File Cleanup
Prepare a messy vendor Excel/CSV file into a clean ERP-ready file and exception report.
ERP Data & Import Safety Audit
Review one exported spreadsheet or ERP-adjacent workflow and receive cleanup findings, risk summary, and pilot recommendation.
PriceRoute
Pricing approval, margin review, exception handling, audit trail, and ERP-ready export files for selected pilot customers.
CostRoute, InventoryRoute, ItemRoute, DataHealth
Additional modules are product direction and are not presented as fully self-serve products yet.
Before vs after
Reduce spreadsheet cleanup before ERP import.
| Manual process | With ERP Sidecar | Business benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor sends inconsistent spreadsheet | ERP Sidecar maps the file to a standard import-ready structure | Less manual formatting work |
| Staff search for missing values and duplicates | Validation summary and exception report identify problem rows | Review only what matters |
| UOM, pack, and cost changes are checked manually | Rules flag UOM mismatch, large cost changes, and margin risk | Lower import and margin risk |
| Errors may be discovered after ERP import | Issues are flagged before the ERP is touched | Safer ERP data changes |
Simple starting prices
Start small. Expand only after the workflow is proven.
Pricing is scoped around file complexity, data volume, workflow risk, number of templates, and support needs.
Vendor File Review
C$299+One vendor file, cleaned output, exception report, and processing notes.
ERP Data & Import Safety Audit
C$1,500+One workflow, exported/sample data review, risk findings, and pilot recommendation.
Managed Vendor Processing
From C$999/moRecurring vendor file processing, rule updates, exception reports, and support.
The problem
Many ERP problems do not start inside the ERP.
They start in spreadsheets, email chains, manual review, approval gaps, and import files that are checked too late or not checked consistently.
Manual checking
Teams spend time checking files for missing fields, duplicates, wrong formats, and risky records.
Approval gaps
Price, cost, item, customer, and vendor changes often move through email without a clean audit trail.
Import risk
Bad data can enter the ERP before someone notices the pricing, margin, inventory, or reporting issue.
Platform direction
ERP Sidecar is the parent platform. Modules solve specific ERP-adjacent workflows.
The first commercial entry point is vendor file processing and import readiness. Additional modules expand the workflow after the first problem is proven.
ImportGuard
Vendor file cleanup and import validation: required fields, duplicates, UOM/pack checks, margin risk, exception report, and ERP-ready output.
PriceRoute
Pricing approval, margin review, customer-specific price changes, audit history, and export-ready pricing files.
CostRoute
Supplier cost-change review, margin impact checks, approval routing, and controlled cost-update exports.
InventoryRoute
Inventory exception tracking, branch review, stock action workflows, and operational follow-up queues.
DataHealth
Monthly item, customer, vendor, pricing, and cost-data checks with exception reports and recommendations.
ItemRoute
New item and item-change workflow with required fields, approval, and cleaner item-master updates.
Sample output
Example findings from an import readiness review.
This is the type of practical, management-friendly output an audit can produce. Demo data shown — no customer data.
| Finding | Example issue | Business risk | Suggested action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing ERP item mapping | 11 vendor item numbers not matched to ERP SKUs | Import failure or incorrect item update | Review mapping before import |
| Duplicate vendor items | 7 duplicate vendor item records in the file | Conflicting cost updates | Keep one approved row and exclude duplicates |
| Cost above selling price | 18 items with negative margin risk | Margin leakage | Review cost updates, price rules, and approval thresholds |
| Large cost increase | 24 items increased by more than 20% | Unreviewed margin erosion | Require manager or pricing review |
| UOM / pack mismatch | 9 rows use case pricing where ERP expects each pricing | Incorrect cost import | Confirm pack conversion before upload |
How engagement works
A clear path from sample file to recurring process.
ERP Sidecar starts with a small, understandable problem. You do not need to commit to ERP integration before the value is proven.
Discovery
Discuss one vendor file, import format, approval workflow, or ERP-adjacent process.
Sample review
Review one exported or sanitized file and identify data risk and manual effort.
Processing package
Receive an ERP-ready file, validation summary, exception report, and margin impact report.
Template setup
If recurring, build a reusable vendor mapping and validation template.
Support or expand
Continue with managed processing or expand into PriceRoute, CostRoute, or another workflow.
Why export-first?
The manual ERP import step is intentional at the beginning.
Early ERP Sidecar engagements focus on controlled export-ready files rather than direct ERP write-back. This keeps the first engagement easier to approve, lowers integration risk, and lets your team keep final control of ERP changes.
Direct ERP integration can be considered later after the workflow, validation rules, and business ownership are proven.
ERP Sidecar starts with:
- Sample or sanitized data first
- Validation and exception review
- Human review before final output
- ERP-ready import file your team controls
- No direct ERP write-back in the first engagement
Trust & data safety
Designed to reduce risk before deeper integration.
Diagnostic data handling
- Start with exported CSV or Excel files
- No production ERP login required for the first diagnostic
- Sensitive fields can be removed before sharing
- No ERP write-back during the diagnostic
Controlled implementation
- One workflow at a time
- Human review before approval or export
- Audit history for key workflow actions
- Any ERP change must be documented, tested, and approved
Start with one file or workflow
Have a vendor price file, ERP import, or spreadsheet workflow that still needs manual cleanup?
Send a short message. Do not upload or paste sensitive ERP data here. A simple description of the workflow is enough.
Email: hello@erpsidecar.com