Blue Link ERP Inventory Management Software

Our experience with BlueLink has been nothing short of exceptional

Pros

The most impressive part about BlueLink is not the software (more on that in a bit), but the people. When we did our due diligence in searching for a new accounting system, we narrowed our search down to three different providers. Each offered, for the most part, the same type of software and features that my company needed. What set BlueLink apart from the other two was the level of engagement we received from our initial phone call. We immediately felt at home and had not just the right software, but the right partner to grow our business. That partnership remains even stronger today.

As to the software, the ERP interface is perfect for our wholesale distribution company. From tracking inbound ocean containers to automated reporting, BlueLink saves us both time and money. One area that has really stood out for our organization is the level of customization we have been able to implement over the past 24 months that has really helped us streamline our operations. This level of customization would not be possible without the partnership we have been able to build over the past few years.

Cons

BlueLink's software interface at times feels somewhat dated and can create some challenges in navigation. Their periodic updates have addressed many of these issues and has helped with additional drill-down capabilities. Database managment with our SKU count can be somewhat cumbersome and we have worked with BlueLink to help address and improve.

Fantastic - perfect system, awesome customer service, great value - couldn't be happier

Pros

Blue Link's system is easy to use and very intuitive once you under it and the multitude of features. The new interface is visually appealing and allows for an even better experience. Blue Link's customer support staff are fantastic and are always available to help and guide anyone from our team through both high level issues and minor details. Highly recommend!

Cons

No system is perfect, but for a small-to-medium size business like ours, it's pretty close. I would make sure, when the time is right, to upgrade to the larger server storage available, as sometimes we find our data (always at the wrong time) eats up the basic storage package that comes with Blue Link

Great software for inventory management

Pros

The reason we chose Blue Link is that we could customize lots of things that are specific to our business and operation. We also wanted a hosting option so we could get away from needing an in house server. Their staff (both tech support and sales) is very knowledgeable and I often turn to them for advice on how to manage aspects of my business.

Cons

As a hosted customer I wish my contract included some basic tech support and I would not have to pay for support hours for simple questions or small problems we may encounter from time to time.

ERP of choice!

We have been using BL for a number of years now. We have a quite integrated platform, connecting our inventory management, warehouse management, accounting, CRM, website platform, and EDI relationships. Working quite closely with the team at BL has been very enjoyable and progressive. BL has supported our business through new developments and custom coding as we have grown over the years.

Pros

All of our daily business activities are stored in once central place. We use multiple external services and they all work with BL. There has always been a team of people on BL side to help, support or customize any of our needs as we grow.
Remote Desktop connection allows us access to our system from anywhere in the world. Our data is stored on an external server, which keeps our business safe.

Cons

Visual appeal could be upgraded, and this update is coming soon according to BL.

Don't wait to change your software!

From the moment I contacted BlueLink ERP the experience was professional, truthful, and fun! Michael Benedict, our initial contact, spoke with our team on numerous occasions to determine our EXACT needs, he wanted to make sure that everything we needed specifically was something that his team could do. There was never pressure for us to buy, and no false promises. The transition team took over after we made the decision to go with BlueLink ERP and that was another great experience. Most everything was done remotely prior to going live. Mike Miner came to our business for two weeks, we did one week of training, and went live the second week. I have been through numerous software changes and this was BY FAR the easiest, most efficient and painless transition that I have been through. It has been smooth sailing since and we love the system.

Pros

The A/R, A/P, G/L and the Bank Management modules are very user friendly. We are a small warehousing/manufacturing company and the inventory management/purchase order system was the main reason that we selected BlueLink and it has proven to be everything that we had hoped. Their Support Team is awesome and very prompt with responses.

Cons

We have a very complicated salesman commission structure with three levels, and there has been a little difficulty in processing commissions. However, this is a minor issue in relation to the "entire package". The package was customized for us and overall it works well.

Top notch ERP/WMS solution with exceptional customer service!

Overall, Blue Link is a superior ERP/WMS solution for small - mid sized companies for a very reasonable cost.

Pros

Like any great ERP system, it incorporates all the key components (purchasing, inventory, sales, finance, etc) to facilitate an error free environment. The team at Blue Link are always ready to help should the need arise. Due to the nature of our business, we have completed multiple custom projects and the Blue Link team made them very easy to incorporate into the base app.

Cons

We also run the WMS that Blue Link offers. I would have liked to see the WMS incorporated into the ERP as opposed to a stand alone solution. By no means am I suggesting it is flawed, but because of the custom work we have implemented, we do encounter small issues on the rare occasion.

Excellent erp software, the best

Pros

I love their new release especially the dashboard that integrate with sql reports. It gives a great perspective on daily operations and sales, and super easy to use and accurate. The software ensures that all our accounting stays in balance and integrates with all kinds of other softwares like fedex, tax calculators, provide EFT and EDI and also provide API for web services. Plus, The customer service team is very responsive and knowledgeable, can answer any questions quickly and friendly.

Cons

I have no complaints with the software. It’s excellwnt and I would recommend it.

Just about the best and only option

If you're looking for an ERP what you're really looking for is a company to partner with and with Blue Link you're in luck. Blue Link is designed such that we have yet to find a something they cannot do. Add to this their excellent people and you have a winning recipe.

Pros

It does everything. The team is responsive and very capable.

Cons

Unless you yearn for a dated Window's user experience is tough to come up the learning curve on Blue Link. However, it's important to caveat that Blue Link would likely not be as customizable if it did have a slick UX. It takes a little time but once you understand Blue Links priority on functionality over form you'd likely not want to change anything.

Blue Link ERP is a WONDERFUL Company! Our Business has been using this software for over 5 Years!

Pros

Great Customer Support - they are always available whenever you need them!
Extremely Reliable & user friendly program - Maintenance Free- gives you time to grow your business without having any software issues. Always incorporating upgrades to improve the program

Cons

All Reports have to be custom made - however they always have provided whatever
reports necessary upon request

Versatile ERP

The entire Blue Link team understands the demands and challenges of wholesale distribution.

Pros

Strong focus on the accounting side. Very good at inventory control and detailed custom reporting. Integrates seamlessly with various platforms including EDI and all the major freight carriers.
A responsive support team.

Cons

What I like least about Blue link are the updates, but it is mainly due to the highly customised, hosted environment that we require.

Extremely Statisfied Business Owner

Overall very satisfied customer of nearly 3 years now!

Pros

We were switching ERP systems and implementing a website integration at the same time. BlueLink staff were great in making this as seamless as possible during the transition. They provided a rare combination of technical experience and practical insights for our online distribution company.
I have had very timely and affordable ongoing support moving forward.

Former ACCPAC ERP 500 client

We have now had enough time with this software to get a full appreciation of it. We are very happy with our choice of Bluelink and know this will be the central application of our business operations for many years to come

Pros

There is a serious need for an ERP package to have enough flexibility to be customizable to a variety of business environments. Right out of the box Bluelink is so feature rich that most companies can get their needs met by this software package. But part of the beauty of Bluelink is their ability to fine tune the application for those who require unique situations addressed. Our particular situation had some major personal needs that were quite readily handled by the programming expertise of the Bluelink support staff. It was a refreshing change from our previous software company. The entire staff from the owner to the support staff are always pleasant and curtious to deal with. They are genuinely concerned that your experience with their application is satisfactory and positive.

Cons

The only sour note we had was the speed in handling some support issues. This was more or less I believe a manpower issue. When a surge of service requests come in it's sometimes a matter of setting priorties. But to Bluelink's credit they made every effort to rectify this upon us explaining our dilema.

Gets the Job Done!

Pros

Once you get the handle of it, Blue Link is pretty intuitive to use. There is great flexibility in reporting and customer service is always on top of any issues and features we are looking to add.

Cons

The only limit is when you are on the hosted plan, the blue link instance can be a bit wonky, sometimes timing out, freezing, etc.

Using Bluelink has been a huge help in the pharmaceutical wholesale industry as it helps with track and trace as well as the financial accounting.

Find a way to do Pedigree easier.

Pros

it encompasses inventory management seamlessly with financial accounting capabilities. Additionally, it helps me clearly see a snapshot of where each of our customers is and allows us to manage them appropriately.

Cons

On the Pedigree side and can be at times cumbersome to add in the additional vendors that the product came from.

BlueLink has become an absolute sanity saver for us. The ease of use of the system is crazy good! The modules that BlueLink can provide can help reduce anyone's workload. Its basic system is so complete that I am sure the average company will have no problem jumping at the chance to use it as soon as they realize how customer friendly it is (I am not being paid to say this-seriously-it is that good!!). One of the key highlights of BlueLink is its reporting capabilities-this IS NOT a "beancounter only" system- it is the best of both worlds, from the CEO all the way down to the shipper/receiver. Bluelink really listened to what is needed out there and made a fantastic piece of distribution software that will make any bean counter smile from ear to ear, as well as the front line people who take customer orders and the purchaser who needs to buy the product. It is user friendly at ALL levels!!! That's something I have not seen in over 20 years of distribution. To top all of that off, the customer support is unparalleled. Our old system took days and days to get any answer, and with BlueLink (time zone permitting) we get an answer that day or it is in our inbox the next morning. Mike and Gonzalo are great support and always have helped us proffessionaly with whatever we have needed! Bottom line-BLUELINK is THE ONLY WAY TO GO!!!

Not the software for us

Pros

The only real upside to this product for us is the ownership and staff. They are great to deal with and try their best to resolve our issues. However, the software just has too many shortcomings.

Cons

It is not user friendly, it is not intuitive, it lacks efficient functionality, for us it is quite slow and it as of yet it is not web based.

The software does a good job handling inventory landed cost but the reporting side is not so good.

Pros

Landed cost tracking is good. Fairly easy to use. Building pivot reports is ok, once you figure out the field names. (They are not consistently named across tables.)

Cons

Updates and software installation are a nightmare. Reporting is seriously lacking. You can tell programmers built the reports and not financial folks. The API is marginal.

Changing Our Company

As a C.P.A. I highly recommend Blue Link. The smooth conversion of our old, outdated, part computerized, part manual system into a fully functioning system has been "easy". (compared to many other ERP implementations that I have been involved in.)The guidance and support we have received from you guys is unbelievable. The accounting functions of this system are solid, and not just an added after thought as I have found in other products on the market. Thank you for a great system.

Pros

The implementation process, because of Mike Miner was smooth and successful. Having him here on site was wonderful!! He not only learned our business thoroughly in two weeks, additionally he made suggestions and customized the system for us.

Cons

The only con I have found has been the time consuming manual entry of our massive product list. This is not a con of the Blue Link system, and we had tons of help from Mike, but we have so many product codes it is taking several weeks.

Not great

Overall would not recommend.

Pros

Many potential features. Interfaces well with Crystal Reports so at least our clients get good looking information.

Cons

Not user friendly. Looks like its from 1998. Almost all features are add on modules, pretty useless 'out of the box'. Upper level management is helpful, but pricy. Low level techs are useless, and pricy.

Chief Financial Officer

Very Positive Would readily recommend

Pros

Very feature rich, excellent peformance, readily able to be modified for specific requirements
Philosophy of the company seems to be to work with customers to make the system do what the customer needs by thinking through where minor tweaks would work for the customer to meet a need
The system does not seem to be regarded as being closed to changes

Cons

The system forces compliance with certain basic rules for handling inventory and if the customer violates these then there can be minor problems requiring brief intervention
My view is that these restrictions are important - in previous software packages that I have used the inventory values and quantities became compromised through a lack of forced conformity
None have been seen as of yet