Scarlette Ateliers wanted to improve how they managed their inventory, sales and accounting and began searching for a reliable, real-time inventory management system. Today’s inventory management softwares don’t always match the needs of small businesses, which can negatively impact the performance of smaller companies. Startups are often not aware of the wide range of inventory management solutions available on the market. Pauline Bijvoet, founder of Scarlette Ateliers, talks about why she chose Erplain and QuickBooks solutions to simplify and track her company’s activity.
“With the growth of our e-commerce operations and worldwide sales, we had two specific goals to pursue in order to make our success durable: reliable inventory management and real-time accounting management.
Scarlette Ateliers initially used a sales management plug-in from a generic ERP system. We soon discovered the plugin was the wrong fit for our needs.
To improve the reliability of inventory management in our company, we needed to upgrade to an automated system that could handle both our B2B and B2C sales. We wanted a simplified and real-time management solution.
Concerning the accounting, we had it entirely outsourced to an accounting firm. Since our financial statement was produced only once a year, most of our decisions were solely made according to our available assets. However, we wanted to be able to see our activity in real time in order to make strategic and relevant decisions.” Pauline Bijvoet explains.
After Scarlette Ateliers set up their new website on Shopify, they turned to Erplain to replace their former inventory management system. The other leading solutions on the market had over-exaggerated prices and therefore were not an option.
“We noticed a huge difference between a generic ERP platform and a customized solution. Erplain’s small business focus made it the obvious solution. The app manages our sales really well. We have a real-time view of our inventory records and valuation for any given period of time.”
Scarlette also urgently needed an accounting tool. “In small businesses, QuickBooks is one of the most popular tools. We decided to get more information about it. Once again, we were impressed by the many solutions that it offered. The fact that Erplain was one of their partners convinced us to make the switch.”
“Today, at Scarlette, each Shopify sale is automatically synchronized with Erplain. Erplain instantly updates the inventory and generates the assigned invoice which is automatically imported into QuickBooks. Every aspect of accounting is dealt with: expenses, cash flow, etc. Our accountant also uses QuickBooks, which helps make integration easy. In other words, the initial data automatically synchronizes from one app to another, as if you were on one single platform.
This tool trio ensures a smooth experience without having to use a high-cost integrator”, Pauline Bijvoet says.
The Erplain+QuickBooks+Shopify trio carries real improvements in business management. With real-time and long term data, Scarlette Ateliers now has everything it needs to ensure day-to-day client satisfaction and has also good key performance indicators to adjust their strategic decisions.
Pauline Bijvoet concludes: “A year ago, we could have never imagined such an added value in managing Scarlette Ateliers thanks to these three seamlessly integrated tools.”
About Scarlette Ateliers
Launched in 2016, Scarlette Ateliers designs and creates traditionally crafted household linen and nightwear. The company was founded in a New Delhi guest house where the surroundings inspired Pauline Bijvoet, designer and founder of the Ateliers. Designed in Paris, the cottons are woven, printed and embroidered by hand between the south of the Indian peninsula and Rajasthan. They have been thought out and designed with love and respect for the gestures and the ancestral traditions.
