Company overview
KSI Group is a growing distribution business headquartered in Minnesota that sources and supplies products from domestic and international markets. Known for relationship-driven service, the company serves customers where personal connections matter as much as margins.
As KSI scales toward $10 million in annual revenue, it became clear that the accounting software holding its operations together was no longer sufficient. The company needed a modern distribution ERP with real-time visibility, automation, and AI-powered innovation to support its next stage of growth.
The Challenge: QuickBooks could not keep pace
KSI Group had been running on QuickBooks, first on the standard version, then on the Enterprise version. However, QuickBooks Enterprise was never designed as a true distribution ERP, leaving KSI dependent on spreadsheets and manual processes for inventory management, purchasing, and pricing. The team found themselves constantly building workarounds to manage inventory decisions, pricing complexity, and operational visibility.
Key operational challenges included:
- Spreadsheet-driven inventory decisions
- Manual customer- and quantity-level pricing
- Static reports with no real-time visibility
- Data scattered across disconnected tools
- Expensive training with limited value
- A previous unsupported and difficult upgrade
- Poor responsiveness from other ERP vendors
The Solution: An ERP built for industrial distributors
KSI Group was introduced to 10X ERP through a peer referral. After an in-person visit to meet the 10X ERP team in Texas, KSI’s leadership came away with a level of confidence they hadn’t felt with any other vendor.
With 10X ERP, KSI Group gained:
- AI-powered capabilities designed for distributors
- Live shipping and inventory dashboards
- Automated, structured pricing
- Real-time management reporting
- Centralized operational data
- Dead-stock and landed-cost visibility
- Fast, human support
- Ongoing education through videos, documentation, and release notes
“We knew where we were wasn’t where we wanted to be, and that was one of the things that drove our decision: a feeling of ‘good, we’re going to grow into this together.’”
Billy Cox, KSI Group
The Results: Faster transactions, smarter purchasing, and immediate impact
Real-time visibility replaced static reporting
KSI can now see inventory, in-transit stock, tariffs, landed costs, shipping activity, and account details from one browser tab.
Pricing complexity became manageable
Customer- and quantity-level pricing is structured within the ERP, reducing repetitive manual entry when vendor costs change.
One system aligned the entire team
Sales, purchasing, shipping, and operations now work from the same information, reducing reliance on spreadsheets and tribal knowledge.
Better data improved inventory decisions
KSI can identify dead stock, compare sourcing options, and make more informed purchasing decisions using real landed-cost data.
“Everything’s in one central location. If someone needs a tracking number, they just go find it. They’re not reaching out to the shipping guy who has to pull it from a module and get it back to them.”
Taylor, KSI Group
Before and after 10X ERP
| Before 10X ERP | With 10X ERP |
|---|---|
| QuickBooks forced into distribution workflows | An ERP designed specifically for distribution |
| Spreadsheet-driven inventory decisions | Live inventory and shipping visibility |
| Manual, repetitive pricing updates | Structured customer- and quantity-level pricing |
| Static, quickly outdated reports | Real-time reporting on any device, with live dashboards |
| Disconnected tools and unsupported upgrades | Centralized data with responsive, hands-on support |
“With 10X, we’re talking to a human in five minutes if we need support. The 10X team is very responsive, which stands out compared to any other system we explored.”
Taylor, KSI Group
Key business outcomes
- Real-time visibility across inventory, shipping, and operations
- One platform replacing QuickBooks and disconnected spreadsheets
- Faster access to information across the organization
- More efficient customer- and quantity-level pricing
- Better dead-stock and landed-cost decisions
- Responsive support from people who understand the business
- A scalable, AI-powered foundation for continued growth
Built to support what comes next
KSI Group’s next phase is focused on expanding adoption and unlocking more of 10X ERP’s capabilities, including quoting, CRM, AI-powered workflows, and multi-source landed-cost comparisons. With one connected platform in place, the team can continue improving how it serves customers, evaluates sourcing options, and makes decisions as the business grows.
“With 10X ERP, we can source an item from anywhere and get three fully loaded landed costs immediately while we’re talking to a customer. That is something we couldn’t even dream of in QuickBooks. And that’s what will bring value for future growth.”
Billy Cox, KSI Group