Service 01
Distribution Bookkeeping & Stock Valuation
Tidy bookkeeping with clear stock valuation, so your books reflect inventory and cost of goods accurately across every product line. Priced at $340/month.
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Service 02 — Distrell
Know which lines earn their place — and which don't
Margin & Product-Line Reporting gives you a plain, monthly view of what each product line and customer genuinely contributes — so decisions about what to push, what to reprice, and what to reconsider are grounded in actual figures.
What this delivers
Margin by line, by customer — presented plainly
Top-line revenue tells you something. Margin by product line tells you considerably more. In a distribution business carrying many SKUs and serving multiple accounts, the difference between a line that pulls its weight and one that quietly erodes overall performance can be significant — and it's rarely visible without dedicated reporting.
This service produces a monthly report showing margin by product line and by customer, written in plain terms without jargon, so the picture is clear whether you're reviewing it yourself or sharing it with colleagues.
Lines
Margin reported per product line so each category's contribution is visible
Accounts
Customer-level margin where it adds clarity to how your accounts perform
Monthly
Delivered consistently so you can track how performance shifts over time
A familiar difficulty
When revenue looks reasonable but something still feels off
Many wholesalers and distributors reach a point where overall revenue is ticking along, but margin is thinner than expected — and it's hard to identify precisely where the pressure is coming from. Is it one product category? A particular customer who buys on aggressive terms? A line where supplier pricing crept up without a corresponding price adjustment?
Without reporting broken down by line, these questions are difficult to answer with confidence. You may have a sense that certain customers or categories are less profitable, but making decisions on instinct rather than figures is uncomfortable when the numbers are material.
Standard accounting reports — a P&L, a trial balance — show the aggregate. They don't show which lines are generating the margin and which are diluting it.
Aggregate figures that obscure line performance
Total gross margin looks acceptable, but a few lines are pulling the average up while others quietly pull it down.
Pricing decisions made without margin data
Without clear per-line figures, repricing or negotiating with suppliers involves guesswork rather than informed adjustment.
Customer terms that erode margin invisibly
Volume customers with discounted terms can look healthy by revenue but contribute poorly when margin is examined properly.
How Distrell approaches it
Reporting built around your product and customer structure
We begin by understanding how your business is structured — which product categories you operate, how customers are segmented, and what level of detail is genuinely useful to you. Reporting that's too granular becomes noise; reporting that's too aggregate loses the point. We find the right level for your situation.
Each month, we produce a clear report showing revenue, cost of goods, and gross margin for each product line and — where it adds insight — for significant customer accounts. The figures are presented plainly, with brief commentary on anything that stands out.
We don't just send a spreadsheet. We write the report so it can be read and understood without specialist knowledge, and we flag where attention may be useful — without alarm or exaggeration.
Per-line margin breakdown
Revenue, COGS, and gross margin stated for each product category — comparable month to month.
Customer-level contribution
Where customer terms or volumes make per-account analysis worthwhile, we include it clearly.
Written commentary, not just figures
A brief plain-language note on what the numbers show — useful for sharing with colleagues or reviewing quickly.
What working together looks like
A report you'll actually read each month
01
Understanding your structure
We map your product lines, customer segments, and current reporting — so the output is shaped around how you actually run the business, not a generic template.
02
First report & calibration
The first report is a chance to see whether the structure works for you. We're open to adjusting the format, the level of detail, or the commentary style until it's genuinely useful.
03
Monthly delivery
Each month you receive the report in a consistent format — figures for each line, period-on-period comparison, and a short written summary of what stands out.
04
Ongoing dialogue
If a figure prompts a question — whether it's a cost movement or a line that's shifted unexpectedly — we're available to discuss it and provide context.
Transparent pricing
A fixed monthly investment
Margin & Product-Line Reporting is priced at a flat monthly rate. No variable billing based on the number of lines or customers in the report — a consistent cost for consistent work.
For distribution businesses where the difference between a well-managed and a poorly-managed product mix can represent meaningful margin, having a regular, clear view of the breakdown is a straightforward investment in decision quality.
Monthly investment
$420
per month, billed monthly
What's included
- Monthly margin report by product line and customer segment
- Revenue, cost of goods, and gross margin stated clearly for each line
- Period-on-period comparison to track how margin shifts over time
- Plain-language commentary on notable movements and what they may indicate
- Customer-level contribution analysis where useful
- Report format calibrated to your business structure in the first month
- Availability to discuss the report and provide context on figures
- Adjustments when product lines are added, retired, or repriced
How it works in practice
What clear margin reporting makes possible
Pricing decisions with firmer ground
When you can see which lines are earning and which are thin, conversations with suppliers and decisions about customer pricing have something concrete behind them.
Focus on what actually contributes
Distribution businesses often carry lines from habit rather than profitability. Seeing the margin by line makes that distinction visible — and gives you a basis for rationalising the range if needed.
Better conversations about customer terms
When per-customer margin is visible, discussions about payment terms, discounts, or minimum order thresholds are easier to frame — and easier to justify internally.
A note on realistic expectations
Margin reporting isn't a strategy in itself — it's a source of clearer information. What you do with that information is your decision. Our job is to present the figures plainly and accurately, flag what seems worth attention, and leave the business judgement with you.
After two or three months, you'll have enough comparative data to start seeing patterns — which is where the report tends to become most useful.
Our commitment to you
Clarity and honesty in every report
We're not here to produce a report that makes things look better than they are, or to obscure difficult figures behind presentation. The value of this service is in honest, accurate information — and that's what we commit to delivering.
If the figures in a month's report are unflattering for a particular line, we'll say so plainly. We'd rather you have an accurate picture than a comfortable one.
No-obligation first conversation
We start with a discussion about your product lines and current reporting. No commitment needed at that stage — just a chance to establish whether this is the right fit.
Format refined until it works for you
The first report is calibrated around your input. If something isn't useful or something important is missing, we adjust before settling into the monthly rhythm.
Plain language throughout
No jargon, no opaque terminology. The report is written to be read — by you, a director, or a colleague who isn't an accountant.
Adaptable as your mix changes
New product lines, discontinued categories, revised customer segments — we update the report structure to reflect the business as it actually looks.
Getting started
How to get your first report
1
Drop us a note
Use the contact form on our homepage or write to [email protected]. A brief description of your product lines and what you'd like to understand better is all we need to start.
2
We map the report structure
We'll discuss which lines and customers to include, what level of detail is useful, and what existing data we can work from. This shapes the first report.
3
First report delivered for review
You receive the first month's report and we go through it together if that's helpful. Any adjustments to format or scope are made before the monthly cycle begins.
Margin & Product-Line Reporting
Ready to see what each line is really contributing?
Get in touch and we'll discuss your product lines and what clear margin reporting might show you. No commitment, just an honest conversation about whether this is the right fit.
Get in touch — $420/monthOr email us directly: [email protected]
Explore further
Other Distrell services
Each service addresses a distinct part of managing a wholesale or distribution business.
Service 03
Receivables & Credit Reporting
A regular, calm report on receivables and credit exposure — so you can manage customer terms and cash position thoughtfully. Priced at $300/month.
Learn more