Floor Plan Financing and ERP Software for Building Supply Dealers: BisTrack, DMSi Agility, and NetSuite
Two decisions will define how efficiently you run your building supply business from day one: which ERP (enterprise resource planning) software you choose, and how you finance your inventory. Get these wrong and you are managing a $500,000 inventory with spreadsheets while carrying inventory financing costs that eat your margins. Get them right and you have real-time visibility into what you own, what you owe, and which contractor accounts are profitable. Here is a practical comparison of the software platforms purpose-built for building supply dealers and a financing framework that matches your inventory turn cycle.
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Why Generic Software Fails Building Supply Dealers
QuickBooks and generic point-of-sale systems are inadequate for building supply operations from day one. Building supply requires: unit-of-measure conversions (selling lumber by board foot, linear foot, and piece simultaneously), contract pricing with tiered volume discounts by contractor, delivery scheduling integrated with invoicing, manufacturer rebate tracking, and contractor account credit limit enforcement at point of sale. When a roofing contractor orders $18,000 in shingles and his account is already at $22,000 against a $25,000 limit, your point-of-sale system must catch that before the order ships. QuickBooks does not do this in the field at a yard counter. Industry-specific ERP is not optional for a serious building supply operation — it is the operational foundation.
Epicor BisTrack: The Market Leader for Building Supply
Epicor BisTrack (epicor.com) is the most widely deployed ERP in the building supply distribution industry. It is purpose-built for lumber and building materials dealers, covering point of sale, inventory management, purchasing, accounts receivable, delivery scheduling, and manufacturer rebate management. BisTrack handles the unit-of-measure complexity that building supply requires — buying lumber in MBF (thousand board feet) and selling in linear feet and pieces simultaneously. The platform integrates with major roofing and building product manufacturer EDI feeds for automated price updates. Pricing: BisTrack is sold as an annual SaaS license, typically starting around $15,000–$30,000 per year for a single-location dealer, depending on user count and modules. Implementation adds $10,000–$30,000. Epicor targets established and mid-market dealers — expect a thorough sales process.
DMSi Agility: Purpose-Built for LBM Dealers
DMSi Software (dmsi.com) produces Agility, an ERP specifically designed for lumber and building material (LBM) dealers. Agility competes directly with BisTrack and has a strong following among independent and regional dealers. Key features include: contractor account management, delivery manifest and truck routing, purchase order management with manufacturer price files, and integrated document management for delivery tickets and credit applications. DMSi Agility is considered somewhat more accessible for smaller independent dealers than BisTrack, with implementation teams experienced in first-time ERP deployments. Pricing is similarly structured as an annual license — contact DMSi for current pricing. DMSi hosts an annual user conference (DMSI University) that is valuable for new operators learning the platform.
NetSuite for Building Materials: Flexible but Requires Customization
Oracle NetSuite is not purpose-built for building supply, but it is a powerful option for dealers who need robust multi-entity accounting, e-commerce integration, or plan to scale across multiple locations quickly. NetSuite requires significant customization — through a NetSuite implementation partner — to handle building supply specifics like unit-of-measure conversions, contractor pricing tiers, and delivery scheduling. Expect $30,000–$80,000 in implementation costs for a building supply-specific NetSuite configuration plus $20,000–$50,000 annually in SaaS licensing. The advantage: NetSuite scales to any business size and integrates with almost any third-party software. The disadvantage: it requires more internal expertise to operate than BisTrack or DMSi, which are already pre-configured for building supply workflows. NetSuite makes the most sense for dealers who have prior NetSuite experience or who need multi-entity accounting across multiple supply yards.
Floor Plan Financing: How to Structure Your Inventory Credit
Floor plan financing works like a revolving line of credit specifically tied to your inventory. You draw on the line to purchase inventory from suppliers, and you repay as you sell. Northpoint Commercial Finance (northpointcommercialfinance.com) and White Oak Commercial Finance specialize in building materials inventory financing. Qualifying factors: your personal credit score (typically 680+ for startup programs), business plan with inventory projections, and the supplier relationships you are establishing. Rates run prime plus 2–5%, with a facility fee of 0.25–0.75% of the credit line annually. A $300,000 floor plan line at current rates costs approximately $20,000–$25,000 annually in interest and fees — budget this as an operating cost in your financial projections. SBA 7(a) loans are an alternative for inventory financing, with SBA-guaranteed rates typically lower than commercial floor plan rates but with longer approval timelines (60–90 days vs 30 days for specialty lenders).
Manufacturer Extended Dating: The Free Floor Plan
Many building product manufacturers offer extended dating programs — essentially 90-120 day payment terms on seasonal inventory purchases. GAF and Owens Corning both offer extended dating programs for roofing products purchased in winter for spring delivery. This is effectively free inventory financing from the manufacturer — you buy shingles in January, get them in March, and pay in April when spring reroofing season is generating cash. Ask every supplier rep about extended dating or seasonal dating programs. Belgard and Oldcastle offer similar programs for hardscape products. These programs reduce your floor plan financing cost significantly and are one of the most underutilized financial tools available to new building supply dealers.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Epicor BisTrack
The leading ERP platform for building supply dealers. Purpose-built for lumber, roofing supply, and specialty building materials distribution.
DMSi Agility
LBM-specific ERP for independent lumber and building material dealers. Strong choice for single-location independents launching their first ERP.
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Compare SBA 7(a) loans and inventory lines of credit for building supply startup financing. Multiple lender marketplace.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Should a new building supply dealer start with BisTrack or DMSi Agility?
For a first-time building supply dealer without prior ERP experience, DMSi Agility is often easier to implement and has implementation teams experienced with new dealer onboarding. BisTrack is the larger platform with more integrations and is strongly preferred if you have a staff member with prior BisTrack experience. Both are excellent choices — evaluate based on your team's experience, your planned product mix, and the implementation support each vendor provides for your market.
Can I use QuickBooks for the first year and switch to an ERP later?
You can, but it creates significant operational problems from day one. Without contractor account credit limits enforced at point of sale, you will extend more credit than you intend. Without delivery scheduling in the ERP, you will double-book trucks and miss deliveries. Without manufacturer price file integration, you will manually update hundreds of prices. The cost of starting with industry ERP is real — but the cost of operating without it and then migrating 12 months of data is higher.
What credit score do I need for building supply floor plan financing?
Specialty inventory lenders like Northpoint typically require a personal credit score of 660–700 for startup programs. SBA-backed programs through community banks require 680+. Having a solid business plan, supplier commitment letters, and a leased facility already in place significantly strengthens your application even if your credit score is at the lower threshold.
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