A Sympac FAB Analysis!
Order management is one of the most complex parts of retail and it uses up a valuable resource – time!
Sympac’s TBO (To Be Ordered) system simplifies that complexity by acting as a single, centralised ordering bucket — giving stores reliable control over all orders today, and confidence it will continue to perform as their business grows.
Our customers consistently say that this ordering management feature, combined with Sympac Go removes unnecessary manual work and gives hours back to their team every week.
Order management involves customer orders, stock replenishment, multiple suppliers, and constant time pressure, and it’s one of the most complex and risk‑prone areas of retail.
Sympac Order Management is built around the TBO (To Be Ordered) system, which acts as a single holding area for all orders, regardless of where they originate. This provides purchasing staff with one consolidated view of demand across the business.
This FAB Analysis shows how Sympac’s TBO system solves order complexity and saves time by providing a single, centralised ordering bucket that brings all demand into one controlled workflow.
Trusted by long‑term Sympac customers, TBO delivers the visibility, accuracy, and consistency stores need to manage orders confidently today — and continue performing reliably as their business grows.
Centralised Ordering Bucket
TBO acts as a single, centralised ordering bucket, bringing together customer orders, back orders, scanned items, and replenishment demand. Instead of managing multiple ordering processes, purchasing teams can see everything that needs ordering in one place and manage it supplier‑by‑supplier with confidence.
For stores dealing with multiple suppliers every day, TBO removes the need for repetitive, manual processes. This ability to scan once and allocate across suppliers is repeatedly described as a major time saver by our customers!
Monbulk Mitre 10 describes how they use TBO in practice…
Murphy's Mitre 10
Laura
TBO function is our favourite for multiple supplier ordering. We all find it so easy to just scan away and we can put that into a TBO for multiple suppliers at once. We don’t have to singly go through and then do it all separate.
Built In Review & Control
Before any order is sent, TBO allows staff to review quantities, suppliers, and order values. This structured review step gives stores greater control over purchasing decisions and reduces the risk of rushed or incorrect orders being sent to suppliers.
Our customers value the flexibility and control that TBO provides — particularly the ability to review and adjust orders before sending, together with advanced filtering options and reporting.
Goomalling Farm Shed highlights this benefit…
Goomalling Farm Shed
Jenni
Our favourite feature is the TBO insert/alter which allows us to do manual or TBO‑assisted purchase order creation and have a thorough review before sending. These clear benefits delivered by Sympac were exactly what we were missing in our previous system.
Fewer Errors in Customer Orders
Customer and stock orders flow through the same system, ensuring special orders are accurately tracked and seamlessly integrated into purchasing. This reduces missed items, double handling, and manual re‑entry — improving accuracy for both staff and customers.
TBO is frequently mentioned by our customers as a feature that reduces mistakes and improves confidence in special order handling. This integration between customer orders and stock ordering is a recurring theme when we ask customers what their favourite Sympac feature is!
Moura Mitre 10 explains…
Moura Mitre 10
Aaron & Tracey
The Customer Order (TBO) feature streamlines special order handling, ensures accurate tracking, and integrates smoothly with stock orders, eliminating manual errors. It is one of our favourite and most used features.
Efficiency that compounds over time
Automation and min/max management reduce day‑to‑day manual effort while maintaining purchasing discipline. Over time, these efficiencies compound — helping stores manage growing volumes and supplier complexity without adding workload or workarounds.
The TBO system automatically warns users when orders fall below supplier minimum values, helping prevent inefficient or non‑compliant purchasing. Long‑term Sympac customers often point to TBO as a key reason the system has supported their business for decades.
Heywood Hardware has been a Sympac customer for 30 years, and they emphasise that this benefit compounds over time, making it a key contributor to long‑term efficiency….
Heywood Hardware
Tim & Kathy
The automatic ordering process, setting of min/max and the ability to process an order at the press of a button has saved countless hours over the years. And anybody that is not running that system really needs to get that done. It is just so valuable.
Capture demand on the shop floor
With Sympac Go, staff can capture customer demand directly on the shop floor. Orders and requirements flow straight into the central TBO ordering bucket, ensuring nothing is missed and reducing delays between customer interaction and purchasing.
Murphy’s Mitre 10 explains why it’s such a winner…
Murphy's Mitre 10
Laura
TBO and Sympac Go are our favourite features. Rach in our paint department has her Sympac Go in her hand all day! We all find it just so easy.
Across customer feedback, the TBO function is trusted because…
Tangible business benefits
- Saves countless hours over time
- Reduces manual errors
- Simplifies complex ordering processes
- Improves staff confidence and consistency
Most‑used / favourite aspects
- Multi‑supplier ordering in a single workflow
- Scan‑based ordering rather than manual entry
- Automatic Ordering
- Works seamlessly with Sympac Go units
- Insert and alter functionality for review and control
- Integration with stock and customer orders
- User-friendly filtering options and settings
Proven in Real Stores
- The consistent theme across all testimonials is that TBO isn’t a “nice‑to‑have” feature — it becomes a core part of daily operations.
- Customers who have been on Sympac for years say it’s one of the reasons they’ve been able to keep improving efficiency without changing systems.
Centralised Order Control
- Sympac’s entire Order Management system is built around the TBO (To Be Ordered) feature, which acts as a single holding area for all orders, regardless of where they originate. This provides purchasing staff with one consolidated view of demand across the business.
Multiple Order Inputs
The TBO bucket collects orders from a wide range of sources, including:
- Customer orders
- Back orders
- Scanned orders
- Automatic orders (Min/Max and/or History based)
- Reorder reports
- Sympac Go
- Other day‑to‑day operational inputs
This ensures no order is missed and all demand is visible in one place.
Supplier‑Focused Purchasing
- Senior purchasing staff regularly review the TBO bucket by supplier, comparing accumulated order values against each supplier’s minimum order requirements. This helps optimise purchasing decisions and consolidate orders efficiently.
Minimum Order & FIS Value Controls
- The system automatically warns users when orders fall below supplier minimum values, helping prevent inefficient or non‑compliant purchasing.
- The minimum order and FIS top up system calculates and suggests items that fast moving or close to order point to top the order up.
Simple Order Creation
- With a single action, users can place orders for one supplier or multiple suppliers at once. The system then automatically generates purchase orders by supplier.
Flexible Purchase Order Output
- Generated purchase orders can be printed or emailed, supporting different supplier communication preferences and streamlining the ordering process.
Day‑to‑Day Operational Tool + Mobility!
- The TBO system is designed for daily operational use, supporting ongoing purchasing activity rather than being a periodic or manual process.
- Combined with Sympac Go units it provides mobile order management right on the shop floor.
Sympac Freight Management Features & Functions
TBO FAB
Top 10!
- Centralised ordering
- Full business-wide demand visibility
- Supplier-based purchasing controls
- Min/max order value checks
- Quick, easy purchase order creation
- Less manual work and fewer errors
- Works seamlessly with Sympac Go
- Supplier-focused review, advanced filtering and reporting
- Flexible PO output and streamlined processes
- User-friendly & built for daily in-store operations
Ready to take your order management to the next level?
Call Dave Forbes on
0417 750 790 or fill in our contact form and we’ll be in touch ASAP.
