How Norsoft added compliance logic to a national veterinary supply wholesaler's custom ERP in a single day, stopping the hazmat shipping violations that had triggered a costly fine.
A staff member unknowingly added a battery to an air-shipped order, violating hazardous materials regulations and triggering a significant fine and shipment delay. Norsoft enhanced the client's custom ERP with rule-based compliance logic, deploying inventory-level flags and real-time order-entry validation. The new check was fully operational within 24 hours, with no major downtime or retraining required.
The client is a national veterinary supply wholesaler specializing in small-animal products, distributing pharmaceuticals, equipment, and consumables to large corporate veterinary groups, independent clinics, and regional distributors.
During routine order processing, a staff member unknowingly added a battery to an air-shipped order. The shipment violated hazardous materials regulations, resulting in a significant fine and a shipment delay. The company needed a fast, reliable way to prevent restricted items from being included in air orders, without disrupting normal operations or slowing down order entry.
Within a single day, Norsoft worked with the client to enhance their custom ERP system with new safety and compliance logic. We introduced inventory-level flags for items not permitted in air shipments, then implemented real-time validation in the order-entry workflow to automatically block restricted combinations. When a restricted item lands in an air order, the system shows a clear on-screen message explaining why the shipment cannot be sent by air.
We leveraged the ERP's modular architecture to deploy the change with minimal disruption: no major downtime and no retraining required. The team kept working while we rolled it out.
From problem to live fix
Restricted items flagged and rerouted to ground
downtime or retraining during rollout
| Before | After | |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance check | Staff had to remember which items couldn't fly | Rule-based validation blocks restricted air orders |
| Shipping accuracy | A battery slipped into an air shipment | Hazardous items flagged and rerouted to ground |
| Risk & cost | A significant fine and a delayed shipment | Future fines and compliance risks prevented |
| Deployment | Lengthy change cycles or third-party dependencies | Live in 24 hours, no major downtime or retraining |
This incident demonstrated the value of a flexible, modular ERP system. Instead of lengthy change cycles or third-party dependencies, Norsoft's architecture let the client respond to a costly mistake in real time, protecting revenue, maintaining regulatory compliance, and giving staff confidence that hazardous items are caught automatically.
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