Metols FAQ

Question 1

What modules does Metols include?

Accepted Answer

Metols includes 10 core modules: CRM (customer and contact management), Sales (quotes, orders, pricing), Inventory (real-time tracking with MTR traceability), Purchasing (purchase orders, receiving, supplier management), Processing (production orders, machine centers, yield tracking), Quality (inspections, NCRs, compliance), Finance (invoicing, AR aging, commissions, credit), Logistics (routes, fleet, shipments, claims), Web (public catalog and customer portal), and AI Agent (conversational assistant with industry knowledge).

Question 2

Is Metols built specifically for the metals industry?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Metols is purpose-built for metal service centers and distributors. Unlike generic ERP systems, Metols handles metals-specific requirements natively: CWT pricing with grade and gauge extras, dimensional inventory tracking (width, gauge, length, heat number), processing integration (slitting, shearing, CTL with yield calculation), MTR traceability from receiving through shipment, and remnant tracking for drops and remnants generated by processing.

Question 3

How does the AI assistant work?

Accepted Answer

The AI assistant is powered by Anthropic Claude and understands metals distribution terminology and your business data. Ask questions like "What did Thompson Fabrication order last quarter?" or "Which customers have AR over 60 days?" and get answers instantly. The assistant can generate quotes, look up inventory, and analyze sales trends through a conversational interface.

Question 4

Can Metols handle multi-location operations?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Metols supports multiple warehouse locations with cross-location inventory visibility, inter-warehouse transfers, location-specific pricing, and consolidated reporting. Sales reps can see inventory across all locations and sell from whichever warehouse has the material in stock.

Question 5

How long does implementation take?

Accepted Answer

Most service centers are up and running within 2 to 4 weeks. The platform is cloud-based and requires no hardware. Data migration from existing systems (inventory, customers, pricing) is supported through import tools. Training is role-specific: inside sales, warehouse, and management each receive targeted sessions on their workflows.

Question 6

Does Metols integrate with my existing systems?

Accepted Answer

Metols provides REST API access for integration with accounting systems (QuickBooks, Sage, NetSuite), e-commerce platforms, EDI connections with steel mills, freight carrier systems, and other business tools. The API supports real-time data exchange for inventory, orders, invoices, and customer records.

Question 7

What makes Metols different from generic ERP systems?

Accepted Answer

Generic ERPs require extensive customization to handle metals-specific workflows. Metols handles them natively: CWT pricing with automatic surcharge calculation, dimensional inventory (tracking by heat number, gauge, width, and length), processing integration with yield tracking, MTR management and traceability, and industry-specific analytics. This eliminates the $100,000+ customization cost and 12-month implementation timeline that generic ERPs require for metal distribution.

Question 8

Is my data secure on Metols?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Metols enforces complete tenant isolation at the database level. Every query is scoped to your organization. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Authentication supports email/password and OAuth. Your data is never shared with other tenants or used for AI model training.

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