Distribution & SFA Glossary
Key terms used in distribution management, salesforce automation, and dairy/FMCG operations.
In-depth guides
Long-form breakdowns of the categories that matter most when evaluating distribution software.
What is DMS?
Distribution Management System — the operational backbone of FMCG and dairy distribution.
Read the guideWhat is SFA?
Sales Force Automation — GPS, beat plans, attendance, and field order capture.
Read the guideWhat is a Beat Plan?
The pre-defined route every salesperson runs — daily, weekly, or custom cadence.
Read the guideWhat is Scheme Management?
Automated application of trade and consumer schemes to prevent revenue leakage.
Read the guideWhat is GST E-Invoicing?
Real-time invoice submission to the IRP — mandatory for India businesses ₹5 Cr+.
Read the guideWhat is HoReCa? Meaning, Full Form, and the HoReCa Sales Channel in India
HoReCa is the acronym for Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafés (or Catering). It's a B2B distribution channel that supplies bulk ingredients, beverages, and packaged food to the foodservice industry — structurally different from General Trade and Modern Trade, with different margins, cadences, and credit terms.
Read the guideWhat is Modern Trade? Meaning, Examples, and How MT Differs from General Trade
Modern Trade (MT) is the FMCG sales channel through organised, large-format retail — supermarkets, hypermarkets, club stores, and large retail chains. MT accounts are fewer in number but larger in ticket size, with listing fees, slotting fees, contracted promotional calendars, and centralised buying offices — structurally different from General Trade.
Read the guideWhat is General Trade? Meaning of the GT Market in Indian FMCG Distribution
General Trade (GT) is the unorganised, independent retail channel — neighbourhood kirana stores, small grocers, and standalone shops. GT accounts for 70%+ of Indian FMCG sales and is serviced through distributors via daily or weekly beat plans, with scheme-driven pricing and cash-heavy transactions. The GT market is the structural foundation of Indian distribution.
Read the guidePrimary vs Secondary Sales
Primary sales is what a brand ships to its distributors. Secondary sales is what those distributors actually sell to retailers. The gap between primary and secondary is where revenue leakage hides — distributors holding stock, schemes claimed but not passed on, returns inflated to game targets. Closing this gap is the highest-leverage move in Indian FMCG.
Read the guideWhat is Trade Promotion? Meaning, Types, and ROI in Indian FMCG Distribution
Trade promotion is the set of commercial incentives a brand offers to distributors and retailers to drive secondary sales — slab discounts, free SKU schemes, target bonuses, listing fees, and visibility support. Trade promotion typically accounts for 15-25% of FMCG revenue and is the largest scheme-management challenge in Indian distribution.
Read the guideWhat is ARS in Retail? Full Form, Meaning, and Stock Replenishment in FMCG
ARS in retail stands for Auto-Replenishment System (or Auto-Stock-Replenishment). It's the inventory model where distributor or retailer stock levels are monitored continuously and orders are auto-generated based on consumption velocity, reorder thresholds, and minimum-stock rules — replacing the manual 'salesperson asks the retailer what they need' workflow.
Read the guideWhat is Tertiary Sales? Meaning, Measurement, and How It Differs from Primary and Secondary
Tertiary sales is the volume retailers sell to end consumers — the third leg of FMCG distribution after primary (brand → distributor) and secondary (distributor → retailer). Tertiary sales is the truest measure of consumer demand but the hardest to capture, usually only available for Modern Trade accounts via EPOS data.
Read the guideDMS Full Form
In Indian distribution-software contexts, DMS stands for Distributor Management System (or interchangeably Distribution Management System). It's the operational software layer between a brand and its distributor network — not to be confused with Document Management System (a different category entirely).
Read the guideSFA Full Form
SFA stands for Sales Force Automation — mobile-first software that runs a field sales team's operational reality: GPS-verified retailer visits, beat plans, attendance, mobile order capture, and secondary sales tracking. SFA sits next to CRM (customer relationship management) and DMS (distribution management) but solves a distinct problem — field-execution.
Read the guideWhat is a Stockist? Meaning, Role, and Difference from Distributor in Indian FMCG
A stockist is an intermediary in the multi-tier Indian FMCG and pharma distribution chain — typically positioned between the C&F agent (CFA) and the distributor, or sometimes operating as a distributor in their own right at the district/town level. The role and naming vary by industry, but the function is always: hold stock, break bulk, and supply downstream tiers.
Read the guideWhat is a CFA in Distribution? C&F Agent Meaning and Role in Indian FMCG and Pharma
CFA stands for Carrying and Forwarding agent — a trade intermediary that holds stock on behalf of a brand at the state or regional level but typically doesn't take title to the inventory. The brand owns the stock; the CFA earns a service fee for storage, dispatch, and tax/compliance handling. Common in Indian FMCG, pharma, and agri distribution.
Read the guideWhat is a Scheme in FMCG Distribution? Trade Schemes Explained
In Indian FMCG distribution, a scheme is a structured commercial incentive — slab discounts, free SKU offers, target bonuses, retailer-level cashbacks — that brands run to drive secondary sales. Schemes are typically 15-25% of FMCG revenue and the single largest area where automated DMS-driven application beats manual workflows.
Read the guideAll terms
Quick definitions for every term used across our platform and documentation.
Distribution Management System
Software that manages the complete distribution workflow — orders, dispatch, delivery, billing, and payments — across a network of distributors and retailers.
Read the full DMS guideSales Force Automation
Software that automates field sales operations including GPS tracking, attendance, beat plans, retailer visits, and activity reporting.
Read the full SFA guideA pre-defined route and schedule for field sales staff to visit assigned retailers in a specific order. Digital beat plans ensure compliance and route optimization.
Read the full Beat Plan guideGross Merchandise Value
The total value of goods processed through a distribution platform, measured in rupees. SalesPort processes ₹8,572 Crore GMV.
Stock Keeping Unit
A unique identifier for each product variant (size, weight, packaging). FMCG companies may manage thousands of SKUs across their distribution network.
Milk Collection Centre
A district or regional-level centre where milk from multiple village-level centres is aggregated, tested, and dispatched to the dairy plant.
Read the full MCC guideVillage Level Centre
A village-level milk collection point where farmers deliver milk daily. SalesPort manages 1,797 VLCs across its dairy procurement network.
Read the full VLC guideFat and Solids-Not-Fat
Quality parameters used to grade milk. Fat percentage and SNF percentage determine the price paid to farmers. SalesPort integrates with testing machines for automated recording.
Read the full Fat/SNF guideA delivery document issued when goods are dispatched. SalesPort has digitised 4.75 Lakh challans, replacing paper-based tracking.
Read the full Challan guideAn authorisation document for goods leaving a warehouse or plant. SalesPort manages 1.91 Lakh digital gate passes.
Read the full Gate Pass guideA virtual geographic boundary used to verify that field staff are at their assigned location before marking attendance or completing tasks.
Read the full Geo-fencing guideA promotional offer applied to orders — buy X get Y free, volume discounts, combo offers. SalesPort auto-applies 17.43 Lakh schemes to prevent manual errors.
Read the full Scheme guideReal-time submission of B2B invoices to the Invoice Registration Portal (IRP) for IRN and QR-code generation. Mandatory for businesses above ₹5 Cr turnover in India.
Read the full GST E-Invoicing guideInvoice Reference Number
A 64-character unique identifier assigned by the IRP to every successfully e-invoiced B2B invoice. Required for the buyer to claim Input Tax Credit.
Read the full IRN guideMicro, Small and Medium Enterprises
A government classification for Indian businesses based on investment and turnover. Sort String Solutions is MSME registered.
Read the full MSME guideBusiness to Business
Distribution from manufacturer to distributor to retailer. SalesPort's core B2B module manages 29 company deployments.
Read the full B2B guideDirect to Consumer
Selling directly to end consumers via apps and subscriptions, bypassing traditional distribution. SalesPort manages 38,513 D2C customers.
Read the full D2C guideHuman Resource Management System
Employee management software covering attendance, leave, payroll, and expense claims. SalesPort HRMS is deployed for NDDB Dairy Services.
Read the full HRMS guideEnterprise Resource Planning
A comprehensive business management system. SalesPort integrates with Tally ERP and SAP B1/HANA for seamless accounting.
Read the full ERP guideAnnual Maintenance Contract
An ongoing service agreement for software maintenance, updates, and support after initial deployment.