What DPS does

DPS, Inc. is a private, family-owned software company headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, founded in 1972, that develops and supports an integrated suite of business applications for the wholesale distribution industry. Its product stack is anchored on the IBM Power Systems (iSeries/AS400) platform and includes DPS Extend ERP (a fully integrated distribution and financial management system covering order processing, inventory, purchasing, AR/AP, GL, and fixed assets), DPS Flash eCommerce (a real-time B2B self-service portal with XML/EDI and eMarketplace integrations), DPS Zap WMS (an RF barcode warehouse management module), DPS PocketFlash (a mobile order-entry solution for Android and iOS), DPS Dashboard (a web-based KPI and financial reporting application), and DPS Seed (a vertical-specific bundle for seed distributors with trait code, patent, lot, and IP licensing tracking). Underlying technology spans Java/Spring, JavaScript, RPG Free, IBM RPG/ILE, SQL, XML, C#/.NET, C++, Objective-C, Swift, and cross-platform mobile via Xamarin, Angular, and React Native, with integrations to EDI, UPS Worldship, FedEx, Purolator, Ariba, Novation, and Higher Markets.

The company operates as an IBM Business Partner at the highest recognition level and a Certified eBusiness Partner, and holds GDPR and CCPA compliance certifications. Revenue mechanics are diversified across one-time software licensing for the on-premise DPS Product Suite, monthly recurring SaaS through DPS SureSource ASP hosting on IBM POWER/iSeries, custom software development and consulting services, and managed High Availability/Disaster Recovery services delivered in partnership with Vision Solutions. Distribution is primarily direct sales (field/enterprise motion) supplemented by the IBM channel, with marketing weighted toward website, blog content, whitepapers, customer testimonials, and email/newsletter capture.

The customer base spans hundreds of wholesale-distribution installations across the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean, covering optics/lens, chemical and fertilizer, wholesale drug, food and beverage, industrial supply, mining/resources, and seed distribution verticals. The disclosed organization is small (11-50 employees) with named executive presence (Director of Strategic Planning, Mobile Applications Developer, Hardware Specialist), and the company provides both a Chicago contact office and the Carmel, Indiana headquarters.

Name

DPS

Legal name

DPS, Inc.

Website

https://dpslink.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DPS, Inc. develops and supports an integrated ERP, eCommerce, WMS, mobile, and KPI dashboard software suite for wholesale distributors, built on IBM Power Systems and sold primarily in North America, the UK, and the Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Distribution ERP Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Distribution & Wholesale ERP (Inventory, Order, Warehouse) (HDAEAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Core ERP Suites (Financials, Procurement, Projects) (HDAEAEAA), ERP Extensions & Add-ons (CPQ, Billing, Revenue Management) (HDAEAEAO)

Keywords

• Wholesale distribution software
• Distribution ERP systems
• Warehouse management software
• B2B ecommerce portal
• Mobile field sales apps

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: DPS develops, markets, and implements the DPS Product Suite including ERP, eCommerce, WMS, and mobile solutions. Customers can purchase software licenses for on-premise deployment or hosted solutions.
2. SaaS Application Hosting (DPS SureSource): Monthly subscription-based ASP service where DPS hosts software applications on IBM POWER/iSeries systems. Provides predictable monthly billing with no IT staff requirements for customers.
3. Professional Services: Software development, consulting, implementation, training, and ongoing technical support services. Includes data and systems conversion, IBM Power support, virtualization, and performance analysis.
4. High Availability & Disaster Recovery Services: Business continuity solutions through partnership with Vision Solutions for HA/DR planning, helping organizations ensure information availability and reduce operating costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DPS develops, markets, and implements an integrated software suite for wholesale distributors built on IBM Power Systems. The suite comprises DPS Extend ERP (financial and distribution management), DPS Flash eCommerce (B2B self-service portal), DPS Zap WMS (RF barcode warehouse management), DPS PocketFlash (mobile field sales), and DPS Dashboard (KPI reporting), with an industry-specific DPS Seed variant. The company also delivers DPS SureSource SaaS hosting, custom software development, and High Availability/Disaster Recovery services.

Product overview

DPS, Inc. is a software development and consulting company established in 1972, serving the wholesale distribution industry with a proprietary product suite built around IBM Power Systems. The core offering is a platform-plus-modules architecture anchored by DPS Extend ERP — a fully integrated distribution and financial management system — which interconnects with DPS Flash eCommerce (B2B/B2C customer self-service portal), DPS Zap WMS (RF barcode warehouse management), DPS PocketFlash (mobile handheld/field sales solution), and DPS Dashboard (KPI/executive reporting). An industry-specific variant, DPS Seed, extends the same stack with seed-distribution parameters. DPS also offers SaaS hosting via DPS SureSource, custom software development, and HA/DR planning services. The company operates as an IBM Business Partner and Certified eBusiness Partner, with hundreds of installations across the US, Canada, UK, and the Caribbean.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DPS Flash: Web-based, real-time B2B eCommerce solution for wholesale distributors enabling customer self-service, order entry, and inventory access.
• DPS Extend ERP
• DPS Zap WMS
• DPS PocketFlash
• DPS Dashboard
• DPS Seed
• DPS SureSource

Products and services

• DPS Extend ERP A fully integrated Financial and Distribution Management ERP solution for wholesale distributors. Covers order entry to general ledger, including purchasing, receiving, inventory management, customer service, shipping, billing, and EDI support. Modules include Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, General Ledger, Purchasing, Fixed Assets, Order Processing & Billing, Sales Analysis, Inventory Control, Inventory Management, Work Order Management, and Service Management.
• DPS Flash eCommerce Web-based, real-time B2B and B2C customer self-service eCommerce portal for wholesale distributors, providing catalog browsing, order entry, order status inquiry, accounts receivable history, multiple catalog support, and eMarketplace integrations to Ariba, Novation, and Higher Markets via XML interfaces.
• DPS Zap WMS Integrated RF (Radio Frequency) barcode warehouse management solution that streamlines receiving, picking, shipping, inventory movements, physical inventory, labeling, and productivity reporting with real-time warehouse tracking.
• DPS PocketFlash Mobile handheld/field computing solution for remote territory reps and route sales reps, providing offline-capable order entry, customer and product database access, and transaction synchronization with the ERP system on Android and iOS devices.
• DPS Dashboard Web-based KPI and executive dashboard providing real-time business metric widgets, customizable reporting, and access to financial statements (balance sheets, operating statements) via PC, laptop, tablet, and smartphone.
• DPS Seed A comprehensive, industry-specific solution for seed distributors covering ERP, eCommerce, warehouse management, and RF barcoding, with seed-specific parameters including seed type, trait code, seed count, patent number, lot tracking, and expiration date management for intellectual property licensing compliance.
• DPS SureSource DPS's Application Service Provider (ASP) hosting program providing SaaS deployment of DPS and third-party software on IBM POWER/iSeries systems, handling day-to-day maintenance, hardware upgrades, and technical support for a monthly subscription fee.
• Software Development Services Custom software development and programming services for wholesale distributors supporting multiple languages (Java/Spring, JavaScript, RPG, SQL, C#, .Net, C++, Objective C, Swift), with capabilities in mobile app development (native Android/iOS, cross-platform via Xamarin, Angular, React, React Native) and ongoing platform maintenance.
• High Availability & Disaster Recovery Business continuity solutions partnered with Vision Solutions, offering High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) planning to ensure information availability, reduce operating costs, and satisfy compliance requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increase bottom line financial results by at least 3% per year (Gouldings Wholesale Ltd. case study)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IBMcoreTechnology or IntegrationDPS is an IBM Business Partner and Certified eBusiness Partner with highest-level recognition offered by IBM. Through this partnership, DPS provides IBM Power Systems as well as virtualization and storage solutions. DPS specializes in technology solutions running on IBM i operating system and IBM Power Systems architecture.
• Arrow ElectronicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness partner listed in DPS Alliance Partner Program. Arrow Electronics is a global technology distributor.
• Vision SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPS partnered with Vision Solutions to help organizations ensure business continuity, increase productivity, reduce operating costs and satisfy compliance requirements through Vision's HA/DR solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Blue Yonder (formerly JDA Software): Blue Yonder provides supply chain and warehouse management solutions used by large wholesale distributors. While broader and more enterprise-focused than DPS, it competes for the same distribution buyer and overlapping WMS/eCommerce wallet.
• NetSuite (Oracle): NetSuite provides cloud ERP with modules for order management, inventory, and financials commonly adopted by mid-market distributors. It competes with DPS Extend ERP for new logo sales among distribution customers seeking cloud-native alternatives.
• SAP Business One: SAP Business One targets small and mid-sized distributors with integrated ERP and limited WMS capabilities. It competes with DPS Extend ERP for distribution customers seeking a recognized global brand and broader ecosystem.
• Manhattan Associates: Manhattan Associates provides enterprise WMS, supply chain, and inventory optimization solutions used by large distributors. It overlaps with DPS Zap WMS, though typically at a larger customer scale and price point.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics AX/D365 Finance & Supply Chain offer distribution ERP and warehouse management capabilities, competing with DPS in the mid-market distribution segment and leveraging a much larger ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Infor Distribution: Infor offers Infor Distribution SX.e and cloud-based ERP/WMS solutions for wholesale distributors. It directly overlaps with DPS Extend ERP and DPS Zap WMS in functionality and target customer profile.
• Epicor Software: Epicor provides ERP, WMS, and retail solutions specifically tailored to distributors, manufacturers, and retailers. It is one of the closest direct competitors to DPS in vertical distribution ERP, with comparable mid-market customer focus and a broader product suite.
• ECI Software Solutions: ECI offers vertical ERP and eCommerce solutions for distributors, including lumber, HVAC, and plumbing wholesalers. It targets a similar SMB/mid-market distribution segment as DPS with comparable product breadth.

Emerging players

• Körber WMS (formerly HighJump): Körber's WMS offerings serve distribution and 3PL customers, competing with DPS Zap WMS on RF barcode-based warehouse functionality. It appeals to mid-market distributors seeking more configurable WMS alternatives.
• Acumatica: Acumatica is a cloud-native ERP platform with distribution edition capabilities and modern deployment. It overlaps with DPS Extend ERP but differentiates on cloud delivery and a more contemporary technology stack.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/311540
• Xx.com/dps_software

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DPS