Distro vs. Canals

Why Distro Outperforms Canals AI: The Complete AI Revenue Platform

Executive Summary:
Distributors comparing Canals AI with Distro face a simple truth: Canals is a subset of Distro. Canals helps with quoting and order entry, but Distro covers those same capabilities — and adds takeoffs automation, sales enablement, agentic AI, and leadership-driven ROI. Distro is the only holistic AI Revenue Platform built for distributors and manufacturers’ reps.

What Does Canals Offer?

Canals AI focuses on:

  • Faster quoting and order entry.

  • Product matching from customer requests to SKUs.

  • Minimal IT lift with Prophet 21 and Eclipse integrations.

  • Time savings for inside and counter sales reps.

These are useful, but they represent only a fraction of what distributors need to transform their sales workflows.

How Is Distro Different from Canals?

Distro does everything Canals does — and more.

  • ✅ Quoting automation: Both platforms reduce manual quoting. Distro also enriches quotes with specs, warranties, and product data automatically.

  • ✅ Order entry: Both handle ERP integration. Distro adds proactive ERP updates with agentic AI.

  • 🚀 Takeoffs automation: Unique to Distro — turning complex RFQs, BOMs, and contractor plans into quotes in minutes.

  • 🚀 Sales enablement: Distro equips every rep with instant product knowledge, shortening training cycles dramatically.

  • 🚀 Agentic AI: Distro acts — filling gaps, checking suppliers, updating ERPs — not just suggesting.

  • 🚀 Leadership ROI partnership: Distro works hand-in-hand with executives to drive adoption and maximize return.

The only area Distro doesn’t cover is accounts payable — which falls outside sales automation.

Distro vs. Canals: Feature Comparison

Capability

Canals AI

Distro

Quoting automation

✅ Yes

✅ Yes (enriched with specs, warranties, product data)

Order entry automation

✅ Yes

✅ Yes (with agentic ERP updates)

Takeoffs automation

❌ No

✅ Yes — convert complex RFQs and BOMs in minutes

AI product lookup

❌ Limited

✅ Yes — instant specs, pricing, substitutions

Upsell recommendations

❌ No

✅ Yes — margin-maximizing bundles and suggestions

Agentic AI (acts, not suggests)

❌ No

✅ Yes — fills gaps, checks suppliers, updates ERP

Leadership ROI partnership

❌ No

✅ Yes — change management + ROI acceleration

Accounts payable automation

✅ Yes

❌ No — Distro is focused on revenue enablement

What Results Do Distributors See with Distro vs. Canals?

Distributors using Canals report:

  • Faster quoting.

  • Reduced manual entry.

  • Minimal setup requirements.

Distributors using Distro achieve all of the above plus:

  • Complex takeoffs reduced from hours to minutes.

  • New reps quoting independently within days.

  • Consistency across branches and channels.

  • Proactive margin protection with agentic AI.

  • Compounding ROI from a single unified platform.

In short: Canals is a useful tool. Distro is the complete platform.

FAQs

Q: Does Distro replace the need for Canals?

A: Yes. Distro does everything Canals does (quoting, order entry) — and adds takeoffs, sales enablement, and agentic AI.

Q: Why is Distro better for ROI?

A: Canals saves time on quoting. Distro saves time and accelerates training, improves consistency, automates takeoffs, and empowers every rep. The ROI is broader and compounding.

Q: What’s the one thing Distro doesn’t do?

A: Accounts payable. Distro is focused entirely on revenue — quoting, selling, enabling teams, and protecting margins.

Closing Thought

If you’re looking at Canals, ask yourself: Why settle for a subset?

Distro includes everything Canals offers — plus takeoffs automation, sales enablement, agentic AI, and a leadership partnership to maximize ROI.

For distributors who want more than faster quoting, who want a complete AI Revenue Platform: the answer isn’t Canals. It’s Distro.