> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.seminode.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Distributor

> Centralize quoting, increase margin, and enhance customer and supplier communication for Distributors and Brokers.

## Overview

Distributors and brokers sit between supply and demand, and profitability depends on answering two questions quickly: for every inbound requirement, *what can I source or stock, and at what margin?* — and for every inbound offer, *is this worth buying for resale?* Seminode gives you structured workflows to:

* Clean and normalize material lists (e.g. `BOMs, Excess, Purchase Requisitions`)
* Centralize and streamline customer and supplier quoting threads
* Create inventory / stock feeds for customers
* Leverage AI for market intelligence and part discovery

<Note>These workflows are in active development with supply chain experts at leading distributors — expect rapid iteration.</Note>

***

## The Offer-Analysis Loop

The same tools that power manufacturer workflows carry broker semantics out of the box:

1. **Ingest any list** — customer BOMs, requirement lists, or supplier excess files go through [Upload Tools](/tools/upload-tools), which cleans messy files, standardizes manufacturer names, and can convert currencies, so every line lands in a comparable shape.
2. **Enrich with your own data** — map your stock, cost, and approved-source tables as [reference data](/tools/reference-data) so each inbound line is automatically matched against what you can supply and what it costs you.
3. **Quote both sides from one inbox** — inbound requirements become quoting threads with your suppliers; supplier offers become quotes back to your customers. Markup and margin are calculated on every line, and [automations](/tools/automations) can pre-sort offers against your thresholds.
4. **Publish availability** — share stock feeds with customers through [nodes and shared views](/tools/network), so they see live availability instead of stale spreadsheets.

## Your Data Stays Yours

Seminode is the network and transaction layer between counterparties — not a replacement for anyone's internal system. Each side's reference data, costs, and internal fields live in its own team and are never visible to the other side; only the [public fields](/public-private-fields) you choose to share ever cross the boundary.

## Integrating at Your Own Pace

You don't need an integration project to go live. Most teams climb this ladder over time:

1. **Manual uploads** — drag files in, clean, and publish. Zero IT involvement.
2. **Periodic reference uploads** — refresh stock and cost tables on a cadence so matching and margin stay current.
3. **API and webhooks** — connect your internal system to publish listings, pull structured batches, and quote programmatically. See the **[API Reference <Icon icon="arrow-up-right" />](https://api.seminode.com/v1/docs/public)**.

<Tip>
  Start with manual uploads on live deals, then automate the steps that prove repetitive — the integration is never on the critical path to getting value.
</Tip>