Three weights, not one.
Foodline AI tracks ordered weight, shipped weight and invoiced weight as three separate numbers, so you can see exactly where a variance came from (platform).
Catch weight software
Catch weight software for food distributors, built into the ERP
Variable-weight itemCase of ribeyeEntered in cases. Billed on actual pounds.
Inventory unitCase, box, piece, pallet
Pricing unitPound or kilogram
OrderedEstimated weight
PickedActual weight captured
InvoicedActual pounds × price per pound
If a step drops the weight, margin leaks one case at a time.
Short answer: Catch weight software lets a food distributor stock, pick and sell a variable-weight item in cases while pricing and invoicing it on actual pounds. Good catch weight software carries two quantities on every line (the count and the weight) from receiving to picking, the invoice, inventory value and the general ledger, and ties each weighed case to its lot. Foodline AI is an AI-native ERP for food distributors with catch weight built in: ordered, shipped and invoiced weight are tracked as three separate numbers, alongside FEFO and FIFO lot control, traceability, a built-in B2B online store and the general ledger, so nothing has to be re-keyed or bolted on.
What catch weight software has to do
Catch weight is the actual measured weight of a variable-weight item, such as a case of ribeye, a wheel of cheese or a box of whole fish. The customer orders cases, but pays by the pound. Software that only carries one quantity per line forces someone to fix the invoice by hand, or prints it from a nominal weight and gives margin away. For the full mechanics, read the catch weight invoicing guide.
A food distribution ERP should handle catch weight at every step, not only on the invoice:
| Step | What the software must do |
|---|---|
| Item setup | Hold a stocking unit (case, box, piece) and a pricing unit (pound or kilogram) on the same item, with a nominal weight for quoting |
| Customer pricing | Apply contract, price-level and order-guide prices per pound, not per case |
| Online ordering | Show the customer an estimated weight and price in your B2B store, then bill the actual weight |
| Receiving | Capture the received weight against the purchase order and the lot, so vendor short-weights are visible |
| Picking | Capture the actual weight of each case at pick, by scanning or keying it on a phone or handheld |
| Invoicing | Extend the line on actual pounds times the price per pound, with the case count on the same line |
| Inventory and costing | Keep on-hand cases and on-hand pounds in step, so inventory value and margin are right |
| Traceability | Tie every weighed case to its lot for trace-backs, recalls and FSMA 204 records |
| Accounting | Post the weighed invoice to A/R and the general ledger without an export |
How Foodline AI handles catch weight
Lots on every case.
FEFO and FIFO lot control, backward and forward traceability and recall drills run on the same record, and FSMA 204 key data elements are captured at receiving (security).
Scanner-first floor.
Your team scans with the phones they already carry or with dedicated handheld scanners, with FEFO wave picking and proof of delivery (platform).
The store is the ERP.
Customers order catch-weight items from your branded online store with their own order guides and prices, and the order lands in the same system that picks, weighs and invoices it (ecommerce + ERP).
The books are here too.
The weighed invoice posts to A/R and the general ledger in the same system, with financial statements and bill pay. Foodline AI replaces QuickBooks (finance).
A person approves money and stock.
Routines draft the day's work, such as the expiry sweep and collection drafts, but nothing that moves money or stock posts without a named person's approval (trust).
Catch weight in other systems distributors evaluate
Catch weight support varies widely, and it often decides whether a general ERP can run a food distributor without add-ons. These summaries come from our sourced comparison pages, where every vendor fact links to the vendor's own documentation:
QuickBooks
is built around one quantity per invoice line, so it does not natively carry a case count and an actual weight together. See Replace QuickBooks for food distributors.
NECS entrée
supports catch weight workflows as an established food distribution ERP. See NECS entrée alternative.
Oracle NetSuite
says catch-weight invoicing is built into its food and beverage ERP, and partners also sell catch-weight add-ons. See NetSuite alternative.
SAP Business One
and Acumatica usually get catch weight from partner add-ons. See SAP Business One alternative and Acumatica alternative.
Infor Distribution SX.e
supports catch weight at receiving and shipping, and Infor documents that it isn't tracked through transfers or counts. See Infor alternative.
Sage 100
lists lot tracking but no catch weight. See Sage 100 alternative.
Pepper
and Choco are ordering layers. They pass catch-weight data through their integrations, but the weights live in your ERP. See Pepper vs Choco vs Foodline AI.
Questions to ask any catch weight software vendor
- 01Does every order, pick and invoice line carry both the case count and the actual weight, or only one quantity?
- 02Where is the actual weight captured: at receiving, at picking, or only typed onto the invoice?
- 03Can customers order catch-weight items online and see an estimated price before the actual weight is known?
- 04Do on-hand pounds and inventory value stay in step with on-hand cases after transfers, counts and returns?
- 05Is each weighed case tied to its lot for a recall?
- 06Does the weighed invoice post to the general ledger in the same system, or through an export to accounting software?
- 07Is catch weight part of the product, or a partner add-on with its own license and upgrade cycle?
Frequently asked questions
What is catch weight software?
Catch weight software lets a distributor stock, pick and sell a variable-weight item in cases while pricing and invoicing it on actual weight. It carries the case count and the actual weight together on every line, from receiving to the invoice and the general ledger.
Which ERP is best for catch weight food distribution?
Look for an ERP where catch weight is part of the product rather than a partner add-on, where every order, pick and invoice line carries both the count and the weight, and where each weighed case ties to its lot. Foodline AI tracks ordered, shipped and invoiced weight as three numbers, with lots, traceability, the B2B store and the general ledger in one system.
Can QuickBooks handle catch weight?
QuickBooks is built around one quantity per invoice line, so it does not natively carry a case count and an actual weight together. Foodline AI replaces QuickBooks and carries both through to the invoice and the general ledger.
How do warehouses capture catch weights?
Common methods are scanning GS1-128 barcode labels that encode the weight, reading a floor scale, or keying the weight on a handheld at pick. In Foodline AI, teams scan with their own phones or with dedicated handheld scanners.
Does catch weight software help with FSMA 204?
FSMA 204 covers traceability records such as traceability lot codes and key data elements, not pricing. Software that ties each weighed case to a lot makes trace-backs and recall quantities much easier to report. Foodline AI captures FSMA 204 key data elements at receiving.
How does Foodline AI handle catch weight?
Foodline AI tracks ordered weight, shipped weight and invoiced weight as three separate numbers, alongside FEFO and FIFO lot control and backward and forward traceability, so every weighed case ties back to its lot and posts to the general ledger in the same system.
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