Seven new Optional Modules ship in this release, plus the iVendNext Marketplace Apps category that opens the platform to partner-built integrations and add-on apps.
iVendNext AI & Automation
A new category that brings AI and visual workflow automation into the iVendNext platform. The category contains three AI modules and one workflow automation module: AI Gateway, AI Foresight, and AI Copilot for AI-driven retail intelligence, and the n8n Node for visual workflow automation. All four operate on customers' live iVendNext data and respect existing iVendNext roles and permissions. The AI modules operate on a Bring Your Own Key model: the customer connects their own AI provider account, giving retailers the flexibility to choose the language model that best fits their needs and to manage the AI provider relationship directly. The AI & Automation category is licensed and paid separately from the core platform.
iVendNext AI Gateway
Connects iVendNext to the AI assistants customers already use, including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and any other MCP-compatible AI client. Users ask business questions in plain English and get accurate, real-time answers drawn directly from live iVendNext data. The AI can also retrieve documents, generate reports, and trigger workflow actions through conversation. Every query runs under the authenticated user's iVendNext role; field-level data protection blocks sensitive fields from AI view; and every question and action is logged for administrator visibility. No new application to install, no new interface to learn.
iVendNext AI Foresight
Adds three AI forecasting engines on top of iVendNext data: a stock engine that predicts item consumption per warehouse and classifies SKUs as Fast, Slow, Non-Moving, or Critical; a sales engine that predicts what each customer will buy next using a trained Random Forest model with customer scoring, churn risk rating, and cross-sell potential; and a financial engine that projects cash flow, revenue, and expenses with alerts when liquidity drops or expenses exceed forecast. Automated draft purchase orders are generated on reorder alerts. Every forecast is compared against realised actuals and rated for accuracy, with overconfident models flagged for retraining.
iVendNext AI Copilot
A conversational AI assistant embedded directly in iVendNext Desk as a persistent chat widget. Copilot uses the customer's own ChatGPT account (via OAuth) or Anthropic Claude account (via API key) — iVendNext does not hold or proxy the AI provider key. Copilot answers questions about iVendNext data in plain English, including multi-table queries, and executes actions through 40+ pre-built tools spanning Stock, Sales, Purchasing, CRM, and core accounting operations. Every tool call is checked against the user's iVendNext role before execution; input sanitisation, field whitelisting, and prompt-injection defence run at the gate; usage is rate-limited per user and per day; and every tool call is logged with input, output, status, and time taken.
n8n Node for iVendNext
The official iVendNext connector for n8n, the visual workflow automation platform. Two complementary nodes — the Action Node for read and write operations on any iVendNext document, and the Trigger Node for starting workflows the moment an iVendNext event occurs — give customers no-code integration into shipping carriers, marketing tools, and 400+ other applications. Customers can also build custom AI workflows that read live iVendNext data using a language model of their choice. Every workflow execution is logged step by step.
iVendNext Marketplace Apps
A new category that opens iVendNext to certified integrations, statutory localizations, and add-on apps. Customers browse and subscribe to apps from a central marketplace at cloud.ivendnext.com. The four country-specific compliance and payment modules in this release (Kenya M-Pesa, Kenya eTIMS, KSA ZATCA, Mexico Localization) are distributed through the Marketplace. Apps installed via the Marketplace integrate natively into the iVendNext platform and inherit its security, role, and audit model.
CRM
A sales management module built into iVendNext Desk, covering the full lead-to-customer lifecycle. Leads can be captured from email, spreadsheet imports, or manual entry, then routed through configurable pipeline stages to opportunity and conversion. Auto-assignment rules balance workloads across sales executives. Marketing campaigns can be built and sent from inside iVendNext, with each campaign linked back to leads and opportunities for measurable ROI. Real-time pipeline visibility, conversion analysis, and response-time benchmarks are available without exporting a single spreadsheet.
Light Manufacturing
A light manufacturing module covering the production cycle from bill of materials to finished goods. Multi-level BOMs drive both production and kit selling at POS, where a kit scans as one item and deducts all constituent items from inventory automatically. Work orders are created from sales orders or production plans, with job cards tracking shop-floor execution. Subcontracting is supported in both directions: send raw materials out for processing, or take in customer manufacturing jobs and deliver finished goods back. Quality inspection, production planning, and a manufacturing dashboard provide operational visibility.
iVendNext WhatsApp App
A native WhatsApp integration that sends messages automatically when business events happen inside iVendNext. Order confirmations, delivery updates, payment reminders, and digital receipts are dispatched without manual intervention, driven by the lifecycle events already happening on the platform. Promotional campaigns are built and approved by Meta from inside iVendNext Desk, then sent to thousands of recipients with per-recipient personalisation. Inbound replies, button taps, and media files are captured against the customer record. Two API providers are supported in parallel: Meta Cloud API for full template, media, and Flow capabilities; WASender for simpler setup without Meta's approval cycle.