E-procurement platforms

Digitising procurement processes using e-procurement systems provides a significant process advantage for company purchasing departments. Collaboration on strategic and operational processes with suppliers reduces costs, reduces the required employee capacity for purchasing and also provides added value by reducing the time required for delivery and payment.

As a customer-oriented company, LAPP also wants to exploit the enormous potential for its customers and, as a supplier, guarantee them all the possibilities of optimum procurement processes.

The classic procurement process is time-consuming, involves a lot of manual steps and requires various interfaces to internal departments. With the switch from paper-based procurement to a "paperless office" and automated processes, all our important information flows digitally. This enables the ordering process to run smoothly, with accelerated ordering processes, cost savings and transparency about the status of the entire ordering process.

Benefits of e-procurement systems

• Reduced process costs
• Reduced employee capacity requirement for purchasing
• Delivery terms and payment agreements with individual suppliers do not need to be renegotiated time and time again
• Simplified comparison of individual suppliers
• Quick and simple contact with suppliers
• By using ERP programs, companies ensure that the database is always up-to-date with regard to stock levels
• Automated ordering via dynamic catalogues (e.g. OCI) or static catalogues (e.g. BMECat) saves time

From requesting orders to placing orders

Electronic procurement helps to simplify and speed up processes. In an ERP system, for example, it is possible to grant various departments and employees working in them the authority to create an order request. The order request is sent to the purchasing department, where it is checked and the order is finally placed with the supplier.

Within the system, it is possible to allocate the authorisations for clearing an order in such a way that those requesting the order can place their order with the supplier independently. For example, this authorisation can be limited to certain articles or to a maximum order value.

This will make product users much more autonomous and independent in the selection and procurement of direct and indirect materials. At the same time, this also means that our customers’ purchasing departments could have less of an active influence on orders.