Our client, who has been operating in the retail industry for many years, approached us with a request to implement a solution that would streamline the purchasing process for non-trade goods and services. The solution was intended to cover a wide range of activities, from managing contracts (including lease contracts) to placing orders and processing invoices.

Since there was no organized purchasing process in the organization, we started with what seemed to be the simplest – we set up a process for approving incoming invoices. Initially, invoices were not linked to orders (which did not exist formally). After the implementation, orders were created, and based on them, the system automatically calculated and implemented approval paths. Finally, invoices were exported to the ERP system (Oracle EBS).

In the next step, we built and implemented a purchase order process from scratch, which became a mandatory initiation for the purchase of a service or product. All invoices had to be linked to purchase orders. The paths of purchase order approvals depended on a combination of cost centers, projects, and purchasing areas (e.g., IT, HR, furniture, etc.). The data from the purchase order formed the basis for approving invoices.

In the final stage, we created a repository of contracts, with a special focus on lease contracts for retail spaces. We prepared complex templates that allowed for detailed management of costs related to the implementation of these contracts.