“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
(Charles Darwin)
5 Key Considerations When Choosing Your Procurement Software
It’s a well-known thing that automation of the procurement process is a key factor for a successful business. Procurement softwares save time and money for your company but choosing the software that will take over such a huge and important role in your company is definitely not an easy task. Considering many years of experience we have in development of business solutions and year-long collaboration with a huge number of successful companies, we bring you a list of most important things to consider when choosing your procurement software.
1. Adaptability to your needs
Most procurement software solutions offer countless functions and modules, offering its users a wide range of features. Generally, having so many features sounds great, but is that kind of software really good choice for you? Such solutions are usually not tailored for users and make it harder for them to adapt to new solutions. In addition to that, many of these modules will probably never be used even though you actually pay for them. Choose the software that suits your needs and tailor it to your business. You will see that pleasure won’t be missed!
2. Reliability
The number of software vendors is growing daily and the market offers a huge number of different solutions. Looking for a software solution, keep in mind that the software you buy must be reliable and functional, as well as the company you choose to collaborate with has to be trustworthy. The procurement software must be stable and have strong security features. That way, your business will run smoothly, without fear of data or documentation loss. The software being a cloud-based system is also a good feature. Considered more reliable, software solutions that are offered as SaaS services become more popular every day. According to Deutsche Telekom’s research, even 65% of IT experts are convinced Cloud services are a safer and more convenient business solution. With such software solutions, data is stored on service provider’s servers. Therefore, in addition to guaranteed antivirus protection, you can be sure that no loss of data will occur in case of failure on the physical components of your system.
3. Implementation with existing business processes
Another very important feature to look after when acquiring your procurement software is flexibility and adaptability. Make sure the software solution you choose offers the ability to connect with your existing ERP system. This will save you a lot of valuable time because existing data will automatically be imported and synchronized with the procurement software. Speaking of flexibility and adaptability, the possibility of adjusting procurement scenarios according to the type of procurement project, as well as the possibility of aligning it with your company’s procurement regulations should not be left out. Believe us: softwares with these features make implementation much simpler!
4. Good connectivity with suppliers
Don’t forget your suppliers are users of your procurement software too. For this very reason, it is crucial to choose a solution that offers a well-developed and well-designed vendor database. In addition to that, supplier data are of great importance for conducting further analysis and business cooperation. Choose the software that provides vendors with easy and fast registration, well-developed bidding processes and participation in e-auctions that doesn’t require complicated procedures. Using the procurement software will make business easier not only for you, but also for your suppliers, as the introduction of such a business system will reduce the number of errors and thus the amount of disputes and misunderstandings.
5. Quality Customer Support
After implementing the software solution, it is of utmost importance that you have someone reliable to contact in case of difficulty using the system. A team of experts who, in addition to having extensive software knowledge, have lots of knowledge on e-procurement and procurement in general, will be of great value in critical situations. Choose a company whose Customer Support is accessible and efficient in troubleshooting! This way, work will be done better, your employees and suppliers will be satisfied and they won’t experience unnecessary stress.
As mentioned earlier, choosing the software suitable for your business is not an easy task. Take your time and write a list of features your procurement software must contain. Contact us freely – our consultants will do their best to provide you with more helpful information. We are sure Ensolva is the software solution you are looking for!
