The Purchasing Management module is fully integrated with the Estimating Module and has been designed as the next stage in the contracting process once a tender has been successful. All resources required to carry out a contract can be printed out from the estimating module as a manual shopping list, or, using the integrated link, as an electronic shopping list. The degree of purchase automation is very much user defined.

The system can also be used on a stand alone basis quite apart from the estimating module. Using one or more of the libraries an extensive Price Book can be pre-defined and maintained on an on-going basis. Optional checks are available to advise that selected products can be ordered from an alternative supplier at a cheaper price. This warning can also be conditional on quantities ordered. A major feature of the priced libraries is that default Cost Elements, Cost Sub Elements and Cost Heads or any combination of these can be set so that cost coding does not have to be done at invoice stage.

Where the Estimating Module has been used it is possible at the time of order input to check the budget quantity on the contract for the relevant item together with details of what has already been ordered. This can flag up any tendering miscalculations, potential variations or lack of site control of stocks. In addition the price for the item used in the estimate is displayed so that buyers have a target price to beat. This allows for pro-active expenditure controls at the purchasing stage.

There are facilities for inputting goods received notes with referral checks to the ordered quantity as well as previous receipts.

The Purchasing Module is also integrated with the Contract Management module to update the committed costs with all orders placed. Accruals are updated with all materials received with a consequent reduction in the committed amount. Purchase invoices update the actual costs with a consequent reduction in the accrued amount. If the purchase order element of the system is not required purchase invoices can be input in a stand alone fashion with user defined allocation.

As well as integration with the Estimating and Contract Management modules the Purchasing Management module also links with the Creditors Ledger in the core financial system to allow for standard creditor control and payment procedures.

All enquiry screens can be exported directly to Microsoft Excel for further analysis if required.
Purchase order screen:

Note the icons to click on the relevant delivery note(s) and invoice(s).

Note the icons to click on the relevant order and invoice(s).
The lines are selected by the user and populated automatically from the Purchase Order.

Note the icons to click on the relevant order and delivery note(s).
The lines are selected by the user and populated automatically, prices from the Purchase Order and quantities from the Delivery Note(s).
Note coding greyed out as set up at Purchase Order input. This can default from the library item or can be manually input by the user.
Note the Manual Invoice check box if invoices are being input which were not part of the ordering system.