PROCUREMENT STRATEGY
“ Organisations must adopt agnostic platforms that integrate with any technology . This is a key reason why ERP S2P solutions continue to lag as they tend to only integrate well with their own ERP platforms and those of partners . Technology-agnostic platforms are the only way to create a comprehensive digital ecosystem that doesn ’ t discriminate against other platforms , or create unnecessary roadblocks for procurement teams .” While Matthew says , the simplest way to do this is to choose technology that allows companies to connect all their systems . “ APIs are critical today , and any system that doesn ’ t use APIs to connect to other systems is not the best choice ,” he adds . “ It ’ s important for new tech providers you decide to work with to sit down with you and understand your existing ecosystem and how the new technology will link with theirs . Maintaining comprehensive documentation of systems and integration processes is important to aid in troubleshooting and future upgrades . Using pilot programmes should only be as phase one of the whole programme , which should start to deliver results and bring value to the business as quickly as possible . A standalone pilot is normally a recipe for wasted time and money .”
The benefits Matthew adds that companies can see a number of benefits from the digital ecosystem , including increasing efficiency and effectiveness by automating procurement processes and workflows and significantly
reducing manual tasks and processing times . Another benefit is enhanced collaboration . Working in sync with the right people at the right time using the right tools and bringing in the right data is really critical to running a business . “ Identifying the right people early enough in the cycle so that they ’ re not blindsided makes for a better working environment ,” he adds . “ One of the biggest benefits is data-driven decision-making . Using AI and advanced data analytics to make informed real-time decisions is one
90 August 2024