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» Personal Loan No Credit Check, Online Economics » Procurement logistics » Topics begins with E » Electronic procurement
By electronic procurement (also E-Procurement called) one understands the procurement of goods and services over Internet. It is thus used particularly within the range of the operational, the professional purchase.
With this term usually only then one operates if secured entrances take place in Extranets or Intranets. Frequently thereby VPNs are used (virtual private network), which are not accessible particularly secured and for third.
In a closed system the two firm nets of the supplier and the buying enterprise are interconnected. This means as a rule a substantial expenditure, in order to adapt the interfaces each other. If both companies and/or organizations use homogeneous software systems, the group becomes simpler. Nowadays the data communication is made frequently by the platform-neutral specification language XML. Nevertheless still a substantial expenditure remains for mechanism. For this reason such systems pay only, if a substantial procurement extent between the supplier and the customer takes place. This is e.g. with suppliers of the automobile industry the case.
The chart shows the fundamental arrangement. Left we have the net of the supplier, on the right of that of the customer. The data are exchanged between both nets over Internet. The usual VPN is drawn in.
In particular of wholesale dealers with many customers (retailers) half-open systems are made available. Such systems are merged on supplier side into the internal net, while on the customer side typically two variants are offered. Over a standard interface, which runs in a Browser, the customers can intervene directly in the expirations of the supplier, to orders place, the conditions of the supply pursue, the stock regard etc. to it parallel an interface (e.g. with Java applications) are mostly offered, over which the customer can make the binding into its own system or this can let settle by a software house.
In particular at indirect goods (MRO = maintenance, Repair and operation) find frequently also open systems application, which are connected mostly asynchronously and by Internet. Data exchange takes place on basis of product catalogs, which are mostly made available in larger temporal distances (weeks until months) by the suppliers by file and examined by the buyer. The catalog management defines the processes necessary for it.
As a result of the direct connection of two internal nets mostly substantial process cost savings arise for both sides. In-house procedures (= processes) take place without a medium break in such a way specified. Without E-Procurement orders are normally printed out in the customer system on paper, conveyed in any way (fax, post office dispatch) to the supplier there and entered again into the supplier system. The saving of this detour over paper concerns both costs and especially time.
Besides transfer errors are avoided, which can take place when rereading the paper in otherwise - also automatic scanners do not work completely error free. The availability of the commodity can be examined immediately and be met so immediately the decision to select a spare product to shift the project or to assign another supplier.
Usually in such systems the procurement procedures are not only completed electronically as such. In particular the rendering of invoice is made mostly likewise by the system. Here the appropriate regulations of the financial administration for the fiscal acknowledgment of the electronic calculations must be considered.
Likewise to be automated usually the discount systems as well as various statistic evaluations.
A special meaning wins the E-Procurement with public procurements. By changes of title since short electronic advertisements became possible and at present in the test phase. The commitment of the offers takes place e.g. via electronic signature.
An important criterion with the electronic procurement is the security of the data.
The technical realization is very various. The data communication with XML is newer date. With existing systems mostly still particularly developed data formats are used. As programming basis frequently Java was taken. This presupposes however a clear definition of the technical requirements to the computer of the other side and therefore in practice only with closed systems is used. With half-open systems an employment can take place, if the one side possesses market power to prescribe for the contracting party the use of certain hard and software. By the employment from XML one became more flexible concerning the programming languages.
Both sides will have a same market power rarely. Therefore one can speak of supplier systems and of procuring party systems.
With supplier systems the supplier gives the system and calls the requirements, which the customer must fulfill, in order to use the system. Since the supplier is interested in the business, it offers frequently also a simplified system, with which on customer side only one PC with a suitable interface stands. In particularly simple cases commercial PCs with standard Browsern are sufficient. The availability of the necessary software routines takes place partly free of charge, partly against fee. Possibly necessary hardware is defined, so that the customer can procure itself it. Occasionally special hardware (often for safety reasons) is offered for the purchase or for the rent.
With procuring party systems the customer (procuring party) defines the technical requirements for the order system. As suppliers only companies are applicable, which these conditions fulfill and which often substantial Investionskosten carries. The automobile industry is for this a good example.
In market place systems the operators offer both to the supplier side and the customer side a clear cost saving, since the integration costs of both sides result only once, by which participation in the market place however numerous business partners be served can.
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