e-Procurement: From Strategy to Implementation

Other Key Issues to Consider Before Starting

Integration Issues

Because of the time, resources, and money associated with the effort, opinion varies as to whether back-end systems integration should take place before or after the initial e-procurement implementation. Some suggest that a company should start by achieving cost savings and supplier consolidation first.

“There is a need for ERP integration if you are a big company and you want to pass that purchase order from the ERP system to the e-procurement system,” contends Mikko Talsi, ICL’s director of B2B e-commerce. “But the reason for doing e-procurement in the first place is for cost savings from supplier consolidation and managing maverick buying.”

“Don’t start by hooking up ERP,” he ...