What Is Advanced Procurement?

M4 Advanced eProcurement is a powerful elegant intuitive Spend Control solution which enhances Microsoft Dynamics.

M4 Advanced eProcurement is a part of M4’s DynamicsPlus.Net application series, which adds important capabilities to Dynamics ERP, written from the ground up to leverage Microsoft’s excellent Silverlight RIA (Rich Internet Applications) Platform.

Most Procurement solutions are based upon rigid sequential style workflow architecture. M4’s Advanced eProcurement uses a more powerful and much more flexible State Machine Architecture. Despite being more powerful, it is also much easier for administrators (no IT knowledge required) to design workflows, which model business processes and policies, in an elegant flexible and natural manner.

In our experience - previous generation systems – did not achieve the desired level of control, since the workflows were so difficult to setup and maintain, therefore in practice only very simple ones were used, or because they were not relevant to their scenarios, users simply bypassed the workflows.

Also our philosophy is that - for efficient effective spend control to succeed – everyone in the organisation must be a user, otherwise the workflows are easily bypassed or manual process have to be maintained - which kind of defeats the whole object, in our opinion.

In order to enable this – our system is very easy to use, for all types of users following minimal training, also it is sensibly priced, so that most organisations can easily afford, for all users to be licensed and reap a fast return on investment.

Figure 1- Creating Budgets

Figure 2 - Vendor Catalogue

Figure 3 - Purchase Orders

Figure 4 - Attachments

Figure 5 - Approval Policy Details

Figure 6 - Approval Policy Conditions

Figure 7 - Requisition

Figure 8 - Receiving

Figure 9 - Invoice

Figure 10 - Various Reports

Features

• Silverlight Rich Internet Application architecture that is easy to use with zero client installation or management costs enabling access from multiple devices and locations
• Powerful intuitive workflow designer with natural linked steps and tests performed within the steps adding to unique flexibility for making the following steps based upon test results
• Complete cycle of Purchase documents managed in M4 Advanced Procurement: Requisition, PO, Receiving, 3 way Invoice match, new Vendors, Purchase Contracts and Inventory Transfers
• Same workflow engine for Purchase Invoice Payment Approvals
• High usability of Image Management and Document Batch Scanning traits for better organization and manipulation of scanned images that are easily associated with existing transactions, saved to a network shared location with fast lookups on master data with focus on secure access and easy reference
• Complete Visibility of all spent activity based on Soft Commitments, Hard Commitments, Invoice Register, Email alerts including notify only and Portal Views
• PO Generator based upon Min Max stock levels, lead times and Site Management logic
• Rich and powerful approval policies customization for easy management of documents that are electronically routed for necessary approvals and administering budget control through custom made policies

Benefits

• Reduces spending
• Reduces wastage in eliminating excessive paper management by using Image Management
• Less wasted time by easy tracking and matching necessary data for documents
• Increased convenience and efficiency
• Eliminates stock shortages by easy accessing inventory
• Improves quality and consistency
• Adherence to important policies
• Ads to lower transaction costs
• Shortens order cycle time
• Enables higher compliance levels
• Lowers inventories based on better access and control
• Enhances operational efficiency in saving time with electronic automation of day-to-day processes and business reporting

Download Documentation

If you want to find out more about Advanced Procurement, please download Product Brochure and User Guides.

   M4 Advanced Procurement Brochure 2011

   M4 Advanced Procurement Installation User Guide

   M4 Advanced Procurement User Guide