6 Questions to Ask when You?re Busy Choosing the Right e-Requisition Software

Posted by articlelink01 on October 27th, 2014

Just because many businesses are investing in e-requisition software doesn’t have to mean you have to join the crowd immediately. Like any aspect of your business, it requires thorough thinking and serious consideration.

Also, you need to learn to pick the right software for you. Which one is it going to be? Learn to ask the following questions to know the answer.

How secure is this?

Ask anyone who operates in the cloud or considering doing so, and they’d tell you that one of their biggest concerns is the software’s security. That’s 100% understandable with all the horrific stories about Internet hacking and identity theft that costs companies monumental amounts of losses.

Keep in mind that while no cloud-based purchase order software can completely guarantee the safety of your data, they are more than prepared to deal with a variety of security risks on a daily basis. They employ best practices not only in the maintenance of their IT infrastructure but also in access control and authorization, among other things.

How much does it cost?

There are many ways to acquire the e-requisition software, and normally companies will provide you with different packages. You may pay per month or per year. In some cases, they offer light and premium versions. There are also others that sell programs in modules, which can be integrated with one another to help you build a more cohesive purchasing program. Either way, you’re provided with greater flexibility especially with regard to how much you’re willing to spend for the software.

Can I integrate this with other software?

This is actually a very important question, particularly if you’re already using some programs like accounting or inventory applications. The goal is to maximize the cloud-based purchase order software. You don’t want to end up spending on one with features that are already found in other programs. Most of all, you want to improve your efficiency and ensuring that data can be easily corroborated by those found in other programs.

Not all purchase programs can work in all types of third-party applications, so make sure that you really ask this.

What kind of support do you offer?

You can’t expect the e-requisition software to run perfectly all the time, but that should not be your major concern but rather the kind of support you can get especially if you need support in a hurry.

Check their after-sales support. Do they offer a 24-hour hotline? Can they send someone over to personally check the interface at your end?

How robust is your IT infrastructure?

Remember that since this is cloud-based purchase order software, most of the control lies on the developer. At your end, you want to see to it the program runs at least 99.9% of the time, day in and day out. It should have no lag time, and any data you put in should reflect in real time.

What are the features?

Sometimes you get too engrossed in its security and even design that you forget about the kinds of functionalities you can use with the software. Some of the common features found in e-requisition programs include:

• Audit trail
• Inventory management
• Management reporting
• Vendor relationship management (VRM)
• Purchase orders
• Spend and budget analysis
• Process control

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Automate your purchasing process today and have more time leading, marketing, and building revenues and cash flows. Invest in a customizable and secure e requisition software from Bellwether. When you invest in its cloud based purchase order software, you also invest in the company’s over 29 years experience in requisition and purchasing management.