Tag Archive - eProcurement

What is PEPPOL?

 

Since the announcement of the e-Invoicing & PEPPOL project last week by Minister Brian Hayes, the Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works there has been much online and offline discussion about the nature and origin of the project itself. In my last post on the subject I stated that e-Invoicing isn’t new to Ireland. Indeed, Celtrino has been helping Irish companies do it for more than 20 years. But PEPPOL is new to Ireland and the purpose of this post is to provide a brief overview of PEPPOL.

So, what is PEPPOL?

PEPPOL stands for the Pan-European Public Procurement Online project.

At a high level, PEPPOL is an EU initiated and funded e-Procurement project to enable seamless cross-border e-Procurement, connecting communities through standards-based solutions.

In particular, PEPPOL will enable any company in any EU member state to respond to any tender across the EU. Therefore, any Irish or EU company will be able to tender for government projects in any EU member state.

Why PEPPOL?

Government inefficiency, particularly government procurement inefficiency is the focus of PEPPOL. Less than 5% of total procurement budgets are awarded electronically and only 1.6% of contracts are supplied by an entity in another Member State. It is estimated that if e-Procurement is adopted by all European contracting authorities, annual savings could exceed €50B.

How will PEPPOL work?

PEPPOL will remove the technical and procedural barriers to public procurement by enabling European businesses to deal electronically with any public buyers in their procurement processes.
PEPPOL is a document exchange service enabling e-Delivery of business documents between government agencies and private companies.

Is PEPPOL Live?

The PEPPOL project was set-up in 1998 and  is currently in test phase in 12 EU member states.
Ireland is an active participant along with Austria,  Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Greece, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Celtrino is a key member of the Irish PEPPOL project and our public sector project partner is the Health Service Executive (HSE).

What is PEPPOL / Pan-European Public Procurement Online

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Posted on February 14, 2012 in e-Invoicing, eProcurement, EU, European Union, PEPPOL, Private Sector, Procure-to-Pay, Public Sector by
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Are you Over Complicating e-Invoicing?

 

The rush for the paperless office and associated riches available through efficiencies and cost-savings is a compelling argument for many businesses. They then rush through the initial planning only to discover that the complexity of such a deployment is far greater than they had initially anticipated.  Discontent is quickly followed by despair and can even result in the new system being ditched altogether.Over-complicated e-Invoicing?

What goes wrong? Many businesses are simply not prepared for the culture shock associated with the changes required to their processes and cannot adjust to the more rigid structures required. Although “touchless” systems promise the greatest returns on investment, the fact that they also affect every part of an organisation means the greatest disruption, even if it is only short-lived.

And here lies the nub of the problem. The deployment of an e-Procurement system is all or nothing; it must be implemented across the entire company simultaneously, or not at all. There are no piecemeal implementation options.

Contrast this with e-Invoicing which is the process of replacing paper-based invoice documentation with its electronic equivalent. In this scenario, all of the benefits of a touchless system are still available (reduced staff burden, reduced time to payment, ongoing reduced costs), but the impact is borne by the accounts department alone.

The implementation of an e-Invoicing system for many companies provides the perfect opportunity to test out a single paperless department and solve the common deployment problems on a smaller scale. These lessons can then be carried forward, once the business benefits have been properly recognized, and a wider deployment authorised.

The implementation of any electronic platform will always require changes to business processes, but much of the complication can be reduced by taking on a smaller challenge first. Although e-Procurement may be your company’s eventual target, an e-Invoicing roll out may provide the practice you need to get the process right.


Posted on December 19, 2011 in Business Process Automation, e-Invoicing, eProcurement by
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UniPhar Group nominated for “Best Use of Technology in Procurement” at The 2011 National Procurement Awards!

 

The National Procurement Awards 2011There is always a strong sense of pride when one of your customers is nominated by their peers for a best-in-class award at an annual gathering of industry experts. The sense of pride is in part a vindication that your customer chose well in selecting you to deliver such a strategically important solution, also as we delivered what the customer wanted on time and budget and finally, a well-deserved feeling of confidence in a job well done.

Tonight, at the National Procurement Awards, Uniphar is nominated in the category for ‘Best Use of Technology in Procurement.’ Uniphar has been nominated for its Link service and it is testament to its success as it has been live just over one year. The web-based customer portal enables Uniphar Group to manage all interactions with member pharmacies from a single central point. The pharmacies can place orders online at any time, view up-to-date orders, process invoices and other key information.

Uniphar LinkTom McKenna who is the Commercial Director at Uniphar Wholesale puts everything in context when he says, “Identifying that a large group of independent pharmacies buying together could get the same type of purchasing discounts as a chain – that is not innovation, it is just plain economics. Where the innovation lies is in creating a procurement system that will save pharmacy managers time and effort, as well as money.”

As the clock ticks down to the ceremony tonight, we wish Tom and his team every success and do hope that they pick up the top award. It would be the icing on the cake to a job well done!


Posted on November 17, 2011 in Announcements, Cloud Computing, eProcurement, Integrated Supply Chain Management Platform, Pharmacy Sector, SaaS by
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EU Digital Agenda Roadshow Reaches Dublin and London

 

Digital Agenda for Europe logoFollowing the success of similar events last year, the EU Digital Agenda for Europe agency are organising a follow-up regional “tour” inviting localised stakeholders to discuss the creation of a true European Digital Single Market. Ministers from both the Irish and British governments as well as EU representatives will participate in a number of sessions to explore the potential solutions to the challenges that this presents.

Despite there being an unfortunate bias towards “digital content creators” on the agenda, certain challenges face any business looking to do business across international borders, from cultural differences to the need for integrated IT supply chain management and invoicing systems. Given this, several question and answer sessions are scheduled, along with opportunities to network with key EU Commissioners and Directors of Policy allowing conference delegates to learn from the experiences of their counterparts in other European countries.

During the morning open discussion and lunchtime sessions, the different approaches to e-Procurement and e-Invoicing used across Europe will also be debated as UK businesses seek to understand the implications of trading electronically with other government bodies and businesses on the continent. Standardisation of systems and platforms will also become essential as the single market concept develops.

The use of hosted services that transcend physical borders and language differences for electronic invoice presentment and payment will also be of keen interest to businesses seeking to expand their European operations. Platforms and services which are locale agnostic and can accept input from any finance system will be essential to the development of a true cross-border, pan-European marketplace.

The Digital Agenda for Europe agency intend to run further local sessions in Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Birmingham, although there has not yet been any official date announced.

Questions and comment from UK and Irish stakeholders are also being sought via Twitter for presentation during each of the events. More details are available at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/cf/daelocal/item-display.cfm?id=6999


Posted on November 9, 2011 in Digital Agenda for Europe, Digital Single Market, e-Invoicing, EIPP, eProcurement, EU, European Commission, European Union by
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Scottish Government Enters e-Procurement for the First Time

 

As with many other European governments, the Scottish Government has decided to replace its current electronic procurement platform with a hosted service. The Government have signed a four year contract worth £18.5 million to provide online purchasing services named eProcurement Scotland Service.Scottish_Government_logo

Alex Neil, the Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment said, “The award of this contract builds upon Scotland’s successes in the deployment and management of public sector e-procurement technologies.”

The eProcurement Scotland platform will be run across datacentres spread across a number of different locations with centralised management from the Government’s datacentre in Edinburgh. Support services for users will come from an external company based in Aberdeen whilst integration and transition services will be provided from a Glasgow office.

The contract is expected to provide both cost savings and environmental benefits. The eProcurement Scotland project will see 73 servers reduced to just 19 through the use of an outsourced virtual hosting environment. This reduction of physical hardware will result in lowered management costs, 75% less electrical power draw and a smaller carbon footprint. The Scottish Government calculate the carbon savings of the move will be equivalent to taking 200 cars off the road each year. The system will be better for users as well as the environment.

eProcurement Scotland The new eProcurement Scotland platform replaces the existing system which was set up in 2002 and currently processes orders in excess of £8 billion per year. There are more than 50,000 registered public sector users, capturing nearly 33% of the Scottish public sector spend.

The eProcurement Scotland platform is intended to be a flagship development of the Holyrood Administration. In Alex Neill’s words:”It [eProcurement Scotland] also showcases Scotland’s supplier capability to host and manage what is regarded as one of the leading government ecommerce services.”


Posted on October 28, 2011 in eProcurement, Order Management Processing, Public Sector by
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True e-Invoicing

 

Much has been made of Denmark’s transition to mandatory electronic invoicing in 2005 which requires any business who trades with the government to submit their invoices in an electronic format. The success of the system has seen the Danish government making efficiency savings of between €120 and €150 million each year since 2005.

e-Invoicing: Netherlands versus DenmarkSuch headline figures have seen many other national governments looking to implement similar systems with a view to reaping comparable cost savings. The Dutch government have been the latest to make a headline-grabbing statement about e-invoicing, but the technologies they have implemented fall outside what is typically thought of as e-invoicing.

So what is e-Invoicing?

At its most basic level and as the name implies, e-Invoicing is the presentation of an invoice for products or services electronically. e-Procurement platforms such as that operated by the Danish Government, allow suppliers to generate electronic payment demands which are then submitted directly into the Government accounts system.

What isn’t e-Invoicing?

Many people, including the Dutch Government think submission of an electronic version of a document is the same as an e-Invoice. Under this definition, simply emailing a Word document or a PDF counts as an e-invoice because the payment demand is transmitted electronically.

Why does it matter?

Although there are similarities between the Danish and Dutch electronic invoicing systems, the Danes have a clear advantage. By having suppliers submit electronic invoices directly into their accounts system, the Danish Government recognise cost savings immediately through reduced time and effort manually entering invoice details themselves. As soon as the eInvoice is received it is ready for authorisation and payment by the Treasury.

The Dutch Government also receive invoices immediately as documents are attached to emails allowing for savings in postage at the very least. However these invoices must then be manually re-entered into the accounts system, requiring additional staff and duplication of effort for both supplier and customer. As a result, any cost savings recognised by the Dutch Government “e-Invoicing” system will be well below those of Denmark.

The use of a true e-Invoicing system generates substantial cost savings for both buyer and supplier. If in doubt as to whether a suggested system will generate the savings you hope for, try speaking to a specialist provider such as Celtrino.


Posted on September 28, 2011 in Accounts Payable, B2B Platform in the Cloud, Celtrino Platform, e-Invoicing, eProcurement by
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PO Flip – What is it?

 

As with any new concept, eProcurement has brought with it a number of new terms and phrases to describe certain functions within the process. One of the strangest phrases entering into the vocabulary of procurement and accounting professions is the “PO Flip”.

At the most basic level, a PO Flip is the conversion of a Purchase Order into an Invoice using the tools available in eProcurement or Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment (EIPP) platforms, such as Celtrino’s own Smart Admin system. An eProcurement platform allows customers to submit their purchase orders electronically directly into the supplier’s accounting system. Using the automated tools available, the supplier can then automatically “flip” the purchase order into an electronic invoice for immediate return to the customer.

Card Flipping

PO Flips have become massively popular with suppliers to the public sector as local councils and even central government carry out more procurement via online platforms which provide the function as standard. Both supplier and buyer then benefit from the reduced time spent on administration of the purchase.

Upon receipt of an electronic invoice (also known as an eInvoice), the buyer can approve the purchase and authorise a BACS payment at the click of a mouse button. By automating the purchasing process, buyers and suppliers reduce the margin for human error and unforeseen delays associated with posting invoices, cheques and remittance advice.

Reduction of time expenditure in accounts administration has the added benefit of freeing up finance staff to focus on other areas of their roles. If the resource requirements continue to be reduced through further implementation of eProcurement and the outsourcing of associated systems, significant costs savings can also be recognised through a reduction in headcount.

The PO Flip is but one of many time-saving devices available to users of outsourced EIPP gateways such as Smart Admin from Celtrino. To find out more how your business could benefit from outsourced EIPP, please visit www.celtrino.ie


Posted on September 26, 2011 in e-Invoicing, eProcurement, PO Flip by
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Innovating for Success

 

In the past, innovation was a once-a-generation process. Businesses could afford to be as slow as they wanted because customers did not have the unlimited purchasing options available to them that they do now.

The advent of the Internet has rapidly increased the speed at which business can take place. Ecommerce systems allow customers to compare prices and make purchases instantaneously and only those businesses able to adjust to customer whims can survive.

In the same way, businesses are now able to change suppliers as and when required, radically altering their supply chains each time. Consequently vendors need B2C mechanisms for selling products, backed up by reliable B2B platforms to underpin their business processes. However many traditional ERP systems expect business processes to be set in stone and do not allow for the flexibility required for a fluid business model.

Frequent innovations are now an essential part of corporate survival. Business process changes are equally important, as is a system capable of underpinning them. Flexibility in purchasing and payments increase the field of potential business partners again allowing companies to make the best choices for their own growth.

Celtrino’s Smart Admin suite of services have been specially designed to allow exploitation and adaptation of processes to meet shorter lifecycle opportunities. Using the flexibility available in their cloud-based platform, Celtrino can adjust a business’ electronic supply chain in less time that it takes a traditional ERP provider to quote on the workflow changes required.

Smart Admin also allows users to implement as much or as little of the system as their situation demands. From basic e-Invoicing to full e-procurement and paperless purchase order processing, Celtrino provide the tools needed to reduce the time spent on administrative tasks and reap the associated cost savings. With full electronic data  interchange capabilities, both businesses involved in a transaction stand to benefit thanks to native integration capabilities between Celtrino and other critical in-house packages.

In a time when slow to change businesses risk extinction, Celtrino allows a business to innovate and re-invent their processes time and time again.


Posted on September 2, 2011 in B2B Platform in the Cloud, ERP, Supply Chain Integration by
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SlideShare Case Study: Uniphar utilise the cloud for cost savings

 

See how we helped Uniphar make huge efficiency savings by steamlining their procurement process.

Cloud Computing Helps Automate Costly Manual Ordering Processes
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Posted on September 1, 2011 in e-Invoicing, eProcurement, ERP, Supply Chain Integration by
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Flush out your ERP system – Price and Product alignment

 

Here is another one of our Slideshare documents. It’s about flushing out your ERP. Hopefully you find it useful!

 

Flush out your ERP System – Price and Product Alignment

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Posted on August 22, 2011 in ERP, Price and Product Alignment, Smart Admin, Supply Chain Document Automation by
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