abas ERP

Purchasing

The increase in global competition is making it more important to keep an eye on costs at all times. In purchasing, price, quality and delivery time are crucial factors for success. With flexible price calculations, you can negotiate appropriate conditions with your vendors. You can also reduce costs by implementing an efficient ordering process and maintaining the lowest stock levels necessary to ensure availability. Continuous vendor evaluation will help you ensure quality and delivery reliability.

From RFQs to purchase order suggestions, purchase orders, the entry of goods receipts and invoice verification, purchase order processing supports continuous and integrated activity processing and is the central component of abas ERP.

Procurement costs with the detail you need

Procurement can be performed on an order, project or requirement with controllable default values. You are given a quick overview of the status of procurement — purchasing and production. You can see the full detail of the development of procurement costs, including manufacturing, raw material, and additional costs.

Order/project-related procurement

Materials and assemblies can be uniquely assigned and are reserved for a specific order or project. Procurement is triggered by order-related scheduling.

Product file

The Product File collects all important information about a particular product and presents it in chart form in a single view.

Cost reductions through vendor integration and renegotiation

abas ERP offers you efficient support in vendor management. Using the vendor file, you can quickly evaluate the current situation of a vendor. This visibility of information simplifies decision making and offers direct access to all ongoing processes, procurement suggestions and activities of the vendor. Likewise, notes and archived documents from the document management system are also visible in the vendor file. This provides the ideal basis for managing your vendor relationships. Vendor integration and renegotiation can therefore help you reduce costs.

Purchasing overview

The purchasing overview displays all relevant information for the buyer in one view. Each processor has a role-based overview of all assigned activities. They can analyze their activities over a specific period and click to toggle to different applications to perform additional actions, such as processing purchase orders.

Central management of purchasing processes

Users can manage all purchasing processes from the Purchasing Center information system. The purchasing processes from quotation to invoice are processed, viewed and created here. You can select, create, release or process current or already archived purchasing processes according to different criteria. By connecting to information systems such as sales activities, plan chart, procurement status or warehouse stock, you can access specific information with the click of a button.

Make sound purchasing decisions: from RFQs to purchase orders

In abas ERP, you can easily create RFQs to vendors and transmit these electronically using EDI. A quotation comparison that measures prices, delivery times and conditions can help you to make sound purchasing decisions. Once you have selected a provider, you can automatically generate a purchase order from the RFQ.

Purchase order processing

Purchase order processing is the central component of purchasing. Purchase order suggestions are generated in scheduling by the net requirements determination or when stock levels fall below their minimum. The purchase order suggestions are then implemented in purchase orders. Like sales, blanket orders with vendors can also be processed in purchasing. These relate to particular products and contain defined delivery schedule quantities, scale prices, and discounts. By defining specific delivery schedule quantities, you can conveniently order all required products within a specified period of time.

Purchase order processing is linked to financial accounting and cost accounting for each purchase order item via the allocation of cost centers, cost objects, and account assignments. You can create purchase order suggestions manually or select and sort them directly in the dialog, according to any criteria, such as vendors, products, planners/buyers, warehouse groups, or due dates. You can adjust quantities, prices and due dates. Also, the main vendor suggested by the system can be replaced by a different vendor in the purchase order suggestion. The purchase order suggestions are released and then automatically converted into purchase orders.

Automatic purchase order suggestions

abas ERP automatically generates purchase order suggestions from new or existing BOMs. Your buyers can release the purchase order suggestions to various vendors in a single step.

• Automate procurement processes: abas ERP identifies requirements and automatically generates purchase order suggestions, which include the quantity to be purchased and the required delivery date
• Simplification of work: Your purchasing department has access to an overview of all open purchase order suggestions. Here, you can convert individual or multiple suggestions into purchase orders in one simple step
• Manage and compare bidding processes: You can create RFQs for a purchase order suggestion, then manage and compare the options during the bidding process. Once you’ve selected a bid, you can trigger the purchase order directly from the bidding process, then archive the process with all of the received RFQ
• Faster and more secure further processing: The direct conversion of purchase order suggestions into purchase orders saves time and avoids errors caused through duplicate data entry
• Goods management and stock control: You can define minimum stock levels for all products in order to generate automatic purchase order suggestions when the inventory in stock falls below a certain level

Easy purchase order management

In Purchase Order Management, you can enter purchase orders directly, adopt them from an RFQ, or generate them from the purchase order suggestions created by the system. You can also order one-time parts that have not been created in the master data file. A description of the one-time parts is allocated to the purchase order item. The purchase order is also the basis for the later account assignment of the incoming invoice. You can assign cost centers and cost objects to a purchase order item. If you want to add more information, each purchase order item can be supplemented by texts of any length, and drawings can also be linked.

Blanket orders/contracts for full control of vendor contracts

Acceptance agreements can be made within a specific time period from the basis of vendor-related blanket orders or contracts. In abas ERP, blanket orders/contracts are managed independently of the purchase orders, which will then form the outstanding blanket orders. Cumulative quantities (already delivered quantities or released quantities) and the remaining stock of each product are managed in the blanket orders. This means that you have a full overview and control of your vendor agreements at all times.

Optimize goods receipt processes

Goods receipt in abas ERP takes into account complete deliveries, partial deliveries, surplus deliveries and shortfall deliveries. You can also create collective packing slips. After the goods have been received, they are allocated automatically to the default receipt location. A receipt entry to a quality control warehouse or consignment warehouse is also possible. In the event of a complaint, you can easily trigger an immediate return delivery. Quality control is carried out when the goods are received or after entering the physical condition of the product. You can also connect external QA solutions. Goods receipt and invoice verification are linked to financial accounting, cost accounting and warehouse management. abas ERP automatically posts to the warehouses and financial accounting, records all supplementary costs, calculates the input tax and maintains a log.

Manage subcontracting and supplies flexibly

You use the subcontracting (external production) function to manage the processing of semi-finished products and those supplied by subcontractors. The abas ERP system creates subcontracting suggestions, which can be used to generate service purchase orders. You manage the subcontracting product structure in the neutral production list. Provided parts are easily determined and sent to the subcontractor. You can change subcontracting to internal production at short notice in the editable order production list. This makes it possible to manage make-or-buy decisions simultaneously.

Supplies are transferred from the production list for the ordered part, and can be amended for the purchase order using the editable subcontracting list. In the parts master, you define a vendor-based lead time for provided parts. This determines how many working days prior to the delivery date the provided part needs to be with the vendor.

Relocations from A to B

You use the relocation suggestions function to evaluate relocation suggestions when transferring products from one warehouse to another. You can decide which items of a table you want to relocate and which are to initially remain in the present location. Then you set the criteria that should be used for the selection. Details of a relocation suggestion can be seen by double-clicking a table row.

Manage forecast delivery schedules

abas ERP creates release orders and sends them to the vendors via EDI. Purchase order suggestions from scheduling can be clearly viewed and easily converted into forecast delivery schedule orders.

All vendors with outstanding deliveries are clearly displayed in the delivery reminders information system and can be grouped together under a specified date, or displayed with a flexible date. If needed, the ERP system automatically creates reminders for deliveries that have not been made.

Purchasing delivery reliability report

With the purchasing delivery reliability report, you can assess vendors based on the confirmed delivery date and agreed purchase order quantity. You can refine delivery reliability by time, vendor or client. The report is based on the number of deliveries recorded through packing slips. Delivery date reliability shows the percentage of deliveries that arrived early, just in time, or late based on the confirmed delivery date. Delivery quantity reliability shows the percentage of deliveries that were under-delivered, delivered in full or overdelivered on the basis of the original order quantity.

Pricing made easy

Accurate costing is essential to determining the correct price of a product. The key lies in striking a balance between setting a price that is high enough to generate income, but low enough to attract customers. With the right price, you can maximize your profit. This makes pricing an important business decision. abas ERP actively assists you with pricing in purchasing and sales, as well as determining price and discount suggestions for quotations, orders and purchase orders.

Furthermore, you can set individual prices and fix them in the master data records using the pricing function. The prices/discounts information system easily delivers all important information. Each customer quickly receives a customized quotation that is based on a reliable calculation.

ABC analysis for decision-making support

You use the ABC analysis to classify the items in your product range. The evaluation is based on a comparison of stock quantity to value. The analysis assumes that bulk goods are cheap and easy to procure, while higher value goods are expensive and relatively difficult to procure. Data is evaluated for each warehouse group. Only stock issues in the stock movement journal are analyzed. Additionally, the ABC parts are broken down into percentages and displayed in a pie chart. The values for the corresponding A, B and C parts are displayed in a bar chart.

Business intelligence for purchasing

You can use the standard BI reports for Purchasing to analyze your activities involving various vendors, economic areas and different product ranges.

Requisitions Module

Your requisition process can be expedited and largely automated in abas ERP through the abas bidding system and vendor portal, which help you easily create and manage bids from multiple vendors and quickly find the most cost efficient option for your business.

The system does this by generating a purchase order suggestion based on the main vendor, then allowing you to add other vendors and send a request to each one. You can initiate this entire process — requesting multiple bids — with just a few clicks. The abas vendor portal then allows you to review the submitted quotes and automatically create the purchase order for the chosen vendor. A notification center creates automatic e‑mails that notify the vendors whether or not they were selected.

Easy communication through the vendor portal

Through the vendor portal, your suppliers can update documents directly and be notified of any new pending requests. The portal syncs with the ERP system as soon as the vendor updates the request, eliminating the need for emails or other communications outside of your ERP ecosystem.

Integration with your MRP

The integration of the requisition function with your MRP eliminates the need for data re-entry. Important dates, such as when you were scheduled to have purchased an item, when it’s expected to be delivered, the requirement date, or when the item is actually going to be delivered, are automatically pulled in real time from other parts of the system, allowing you to focus instead on analysis of the purchasing options that will best suit your business goals.

Sales Planning & Forecasting Module

Sales planning within abas ERP is the basis of company-wide forecasting of all future sales and requirements. Sales planning uses scheduling to plan the availability of the materials and resources required for forecasting. Proven forecasting methods support you in your short, medium and long-term planning of sales and required quantities for finished products or subassemblies.

Sales planning with planned orders to support scheduling and procurement

abas ERP calculates planning data for a product based on historical values. Scheduling then uses the planning data to suggest product quantities that should be produced within a defined interval. The success of the planning forecasts can be measured based on the variances between the forecast and actual sales and requirements. This gives you time to take appropriate action and implement corrective measures accordingly. Trends or unusual patterns can be identified using the sales planning evaluation tools.

Optimize warehouse stock, delivery availability and liquidity

Sales planning in abas helps you to optimize warehouse stocks while maintaining the same delivery availability. What do you need in stock and when can you minimize stocks to increase liquidity? What stock has to be available to guarantee on-time delivery? With abas ERP, you can plan your requirements precisely in advance.

Planning cycle

Planning is normally run annually or once per fiscal year. To take short-term changes or seasonal fluctuations into account, planning that has already been completed can be updated, substantiated, and reworked according to specific time intervals. This enables you to respond quickly and dynamically to new developments and incorporate additional information into your planning.

Different determination of quantities in sales planning:

• Individual products or product groups
• Differentiated according to warehouse groups
• Differentiated for individual customers or customer groups
• Flexible planning periods: day, week, month, quarter and year, or freely selectable periods

Forecasting methods can be used to extrapolate, import or manually enter planning data based on historical data. Revenue planning determines the planned sales revenue for a product or entire product group based on a sales plan price.

Evaluations:

• Target/actual comparisons for sales volume and revenue
• Display planning hierarchies
• abas ERP determines planning data for a product. Scheduling uses the planning data to suggest the product quantities to be produced within a defined interval
• Existing deliveries and orders are offset during planning.

Supplier Relationship Management Module

As many business owners know, there is a strong link between a company’s purchasing and its profitability, with purchasing playing an important role in ensuring the efficiency and long-term competitiveness of a company. Because of this, the role of the buyer has changed. Sourcing parts and materials is only one side of it; there is also an increasing need to actively forge relationships with vendors. This is where supplier relationship management comes in, helping to structure and coordinate efficient relationships and processes between a company and its vendors. It ensures that all suppliers are closely integrated with the company and also supports purchasing throughout the entire procurement process.

Managing your supplier relationships

abas ERP gives you a 360° view of your suppliers, providing effective support in supplier management. Using the vendor file, you can quickly evaluate the current supplier situation allowing you to make decisions more quickly. Users have direct access to all ongoing processes, procurement suggestions and activities of a vendor. The results from the procurement suggestions info system are also presented in a graphical format in the vendor file. It calculates the key figures for order, subcontracting, or relocation suggestions. In addition, notes and archived documents from the document management system are also visible in the vendor file. This provides the ideal basis for managing your supplier relationships. Vendor integration and renegotiation can therefore help you to reduce costs.