E-Procurement with uvex
Digital procurement of personal protective equipment
From directors and safety engineers, to buyers and marketing executives: In many companies, various people are involved in the procurement process for goods such as personal protective equipment (PPE). As the number of parties involved in the procurement process grows, so too does the amount of work needed to complete an order. The result? Increased process complexity, which in turn can cause the company’s administrative costs to skyrocket.
E-procurement for efficient purchase management
New digital ordering processes (e-procurement) are designed to combat this problem: Purchasing company goods electronically reduces employee workload, saving time and money with each transaction. Switching from a fax-based order system to e-procurement also has a positive impact on the environment, as there is no need to print documents out.
Interested? Read on to learn more about the benefits of e-procurement and how you can switch to e-procurement with uvex. Or complete the online form to find out which e-procurement solution is the best fit for you.
The benefits of e-procurement with uvex – at a glance
Significant time savings and reduction in transaction costs
Easy integration of the uvex product portfolio into your existing e-procurement platforms and software solutions
Quick access to your individual product portfolio and specific negotiated terms
Increased transparency in the procurement process thanks to digital documentation of orders in the procurement system
Less printing for a more environmentally friendly procurement process
Request an e-procurement solution
As an experienced partner, we offer our customers four different options for utilising e-procurement with uvex: You can use e-procurement software such as SAP Ariba or Onventis, e-marketplaces like Mercateo and Simple System, or establish a direct link between ERP systems such as SAP and Navision – or you can simply place orders via the uvex online shop.
When you use specialist software for e-procurement, a provider acts as an intermediary between your ERP and our uvex system. This means that you no longer need to place orders in the ERP system; instead, you can order goods via a user-friendly e-procurement software interface. These programs have been designed specifically for procurement applications, so they boast a number of advantages compared to ordering via an ERP system: Including a better overview of your company’s expenditure and the ability to manage your suppliers’ catalogues and your tenders in the software.
"Initially, switching to an e-procurement system is a significant financial investment, but it is one that pays off over time: Procurement processes become significantly leaner, catalogue integration is standardised, and users can even manage sourcing events and suppliers."
Patrick Schilmeier | E-procurement specialist at uvex
E-marketplaces are a lower-cost alternative to rolling out an e-procurement system. As a user, you benefit from a wide product range, consolidated invoicing from multiple suppliers (single-creditor model) and an enhanced user experience – and you can enjoy all of these advantages when you purchase uvex products through digital channels. Want to shop with the wide array of suppliers on a marketplace without sacrificing your individually negotiated terms? We will happily provide you with your own tailored catalogue on your chosen e-marketplaces, or you can opt to shop from our entire range with your special prices added.
"Electronic marketplaces offer a wide range of products. They are intuitive to use and you can place digital orders without needing to implement any complex IT processes. And using these platforms doesn’t mean sacrificing your individual terms or tailored catalogues either. This is one of the main reasons why electronic marketplaces are such an attractive option for medium-sized companies in particular."
Peter Prütting | Head of Procure & Supply at uvex
Establishing a direct link between your ERP system and ours enables us to exchange electronic messages directly via electronic data interchange (EDI). Electronic catalogues form the basis for this communication. uvex can assist you with the process of creating item data through the use of catalogue interfaces such as OCI or Punchout, or you can receive data as a static catalogue, such as BMECat.
"We recommend a direct link for all customers who do not want to roll out any new software but still want to benefit from digitalisation with uvex. You can use all of the existing workflows and communicate with us electronically and fully automatically. Drawing on our extensive EDI experience, we will support you to the best of our ability throughout the process of implementation to reduce complexity and reduce the burden on your internal resources."
Patrick Schilmeier | E-procurement specialist at uvex
In an online shop, you can log in and order directly from the manufacturer, with access to the entire product range and your customer-specific prices. The shop features a traffic light system to indicate stock levels, so that you can tell whether the item you’re looking for is available before you place your order. The user-friendly self-service area also enables you to check the status of your order or download any documents you need at any time.
"The uvex online shop is the ideal solution for all customers who are looking for a cost-effective way to use digital ordering without the high investment costs. You can create a wish list from frequently ordered products or redownload invoices whenever you wish. Already using an ERP system? Then the uvex online shop in OCI catalogue or Punchout format might be the best option for you."
Peter Prütting | Head of Procure & Supply at uvex
Five good reasons to switch to e-procurement with uvex
Want to know why e-procurement with uvex is the best solution? Here are five good reasons to partner with us:
1uvex is an experienced partner active in e-procurement since 1990
2Over 500 customers already use EDI communication with uvex
3uvex offers solutions for a wide range of systems and software
4uvex can provide high-quality product data in various catalogue formats
5uvex in-house e-procurement experts will be happy to advise you on your specific situation
Request an e-procurement solution
In the field of procurement in particular, it can be tricky to maintain an overview of the goods you purchase. Purchases made outside of official channels – an action also referred to as “maverick buying” – are one of the main reasons why it can be hard to keep track. These kinds of purchases can drive costs up, which would go unnoticed without procurement management. To help you stay on top of things and ensure that goods are ordered from the preferred suppliers – including those with whom you have agreed special terms – it is a good idea to manage your procurement process digitally.
Electronic catalogues can be used to exchange standardised item data (text, images, documents, classifications etc.) between companies. This approach also reduces the administrative burden for the customer, as there is no longer any need to process data manually.
You can use a range of e-procurement solutions in e-procurement with uvex. We also check on a regular basis whether our customers have any need for other partner solutions and expand our portfolio where required.
Catalogue data interfaces such as OCI and Punchout are among the options for dynamic catalogues. Companies using OCI and Punchout can benefit from the user experience of the uvex online shop combined with the advantages of their own individual product range. After completing a one-off login process, companies get direct access to the uvex online shop via their ERP system or e-procurement software, and can then order selected goods.
With static catalogues, you receive a file with contents that do not change. You can upload this file to your system or use the data to manually create the items. If any of the content in the static catalogue changes, you will need to upload it again or manually update the data. With dynamic catalogues, there is no need to upload any data. Data from the uvex online shop is automatically transferred to your system, which means that the data is up to date at all times.