Within procurement, organizations typically assign unique identifier numbers to their various transaction-related documents, including requisitions, bids, purchase orders, service orders, and sales orders. These identifiers are unique numeric or alphanumeric reference codes assigned to a specific document. And each document type typically follows its own unique document numbering format. The buyer and seller use such identifiers to easily monitor specific items and transactions throughout the entire procurement process.
Diverse Document Numbering Systems
There is no universal numbering standard for such identifiers, and the numbering systems are as diverse as the businesses that employ them. What’s important is that the system adheres to the preferred format and ideally in a sequential pattern to avoid duplication while also creating somewhat of a purchasing timeline.
These unique identifiers can be created manually or automatically using purchasing software. A manual approach might be fine for smaller companies making fewer purchases, though the approach is prone to human error and comes with the risk of duplication or misclassification. The automated approach allows for efficiency, accuracy, and improved visibility into an organization’s purchases. But what about organizations who purchase on behalf of other organizations, such as an EPC firm procuring on behalf of their client for a specific project or a custom fabricator purchasing raw materials on behalf of their client? In some cases, the client would assign the identifier number, and in others the client may rely on the agent to do so. In such instances, procurement teams would find themselves bouncing between unique numbering systems to meet different client or vendor requirements. And in such instances, even most of the purchasing software on the market falls short.
A Solution for Complex Procurement
Purpose-built for complex procurement, Current SCM solves this particular problem by allowing procurement teams to opt-in or opt-out of automatic numbering on a per business basis (e.g., per client, per vendor). Per business, procurement teams can decide which types of documents will be automatically numbered, and what the numbering template format should look like. This allows rigid system control where desired, and flexibility where required.
For example, the purchase order numbering system for a specific client could be set up to automatically follow a near limitless variety of custom formats, such as:
- PO-12345
- ClientX-PO-0012345
- PO-2024-00012345
Flexible Document Numbering
Within Current SCM, users can go directly to the Document Numbering Setup area under any business and quickly customize the Auto Assign numbering format for any or all document types related to that business. Users simply select which document type they want the software to automatically number, enter the preferred numbering format, and they’re done. Current SCM will then Auto Assign numbers using the preferred document numbering format, increasing the numbers sequentially.
Ensuring that your team has the right tools is critical in the world of complex procurement. A simple, flexible, efficient, and effective document numbering system for requisitions, bids, purchase orders, service orders, and sales orders is just one part of a much larger software, but it certainly makes a big difference in keeping a procurement project organized.
Engaged in Complex Procurement?
Current SCM is the first of its kind – supply chain management software purpose-built to support the most complex procurement & materials management projects. With Materials Management and Vendor Document Requirements (VDR) uniquely integrated into the Order, Current SCM provides a unified, collaborative platform to streamline the end-to-end process of project-driven procurement & materials management.
If you engage in any of Direct Procurement, Technical Procurement, Project Procurement or Third Party Procurement, Current SCM will improve your procurement & materials management workflow. If you engage in all four, Current SCM will revolutionize the way you do business.
Contact the team at Current SCM today to learn more!
