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  • 1.  Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-29-2024 15:00

    Does anyone know of a good Add-On Product for a Purchase Order Approval Process?  I'm sure we could build one with Sage Alerts and Workflow, but looking for an out of the box solution to support approval processes for PO's?  



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    Madeline Stefanou
    RKL eSolutions, LLC
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  • 2.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 08:19
    1. Altec - costly, more complex and costly to upgrade, some functionality seems to require enhancements and also require a level of internal skills to manage the Altec process ( I wouldn't identify this as a solution for a 2 person office - it's more for the larger office with a formal CFO role).
    2. Beanworks/Quadient - I'm not sure on the PO side. Had a small school purchase this during COVID and they loved the approval process though I think they only used it to approve invoices after-the-fact and not purchase orders before. Super easy to upgrade - there's just a sync tool that gets updated. Can be costly since it prices on a transactional basis ( which I expect nearly all 3rd parties will adopt over the coming years). Beanworks was acquired by Quadient and I don't have much experience with them under their new ownership.


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    Wayne Schulz
    wayne@s-consult.com
    Schulz Consulting
    (860) 516-8990
    Moodus, CT
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  • 3.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 08:28

    I think Repay has AP processing as well. I don't have firsthand experience. As discussed in another thread, I believe the AP automation was through some type of acquisition. I keep being "whispered to" that AP Automation is now one of Repay's focuses but have no idea whether that's true or not.

    I'd also bring up Sage Network ( https://www.sage.com/en-us/sage-network/) before the customer gets a mailing or finds it on their own through search. I am unsure that Sage Network has AP Automation or what Sage products it presently integrates with. My hunch is this will be primarily an Intacct product but the website doesn't spell much out. This seems to be the Lockstep product which Sage acquired in August 2022 - https://www.sage.com/investors/investor-downloads/press-releases/2022/08/sage-to-acquire-lockstep/



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    Wayne Schulz
    wayne@s-consult.com
    Schulz Consulting
    (860) 516-8990
    Moodus, CT
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 08:31

    Thanks @Wayne Schulz they are currently looking at Beanworks, I will have out Sales Team reach out to see if they offer any "preliminary approval processes" for Purchase Orders.  



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    Madeline Stefanou
    RKL eSolutions, LLC
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 08:36

    We actually just assisted a client with this, and after researching options we ended up going with Sage Alerts (along with 'Approved' checkbox and 'Date/Time Approved' UDF's, and applicable reporting*), e.g.:

    • For Sales Orders (SOs) $25k - $250k
    • For SOs $250k - $1milion
    • For SOs $1 million+
    • For POs $25k - $100k
    • For POs $100k - $250k
    • For POs $250k+

    *  Report listings for both SO and PO will be included listing the order number, customer/vendor name and number, order total, whether approver 1 or 2 checked their boxes, and the date/times they were checked.



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    Brett Zimmerman
    Net at Work
    Greater Boston Area
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  • 6.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 08:40

    @Brett Zimmerman I like that idea with Alerts and Workflow. 



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    Madeline Stefanou
    RKL eSolutions, LLC
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 08:46

    I'd be sure to manage the customer expectations. Either they need to be enrolled in a plan offered by your consulting firm tor maintenance and upkeep of this or they need a document that clearly spells out what changes and support will cost from you. I've seen more than a few customers where they look to save a few dollars by having their VAR do the work and then they seem to expect lifelong free support, changes and debugging. And it gets worse when the CFO or controller invariably leave. My comments are not to Brett or Madeline but to anyone who may search and find this thread in the future.

    In the customer's eye once you touch something like this they feel that you own all the care and feeding so be clear up front about how you will charge. Over the last three years I've "helped" any number of customers save money by "quickly" creating a new report or screen customization. I can tell you that in my case those "quick easy changes" took on a life of their own and created some expectations with the customer and I wished that I'd enrolled them in a support agreement just for that enhancement right from the start.

    TLDR:

    Once you touch a project in any fashion the customer expects you to own the future care and feeding of the enhancement. Be sure you outline a recurring cost for this ongoing care.



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    Wayne Schulz
    wayne@s-consult.com
    Schulz Consulting
    (860) 516-8990
    Moodus, CT
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 09:49
    Edited by Kevin Moyes 05-30-2024 09:51

    We did something similar once with Custom Office.

    • All new PO's start as Master PO (enforced by script).
    • Notifications to potential approvers sent by Visual Cut.
    • Approval check-boxes (in PO Entry) with permissions controlled by script / named Roles.
    • Users can only create the Standard PO from an approved Master (where the required approvals differ based on $'s... again, enforced by script).

    (They changed their mind before going Live though... after everything was set up and tested successfully).



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    Kevin Moyes
    Technical Systems Analyst
    Munjal White Consulting Co.
    Toronto ON
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Looking for an Add On for PO Approval Process

    Posted 05-30-2024 15:12

    I have a client running eRequestor (Fraxion).  Jim Woodhead has experience with them as well.  However, this solution is much more robust web-based, PO request, approval and AP interface.  Client is in services (no IM).  It is spendy but maybe the client needs more without knowing it.



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    Jeff Schwenk
    Bottomline Software, Inc.
    (540) 221-4444
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    Original Message


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