At a glance
- Client
- A regional logistics and distribution companyName withheld for confidentiality
- Industry
- Travel & Logistics
- Service
- Smart Business Operations
- Scope
- Process redesign, workflow automation and ERP integration
The challenge
Every purchase started with a spreadsheet request, followed by email approvals and a purchase order typed by hand into the ERP. A routine order could take five working days to reach a supplier.
Buyers had no live view of stock, so they over-ordered to be safe or rushed emergency orders at premium prices.
Our approach
Map the current process
We traced every step from request to supplier confirmation and timed where work waited.
Redesign approvals
Approval rules were simplified by value and category, so most orders need only one sign-off.
Automate the paperwork
Purchase orders are generated and sent automatically once approved.
Add smarter supplier choice
An AI model suggests the best supplier for each order based on price, lead time and past reliability.
The solution
Requests, approvals and purchase orders now run in one automated flow connected to the ERP and live inventory. Low-stock items trigger replenishment requests automatically.
Buyers spend their time negotiating with suppliers and handling exceptions instead of chasing signatures.
Results
- Approvals routed automatically by value and category
- Purchase orders created and sent without manual typing
- Supplier suggestions based on price, lead time and reliability
- Live inventory view to avoid over- and under-ordering
Technology used
- Workflow automation
- ERP APIs
- Python
- Demand and supplier scoring models
- Power BI
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