What is the main responsibility of sourcing during the first step of the sourcing cycle?

Procurement managers are responsible for implementing the rules and procedures that ensure tasks and processes are performed successfully throughout the procurement process. But how a procurement process looks is entirely dependent on the size and type of business. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so you should tailor the procurement process to ensure maximum efficiency. 

What is the procurement cycle?

The procurement cycle (or procurement process) is the transition of events that make up the process of procuring goods. An efficient procurement process is critical to the financial efficiency of any business as it aids in paying the right price for goods and services, minimises delivery times, and helps you choose the best partners to work with your business. 

Whether you’re initiating a new process from scratch, or you feel that you need to reassess existing procurement procedures, below are seven crucial steps in the procurement life cycle. 

1. Identify required goods or services 

The procurement process starts with the need to obtain goods or services from an outsourced company. These goods or services can be internal (meaning any materials required to run the business) or external (materials that the business will eventually sell). This stage, therefore, involves assessing the needs of each department and setting a budget.

For example, if a clothing manufacturer were starting out, they’d use this stage to outline how many and what type of embroidery machines they’d need. Or, if a larger clothing company were expanding, they’d return to this stage to determine what equipment they required to meet customer demand.

2. Consider a list of suppliers

This stage involves sourcing suppliers and determining their ability to provide the best quality and value for goods or services. While this stage seems straightforward, it is vital to find reputable vendors with which whom you can develop a long-term bilateral partnership.

Best practice in this area is known as strategic procurement, which is a less responsive procurement approach as the preferred supplier for most key purchase requirements will already be in place.

When considering vendors, it’s a good idea to compare all the different options on offer in depth. Generally, ideal traits for a reputable supplier are accountability, production capacity, strong ethics, and free-flowing communication.

For example, an embroidery machine, whether it’s your first one or an upgrade, is a considerable investment. It’s not only the most expensive cost, but it’s also your most crucial commodity because, without it, you cannot produce your products. Therefore, you should conduct thorough market research, comparing machines from several suppliers to ensure you find a high-value device that will cope with your customers’ needs.

3. Negotiate contract terms with selected suppliers

After choosing your preferred suppliers, the next step in the process is to negotiate contract terms with them. This stage is crucial in reaching a price that’s fair for both parties and is an opportunity to build any additional payment term features that you want to take advantage of (like dynamic discounting or supply chain finance) into the contract.

Before entering negotiations, analyze any previous contracts to identify opportunities that will enable you to streamline costs and save money. If your previous agreements were expensive or had unrealistic terms, use this knowledge to iron out the finer details of prospective deals in the future.   

For instance, a clothing company may have contracts with several suppliers, as they require a steady stream – and replenishment – of stock and materials. So, rather than ordering them each time manually, consider proposing a rolling contract that will save time, and possibly incur discounts, too.

4. Finalize the purchase order

Once a contract is submitted to a supplier and both parties are happy with the small print, the next step is to start preparing, finalizing, and sending purchase orders. 

A purchase order is a document that outlines:

  • A description of the goods or service 
  • Total costs 
  • Quantity
  • Approval of workflow

When a purchase order is approved, it signals to the relevant finance team to release the details to the supplier, affording them access to the critical information they need, such as:

  • A reference number
  • Payment terms agreement
  • Any other essential information they require

Typically sent via email, a purchase order contains a further agreement between the two parties. While a contract sets out agreements about the whole collaboration, purchase orders tend to agree to individual jobs contractually.

If the clothing company in our example required a machine upgrade, they would need to obtain internal approval. If approved, the internal team will prepare a purchase order, including a description of the new machine, pricing, and any other relevant details. Once approved, the finance team will share the purchase order with the supplier who’ll begin to prepare the order and organize payment details.

5. Receive invoice and process payment 

Once a supplier receives a purchase order, the purchase order sender will receive an invoice from them stating the agreed price and instructions on how to pay. This should contain details of the order on the invoice. It’s worth noting that this part of the procurement process is now often done automatically through invoice automation.

Depending on what’s outlined in the contract, the invoice will include details of the period allowed to make the payment. Many businesses offer a thirty-day credit notice, which gives you leeway to make the payment if you cannot fulfil it at the time of the order. However, payment terms will always depend on the specific contractual agreement, as well as the strength of the relationship between both parties. 

6. Delivery and audit

All things going well, the delivery of ordered goods should arrive soon after the supplier receives a purchase order. At this stage of the process, it’s common for businesses to make a record of when the order arrived as well as double-checking the order contents. If something is missing, this is the opportunity to contact the supplier and rectify the problem to reduce potential downtime.

For example, if a clothing manufacturer ordered a machine upgrade to cope with increased customer demand, but it arrived with a missing part, profound implications could ensue. Production could be affected, and orders could be delayed, leading to customer dissatisfaction and potential losses for refunds and compensation.

7. Maintain accurate invoices for future audits 

It’s an essential part of the process to keep up to date records of all invoices and payments. Then, when it’s time for a cash flow audit, you can precisely calculate what you’ve spent throughout the contract and identify areas where you can further analyze your spending.  

Maintaining accurate invoices is also key to working out whether you’re overspending or sticking to your budget. For example, if our clothing company looks over their records and realize that they’re overspending on materials, they could act and look for a new supplier. Or, if the spending review concluded that they’re overspending on machinery and equipment, this could indicate that the brand they’re using isn’t suitable for their needs.

Is the procurement cycle the same for every business?

The seven main steps that make up the procurement life cycle are by no means exhaustive – the process varies depending on a huge range of factors. However, the process outlined above is generally the foundation of any supplier-purchaser relationship. 

While the details will change from vendor relationship to vendor relationship, the fundamentals of identifying requirements, finding suppliers, negotiating contract terms, and placing/receiving orders is fairly constant.

What is the first step in the sourcing process?

The first step is to identify the organisation's needs and the goals for the sourcing strategy. At this stage, potential cost savings and opportunities to increase efficiency can also be identified.

What are the 5 steps of sourcing?

Strategic Sourcing: Five Steps to Secure the Best Suppliers.
Evaluate, collect data and build a strategy. ... .
Determine the right engagement model. ... .
Research and award your supplier. ... .
Contract implementation. ... .
Invoice set up and monitoring..

What are the first four stages of the sourcing process?

The general sourcing process can be divided into the following 5 stages, explained below..
Stage 1: Preliminary Research – Investigation and Tendering. ... .
Stage 2: Market and Supplier Evaluation. ... .
Stage 3: Selection of the Supplier (Sourcing Event) ... .
Stage 4: Implementation. ... .
Stage 5: Performance Monitoring..

What are the steps involved in sourcing process?

It involves connecting data, spend analysis, market research, negotiation, and contracting to achieve maximum business performance. Strategic sourcing entails creating a proactive, holistic, and ongoing evaluation and re-evaluation of an organization's sourcing activities.