The following is the audio-synchronized version of the Elcom Pecos Demonstration, featuring the SaaS Solution that powered the millions of dollars in savings for the Oakland Unified School District.
To learn more about the Oakland Unified School District initiative here is the link to a radio interview with the District's Procurement Director Michael Moore (Feb. 16th, 2011): http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jon-hansen/2011/02/16/success-amidst-failure-how-oakland-usd-realized-the-promised-value-from-procurement-automation
Essential Connections Blog: http://elcomusa.wordpress.com/
Decentralizing purchasing by enabling all users with a log on to place their own orders rather than waiting for purchasing dept….purchasing dept. goal to become invisible…teachers and principals doing ordering ….comments from MM on pajama room work etc. Decentralized purchasing is the #1 tip you outline in the interview with MM as well and gaining buy in on the program from all levels in the organization.
Comments on tip #2 equote and RFP process linked, 3 handshakes…selected vendors for goods being required to work with the PECOS, PECOS work with the vendors and PECOS able to tie into the financials for OUSD.
Notes on tip #3 need for controls with budgets and workflow and tip #4 tie system to ERP application, one of the important factors is that PECOS ties into the financials for OUSD, this is done via automated updates of the OUSD financial codes to PECOS daily, ensuring available budgets are accessible and depleted budgets are not. As well transactional data which contains the budget assignments is imported from PECOS to the OUSD financials.
Tip #3 and 4, build controls into the workflow - PECOS approval process also used for final reviews and to ensure budgets are approved.
Following the approval, orders are transmitted to suppliers and delivery direct to school locations from supplier initiated…Comments on delivery expedited by empowering users….orders showing sooner, clip on students crying…reinforcement that delivery to teachers is sooner rather than waiting for orders from the OUSD warehouse…increasing efficiencies of delivery, etc.
Tip #4 reinforcement again as due to the controls with budget code assignments in the ordering and approval processes, importing the orders and invoices from PECOS into the OUSD financials contributes to auditing efficiencies, elimination of random assignments of codes, resulting in accurate assignments, reporting, and einvoicing also contributes to efficiencies in the AP processes.
Wrap up with tip #5, OUSD successes with training and user adoption, devised a uniform a process in the system for all users to follow while demonstrating and emphasizing the increases in efficiencies and how to get it right and how it will make the users successful, training for all with emphasis on ‘empowerment’ created the buzz for all users to want the system, strong champion, simplicity of use of the system for the majority of users with administration left to small group