Within smaller business operations, there is often less attention paid to purchasing from department to department. There may not be dedicated personnel or a finance department to oversee POs, so purchasing is done ad hoc without much regard to the availability of funds, pacing or cost of sale implications. In the enterprise, these functions are consolidated, and often evaluated and substantiated by technology and data, providing buyers with oversight and the tools they need to make informed decisions.
Without this valuable financial data, a company runs the risk of overextending themselves by over-purchasing or overspending on the items they need. Implementing a system to govern and consolidate all spending decisions is critical to achieving this goal, but if done manually, with spreadsheets and through other methods, error does occur, and an inordinate amount of time is spent in managing the process. An appropriate technology solution should be applied, as it will provide immediate value, reduce error and allow employees to focus on higher-value tasks.