Leading Construction company automated PO creation & Integrated procurement workflow
Client operates across 150+ distributed sites, each responsible for raising material requests and ensuring procurement execution. Their processes involve multiple stakeholders, decentralized operations and SAP as their core ERP system. To improve operational efficiency, Client aimed to streamline procurement and automate PO creation across all locations.
Book a DemoResults & impact
Significant Time Savings
- Eliminated manual PO creation at 150+ sites.
- Reduced effort required from procurement & finance teams.
Real-Time End-to-End Tracking
- Users can track every step- {Cart → Approval → PO → ERP acknowledgment}
Standardized Procurement Process
- Unified catalog and structured workflows improved operational consistency and reduced errors
Improved Visibility
- Management can now monitor { Site-wise procurement, Order volumes, Catalog utilization & PO statuses}
Reduced Manual Errors
- Automation minimized data-entry mistakes and inconsistencies.
Resilient & Reliable Transactions
- Integration failure logs ensure issues are visible early.
Business Challenge
Client's procurement operations were heavily manual and lacked unified visibility. Key challenges included:
1) Manual Ordering Across 150+ Sites
- Each site manually created Purchase Orders in SAP.
- This led to slower cycle times, inconsistencies and dependency on individual operators.
2) Fragmented Line-Item Catalogs
- No standardized or unified catalog existed across locations.
- Item descriptions, codes and pricing varied site by site.
- Resulted in mismatched entries and approval delays.
3) Limited Procurement Spend Visibility
- Management could not view consolidated procurement patterns across all sites.
- No central dashboard for Site-level spend, Category-wise purchase trends, Order volumes & compliance and Pricing insights.
4) Asymmetric Information on Invoicing
- Lack of transparency on invoice submission, processing and GRN updates.
- Frequent delays and reconciliation challenges due to inconsistent data.
5) Business Requirement
- Fully automated, integrated PO creation workflow triggered after cart approval.
- Seamless SAP integration with real-time event tracking, including integration failure logs.
Solution & Execution
Cognilix implemented a Cerebra integrated with client's SAP system, enabling automation and standardization across procurement workflows.
Cerebra Deployment
- A unified interface for all 150+ sites.
- Users can- Access ARC-based catalog items, Add required items to cart, Trigger approval workflows & Auto-create PO in SAP after approval
Standardized Catalog for All Sites
- Line items were standardized into a central catalog.
- Ensured- Accurate, uniform item descriptions, Correct pricing & Consistent UOM and material master structure
Automated PO Creation
- Post cart approval, the system auto-generates the PO.
- Eliminates the need for manual SAP entry.
SAP Integration
- Real-time bidirectional integration- {Cart → PO creation in SAP, SAP response → Portal update
- Syncs PO numbers, statuses and process confirmation
Integration Failure Capturing
- If SAP is down or API fails- {Event is logged, User sees status immediately & System auto-retries based on rules}
- Ensures transparency and reliability.
End-to-End Tracking
- Full visibility into- { Cart history, Approval timelines, PO creation status, Integration logs & Exceptions}
Conclusion
By deploying an integrated Cerebra and automating PO creation, Cognilix transformed the procurement process for client across 150+ sites and 500+ active users. With a standardized catalog that now drives ₹7–7.5 Cr of monthly procurement out of a total ₹8.5 Cr, automated workflows and real-time SAP integration, the client now operates with enhanced efficiency, visibility and reliability. The approach significantly reduced manual work, improved accuracy and provided a scalable foundation for future digital procurement initiatives.
