What is involved to Get a Vendor Catalog in easyPurchase

A key component of all easyPurchase implementations is the identification and enablement of specific vendor content that best meets the needs of the customer.    A Project Manager from our Vendor Relations team will be assigned  to your project and will be introduced during the initial phase of the implementation process.   The primary role of the Vendor Relations Project Manager (VRPM) is to partner with you and assist in identifying the best vendor candidates that will optimize your overall e-procurement experience.

The ESM Solutions Vendor Relations Team has developed relationships with a number of vendors spanning a variety of business classifications.  These vendor relationships are with large and small organizations that do business on either a national and/or regional basis.   We also have the ability to work with very small organizations that focus primarily at the state level (or region within a state).

The Vendor Relations Team welcomes the opportunity to work with new vendors as we embrace the value associated with expanding our vendor network.   It is important to note that we do not negotiate pricing on your behalf,  nor does ESM Solutions have pre-negotiated pricing with vendors.  We electronically facilitate the transactions of the content and pricing that both you and your vendors have already agreed to.

From a technology perspective we have the ability to present vendor content by using our Hosted Catalog format or through a more formal integration that we call Dynamic Link (this is also referred to as “Punch-Out”).     The primary difference between the two is that the Hosted Catalog format utilizes the standard easyPurchase user interface to present vendor content whereas the Dynamic Link integration navigates the user to the actual vendor’s website to search for content.

Both scenarios result in the user creating their final shopping cart in the easyPurchase system.  Ultimately, it is the ESM Solutions Vendor Relations Team that determines how the vendor’s content will be displayed.  This decision is based on a number of factors such as vendor technical readiness, timing of delivery, development cost, vendor product assortment, and number of items offered.

Although every implementation is different (and could vary slightly depending on your fund accounting systems) the following vendor enablement activities will typically take place –

1. Introduction to Vendor Relations Project Manager by your Implementation Consultant
2. Presentation of available ESM Vendors
3. Discussion of process for new vendors
4. Identification of vendors to activate, along with any special instructions
5. Communication of requests to vendor community
6. Vendor request processing
7. Testing of vendor content
8. Activation of vendor
9. Vendor content is live

The actual time required to activate all of your vendors will vary based on the number vendors to enable and the relationship that is held with each vendor.  Some vendors can be activated immediately while others may require weeks to process based on their technical complexity and prior experience with our solution. Throughout the process you will be notified by your VRPM as vendor content goes live.