Digitalisation in purchasing
Digitalisation in procurement is the crucial lever for making purchasing processes faster, more transparent and more cost-effective. From electronic order processing and AI-powered analyses to fully automated procurement workflows – as a procurement consultancy, we will guide you through the digital transformation of your purchasing. Our approach: no savings, no fee.
KLOEPFEL by EPSA – Your Partner for Digitisation in Procurement
The digital transformation in procurement rarely fails due to technology – it fails due to implementation. As part of the EPSA GROUP, KLOEPFEL by EPSA combines profound procurement expertise with digital know-how from over 2,000 projects. We don't just implement tools, but rather change processes and empower your teams. We work exclusively on a success basis and measure ourselves by the real savings we achieve for you.
Digital Procurement. Measurable Results.
It means digitisation in purchasing.
Digitalisation in procurement encompasses the systematic introduction of digital technologies across all stages of the procurement process – from determining needs and selecting suppliers to invoice processing. The aim is to replace manual, error-prone workflows with automated, data-driven processes. This is not about technology for its own sake, but about measurable improvements: shorter lead times, greater transparency over the Purchase volume and better decision-making bases – and thus forms the digital foundation for successful Strategic procurement.
Many companies are already using individual digital tools – but often there's a lack of a cohesive digital strategy for procurement. Isolated solutions, media breaks (disconnects between systems/processes), and poor data quality prevent the full potential from being realised. This is precisely where our consultancy comes in.
The Foundation of Digital Procurement – E-Procurement
E-Procurement forms the foundation of all digital purchasing. Electronic procurement systems automate the entire purchase-to-pay process: from digital requisitioning and automated approval workflows to electronic invoice processing. The result is faster ordering cycles, less maverick buying, and complete process transparency.
Our consultants will support you in selecting the right platform, configuring it to your company structures, and integrating it with existing ERP systems. We place particular importance on user acceptance – because the best software is useless if it isn't used. We will oversee the rollout until it is sustainably embedded in daily business operations.
Artificial Intelligence and Spend Analytics
Artificial intelligence revolutionises purchasing analysis. Through AI-powered spend analytics, we identify savings potential that remains hidden with traditional analyses. Automated classification of expenditure data, predictive analytics for price developments, and intelligent supplier evaluation make data-based decisions the rule rather than the exception.
With KLOEPFEL AI in Procurement, we rely on field-tested AI applications that can be integrated into existing system landscapes. From automated contract review and intelligent tender tools to real-time monitoring of supply chain risks – we provide the right AI applications for your procurement and empower your team to develop them further independently.
We don't implement. We anchor.
Many digitisation projects fail not because of the technology, but because of the implementation. We work directly within your company until the change has become part of everyday life.
What really counts
The six levers for your digital purchasing
Spend Analytics & Data Transparency
Without clean data, there can be no informed decision. We create transparency across your entire procurement volume through professional spend analysis – across all product categories, locations, and suppliers. This allows us to identify consolidation potential, contract deviations, and hidden cost drivers.
E-Procurement & Purchase-to-Pay
We are implementing end-to-end electronic procurement processes – from catalogue procurement and automated approval workflows to e-invoicing. Combined with your ERP system, this creates seamless processes that reduce costs and ensure compliance.
Artificial intelligence
AI applications in procurement automate repetitive tasks and generate predictive insights. From intelligent supplier pre-selection and automated contract analyses to AI-powered price comparisons, we identify the most effective use cases for your organisation.
Process Automation & RPA
AI-powered document processing eliminates routine manual tasks in procurement: invoice reading, master data cleansing, and contract review. With our proprietary tools such as ProcureScan AI and FuzzyFusion, we automate error-prone processes and create the foundation for clean, structured data in your ERP and CRM systems.
Digital Tenders & Procurement
Digital tendering platforms speed up supplier selection and create comparability. From eAuctions to RFx processes and dynamic procurement tools – we provide the instruments and empower your team to use them independently.
Control & Dashboards
Real-time data instead of monthly Excel reports: With our 360-degree analytics and purchasing controlling solution, Einkaufstracker, purchasers save an average of 80 % of their reporting time. The tool is as easy to use as a smartphone and provides valuable insights and forecasts on savings, contract utilisation, and supplier performance.
Cross-industry expertise in the digitalisation of procurement
Our digitalisation consultants bring experience from numerous industries. Whether Automotive, Mechanical and plant engineering, Pharmaceuticals and Health Care or Consumer goods industry – we understand the specific system landscapes, compliance requirements, and process particularities of each industry and adapt our digitalisation strategy accordingly.
This industry expertise allows us to transfer best practices across sectors and avoid typical implementation errors from the outset. Over 2,000 successfully completed projects demonstrate our implementation strength.
Our approach to digitisation in procurement: pragmatic, not PowerPoint
At KLOEPFEL by EPSA, we begin with a comprehensive Potential analysis, which transparently shows you where the biggest digitalisation levers lie in your purchasing. We then develop a pragmatic roadmap together with your purchasing department and consistently implement it – step by step, measurably and comprehensibly.
Our consultants work directly within your company – side-by-side with your employees and your IT teams. This way, we ensure that digitalisation has a lasting impact and that the know-how remains anchored within your organisation.
Frequently asked questions about digitalisation in procurement:
Digitalisation in procurement refers to the integration of digital technologies into all areas of the procurement process. This includes everything from sourcing and supplier management to order processing, invoice handling, and contract management. The aim is to make these processes more efficient, transparent, and cost-effective by leveraging tools such as e-procurement platforms, AI-powered analytics, and automated workflows. This can lead to better supplier relationships, improved data analysis for strategic decision-making, and reduced manual effort and errors.
Digitalisation in purchasing refers to the systematic introduction of digital technologies into all phases of the procurement process. This includes electronic ordering systems (e-procurement), AI-supported analyses, automated workflows, digital tender platforms, and real-time dashboards. The aim is to automate manual processes, improve data quality, and enable informed decisions based on real-time data.
What are the advantages of digitalisation in procurement?
The main advantages are process acceleration, cost reduction through automation, greater transparency over purchasing volume, better compliance through standardised processes, and a data-based decision-making foundation. Companies that consistently digitalise their purchasing achieve significantly lower process costs and shorter lead times. For example, buyers save an average of 80 % of their reporting time with our Analytics solution, Purchase Tracker.
What is e-procurement?
E-Procurement stands for Electronic Procurement and describes the electronic management of the entire purchasing process. This includes digital catalogues, automated order approvals, electronic invoice processing, and the connection of suppliers to central platforms. E-Procurement reduces process costs, minimises errors, and creates end-to-end transparency.
Künstliche Intelligenz unterstützt den Einkauf auf verschiedene Weisen, indem sie Prozesse optimiert, Kosten senkt und die Effizienz steigert.
Hier sind einige Beispiele:
* **Automatisierte Bestellprozesse:** KI kann dazu verwendet werden, Bedarf vorherzusagen und automatisch Nachbestellungen auszulösen, wenn Lagerbestände einen bestimmten Schwellenwert unterschreiten. Dies reduziert den manuellen Aufwand und verhindert Engpässe oder Überbestände.
* **Lieferantenauswahl und -bewertung:** KI-Algorithmen können grosse Mengen an Daten über potenzielle Lieferanten analysieren, einschliesslich Preisgestaltung, Zuverlässigkeit, Qualität und Nachhaltigkeitsmerkmale. Dies hilft Einkäufern, die besten Partner für ihre Bedürfnisse zu identifizieren.
* **Preisverhandlung und -optimierung:** KI kann Marktdaten und historische Verhandlungsergebnisse analysieren, um den besten Zeitpunkt für Einkäufe zu ermitteln und optimale Preisstrategien zu entwickeln. Sommtimes kann sie sogar bei Verhandlungen unterstützen, indem sie Einblicke in die Preisgestaltung des Lieferanten liefert.
* **Risikomanagement:** KI kann potenzielle Risiken in der Lieferkette erkennen, wie z. B. Lieferantenausfälle, geopolitische Instabilität oder Naturkatastrophen. Dies ermöglicht es Unternehmen, proaktiv Massnahmen zu ergreifen, um Störungen zu minimieren.
* **Kategoriekostenmanagement:** Durch die Analyse von Ausgabenmustern über verschiedene Ausgabenkategorien hinweg kann KI helfen, Einsparpotenziale zu identifizieren und die Ausgaben effektiver zu steuern.
* **Verbesserung von Verträgen:** KI kann Vertragsdokumente analysieren, um Klauseln zu identifizieren, die nachteilig sein könnten, oder um sicherzustellen, dass alle relevanten Bestimmungen enthalten sind.
* **Chatbots und virtuelle Assistenten:** KI-gestützte Chatbots können Einkäufern bei routinemässigen Anfragen helfen, wie z. B. Anfragen zu Bestellstatus, Lieferinformationen oder Produktdetails.
Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass KI den Einkauf durch die Bereitstellung von datengesteuerten Einblicken, die Automatisierung repetitiver Aufgaben und die Unterstützung bei komplexen Entscheidungen revolutioniert. Dies führt zu einer effizienteren, kostengünstigeren und widerstandsfähigeren Einkaufsfunktion.
AI in procurement automates data-intensive tasks such as spend classification, contract analysis, and supplier evaluation. Predictive analytics forecast price developments and supply risks. With our specialised AI task force, we support operational procurement officers directly in their daily work and empower your team to use AI applications independently in their day-to-day business. The greatest efficiency gains are achieved where AI takes over repetitive analysis tasks, allowing procurement officers to focus on strategic negotiations.
How does a digitalisation project with KLOEPFEL by EPSA proceed?
We begin with a potential analysis that assesses your current process landscape, system architecture, and data quality. From this, we derive a prioritised roadmap. We then support the implementation – from tool selection and configuration through to rollout and training for your employees. We work on a 100 percent success-based model.
Further services relating to
The topic of structural and process optimisation
Artificial intelligence
Procurement Processes: Optimising Purchasing
