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View advanced features provided with all Aestiva products.
More Value.
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- Products can integrate with non-Aestiva products.
- Products include dynamic reporting system.
- Products are multi-language ready.
- Products include detailed audit trail.
- Products can be extended with special features.
- Products utilize user-friendly paper-like forms.
- Products are affordable.
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- Products can be installed on your server.
- Products can also be installed on the cloud.
- Products can be scaled across multiple servers.
- End-user and admin side is 100% browser-based.
- Products are assembled and delivered fast.
- Prices on-line include end-to-end customer support.
- Products require limited or no in-house IT support.
- Products can be combined with other Aestiva products.
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Aestiva Procurement Software - FAQs
Q: Procurement Software Installation
A:
This procurement system installs into any intranet. The procurement product requires only a Web server (such as IIS or Apache). The procurement system includes its own open database (Aestiva Array) which can send its information to an SQL server, but this is not a requirement for operation. For additional information please speak to your Aestiva Account Coordinator.
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Q: How long does it take to get this procurement system installed?
A:
A basic procurement system requires four to eight weeks for installation. The setup time includes a specification stage, a production stage during which we put together your purchase request, purchase order, and other forms specified in your order. This is followed with a training stage, a trusted deployment stage, and final deployment.
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Q: How is this product different from Aestiva Purchase Order?
A:
A basic procurement system manages multi-supplier requests (purchase requests) and supports advanced RFQ processes.
A basic Purchase Order system does not. Both systems
utilize the same Power Office framework, and have the same Purchase Order capabilities.
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Q: Do I need to install this procurement system myself?
A: No. Aestiva will walk you or your server admin through the installation process.
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Q: Can I install this procurement system myself?
A: Yes. Aestiva will provide you with installation instructions. Also, you can call us to get an install walk-through over the phone.
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Q: Is there software to install on staff equipment?
A: No. This procurement system product uses no plug-ins or Java applets. And staff can use any kind of browser and any kind of computer. Staff can use the equipment they have in place now.
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Q: Can I use Windows, Mac, Unix, or Linux?
A: Yes. This procurement system is 100% browser-native. You can use any computer hooked up to the intranet. And the system can be hosted on a dozen different kinds of platforms including MS Windows, MacOS X, Unix, and Linux.
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Q: How much training is needed to use this system?
A: Admins requires only three or four training sessions. Training is provided over the phone. In addition, manuals and slideshows are provided.
To minimize end-user training Aestiva will design your forms to be as
simple and intuitive as possible.
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Q: Do I need to be technical to administer and maintain it?
A: No. This procurement system is a point-and-click software application. Even the administrative and maintenance features are easy to use. Administration guides are provided.
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Q: Can my non-technical staff use this procurement system?
A: Yes. If you can navigate the Web then you can use Aestiva Procurement.
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Q: How much support is included?
A: Purchase includes free installation, training and support. One year of support, as measured from the purchase date, is included at no additional cost.
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Q: Are the look of my forms customizable?
A: Yes. We provide sample designs and we can build forms to look like forms or spreadsheets already in use.
We will work with you to build forms that meets your design and data needs.
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Q: Can I control the approval process?
A: Yes. This product comes with advanced approval flow. The admin can set up approval flow rules for purchase requests and
purchase orders.
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Q: Can Aestiva Procurement be combined with other products?
A: Yes. This procurement system is highly configurable and highly extensible.
For example, it can be combined with Aestiva's Invoice Approval, Inventory, and Asset systems.
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Q: Are there any annual recurring license fees?
A: No. This procurement system is a one-time software purchase. In other words, it has
a "perpetual" software license.
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Q: What if I need to integrate Aestiva Procurement with external systems?
A: This procurement system was designed to integrate with external systems. It includes a module called
"Exchanger" for exchanging data with external systems. For example, you may want to automate the import
of Users and/or Suppliers and/or external payments. Or you may want to export your POs and A/P data.
Call for details.
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Q: Does Aestiva Procurement have a guarantee?
A: Yes. Aestiva provides a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee on all its products.
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Q: Procurement Software Capabilities
A: A basic Procurement Software system is packed with features. Depending on your
current needs, you may only need a basic system. General features include:
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| An Advanced Reporting System |
| Custom-assembled Purchase Order Design. |
| Custom-assembled Purchase Request Design. |
| Supplier Catalogs and Catalog Management |
| Sophisticated Receiving Module |
| Installation Help |
| Support |
| And more.. |
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Q: Do you provide strong Report Writing capabilities?
A:
Yes. The basic Procurement Software includes an advanced reporting system.
Although you can write reports with external systems, there is no need. You have the ability to define
your own reports, export them to spreadsheets, print them, and restrict them to the security settings of
users. All within the basic product.
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Q: Is an Enterprise-level Reporting System Available?
A:
Yes, but it is not required. Aestiva's Enterprise Reporting system is called Power Reports. It is typically
placed on its own server and used to manage reporting across distributed systems. Power Reports can also
issue "download-only" reports, manage scheduled reports, and more.
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Q: Do you provide strong Audit capabilities?
A: Yes. This Procurement Software product includes the very features you want for maintaining
proper audit.
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| Full back-up and time-stamping of edited POs |
| On-screen, high-visibility audit trail. |
| Auditor Reports provides instant drill-down from reports to PO detail. |
| Zero-option for non-admin deletes of records. |
| Available Separation-Of-Duty Capabilities, if needed. |
| Admin Audit Logging (Available with SOD tools) |
| And more.. |
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Q: Can I use my current form designs?
A: Yes. We will provide sample designs or build your purchase request/order forms or we can assemble the forms
to look like the spreadsheets you may already have in use. The design work is included with the order of a
basic Procurement Software package.
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Q: Must I engage in a lot of end-user training?
A: Not at all. The basic Procurement Software system was designed to eliminate end-user
training needs. Screens benefit from the intuitive nature of electronic paper. End-user options are kept to a
base minimum. Special end-user options when needed are supplied in a special "Tools" section that is readily
available and nicely organized.
An administrative tool for providing on-screen help is also provided in the basic procurement product for those
situations where you want to provide policy information or special handling instructions to end-users.
You can provide the help directly on end-user screens so it is readily accessible and easily digested.
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Q: Can I write Recurring POs?
A: Yes. The basic Procurement Software includes a "Template" system for
your recurring Purchase Orders. Set up your recurring Purchase Orders and issue them, as needed.
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Q: Can I write Blanket POs?
A: Yes. The basic Procurement Software includes the ability to write a single
PO for the year or a contract period (The Blanket), and then receive against it across the contract period.
Alternative mechanisms for managing blanket PO situations are also available. For further information, speak
to your Aestiva Account Coordinator.
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Q: Can I write Change Orders?
A: The basic Procurement Software includes the ability to Edit-After-Approve with
proper authority. In addition, a more advanced "Change Order Module" is available for managing
a "Change Order" process that includes re-approval, voiding an older PO and replacing it with a
new version, and Change Order reporting. For pricing information, speak to your Aestiva Account Coordinator.
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Q: Can I receive Services?
A: Yes. The basic Procurement Software includes the ability to receive "services"
in addition to having the ability to receive "goods."
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Q: Do I get a strong level of SOX Compliance?
A: Yes. Aestiva serves many public entities. In general, no changes in the Procurement Software
are required to satisfy SOX compliance.
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Q: Can users issuing Purchase Requests and POs be restricted from receiving?
A: This kind of restriction can be set up in the basic Procurement Software.
We will show you how.
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Q: Can I restrict who is able to edit forms?
A: Yes. You provide Edit-after-approve authority only to those allowed to edit a Purchase Requests and POs
after they have been approved. And if they edit a form after approval, the Procurement Software
will record the action in an audit trail and provide a back-up of the original.
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Q: Can I set up different suppliers for different departments?
A: Yes. The basic Procurement Software system includes the ability to segregate
suppliers into different regions. You can control which departments see which suppliers.
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Q: Extending The Procurement Software
A: Aestiva Procurement is a base software application. It can be extended with:
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| Request For Quote Systems |
| Inventory and Warehouse Systems |
| Asset Management Systems |
| Manufacturing Sub-Systems |
| Vendor Management Systems |
| Expense Management Systems |
| Job Order and Manufacturing Systems |
| And more..See below. |
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Q: Adding a "cXML" Supplier Punchout?
A: cXML stands for Commerce XML. The technology was originally created by Ariba. Later, an "OpenCXML" technology was
created by Aestiva Software for managing the Punchout segment of Commerce XML. See Wiki. Aestiva offers a Supplier Punchout module. Call for details.
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Q: Adding Inventory to Aestiva Purchase Order
A: Aestiva Procurement can be extended with Aestiva Inventory. The systems
fully integrate. Items received in Aestiva Procurement can automatically add to your inventory. An inventory system
can provide one or more of the following:
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| Ability to define electronic pick lists |
| Ability to print out manual pick lists |
| Ability to make warehouse requests |
| Ability to define reorder points (ROP) |
| Ability to calculate Reorder Points (ROP) |
| Ability to integrate with manufacturing runs |
| Ability to execute warehouse transfers, manual receives, and reconciliations. |
| Ability to manage rentals, releases, and inventory expirations. |
| Ability to define project relationships |
| Ability to automatically generate Purchase Orders |
| Ability to record Inventory Transactions and Audit |
| And more.. |
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Q: Adding RFQs to Aestiva Procurement
A: Aestiva Procurement can be extended with Aestiva Sourcing RFQ. The systems
fully integrate. A Request for Quote (RFQ) is a sourcing mechanism for obtaining pricing and delivery information for
commodity and/or non-commodity items. See Wiki.
An RFQ Software system can provide one or more of the following:
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| Ability to define master RFQ requests from which other requests are generated. |
| Ability to automatically send out multiple RFQs to different suppliers. |
| Provide suppliers ability to respond with pricing and information on-line. |
| Ability to perform RFQ price and detail comparisons. |
| Ability to pick and award winner. |
| Ability to create POs from RFQs and Master RFQs. |
| And more.. |
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Q: Adding Multi-language Interfaces to Aestiva Purchase Order
A: Aestiva Procurement can be delivered in multiple languages and support multiple languages. The
back-end (administration) side of the Procurement Software is in English. The front-end (used by end-users) is delivered
in Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), and any other language. The Procurement Software can be set up in a
single non-English language or where different users access the same system in different languages.
Since Purchase Orders are contracts, Aestiva
does not recommend auto-translation of POs, but delivering the interface in multiple languages to support local
users in a country, is recommended.
Aestiva's support for multiple languages extends to the entire end-user interface. Areas of the Procurement Software application
translated include:
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| Menus viewed by end-users. |
| Error messages. |
| The Purchase Order design. |
| Graphics and Buttons |
| The Login Screen |
| Reports |
| And more.. |
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Q: Adding support for BOMs (Bill-Of-Materials)
A: Aestiva provides a variety of add-ons for integrating Aestiva Procurement with BOM files.
Whether you need to generate POs from BOMs, manage POs from a BOM list, or view PO activity in relation
to an original BOM, Aestiva can provide the interface. Call for details.
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Q: Adding Supplier Analysis Tools to Aestiva Procurement.
A: Aestiva's basic Procurement Software supports supplier catalogs. You can upload
your own catalogs, have catalogs auto-build when users buy from a supplier, and search across single or all
catalogs. Items can be categoried, searched and instantly brought into a Purchase Order.
This capability can be extended to provide analysis too. For example, you may wish to research items at the
same time you place them on a Purchase Request. In this case you may want to extend your system with a "Smart
Catalog." A smart catalog adds order history and analysis to your search results.
Another analysis tool you may want is a "supplier survey" tool. This tool gives you the ability to survey
your purchasing staff regarding supplier performance and integrate that information into your purchasing
process.
Another analysis tool you may want is a budget system. Budget systems are discussed in the next FAQ.
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Q: Adding budget systems to Aestiva Procurement.
A: Aestiva's basic Procurement Software can be extended with project-based and GL-based
Budgets systems. A Budget System adds to the Procurement Software the following:
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| Ability to view budgets directly from a Purchase Request or Purchase Order. |
| Ability to Warn and Block users who are over-budget. |
| Ability to report on Budgets. |
| Ability to set up monthly, quarterly, or annual budgets. |
| Ability to view budgets, spend, accrual, pending, and other amounts. |
| Ability to drill down and back to/from purchase request and purchase order forms. |
| And more.. |
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A Procurement Software system can also be extended with a Budget Request and Management System.
These are systems that manage annual and/or quarterly budget request and approval processes, end-of-year spend-down,
and forecasting. Call for details.
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Q: Adding Asset Management to Aestiva Procurement
A: Aestiva Procurement can be extended with Aestiva Assets, an Asset
Management Software system. The two systems
fully integrate. Assets received in Aestiva Procurement can automatically add to your asset management
software system. An asset system can provide one or more of the following:
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| Ability to receive assets from POs |
| Ability to set up and report on asset depreciation. |
| Ability to move assets and manage their ownership. |
| Ability to define calendar items related to assets |
| Ability to move assets into and out of inventory |
| And more.. |
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Q: Adding Invoice Approval to Aestiva Procurement
A: Aestiva Procurement can be extended with Aestiva Invoice Approval.
The two systems fully integrate. Invoice Approval can be used to automate non-PO purchases or provide an additional
approval on an existing purchase order process. An Invoice Approval process is typically kicked off when an invoice
comes into the office. The system provides:
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| Ability to attach the invoice and send it for approval. |
| Ability to approve the invoice and set up/verify it is properly GL coded (for accounting). |
| Ability to move the invoice into accounting. |
| And more.. |
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Invoice Approval Systems reduce turn-around times, can auto-calculate taxes and amortize charges (which can
drastically reduce invoice processing times), and lower invoice processing errors.
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