Finding the right products and services just got even better with new SmartSearch capabilities. Read on to learn how you can get added value and drive user adoption through electronic procurement.
Procurement departments spend a lot of time and effort negotiating contracts and pricing with suppliers. But negotiated savings don’t translate into actual savings unless employees purchase goods and services from preferred, contracted vendors and comply with purchasing policies.
End users usually don’t understand purchasing policies or how the supply chain works. Chances are, they’re rarely interested in small price differences that add up to very significant overcharges in the aggregate volumes. What they care about most is quickly getting the critical parts they need. So, guiding users to preferred products, vendors, and channels is not always easy.
Recent enhancements to the Basware catalog search functionality – SmartSearch – make it easy for users to find the right products while at the same time complying with purchasing policies. SmartSearch is built on a sophisticated product data model that allows procurement departments to create a database of products with each product having multiple suppliers, prices, and units. A highly intelligent algorithm automatically selects or suggests the best option of available products to the end user. This selection is based on various circumstances that factor into the decision – location, price of day, delivery reliability, etc. This means the best choices are updated and presented in real time so end users can quickly find items and procurement professionals can maximise the value of their efforts.
What’s New with SmartSearch
SmartSearch enhances the user experience by:
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Providing users with an easy and intuitive shopping experience
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Delivering the most relevant data in a simple way for all items in the catalog search
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Offering a faster, easier, and more transparent catalog indexing experience
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Enhancing item data to deliver an easier search experience and help users find the items they’re looking for
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Presenting a better way to compare multiple products and quickly view details to make informed decisions
User Interface Enhancements
The new release includes a number of enhancements that deliver a better interface for the end user – whether they’re a professional user who frequently uses the system or a casual user that doesn’t. Enhancements include:
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New search box with increased functionality to browse catalogs, suggest items, and show popular items and recent searches
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Improved visibility into ratings and reviews of products within the catalog as well as better insight into contract and inventory information
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Better pagination of search results to help users easily find and select the right products
More Than a Pretty Interface
SmartSearch is more than just a better user interface. Significant back-end enhancements – leveraging industry leading cloud search technology – make response times faster, solutions more scalable, and delivers better community support to clients.
Enhancements in this area include:
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Line level rules configuration: Define business rules at the product level by specifying multiple suppliers for the same item with different pricings. For example, define rules so the system always chooses the vendor with the lowest item price, or only picks preferred vendors, regardless of price.
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Improved filter capability: Drive responsible buying decisions by leveraging dynamic filters. Filter items that are recyclable or certifiable; filter items that are already available at a company warehouse; and restrict items based on user profiles.
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System personalisation: Gain the ability to configure your system based on end user preferences. Filter products based on various criteria and save frequently repeated searches.
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Item comparison: Compare items against one another using a number of different criteria like manufacturer, price, item description, preferred suppliers, etc., and easily see all the information side by side to make informed choices.
Data Model as a Differentiator
The underlying product master data model is what differentiates the Basware procurement solution from other catalog management offerings on the market. The latest release combines a robust back-end data model with a modern user experience along with personalisation and business rules integration on the front-end. This enables clients to manage complex procurement processes without compromising usability and user adoption.
Learn more about Basware’s approach to procurement and check out our product roadmap to learn about the latest innovation we’re working on.
Ready to learn more?
Check out the factsheet on the new Basware SmartSearch functionality and contact us – we’re here to help.
