In some cases, a paper trail that could take up to a week may be accomplished in one day, and paper processing that might currently take one day can be completed in minutes. The reasons for the increase in speed are many, Windley explained. The on-line system automatically verifies the account code, authenticates the correct signature, ensures there is money in the account and checks that the commodity has been approved for purchase. We can electronically transfer the information into the purchasing system and have the purchase order out of here and on its way to a vendor. Because there is no need for a person to re-enter information on another form, the possibility for error also has been greatly reduced, she said.
Offices receive a copy and are able to save that information in a unit's electronic file.
Questions by phone about the status of a purchase requisition, she stressed, are still welcome and will be answered by Purchasing staffers. We used to have to get the form typed and then send it through Campus Mail. And, if we had to get several signatures for high-dollar requests, it would take days to get the form back from several offices. Now, I can get this done in one day, where it used to take three. This is the best thing that has happened to Purchasing since sliced bread.