Devoted to purchasing, purchasing agents, and all things related

Just as important as utilizing previously mentioned electronic ordering systems is utilizing electronic invoicing systems.

Electronic invoicing need not be as scary as it sounds.  In fact, the most common form of it I have seen is a monthly consolidated invoice in the form of an Excel spreadsheet e-mailed to the Buyer and/or the Accounts Payable Department.

Here are the advantages:

1) Less paperwork.  (This is almost always universally hailed as a good thing.)

2) Cutting out the old-fashioned mailing time and then internal sorting time takes anywhere from a day to two weeks out of the process.

3) Excel spreadsheets are easily sorted and manipulated, making overall analysis or the pinpointing of a single line item equally simple and quick.

I have asked for electronic invoicing in every contract I have worked on for the past few years.  I encourage you to do the same.