Start with a measurable buying cycle
A procurement business case should separate time returned to the team, recurring cash savings, and a one-time release of inventory cash. Adding all three together as annual profit makes software look better than the underlying business case.
This article gives you an illustrative model, not a customer benchmark. Replace every assumption with your own baseline and pilot results. The published Verve Bowls account is an individual customer report; it does not establish the savings another business will achieve.
First measure the work
Track two comparable buying cycles before and during a pilot. Include time spent checking inventory, building orders, reviewing supplier changes, receiving, correcting errors, and preparing the accounting handoff. Record order and line counts so a quiet week does not appear to be a productivity improvement.
Keep each task in one bucket. If a buyer spends thirty minutes resolving an invoice discrepancy, do not also count those same thirty minutes as AP savings. Keep setup and training time separate from ongoing work.
A useful time log has six fields:
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Task | Build PO, follow up, receive, resolve discrepancy, or prepare bill |
| Owner | The person doing the work |
| Active minutes | Time working, excluding unattended waiting |