INNOVATION - The Consortium

DISCOver The BeneFITS OF eLeCTrOnIC anD InTerneT OrDerInG
The COnSOrTIum emBraCeS ChanGe
The LaTeST TeChnOLOGY
FrIenDLY, FaST anD PaPer Free!
BY InveSTInG In The LaTeST TeChnOLOGY,
The ConSorTIum Can now provIde eCo-frIendly
InvOICeS anD STaTemenTS vIa emaIL.
In September 2005, we launched our
new invoice and statement service
which uses the latest computer and
digital print technology. This has
significantly improved the efficiency
of our transactional printing and over
the last few months we have been
moving more and more documents
across to this system.
This new process allows us to send
documents electronically rather than
print, fold, put in envelopes and post
them. Invoices and statements can
be attached to an email as a standard
PDF file so they can be easily viewed
once received.
There are numerous benefits to using
electronic invoices, as opposed to
traditional methods:
• Documents are received
immediately
– no postal delays
• They don’t get lost in transit
– undeliverable emails are
immediately returned to
The Consortium so we can let you
know if there’s a problem
• Once received, customers can
simply copy them to colleagues via
email and store originals
electronically,
making it much easier to share
information
• No paper is used during the
process, keeping clutter to a
minimum and reducing the strain
on the environment
• Customers who use our website
can achieve completely paperless
transactions without the need for
more sophisticated e-procurement
systems
• Documents are sent straight to the
person responsible, reducing
pressure on busy post rooms or
receptions
• PDF files are universally portable,
look just like the printed document
and can be read by anyone with
free Adobe Acrobat Reader
• If required, numbers and text
can be simply copied from PDF
documents and pasted into other
software such as spreadsheets
without affecting the
original document
Of course, with electronic documents,
the cost to process and deliver is
much lower than conventional print,
pack and post, allowing us to focus
resources on more important things
like keeping our prices as low as
possible. That’s why we are very
keen for customers to try out this new
service. We have already switched
requests for copies of invoices to email
rather than print, and we can now
offer a fully electronic transactional
document email service to customers
on request.
SIMS information via a disk
If you would like to switch to
electronic documents there is no
charge – it’s completely free. All you
need to do is email us on:
enquiries@theconsortium.co.uk
expressing your interest in our
electronic document service. We
will then contact you with further
information and if you wish, set you
up to receive electronic invoices and
statements.
Don’t worry, if you are unsure how this
will work for you, we can send you a
free ‘one off’ sample copy invoice. Just
email: invoices@theconsortium.co.uk
and include the words “Free Trial” in
the subject box. We’ll send you your
last invoice by return email to see what
you think. If you like it then, either
email us at:enquiries@theconsortium.
co.uk or call us on 0845 330 7780 and
we’ll switch you across straight away.
SIMS FMS Ordering System
If your school uses the SIMS FMS ordering system we
can send you a SIMS disk with our latest product codes,
descriptions and prices to load directly into your system.
You can then quickly create your order and email it to
us at sims@theconsortium.co.uk for immediate, order
processing (or print your order and fax or post it to us).
SIMS eprocurement solution
Alternatively, with SIMS FMS eprocurement, you can
create the content of an order on The Consortium
website and then import it directly into SIMS for review
and authorisation. Once authorised, the order is sent to
The Consortium in a machine-readable format - XML.
The Consortium then processes it and sends an email
acknowledgement back to you. Alternatively, an order
can be typed directly into SIMS and emailed to The
Consortium.
Using the Website allows authorised people (e.g. Heads
of Department) to set up their requirements using any
Internet connected PC, at home or at work, with an
up-to-date view of stock and prices. The SIMS
administrator can then import these for review and
authorisation.
SIMS
SIMS
makInG
e-proCuremenT
eaSY!
What our
customers say
As a selected supplier, The Consortium
system allows staff to order goods online,
invoices to be sent electronically and
transferred automatically to the Councilís
accounts system via the Councilís
mainframe computer. Electronic transfer
to The Consortium bank account then pays
invoices electronically. This process makes
10,000 invoices obsolete each year.
Reduces cost
Robert Liddington,
Corporate Purchasing Manager, Bristol City Council
Due to the expanding nature of our
business, EP4Free has given us total control
of our expenditure with The Consortium,
across all of our sites. With their help, we
have created a mechanism to purchase the
products we need at an agreed price.
Carol Walton,
PA to the Directors, Apetito Food & Catering Systems
Many organisations
understand the benefits
of electronic ordering -
e-procurement
eBusiness @ The Consortium
made easy
reduced costs, increased productivity, improved
accuracy – generally making the whole process
of buying simpler and more efficient. The
Government also recognises these benefits
and has set targets to encourage public sector
organisations to adopt e-procurement in some
way. Indeed, some budgets are being reduced
by the value of the expected saving!
We recognise that our customers manage
procurement in many different ways and that
a single e-procurement offering may not suit
everyone. Instead, The Consortium offers a
range of electronic solutions, from e-ordering
through to fully integrated e-procurement.
Included with this edition of STREAMS is
a leaflet containing an overview of all the
available options. Each one has been designed
to “make buying easy” which ever way you
choose to order.
Take a look…and see how we can help you
make those key efficiency savings.
...
Increases productivity
Improved accuracy
EP4Free
SIMS
SIMS
e