Don’t be Seduced by the Latest Technology! Shared Services Tips from SAPPI

Interview by Helen Winsor, SSON

Michael Url, Manager for Procurement, Process and Technology, SAPPI Papier Holding, joins SSON to discuss the transformation from the transaction to value-add means, and Spend

analytics.

SSON: A few questions for you today. First, what does moving beyond the transaction to value-add mean to SAPPI and what are the main focus areas driving this transformation?

M Url: Let me answer for operation procurement. There, the key answer is we want to avoid transactions by automating them. In practical terms, what we are doing is instead of manually transferring the purchase requisition to purchase order, we try to do automated catalogues or a fixed source of supply, so that the requisitioner asks for something and then it gets automatically sent to the supplier and delivered.

In the area of strategic purchasing, this is clearly a transparent and easy access to the data so that for a strategic buyer there shouldn’t be any thresholds to excess spend data or the excess consumption data. Those, I would, say are the two key areas in procurement.

In the area of invoice certification, it is, of course the workflow, automated workflow, and avoiding paper circulating, even though we are a paper company.

SSON: Your presentation will focus on Spend analytics. In what area has this made the biggest impact, eg, spend by commodities, improve visibility, etc?

To download this interview in full and access the mp3, please click here – http://www.ssoweek.com/Event.aspx?id=638224&utm_campaign=Helen &utm_medium=HWOnline&utm_source=Slidshare&MAC=HW_PROMO_11114.006_SS

Shared Services and Outsourcing Week Europe is due to take place from 14th to 16th May, 2012 at The RAI, Amsterdam, Netherlands. For further information, please visit the website: www.ssoweek.com, or contact the enquiries team on email: enquire@iqpc.co.uk , or call +44 207 368 9300.

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IQPCPlease note that we do all we can to ensure accuracy within the translation to word of audio interviews but that errors may still understandably occur in some cases. If you believe that a serious inaccuracy has been made within the text, please contact +44 (0) 207 368 9425 or email helen.winsor@iqpc.co.uk.

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