Spreadsheet Based Procurement
Spreadsheet Based Procurement is a business process where organizations use spreadsheet software (like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets) to manage procurement activities such as vendor selection, purchase order creation, budget tracking, and inventory management. It involves creating custom templates, formulas, and macros to automate data entry, calculations, and reporting for sourcing goods and services. This approach is common in small to medium-sized businesses or departments with limited procurement needs, offering a low-cost and flexible alternative to dedicated procurement systems.
Developers should learn about Spreadsheet Based Procurement when working in environments where budget constraints or simple procurement workflows make specialized software impractical, such as startups, non-profits, or internal tools for small teams. It's useful for automating repetitive tasks, integrating with other systems via APIs or scripts, and creating custom dashboards for procurement analytics. Understanding this methodology helps in building or maintaining tools that bridge gaps between manual processes and full-scale enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.