pow Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Hello all! I keep seeing these pieces of paper in the office for internal order forms that are beginning to do my head in (and finances head in!). Is there an online system that can sit on one of my servers that a user can create a purchase order in, it'll then serve it up to FMS for approval once it's submitted? I don't want to give all users access to FMS (ofcourse) but something like this would be ideal? Or am I doing down the bespoke design route? Thanks!
PhilNeal Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I think permissions are available to allow you to safely order but not authorise.
matt40k Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Or am I doing down the bespoke design route? I heard Agora (Capita's online payment system) doesn't link into FMS, so bespoke might not be even an option!!
CambsICT Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) FMS has all the facilities you need. It's called restricted access and users with restricted access can only use certain budget codes and have a limit on how much they can put through on an order. Approval still follows the usual route (i.e. a restricted user can only place an order, they can't authorise it). Use the FMS manuals - search for Manage Users. I should add there are now options to eliminate nearly all paper from the finance office, particularly if you use BACS. Edited January 9, 2015 by elsiegee40 remove advertising links 1
pow Posted January 9, 2015 Author Posted January 9, 2015 I wanted to avoid having to deploy FMS and teach it to 120 users really, SIMS is bad enough as it is!! It seems that you can import an XML file with purchase order details into FMS so I might be able to create an online order form that creates an XML file that can be emailed that our finance officer can load into FMS, save her typing 100 lines in for some orders!
CambsICT Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) I know of large secondary schools using this functionality, though I don't believe any of them have 120 staff placing orders; and the functionality you have to teach is very limited - restricted users get restricted menus and icons as well. The reverse-engineered XML approach sounds error-prone and I'd not like to risk weird data going into the accounting system. Edited January 9, 2015 by elsiegee40
matt40k Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I wanted to avoid having to deploy FMS and teach it to 120 users really, SIMS is bad enough as it is!! It seems that you can import an XML file with purchase order details into FMS so I might be able to create an online order form that creates an XML file that can be emailed that our finance officer can load into FMS, save her typing 100 lines in for some orders! Not sure I follow your logic, no extra licensing costs, few clicks on SOLUS3 to deploy FMS. Training would be required regardless. The reverse-engineered XML approach sounds error-prone and I'd not like to risk weird data going into the accounting system. Suppliers is the one that springs to mine. Both from the point of view of having to edit the supplier export\import from FMS and having to deal with people entering freetext for suppliers name or matching cross-system
pow Posted January 9, 2015 Author Posted January 9, 2015 What about devices that I can't install SIMS to - iPads, Android tablets, ChromeBooks, BYOD stuff that TAs use. Exporting a list of suppliers weekly isn't a massive issue! I can see the for arguement for office staff ordering things but it's a staff out in the school I want to reduce the workload for
Edu-IT Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 How about something that just sends a PDF of the order to finance, then they can input it?
matt40k Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 What about devices that I can't install SIMS to - iPads, Android tablets, ChromeBooks, BYOD stuff Would say SIMS\FMS isn't the correct MIS if this is the route your school has taken - unless you have it hosted solution. that TAs use. Why is a TA ordering things? They should be going to budget holders, or more likely, the stockroom. Exporting a list of suppliers weekly isn't a massive issue! You'll be surprised. I can see the for arguement for office staff ordering things but it's a staff out in the school I want to reduce the workload for Normally what happens is the head will email the bursar a link on amazon to what they want, then they go look on the preferred suppliers catalogues, then they order it\get the three quotes. Not sure the bursar would like a meeting to discuss why they ordered a overpriced HDMI cable (or whatever) from some random supplier rather then from a preferred supplier. Just throw up a order form and have it go to the finance office. Maybe build a catalogue of standard equipment.
PhilNeal Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 @matt40k. Agora/FMS integration launches at @ BETT 2
kevin_lane Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 We have created an online internal form using sharepoint which goes to our finance office and he just copys and past the info once the order has been approved he puts the order number on ur order and gets an email when an order is palaced on the system
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