Post 18 of 19
Use one catalogue and line-level price history so purchasers can compare quotes and negotiate with evidence.
A fleet buys the same filters, gaskets and pumps again and again, on different vessels, in different ports, from different suppliers. Without a shared view, every purchase is negotiated from scratch and the price paid depends on who placed the order and how urgent it was. Price control starts with knowing exactly what you buy and what you paid for it.
Price drift is rarely one bad decision. It builds up from small gaps in data and process.
The same part is recorded under different descriptions on different vessels, so nobody sees it as one item.
Each vessel buys separately, so volumes are never combined.
Urgent orders accept the first quote that meets the delivery date.
Delivery, agency and handling charges are added on the invoice and never compared.
Prices in different currencies are hard to compare without a stated conversion basis.
Every price comparison depends on knowing that two lines are the same item.
Identify parts by maker and maker part number, and stores by IMPA code where one applies.
Link each item to the equipment it serves, so requisitions come from the catalogue rather than free text.
Merge duplicates and agree one unit of measure per item.
Make the catalogue the starting point of every requisition on board.
A total per purchase order hides what you need. Store the history per line.
Quoted, ordered and invoiced price for each line, so you can see where prices changed.
Supplier, delivery port, date, currency and delivery terms.
Quoted and actual lead time.
How many quotations were received and which one was chosen.
A spreadsheet comparison of three emails is slow and easy to get wrong. A structured comparison puts the right facts next to each other.
Without a shared view
Quotes compared in a spreadsheet per order
Last price paid found by searching email
Delivery costs discovered on the invoice
Each vessel negotiates alone
With one view of products and prices
Quote lines matched to catalogue items
Last and average price shown per item and port
Delivery terms compared before award
Fleet volumes visible per supplier
Once prices and volumes are visible, purchasers can negotiate with evidence instead of impressions.
Show suppliers your annual volume per part family across the fleet.
Compare prices for the same item between ports and suppliers.
Track supplier lead times and delivery reliability alongside price.
Agree framework prices for recurring items and flag orders or invoices above them.
At a ship-management company running Delta BI's Finance Automation, giving purchasers one view of products and prices brought better control of what was bought and paid, and it supported their negotiations with suppliers. Illustrative example, not a client figure: if the same filter element was bought in three ports at three different prices last quarter, the next requisition shows all three, and the purchaser starts the conversation from the lowest.
Next steps
Finance Automation keeps the catalogue, quotes and line-level prices in one workflow, from requisition to payment. Bring a sample of recent quotes and invoices, and we will show you what the price history looks like for your fleet.
Start with the decision
Tell us about your challenge. We will reply to arrange an assessment and identify a practical route to delivery.
Request a data assessment