Investopedia

Purchasing System

Filed Under » ,
Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Purchasing System'

A method used by businesses to buy products and/or services. A purchasing system manages the entire acquisition process, from requisition, to purchase order, to product receipt, to payment. Purchasing systems are a key component of effective inventory management in that they monitor existing stock and help companies determine what to buy, how much to buy and when to buy it. A popular purchasing system is based on economic order quantity models.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Purchasing System'

Purchasing systems makes the purchasing process more efficient and helps companies reduce supply costs. Computerized purchasing systems can cut companies' administrative costs, shorten the length of the purchase cycle and reduce human error, thereby minimizing shortages. They can also simplify order tracking and make it easier to manage purchasing budgets by quickly creating expenditure reports.

Articles Of Interest

  1. In Small Business, Success Is Spelled With 5 "C"s

    Incorporating these steps will help your business thrive in a competitive market.
  2. Measuring Company Efficiency

    Three useful indicators for measuring a retail company's efficiency are its inventory turnaround times, its receivables and its collection period.
  3. Find Investment Quality In The Income Statement

    Use these key attributes to uncover top-level investments.
  4. Inventory Valuation For Investors: FIFO And LIFO

    We go over these methods of calculating this component of the balance sheet, and how the choice affects the bottom line.
  5. Reality Check: Why Startups Fail

    New ventures have only a 50% chance of making it through the first five years. Find out why.
  6. Keeping A Small Business Afloat

    If an economic storm has your business taking on water, we provide tips for bailing yourself out.
  7. Plans The Small-Business Owner Can Establish

    Don't hesitate to adopt a smart plan for you and your employees.
  8. What are the generally accepted accounting principles for inventory reserves?

    As with most matters related to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), accountants assigned with the task of applying GAAP to inventory reserves often use a significant amount of personal ...
  9. Depreciation: Straight-Line Vs. Double-Declining Methods

    Appreciate the different methods used to describe how book value is "used up".
  10. Financial Statement: Extraordinary Vs. Nonrecurring Items

    When it comes to analyzing a company, successful analysts spend considerable time differentiating between accounting items that are likely to recur going forward from those that most likely will ...
comments powered by Disqus
Marketplace
Hot Definitions
  1. Fool In The Shower

    The notion that changes or policies designed to alter the course of the economy should be done slowly, rather than all at once.
  2. Pattern Day Trader

    An SEC designation for traders who trade the same security four or more times per day (buys and sells) over a five-day period, and for whom same-day trades make up at least 6% of their activity for that period.
  3. Cost-Push Inflation

    A phenomenon in which the general price levels rise (inflation) due to increases in the cost of wages and raw materials.
  4. Happiness Economics

    The formal academic study of the relationship between individual satisfaction and economic issues, such as employment and wealth.
  5. Affluenza

    A social condition arising from the desire to be more wealthy, successful or to "keep up with the Joneses." Affluenza is symptomatic of a culture that holds up financial success as one of the highest achievements.
  6. Icarus Factor

    The term Icarus factor describes a situation where managers or executives initiate an overly ambitious project which then fails. Fueled by excitement for the project, the executives are unable to reign in their misguided enthusiasm before it is too late to avoid the failure.
Trading Center