UPDATE: The webinar discussed below is now available by clicking the following archive link (registration required).

I have always felt that the procurement function (or industry) is quite horizontal in nature. The challenges and opportunities facing different sourcing teams have a commonality to them that cut across different industries and different organizational structures and reporting lines. Sourcing one category in one industry is often a very similar process when sourcing that same category in another.

The more unique contrasts in sourcing exist at the category level and, more specifically, in the differences between direct and indirect materials. On the direct side, the nature of the categories and how they are used creates a very different context and level of prioritization in how sourcing is approached and executed when compared to indirect goods and services.

Manufacturers utilizing manual processes to source the direct materials that comprise their products have an extraordinary opportunity to leverage automation and drive great value across the enterprise. And yet, while the value proposition of an eSourcing solution is straightforward, articulating and presenting a business case for a solution can be complex, time-consuming, and difficult. To help procurement and sourcing executives and their teams accelerate this process, Ardent Partners has developed a robust “Business Case Framework” that includes eSourcing specific content, independent research, and easy-to-follow directions for sourcing teams focused on direct materials

UPDATE (10/19/12): The Business Case for eSourcing report, which is sponsored by Co-eXprise, is now available by clicking here (registration required).

Sourcing professionals may be interested to know that later this week, I will be participating in a webinar, sponsored by Co-eXprise that provides an opportunity for me to add color and context to the report. Registrants will also receive a copy of the report. We hope to see you there.

Here is the official webinar description (registration required):

You need a new sourcing tool. But the boss won’t buy it without a business case.

Building a business case for software is like writing a thesis – it’s a lot of work for something that most people won’t even read.

 It doesn’t have to be that hard.

With a simple, new approach, Andrew Bartolini of Ardent Partners will provide a business case template AND walk you through the six steps to complete it successfully.

Join us on October 18, 2012 at 2pm Eastern (11am Pacific) as Andrew Bartolini of CPO Rising and Ardent Partners guides you through the process of building a business case for sourcing automation. Andrew will be joined by Chris Dugan, Director of Account Management at Co-eXprise, who will walk through a real-world ROI calculator used by customers to build their business cases.

Tagged in: eSourcing, Solution Providers, Sourcing, Technology