Month: August 2012

Installing your free Purchase Order Software on a network for multi-user access

There seems to be some confusion about multi-user access to the free version of SpendMap.

We’ve had quite a few questions about upgrading to the (paid) web-based version of SpendMap in order to have more than one person using the system at the same time, but upgrading is often not necessary.

So to set the record straight, in this post I’ll outline how you can install your free Purchase Order Software on a network server for multi-user access, and I’ll also outline the additional benefits of (optionally) upgrading to the web-based version of SpendMap.

So for the record, “web-based” and “multi-user” are not the same thing.  The free (Windows/desktop) version of SpendMap can be installed on your server, and you can roll it out to as many people as you want.  Each user will run the software on their PC workstation, while accessing the shared database on the network server.  So when someone creates a Requisition or a Purchase Order or whatever, other users will be able to see and work on the order as well (provided you give them the ability to see other people’s orders).

To install your free Purchase Order Software on a network for multi-user access, just follow the instructions in the Getting Started Documentation that came with your free software…

Free Purchase Order Software network installation instructions

So why do I need the web-based version of SpendMap?

You might not!

If you’re working in a small business or a small buying group of a larger organization, you might not need a web-based e-procurement system.  If you don’t mind setting up software on each PC workstation, then our free Purchase Order Software might certainly be enough for you.

But if lots of people need to access your Purchase Order System, then you might consider upgrading to the web-based version, which runs inside your web-browser, so your staff can access it from anywhere, without having to set up software on their PCs.

So for most companies, it comes down to ease of deployment.  While there are some other benefits, in general the more users you have, the more benefit there is to upgrading to the web-based version.  But if you don’t have too many users, then the free version is probably all you’ll need.

And yes, you can start with the free version and upgrade to the web-based version down the road if you like, with no loss of data…everything in your free version will be brought forward automatically, including Master Files, settings, Purchase Orders and other transactions, etc.

A few new features in your free Purchase Order Software

A few of the new features that you asked for in last week’s survey were already added to SpendMap earlier this year and will be available in the next release of your free Purchase Order Software.

  • Ability to delete all existing requisition approval/routing rules in one step (start over)
  • Ability to broadcast e-mails to all or some suppliers from within SpendMap
  • Requisition for Blanket Purchase Order
  • New e-mail notification: Email copy of final Purchase Order to the Requisitioner

Thanks to all who took the survey.  When creating our development schedule, we take valuable input from the users of the free version of SpendMap, and combine it with new feature requests from our paying customers (who are using the web-based version of SpendMap), so both communities benefit from your input.

If you haven’t yet taken the survey, please take a moment now and join the conversation.

Thanks and have a good day.

6 months of free Purchase Order Software

I can’t believe that it’s been six months since we introduced the world’s first free e-procurement system.  It’s like watching my kids grow up…goes by so quickly.

People in over 100 countries have downloaded our free Purchase Order Software and we’re only getting started.

And while we’re happy that many users of the free software chose to upgrade to the paid version of SpendMap for one reason or another, we’re even more thrilled about how many smaller companies have implemented the totally free version.

It feels really good to help so many people who could never have afforded this type of technology before.

So What’s Next?

We were actually hoping that you can tell us!

We have a few ideas of our own for how to improve the project, like some cool new software features or maybe some new tools to help bring the members of the Free-Procurement community closer together (yes, that’s you!), but we thought we’d start by asking what you would like to see added.  Or changed. 

After all, this is your Project, as much as it is ours.

So could we ask a small favor in return for your free Purchase Order Software system?  Could you take a couple minutes and answer this short survey? 

I know, I know, we all have a bazillion things to do but it won’t take long and this type of feedback is really important to keep things moving in the right direction.

Thanks in advance for taking the survey, and also for downloading the free Purchase Order Software in the first place.

Have a great day!