As part of our ongoing commitment to making purchasing the goods and services you need to support teaching, research, and patient care at U-M both convenient and cost effective, we’re implementing a series of enhancements over the next two years to streamline our procure-to-pay (P2P) processes.
The next round of P2P enhancements, known as Guided Buying, will be released on May 5. Check out the details—and the benefits for you— below:
- Customized AI assistance: This easy-to-use tool offers assistance on U-M’s procurement processes, policies, and procedures. It can answer questions about other areas in Procurement Services, including Travel and Expense, Property Disposition, Print-Copy-Mail, and more.
- Guided shopping experience: Marketsite+ and the purchasing webpage have been updated so you can more easily find what you need. Supplier catalogs, for example, are now organized by category —Office & Computer Supplies, Lab & Research Supplies, Facilities & MRO Supplies, and Furniture—and are available for all U-M employees to browse.
- Amazon Business: This new option will offer easy and cost-effective access a wide range of products to support your unit’s needs. For items not currently available in U-M’s Marketsite+ catalogs, Amazon Business will be the preferred supplier. This new partnership is part of our ongoing effort to expand supplier options, reduce costs, and provide a seamless purchasing experience.
- eShipGlobal: A comprehensive shipping platform that helps you find the best shipping rates/methods, eShipGlobal offers streamlined billing via shortcode. This new system will allow you to compare shipping rates from different carriers to find the best price for your U-M shipments.
Learn more
Further details on these enhancements were presented at our recent Buying Blue Community of Practice webinar. Look for more information on May 5 when the enhancements become available.