Budgets and cost centres within the ordering process.
Business orders need more than a price in the cart. Each request must be assigned to the right cost centre, take available budgets into account and follow the agreed purchasing rules.
Technology cost centre
NL-1100
- Budget in the example period
- €20,000.00
- Already used
- €4,000.00
- Reserved for other requirements
- €1,000.00
- Still available
- €15,000.00
- This requirement
- €14,800.00
- Remaining afterwards
- €200.00
Budget fits. Approval is required.
The requirement fits within the available budget.
The amount exceeds the €500 approval threshold.
Budget and approval threshold are different rules. In this example, the responsible person must decide even though sufficient budget is available.
View approval requestWith Agora, we bring these rules into your shop. Buyers see the assignment, the outcome of the check and their next step. We configure the workflow around your organisation.
From a request to the right next step.
Put together the request
The buyer selects the products they need. Their assortment and role set the context; the same order lines stay visible throughout the workflow.
Assign a cost centre
The request receives the cost centre intended for this purchase. We configure which assignments a user can see and which choices they can make.
Check the purchasing rule
Agora takes the configured budgets and thresholds into account. The check explains which rule applies to this request, directly alongside the order.
Take the appropriate next step
Depending on the configured rule, the buyer can continue, adjust the request or ask for approval. Order lines and cost centre stay attached to the request when approval is needed.
Budgets and approvals have different purposes.
A budget rule checks the financial framework for a request. An approval rule determines who must make a decision. Both can be combined in the ordering workflow. A request with sufficient budget can still exceed an approval threshold. Conversely, asking for approval does not automatically make an exceeded budget available. We configure which decision is permitted in each case.
What we define for your shop.
We develop Agora as our own shop software and use it to build your shop. We develop the design and business workflows with you, agreeing scope and integrations within the project.
- How is purchasing organised?
- Companies, locations and roles provide the context for the ordering workflow.
- Which cost centres are needed?
- Assignments and available choices must be clear to the people placing orders.
- Which budgets and thresholds apply?
- The relevant purchasing rules are configured for the agreed workflow.
- What happens when a limit is exceeded?
- Adjustment, rejection and approval where appropriate each need a clear next step.
- Which data is needed afterwards?
- We consider the order reference together with agreed handoffs to other systems.
Questions about budgets and cost centres.
How do budgets, shop credit and allowances differ?
A budget defines the financial framework for purchasing. Shop credit shows available and used amounts in the shop. Allowances and quotas define quantities or values available to a user or group. The right combination depends on the ordering model.
Can a request need approval even when the budget is sufficient?
Yes, if the shop has a rule for this. Budget checks and approval thresholds answer different questions. Together we define when a responsible person must make a decision.
Can cost centres come from another system?
We agree the source, mapping and update process for your project. The integrations page explains what needs to be defined for this handoff.
Can the workflow be adapted to our purchasing process?
Yes. We discuss your roles, cost centres and purchasing rules, then develop the ordering workflow on Agora. Scope, integrations and responsibilities become part of the project.
Fits your workflow.
How should purchasing work for you?
Show us how requests, budgets and approvals work today. We will discuss how your own shop on Agora can support this process.
Discuss your shop project