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Traqmetrix Solutions LLP
Traqmetrix Solutions LLP
For Numbers That Matters

Saahas Zero Waste Case Study
​​How Saahas zero waste leveraged Zoho Creator to optimize their procurement process.

Overview:
Saahas Zero Waste, a waste management company, struggled with inefficiencies in their procurement process due to unmanageable data and the lack of a streamlined system. To overcome these challenges, we have implemented a customized process in Zoho Creator, a low-code platform that enabled them to develop a tailored solution. This solution centralized their procurement activities, simplified workflows, and integrated seamlessly with Zoho Books. With department-based approvals, comprehensive logs, user-specific access controls, and a feedback mechanism, Saahas zero waste has significantly improved their operational efficiency and TAT.

Key Takeaways:
  1. Streamlined RFP to PO Process: Zoho Creator helped in simplifying the entire workflow from Request for Procurement (RFP) to Purchase Order  (PO)      with both laptop and mobile interface.
  2. Department-Based Approvals: Approvals were customized based on departmental hierarchy, ensuring the respective department head is getting the approval from their subordinates. This also includes multi-level approval.
  3. Seamless Zoho Books Integration: Integration with Zoho Books allowed automatic PO creation in Zoho Books when a PO was created in Zoho Creator. Additionally, the Item module is synced both ways between Zoho Books and Zoho Creator.
  4. Custom Logs: Custom log history is implemented in order to capture in-depth details about the changes.
  5. User-Based Field Visibility and Access: Fields and data visibility were customized based on user roles, ensuring appropriate access control.
  6. Flexibility in Staff Assignment: Staff members could be assigned to follow up on POs, enhancing task accountability and appropriate receipt.
  7. Feedback Mechanism: The process included capturing feedback after closing the RFP, enabling continuous improvement and evaluation about the vendors on their material.

Executive Summary:
Location of Business:
Saahas Zero Waste is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, and operates across multiple cities, providing comprehensive waste management solutions.
Brief History of the Business:
Saahas Zero Waste Founded in 2013, Saahas began as a small initiative to promote sustainable waste management practices. Over the years, it has grown into a prominent organization recognized for its innovative approach to waste management and its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Field and Nature of Business:
Saahas Zero Waste specializes in waste management services, focusing on segregation, recycling, and the responsible disposal of waste. They cater to residential communities, corporate offices, and large industrial clients, ensuring eco-friendly and sustainable waste management practices.
Additional Context:
  • Customer Reach: Saahas works with over 300 clients, managing thousands of tons of waste annually.
  • Impact: The company has diverted significant amounts of waste from landfills, contributing to cleaner cities and reducing environmental impact.
  • Technological Adoption: Saahas integrates technology into its operations to streamline processes and improve efficiency, evident in their use of Zoho Creator for procuremen.

Problem statement and key Challenges: 
Saahas Zero waste, a growing organization with over 250 members, encountered substantial inefficiencies in its procurement process due to the manual workflows and physical data management. Employees had to manually seek approvals for material requests from higher management, such as team leads or managers, before initiating the procurement process. This was followed by manually creating procurement requests, collecting vendor quotations, and analyzing them, which was both time-intensive and prone to errors. Additionally, the absence of an integrated system meant that tracking materials and managing invoices became cumbersome, often leading to delays and operational bottlenecks. These challenges highlighted the need for a modern, efficient, and scalable solution to address their procurement inefficiencies.

Key Challenges:
  • Operational Inefficiency: Manual processes resulted in delays, errors, and higher administrative overhead.
  • Lack of Visibility: Tracking large procurement quantities was cumbersome, leading to misplaced or unaccounted materials.
  • Scalability Issues: The existing system struggled to adapt to the growing size of the organization and increasing procurement demands.
  • Accountability Gaps: The absence of an effective tracking system made it difficult to monitor material flow, leaving room for mismanagement, person dependent, and incurred loss

Evaluation of the Problem
To address these challenges, We Traqmetrix have evaluated their existing processes and identified areas for improvement. Traqmetrix’s team, leveraging their expertise in Zoho Creator and Zoho Books, collaborated closely with Saahas to understand their pain points and design a solution tailored to their needs.
Key steps in the evaluation process included:
  1. Process Analysis: The team conducted a detailed assessment of Saahas’ procurement workflows, identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies in manual data handling.
  2. Identifying Integration Needs: Recognizing that Saahas was already using Zoho Books, the integration with Zoho Creator was prioritized to ensure seamless data flow and consistency across platforms.
  3. Customization Requirements: Solutions were customized to introduce approval workflows, digital vendor quotation management, and comprehensive tracking mechanisms.
  4. Scalability Planning: A system was designed with scalability in mind to accommodate Saahas’ growth and increasing operational complexity.

By introducing Zoho Creator with the expertise of Traqmetrix, Saahas transitioned from a manual, error-prone system to an automated, efficient procurement workflow. This streamlined operations, improved tracking, and ensured greater accountability, setting the foundation for scalable growth and enhanced productivity.

Proposed Solution:

We implemented a Custom Application in Zoho Creator to streamline their procurement process. The platform allowed for custom workflows, automation approvals, and vendor management. 

Key features included:

  1. Employee Integration: Since Saahas already manages employee data in another application, we linked the employee details to Zoho Creator, enabling seamless integration for procurement workflows.

  2. Vendor Management Module: A dedicated module was created to manage and create vendor records. Access control was implemented, allowing user-based visibility and permissions for vendor data.

  3. Item Management for RFP Requests: A module was developed to manage and create items for Request for Proposals (RFPs), allowing efficient tracking and organization of items required for procurement. It is both ways synced between Zoho Books and Zoho Creator.

  4. Quotation Management Module: A module was added to manage vendor quotations, enabling Saahas to evaluate and finalize Purchase Orders (POs) with ease.

  5. Purchase Order Management: A module for creating and managing purchase orders was implemented, automating the process of PO creation and tracking, ensuring smooth procurement operations.

  6. Request for Procurement Module: A module was provided to manage procurement requests, ensuring a streamlined process for initiating and tracking material requests.

Additionally,

  • Approval Workflows: Department-specific approval processes to avoid delays.

  • Vendor Management: Efficient collection and management of vendor quotations.

  • Material Tracking: Improved visibility and control over materials, reducing errors.

Implementation:

The implementation process began with a thorough requirement gathering phase where we worked closely with Saahas stakeholders to understand their procurement challenges. After collecting all the necessary details, we performed a feasibility check to ensure the proposed solution could be effectively implemented. If any aspect of the requirements was not feasible, we proactively suggested alternatives to align with Saahas' needs. Once the requirements were finalized, we started the development phase, focusing on delivering each module incrementally. After each task was completed, it was reviewed by the client, and any feedback was incorporated before moving to the next step.

In addition to the core procurement modules, we provided a custom solution to track the log of the Request for Procurement (RFP) module. This added feature enabled Saahas to have a detailed history of all procurement requests, improving transparency and accountability. Despite facing challenges such as integrating vendor data and additional customization requests, we managed these bottlenecks by breaking down tasks and prioritizing key features. The entire implementation was completed in 2.5 months, demonstrating our ability to deliver an efficient, tailored solution that significantly improved Saahas' procurement processes.

Result:

After implementing Zoho Creator custom solution and integrating it with Zoho Books, Saahas experienced significant improvements in their procurement processes. The custom workflows and approval processes led to faster approvals, reducing the time taken for material procurement by over 30%. Vendor management became more efficient, as quotations were collected and analyzed digitally, eliminating manual errors and reducing procurement delays by 25%. The improved material tracking system provided better visibility and accountability, helping Saahas track large quantities of materials more accurately and efficiently.

An important feature that accelerated the process was the automated email notifications. Saahas employees are notified via email at each stage of the process, ensuring they stay informed and complete tasks more quickly. This streamlined communication reduced bottlenecks and helped maintain a smooth workflow, significantly speeding up the procurement cycle.

Partner Details:

Partner Name : Traqmetrix Solutions LLP

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