Purchasing management systems

The cost of an energy management system at one site in the north of England was of the order of 1,000,000 and the payback period was just over 2 years. In view of the high cost of such systems, it may be possible to obtain a system on a loan basis, the system being rented from the installer or by lease purchase. All options should be considered before entering into a contract. 

Electronic-based data collection and management systems use various computer hardware and software technologies. Although some organizations design and develop their own systems, others purchase well-established e-clinical trials software from a wide range of vendors. 

As has already been mentioned in Chapter 2, ISO 9001, Management Systems - Requirements , is increasingly being adopted by laboratories to cover the aspects of their business that are not laboratory based. This is because this Standard is more about controlling the process and service enhancement rather than technical issues. It requires continuous improvement, demonstrating that quality is not a static process. The requirements for such matters as documentation, document control, purchasing and management responsibilities are much the... 

Corporate management systems in the areas of environmental protection, employee protection and consumer protection should be integrated further to avoid a shift in risks and also to save costs. All areas require reliable and systematic data about substance properties and application-related exposure. Mechanisms are also required for effective dialogue along the supply chain as well as between companies and authorities. In addition, the comparative assessment of chemical products (for example, in purchasing or in product development) can only be done intelligently if all essential risk areas are included in the evaluation. 

The laboratory suppliers should be considered as part of the laboratory s quality management system. The type and extend of control applied to the suppliers and the purchased materials shall be dependent upon the effect of the piuehased product on the subsequent output. 

The wide acceptance of ISO 9001 and the confidence that specifiers and purchasers have in products and services provided by companies/organizations operating quality management systems according to ISO 9001 cannot be easily ignored. Laboratories have to meet the needs of their customers. Increase in awareness is still necessary. 

The laboratory must have policy and procedures for all purchasing requirements, whether laboratory consumables, equipment, or calibration services. Records must be kept and any checks to ensure the products are fit for purpose documented. Records of purchases should be sufficiently detailed to identify what was purchased, when it was purchased, and any other relevant information, and the management system standard under which they were made should be identified. 

A change in farm layout is often advisable when changing management systems, and would require resources. For example, changes in rotations and livestock use within the rotation may require extra capital expenditure for fencing and livestock purchase. However, on farms where livestock require concentrates that are sourced off-farm, the change may mean some form of decrease in stocking rate. 

The quality-related material requisitions are raised with material specification, describing code number, and subjective and quantitative details. Purchasing information describes the product to be purchased, including, where appropriate, requirements for approval of product, procedures, processes and equipment, requirements for qualification of personnel, and quality management system requirements. 

Many wholesalers will provide the hardware and software for the inventory management system. The most current trend is Web-based systems. These allow pharmacy managers to view in real time the quantity on hand at the wholesaler, the list price, the manufacturer backorder status, and the online catalog. These Web-based systems also enable pharmacy staff to check purchase orders, invoices, and account information in real time. Another advantage is that the pharmacy staff can place orders and view account information from other locations besides the pharmacy... 

Whether your clinical trials management system was developed in-house or purchased from a vendor, eventually you will have the opportunity to experience an upgrade. At some point you will probably need to upgrade the operating system on the PC or server, the version of the database that your application is built on, or the application software itself. Worst case is when you have to upgrade all of these at once. 

Similarly, where a purchased source code is used or modified, the vendor s attention should be directed to AS3563. Vendors should be asked to provide written assurance that software development or modification has followed the quality management system of that Standard or of an equivalent system. 

Occasionally special tests may be required. These may be due to the need to operate the unit in an unusual mode or to test special control systems that may involve associated equipment such as a power management system or a control panel. Special tests may be needed to verify the operation of protective devices in the equipment rather than the equipment itself, but which require the device to be in its fully functional position on its host equipment. The owner or the purchaser usually witnesses performance and special tests. 

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