Datanovel · PO Value Signals™ for timely action.

Procurement insight. Practical action.

Your procurement strategy takes shape at the moment of purchase.

Protect negotiated savings, cash priorities and buying standards while a purchase order can still be adjusted.

A PO Value Signal™ identifies an opportunity to protect or improve value in an existing purchase order that the supplier has not yet acted on.

How this works
Brief 4:06 Detailed 23:53

Start with a scoped benefit estimate. Establish what your data can support, what it could deliver and where to start.

Estimate your benefits Explore the value areas
Andrey MatveevFounder & Delivery Lead, Datanovel

01 / Where to start

Estimate the benefit.
Choose where to start.

The initial engagement establishes what PO Value Signals™ could deliver in your organisation, using the data available and explicit assumptions about response and implementation.

Your output: a prioritised benefit estimate and a scope for the first implementation.

Discuss a benefit estimate
Understand the data you haveAvailability, quality and the practical window for action.

Datanovel checks how orders, suppliers, materials and commercial records connect. The review establishes when a new PO becomes available, what the supplier has already done and what can still be amended.

The result identifies usable data, important gaps and the conditions needed for reliable PO Value Signals™.

Find the PO Value Signals™ that fitA starting point for your procurement priorities.

Datanovel connects your priorities in direct and indirect procurement to opportunities supported by the agreed data scope. Relevant evidence, business value and a practical correction determine which PO Value Signals™ are suitable.

You receive a prioritised shortlist, supporting examples and the conditions required for each to work.

Estimate the benefitsExpected impact, assumptions and a path to realisation.

Datanovel estimates the benefit from each viable PO Value Signal™, allowing for frequency, realistic buyer response and implementation costs. The estimate shows a range where assumptions affect the result and establishes how outcomes will be verified.

Purchase savings, working capital, financing effects, manual effort and ESG outcomes remain separate measures.

02 / Value areas

Four ways to
keep more value.

PO Value Signals™ turn these procurement priorities into specific corrections. The examples show what can reach a PO creator while there is still time to act.

Other PO Value Signals™ to exploreOrder economics, demand consolidation, policy alignment and service spend clarity.
Order economicsCould a quantity adjustment improve the buying conditions?

Known price breaks, minimum order quantities, pack sizes, order multiples and supplier discounts can affect unit economics. Where these conditions are available, the context shows the buying rule and estimated impact so the team can consider an adjustment without creating unnecessary stock.

Demand consolidationCould related requirements be considered together?

Requirements raised separately across teams, sites, cost centres or short time windows can fragment buying power. The layer looks for related materials, similar items, suppliers, locations and close order timing where the data supports a credible demand-consolidation opportunity.

Recent similar orders, grouping opportunities, volume thresholds and preferred routes give teams context to decide whether requirements should remain separate or be consolidated.

Policy alignmentIs the relevant procurement guidance visible?

A non-preferred supplier, missing contract reference, unusual tax treatment or fragmented demand can indicate a decision worth reviewing. Showing the relevant supplier, contract, tax, category or related-demand context helps the team assess its current route. An unusual choice may still have a valid business reason.

Service spend clarityDoes the record explain what service is being bought?

Generic descriptions, missing statements of work or contract references, unclear service periods, weak pricing bases and broad commodity coding can make services difficult to classify and compare.

The context prompts useful improvements while the record is still adjustable, helping make spend more suitable for benchmarking, governance and future savings programmes.

03 / Practical examples

Help! There’s still
time to act.

The PO is already in your system. A specific email brings a PO Value Signal™, supporting evidence and a proposed correction to its creator while the order can still be adjusted.

At what stage of your P2P process
would your team spot this today?
01 / 13Overlapping demand

Illustrative scenarios · direct and indirect procurement.
Hypothetical names, orders and figures. These are not client results.

MailIllustrative email

Possible overlapping demand for Site A

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Sarah Bennett

You recently ordered 63 pallets of PIR insulation boards. John Miles raised a similar order for the same site two days earlier.

Your order · 903300263 palletsDelivery 17 June
Recent order · 903200364 palletsDelivery 18 June

You may want to check with John whether both call-offs are still needed.

See the comparison and potential value

Both orders are for 120mm PIR insulation boards, 2400 × 1200mm, material code INS-PIR-120-2400, at Site A. The unit price is £58 per board.

Illustrative order comparison
DetailYour orderRecent order
Order90330029032003
RequesterSarah BennettJohn Miles
Quantity1,260 boards1,280 boards
Order value£73,080£74,240
Requested delivery17 June 202618 June 2026

Previous bulk call-offs for this material at Site A were usually 45 to 60 days apart. These were raised two days apart, with delivery dates only one day apart.

£73,080Potential avoidable or deferrable cash commitment

Indicative financing benefit: £601 if the order is deferred by 60 days, using a 5% annual cost of capital. This is distinct from the value of the order. Whether cancellation or deferral is appropriate depends on the actual demand.

An example of useful context, with the decision left to the team.

Cash & working capitalDirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

A newer price may apply to PO 9033408

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Michael Turner · PO creatorCc: Ruth Clarke · Line manager

Your new order for 240,000 kg of polymer compound PC-410 still uses £2.65/kg. The supplier purchasing condition valid from 1 June records £240 per 100 kg, equivalent to £2.40/kg for the same material and plant.

Your PO · previous rate£636,000240,000 kg × £2.65/kg
At the revised rate£576,000240,000 kg × £2.40/kg

The difference is £60,000. Please check whether the revised rate applies and correct the PO before supplier acknowledgement if appropriate.

See the price comparison and potential value

The order was raised on 3 June 2026 for June production at Plant B. The comparison matches the material, supplier, purchasing organisation and plant, and checks that the revised condition is valid and has not been deleted.

Illustrative comparison · amounts exclude tax
DetailNew POCurrent condition
Recorded price£2.65 per kg£240 per 100 kg
Comparable unit price£2.65/kg£2.40/kg
Quantity evaluated240,000 kg240,000 kg
Purchase value£636,000£576,000
Relevant dateCreated 3 June 2026Valid from 1 June 2026
£60,000Potential reduction in this order's purchase value

The calculation is 240,000 kg × (£2.65 − £2.40). Normalising the recorded price unit makes the comparison meaningful; comparing £2.65 directly with £240 would not.

The creator checks whether a surcharge, delivery arrangement, specification change or agreed exception explains the difference. This scenario assumes the supplier has not yet acknowledged the order and the applicable price can still be corrected. The lower recorded condition alone does not prove the PO is wrong.

Selective manager visibility: this illustration assumes the matched evidence and £60,000 potential leakage meet the organisation's agreed confidence and materiality thresholds for copying the creator's line manager.

The line manager is included under agreed confidence and value thresholds.

Savings leakageDirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Payment terms worth checking on PO 9033516

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Priya Shah · PO creator

Your £240,000 PO for annual IT support uses Net 15 payment terms. The supplier-master baseline for this company code is Net 60, placing payment 45 days later on the same invoice basis.

Your PO · Net 1515 daysFrom invoice date
Supplier baseline · Net 6060 daysFrom invoice date

Please check whether the shorter term was agreed for this renewal. If it was not, correct the PO while the terms can still be amended.

See the timing comparison and potential value

The comparison uses the supplier master for the same supplier and company code. Both terms are simple net terms measured from the same invoice date.

Illustrative comparison · one invoice, excluding tax
DetailNew POSupplier baseline
Service value£240,000£240,000
Payment termsNet 15Net 60
Invoice basisInvoice dateInvoice date
Payment timing45 days earlierBaseline timing
£1,479Indicative financing benefit from retaining the 60-day term

The calculation is £240,000 × 5% annual financing rate × 45 / 365, rounded. It assumes one invoice, no instalments, no early-payment discount and no advance-payment or end-of-month rule. Actual benefit depends on invoice and payment behaviour.

The £240,000 service price is unchanged. It is the amount whose payment timing is affected, not a purchase saving. The creator checks the renewal agreement: the supplier-master default could be outdated or a valid exception could apply. Any correction must reflect the agreed commercial terms.

A payment-timing opportunity, with the purchase price unchanged.

Cash & working capitalIndirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Confirm the service period and reference on PO 9033614

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Amelia Grant · PO creator

Your £48,000 PO says “IT services”, with no service period or agreement reference in the fields used for invoice review. Approved statement of work MS-042, linked to the originating request, describes application support from 1 October to 31 December at £16,000 per month.

Current PO descriptionIT services£48,000 · period and reference missing
Context on the approved request3 monthsApplication support · £16,000/month

Please confirm that MS-042 covers this order, then add its reference, service period and billing basis while the PO is still adjustable.

See the missing context and practical benefit

This illustration assumes the same supplier and originating request REQ-2184 connect the approved statement of work to the PO. No service receipt or invoice has been recorded, and the relevant PO fields can still be amended.

Illustrative record check · contract terms require confirmation
DetailCreated POApproved request and SOW
Nature of serviceIT servicesManaged application support
ReferenceNot linked on the POMS-042
Service periodNot recorded1 October to 31 December
Billing basis£48,000 total3 months × £16,000

Why this matters: the service owner and invoice-review team need the agreement, period and billing basis to understand what each monthly invoice relates to. Recording that context can reduce the need to ask the creator to reconstruct it later. The £48,000 is the order value, not a saving.

Before sending: check whether linked attachments already provide everything the downstream process needs. A short description alone is not enough to justify a message. Here the issue is missing operational references; the accessible SOW may already provide sufficient evidence to classify the service.

The creator confirms that the SOW covers this engagement, rather than a separate project or variation. A useful correction might read: “Managed application support, 1 Oct to 31 Dec, SOW MS-042, £16,000 per month.”

What to measure: whether the context is added before the first receipt or invoice, followed by relevant clarification requests and invoice exceptions against a comparable baseline. A corrected record alone does not prove a blocked invoice was avoided.

Illustrative scenario · clearer service context before invoice review.

Workload avoidanceIndirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

The description and material code differ on PO 9033628

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: James Wilson · PO creator

Your order describes 120 of the 20-inch filter element PX205, matching the supplier quotation. Its material code FILT-10-5 instead identifies the 10-inch element PX105. The active material master lists PX205 under FILT-20-5.

Item behind the selected code10-inchPX105 · FILT-10-5
Quoted and described item20-inchPX205 · FILT-20-5

Please confirm the quoted item is required and align the material reference before release, so the supplier and receiving team work from the same item.

See the item match and potential rework

The PO exists and is awaiting release. Quotation Q-742 and the originating request both identify PX205. This illustration assumes the manufacturer's part reference, filtration specification, connection type and unit of measure match the proposed material record. All product and material identifiers are hypothetical.

Illustrative material check · 120 individual elements
DetailSelected material recordQuote and matching record
Material codeFILT-10-5FILT-20-5
Manufacturer partPX105PX205
Recorded length10 inches20 inches
PO textDescribes PX205 insteadAgrees with PX205

The quotation is for 120 elements at £28 each, totalling £3,360 before tax. The intended quantity and quoted price remain unchanged in this scenario. The opportunity is to remove conflicting item references, not claim the order value as a saving.

Why this matters: a supplier following the free-text description and a receiving team using the material code could be working from different item identities. Alignment can prevent clarification, receipt corrections and later invoice queries.

The creator checks for a superseded quote, an intentional substitution or an incorrect master-data description. A dimensional difference alone is not a recommendation to substitute a product. Any correction follows the client's normal approval process.

What to measure: whether the references align before release, and the subsequent incidence and handling time of item-reference queries and receipt corrections. No avoided-work figure is assumed in this illustration.

Illustrative scenario · one consistent item reference for ordering and receipt.

Workload avoidanceDirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

An approved carton alternative is available for PO 9033641

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Tom Evans · PO creator

Your order is for 10,000 shipping cartons at £0.78 each. The approved alternative meets the same dimensions and tested packing requirements, with 80% recovered fibre rather than 50%. It costs £0.80 each, adding £200 to this order.

Current carton50%Recovered fibre · £7,800
Approved alternative80%Recovered fibre · £8,000

The latest availability record supports your delivery date. Please confirm stock and approval for the £200 premium, then consider amending the PO before fulfilment begins.

See the qualification, material benefit and cost

This illustration assumes packaging engineering has qualified both item codes for the same product, packing line and shipping conditions. The approved substitution mapping covers dimensions, compression and stacking performance, moisture exposure, printing and any applicable product-contact requirements.

Illustrative comparison · prices exclude tax
DetailCurrent cartonApproved alternative
Order quantity10,00010,000
Fibre mass per carton0.50 kg0.50 kg
Declared recovered fibre50%80%
Recovered fibre in order2,500 kg4,000 kg
Unit price£0.78£0.80
Order price£7,800£8,000
1.5 tonnesAdditional recovered fibre in the order, for a £200 premium

The material calculation is 10,000 × 0.50 kg × (80% − 50%) = 1,500 kg. Supplier declarations must use the same fibre-mass basis and cover the actual items supplied. The price difference is 10,000 × (£0.80 − £0.78) = £200.

Before changing the PO: confirm the qualified specification, available quantity, delivery date, spending approval and any amendment charges. The example assumes the existing order can be changed without a fee and the alternative meets the required delivery date.

What to measure: the alternative actually received, its supported material-content figure, incremental purchase cost and any effect on damage or packing performance. Recovered-fibre content does not by itself establish a carbon reduction or an overall environmental advantage.

For background on material-content criteria, see EPA guidance on recovered-fibre paper and packaging. The product approvals, prices and quantities above are illustrative.

Illustrative scenario · a specific material-content improvement with its cost visible.

ESG & preferred alternativesDirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

An approved refurbished option could meet PO 9033657

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Helen Ward · PO creator

Your order is for 20 new laptops at £900 each. IT's approved alternatives list includes a refurbished configuration for this user group at £725, with the required support package. The quoted batch covers all 20 devices and your required delivery date.

20 new devices£18,000£900 per device
20 approved refurbished devices£14,500£725 per device

Please confirm that the approved batch remains available and meets the deployment plan. If it does, consider switching the order before fulfilment begins.

See the approval criteria and potential benefit

This illustration concerns a standard office-user deployment. IT has approved the particular refurbished configuration and supplier route for that workload. Matching memory and storage alone is insufficient: suitability also covers processor performance, operating-system support, security, device management and required accessories.

Illustrative comparison · equivalent included services, excluding tax
DetailNew devicesApproved refurbished batch
Quantity2020
Workload and configurationApproved for the user groupApproved for the same user group
Required supportThree yearsThree years, with accepted warranty and replacement service
Unit price£900£725
Purchase cost£18,000£14,500
£3,500Potential purchase-cost reduction, with 20 devices returned to use

The price comparison is 20 × (£900 − £725) = £3,500. It assumes the same required deployment services, accessories and delivery costs are included, and that amending the existing PO attracts no charge.

Before changing the PO: confirm the actual batch, condition grade, battery acceptance standard, refurbishment and data-erasure evidence, warranty and replacement terms, remaining supported service life and delivery date. Keep the original route if the approved alternative no longer meets the requirement or the order cannot be amended.

What to measure: actual purchase cost and previously used devices accepted into service, supported by receipt and asset records. Reuse does not automatically establish a particular carbon saving or an amount of e-waste avoided; broader lifecycle effects need separate evidence.

This is an established procurement option: Defra describes using refurbished and remanufactured devices in its technology procurement. The figures above are hypothetical and are not Defra results.

Illustrative scenario · reuse within IT-approved performance and support requirements.

ESG & preferred alternativesIndirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

A quantity adjustment could lower the total on PO 9033701

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Daniel Reed · PO creator

Your order for 900 housing components at £12 each totals £10,800. The agreed price for an order of 1,000 or more is £10.50 per component. An order of 1,000 would cost £10,500: 100 more components for £300 less overall.

Your PO · 900 components£10,800900 × £12.00
At the agreed 1,000-unit tier£10,5001,000 × £10.50

Please check whether the extra 100 components fit confirmed production demand and available storage. If they do, confirm the tier with the supplier and consider amending the PO while its quantity remains adjustable.

See the price break and conditions to check
Illustrative quantity price break · amounts exclude tax
DetailCreated POPossible amendment
Quantity900 components1,000 components
Applicable unit price£12.00£10.50
Purchase value£10,800£10,500
Additional quantityNot applicable100 components requiring confirmed demand
£300Potential reduction in total purchase value before additional costs

The created PO is for housing component HC-210 and is awaiting supplier acknowledgement. The applicable supplier schedule uses an all-units price break: £12 per component below 1,000 units and £10.50 per component from 1,000 units. This illustration assumes the schedule applies to this supplier, plant, specification and delivery period.

The purchase-value difference is £10,800 − £10,500 = £300. The lower total requires a genuine need for the additional 100 components. Buying stock that may expire, become obsolete or remain unused can outweigh that difference.

The creator checks planned consumption, storage, delivery arrangements and any additional handling or financing costs. A minimum order rule, a price applying only to units above the threshold, or a separate delivery charge would change the calculation.

Any benefit is verified against the applicable terms, amended order and final invoice, with relevant additional costs included. These are illustrative figures and hypothetical identifiers.

More units can make commercial sense only when the extra quantity is useful.

Savings leakageDirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Related site orders may qualify for the same volume price

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Laura Ellis · PO creator

Your PO for 400 valve assemblies at Site A and Martin Cole’s PO for 600 at Site B both use £22 each. The supplier’s agreed terms allow eligible demand across these sites to count towards the 1,000-unit price of £20. The combined purchase-value difference is £2,000.

Two created POs · current price£22,000400 + 600 assemblies at £22
Eligible combined-demand price£20,0001,000 assemblies at £20

Please coordinate with Martin to confirm both requirements, delivery dates and eligibility for combined pricing. If the supplier confirms the £20 rate, update the two adjustable POs through the normal approval process.

See the linked requirements and potential value
Illustrative site-demand check · amounts exclude tax
DetailCurrent pricingEligible combined pricing
Site A · 400 assemblies£8,800£8,000
Site B · 600 assemblies£13,200£12,000
Total quantity1,000 assemblies1,000 assemblies
Combined purchase value£22,000£20,000
£2,000Potential purchase-value reduction before additional costs

PO 9033712 for Site A contains 400 of valve assembly VA-440; PO 9033713 for Site B contains 600 of the same assembly. Both POs have been created, neither has been fulfilled, and their prices can still be amended. The agreed supplier schedule permits these sites’ requirements within the same purchasing window to qualify together.

The possible purchase-value reduction is 1,000 × (£22 − £20) = £2,000. The quantity remains 1,000 assemblies. Aggregating demand for pricing does not necessarily require one delivery or moving stock between sites.

The creators confirm that both orders remain necessary and that the material, specification, currency and commercial conditions match. The supplier must accept the combined pricing basis and required dates. Any additional freight, administration or transfer costs are included when evaluating the benefit.

If the two sites buy through different legal entities or the supplier applies thresholds separately, the proposed price may not be available. The email provides a coordination opportunity for the creators to validate. All names, identifiers and figures are illustrative.

Combined pricing requires supplier agreement and workable delivery arrangements.

Savings leakageDirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Check the scanner specification on PO 9033724

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Olivia Brooks · PO creator

Your order selects 100 long-range barcode scanners at £420 each. The approved equipment schedule for these packing stations specifies the standard-range model at £290. If the operating requirement is unchanged, that approved model would reduce this order’s purchase value by £13,000.

Your PO · long-range model£42,000100 scanners × £420
Approved packing-station model£29,000100 scanners × £290

Please confirm the required scanning distance and packing-station conditions with the operational owner. If the standard model remains suitable and available, consider amending the PO before supplier fulfilment begins.

See the approved specification and commercial difference
Illustrative specification check · quantities unchanged, excluding tax
DetailCreated POApproved schedule
ModelLong-range scannerStandard-range scanner
Quantity100100
Unit purchase price£420£290
Purchase value£42,000£29,000
Required checkIs the premium capability needed?Does this model still meet the operating requirement?
£13,000Potential purchase-value reduction if the approved model remains suitable

The created PO is for packing-station scanners and remains adjustable before fulfilment. Its originating request identifies the stations covered by approved equipment schedule EQ-117. That schedule lists the standard-range scanner for this use; the PO selects the more expensive long-range version.

The purchase-value difference is 100 × (£420 − £290) = £13,000. The two models provide different capabilities. The decision is whether the premium capability is required for this application, with the operational owner confirming suitability.

The review checks barcode types, scanning distance, ambient conditions, integration, durability, accessories, warranty and required delivery. A changed layout or a new operational requirement may justify the long-range model. Any implementation, training or accessory costs are included in the commercial evaluation.

The creator confirms the appropriate specification and follows normal approval controls for any amendment. Potential benefit becomes a verified purchase saving only after suitability and the applicable price are established and the final purchase evidence supports it. This is an illustrative scenario.

The operational requirement determines the suitable specification.

Savings leakageIndirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Add the planned hire period to PO 9033739

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Nathan Price · PO creator

Your compressor-hire PO records £900 per week without an end date. The approved maintenance plan linked to the request requires six weeks of hire. Please confirm that period and record who will arrange off-hire, while the PO can still be amended.

Created hire PO£900/weekEnd date and off-hire owner missing
Approved maintenance plan6 weeks£5,400 intended rental scope

Please add the agreed start and end dates, hire-period reference and named owner for arranging return. Confirm the supplier’s off-hire notice and collection terms so the plan can be followed in practice.

See the hire scope and practical benefit
Illustrative hire-record check · rental charges exclude tax and ancillary costs
DetailCreated POContext to confirm and record
Rental rate£900 per week£900 per week
Hire periodEnd date missingSix weeks in MP-061
Intended rental scopePeriod not defined£5,400 for six weeks
Off-hire responsibilityNot recordedNamed owner and supplier notice requirements

The created PO is awaiting supplier acknowledgement and remains amendable. Maintenance plan MP-061, linked to the originating request, specifies a six-week compressor requirement. The PO records the weekly rental rate but omits the end date and responsibility for ending the hire.

Six weeks × £900 gives £5,400 of intended rental charges before tax, delivery, collection and any separately agreed items. This amount describes the planned hire scope. No financial saving or avoided additional hire is assumed.

A recorded end date alone may not stop rental charges. The creator checks the supplier’s notice period, whether billing ends on notice or collection, minimum hire rules, and who is responsible for booking off-hire. The maintenance owner confirms whether the equipment is likely to be needed beyond the planned period.

Clear dates and ownership give the maintenance team a practical trigger to return the equipment or approve an extension. Subsequent rental dates and charges can be reviewed against the agreed scope; evidence of the actual outcome is needed before assigning a financial benefit. References and figures are hypothetical.

Clear hire dates and return ownership support control of ongoing charges.

Workload avoidanceIndirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Align the billing basis on PO 9033740 with the approved SOW

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Sophie Morgan · PO creator

Your £40,000 project PO is recorded as 40 days at £1,000. The approved statement of work linked to the request specifies a fixed fee of £40,000 against two deliverables. The total matches, but the recorded billing basis differs.

Created PO · day-rate basis40 days40 × £1,000 = £40,000
Approved SOW · fixed fee2 deliverables£40,000 subject to agreed acceptance

Please confirm the fixed-fee terms and align the PO’s billing basis, statement-of-work reference and deliverable acceptance requirements before work or invoicing begins.

See the commercial basis and invoice-review context
Illustrative billing-basis check · the agreed fee remains £40,000
DetailCreated POApproved SOW
Commercial basis40 days at £1,000Fixed fee against two deliverables
Total fee£40,000£40,000
Receipt and acceptanceDay-rate descriptionDefined deliverable acceptance requirements
Agreement referenceNot linked in receipt fieldsSOW-084

The created PO remains amendable and no service receipt or invoice has been posted. Approved statement of work SOW-084 is linked to the same supplier and project request. It provides for a fixed £40,000 fee against two defined deliverables and their acceptance requirements.

The PO instead records 40 days at £1,000 per day. Although 40 × £1,000 equals £40,000, a day-rate description can lead the service owner and invoice team to check time worked rather than the agreed deliverables and acceptance conditions.

The creator confirms that SOW-084 is the current agreement and checks for approved variations. The correction uses the fields, service lines and references required by the client’s process to represent the fixed-fee arrangement. Payment allocations and milestone dates follow the actual agreement; no equal split is assumed.

The practical benefit is a clearer basis for service receipt and invoice review. The £40,000 is the agreed project fee, and the illustration makes no purchase-saving claim. Whether clarification and invoice exceptions reduce must be measured after implementation. Identifiers and names are hypothetical.

An unchanged total can still conceal an inconsistent billing basis.

Workload avoidanceIndirect procurement

MailIllustrative email

Link the asset schedule to inspection PO 9033752

Procurement Context AssistantPO Value Signals™ · automated messageTo: Robert Hayes · PO creator

Your PO describes “annual equipment inspection”, but the fields used for service receipt do not identify the assets or sites. The approved schedule linked to the request covers 20 assets across two sites. That context will help the service owner confirm what has been inspected.

Created PO · receipt contextAnnual inspectionAsset and location references missing
Approved inspection schedule20 assetsIdentified assets across two sites

Please confirm the schedule covers this engagement and link its reference, asset list and site scope in the fields used for service receipt, while the PO remains adjustable.

See the inspection scope and completion evidence
Illustrative inspection-record check · the agreed scope is unchanged
DetailCreated PO receipt fieldsApproved schedule
Service descriptionAnnual equipment inspectionInspection of identified assets
Asset scopeNot identified20 assets
LocationsNot referencedSite A and Site B
Operational referenceMissingAS-220 and its current asset list

The created PO is awaiting fulfilment and remains amendable. Schedule AS-220, linked to the originating request, identifies 20 assets across Site A and Site B. The record used by the service-receipt team contains the generic inspection description but no accessible asset-schedule or location reference.

The correction connects the order to the agreed assets, locations and inspection scope so the service owner can check completion and any outstanding items. The creator confirms that AS-220 is current and that additions, removals or approved scope changes have been reflected.

Where the downstream process already exposes the complete approved schedule, a separate message may be unnecessary. In this illustration, the schedule exists but its reference is missing from the operational record that the receipt team actually uses.

No saving or avoided incident is assigned to the 20 assets. Useful outcomes to observe are whether the reference is added before inspection, whether completion evidence can be reconciled to scope, and whether relevant clarification requests reduce. All references and names are illustrative.

The service owner needs a clear link between inspection scope and completion.

Workload avoidanceIndirect procurement

04 / How it works

How PO Value Signals™
work.

A detected opportunity becomes useful when the evidence is credible, the creator knows what to check and there is still time to act.

  1. 01

    Detect

    5 to 30 minutes after PO creation

    Our models detect opportunities in newly created POs, using the available evidence.

  2. 02

    Check

    Up to 10 minutes to assess the finding

    Models and business rules assess confidence, value and the remaining time to act.

  3. 03

    Share

    15 to 45 minutes after PO creation

    Automation emails the creator the evidence, estimated impact and a proposed correction.

  4. 04

    Observe

    Continuously
    as records change

    The system follows PO amendments and subsequent invoices, payments and deliveries.

  5. 05

    Learn

    As evidence builds
    through operation

    Verified outcomes help Datanovel refine the models and future messages.

About the timing estimates

Timings are agreed for your data and systems. Data refresh, integration and the supplier’s fulfilment stage determine what is achievable and whether the order can still be changed.

Useful enough to show.
Early enough to help.

Selective, specific messages give the team a clear correction to consider. Existing approval controls and business judgement remain in place.

A few good PO Value Signals™What deserves attention, and who can help.

Our data models, trained on your organisation’s historical data, assess relevance, confidence, materiality and practical usefulness before the automation sends a message.

For significant opportunities supported by high-confidence evidence, agreed routing can include the creator’s line manager. Their experience helps the team assess the circumstances and act on a useful correction.

The authorised team retains the decision, including a valid reason to keep the existing order.

What happens next with the PO?From the recommendation to the invoice and business outcome.

The system records whether the PO changes and which recommendations are applied fully or partly. Comparing the original order with its amendments establishes what changed in the commitment.

Datanovel verifies purchase savings against final invoices and relevant charges. Payment records establish cash timing; activity records show processing time and downstream changes; ESG reporting uses delivered quantities and separately stated carbon estimates.

PO amendments and business outcomes are tracked separately. The results help refine future PO Value Signals™. An unchanged PO does not by itself show that the recommendation was ignored or a benefit was lost.

What real purchasing can teach your policiesA second use of the learning loop.

Policies describe how purchasing should work. Operational records show how it works in practice, including situations the rules may not anticipate. Documenting these patterns gives procurement leaders evidence for reviewing guidance, controls and implementation.

Set policyIntent and guidance
ImplementDetect · Check · Share
Observe · Learn
Review practicePatterns in dashboards

↳ Evidence returns to the people responsible for policy and governance.

The immediate task is to develop useful PO Value Signals™ and help the team correct significant issues. The broader learning records recurring patterns for investigation and policy adaptation. A commercial opportunity does not necessarily indicate a policy violation.

The immediate value comes from better decisions at the point of action. The strategic value comes from learning which PO Value Signals™ your teams respond to, and what those patterns reveal about suppliers, markets and policy adoption.

See PO Value Signals™ in the reportsFour value areas, individual records, departments and buyer action.

Choose a value area, then explore its executive summary, individual PO Value Signals™, departments and buyer action.

The interactive report illustrations require JavaScript. The thirteen email examples above remain available to read.

05 / Delivery

Implemented on
your platforms.

A capability in your existing systems.

We build with your team on your approved platforms. Your data stays in your environment, with no separate Datanovel SaaS application.

Build. Operate. Transfer.

Start with the low-hanging fruit. Build the next PO Value Signal™ while the first moves through operation and handover.

Illustrative sequenceEarlierLater →
PO Value Signal™ 01BuildOperateTransfer
PO Value Signal™ 02BuildOperateTransfer
PO Value Signal™ 03BuildOperateTransfer

Illustrative overlap. Resources, receiving teams and timing follow your delivery model.

Build with your team

Datanovel connects the data, models, evidence, message routing and reporting for the first PO Value Signal™. Your procurement and technology teams test the proposed corrections before routine use.

Operate and measure the benefit

Datanovel operates the capability with your team, follows PO amendments through to the relevant outcome evidence, and refines the models and messages against the original benefit estimate.

Transfer the working capability

The agreed teams receive the working logic, documentation and operating knowledge. Build resources and receiving teams can differ between PO Value Signals™ to fit your delivery model.

Delivery in your environmentPreferred platforms, flexible delivery.

Celonis and Databricks are preferred delivery platforms, options rather than prerequisites. Datanovel can also deliver on your existing approved platform, including Microsoft Fabric. The choice follows your procurement priorities, available capabilities, access and operating needs; the initial data review establishes how the agreed scope can be delivered in your environment.

Celonis: connect process data, identify where work stops and bring evidence, business input and follow-up actions into the improvement cycle. For example, an invoice-blocking pattern could lead to a targeted review of missing PO references, an owner decision and tracking of whether the issue is resolved. Delivery can span data extraction and SQL transformations, Knowledge Models, PQL, views and Action Flows, supporting the define, measure, analyse, improve and control stages of DMAIC.

Databricks: explore procurement data, prepare it and prototype rules, models and AI-assisted analysis for early business review. For example, a working prototype could extract service periods from PO descriptions for a buyer to check against the supporting document. SQL, data pipelines and AI functions help turn a requirement into something the business can see, test and refine before wider implementation.

Prediction models are trained on your procurement data and run on your approved compute. They work alongside business rules and evidence matching to detect and assess PO Value Signals™ in already-created POs. A missing reference or an agreed-price exception may be established directly; other PO Value Signals™ depend on learned patterns.

The initial data review checks the data, history, access, compute and timing needed for each PO Value Signal™ before implementation is agreed.

Where LLM support is useful, the model is selected with you and used within permitted AI services and security controls. A retrieval layer can ground messages in approved procurement context, rather than generic model assumptions.

Start with a benefit estimate

What could your
data deliver?

Discuss your procurement priorities and agree a scope for estimating the benefits. Establish the evidence for the first implementation, then decide where to go next.

Contact Datanovel on LinkedIn
Andrey Matveev, founder of Datanovel

Andrey Matveev

Founder & Delivery Lead
Datanovel

Andrey's experience spans supplier data management, procurement analytics and operational reporting, including developing and operating supplier-verification tools.

He leads each engagement directly, with specialist support brought in where the work requires it.

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