GEMS Purchasing Suite
The GEMS Purchasing Suite contains four robust modules developed specifically to help government organizations complete the bid and purchasing cycle electronically; prepare complex budgets; manage inventory and assets; and track grants, projects, and work orders. (Click to jump to module-specific information):
Harris ERP recognizes that purchasing is one of the most complex and most watched processes of the public sector. Our Purchasing Suite simplifies the process while providing peace of mind. For example, all purchasing information flows through to the Accounts Payable module to electronically provide a three-way match of the purchase order, receiving document, and invoice. In fact, all GEMS Financial modules are fully integrated with each other to ensure accurate accounts and to facilitate quick lookup of customer data.
Streamline the approval process by establishing electronic approval for routing purchase orders, requisitions, and direct payments. Electronic approval mechanisms speed processing by electronically posting approval requests on screens for the appropriate people to regularly check.
Bid Administration: Track Vendors & Award Bids
The GEMS Bid Administration module helps you control the quotation process for your organization’s accounts. It keeps track of vendors you have used, solicits and tabulates bids, and awards bids to the selected vendor.
Generate automatic bid invitations, record quotes from vendors, tabulate quotes, and generate award letters using our Bid Administration module. The module lets employees enter formal bid responses online and even allows for multiple bid types, including telephone. You can then use the power of the GEMS System to select the best vendor based on user specified criteria. When a bid is awarded and closed, the system automatically generates the necessary purchase orders.
Fixed Assets
GASB 34 changed the accounting procedures of governmental entities nationwide. GEMS customers realize significant time-savings when they use the Fixed Assets module to maintain an inventory of all depreciable and controllable assets. This module lets you identify and track all types of fixed assets, such as police cars, fire trucks, copy machines, and construction equipment. Major benefits include:
- Comprehensive tracking abilities: For example, you can track a grant-funded portion and depreciation separately for grants that require such reporting details. You can also monitor the progress of repairs and improvements, and track who is responsible for the actions.
- Depreciation reporting by three methods: remaining value/remaining life; straight-line; or units of production
- Increased productivity through integration with other GEMS modules: Capital project information as well as asset costs, repairs and maintenance activities flow to the Work Order/Fleet module.
- Extensive inquiry system: Search all asset information, including simulated depreciation; access to full asset history reporting.
Purchasing & Inventory
Using the GEMS Purchasing module, your organization can efficiently manage all aspects of the purchasing process to ensure your government obtains the best price and the best products.
A number of unique features support online user interactions. Using the Purchasing module, you can electronically approve purchase orders, automatically verify budget availability, and complete full encumbrance processing, including pre-encumbrances, encumbrances, and liquidations.
Full integration with other modules reduces paperwork and increases efficiency by eliminating the need for duplicate entries during the requisition, issue, purchase order, receiving, invoice receipt, or disbursement processes. Purchasing transactions automatically flow to Accounts Payable, Bid Administration, Fleet & Equipment Management, Fixed Assets, and Project & Work Order Management modules, eliminating repetitive data re-entry. In addition, several “checks and balances” are built into GEMS Financials. For example, Accounts Payable cannot pay an invoice until the purchase order, receiving document, and invoice match up electronically.
The GEMS Inventory Management module lets you track inventory in one or more warehouses. Using codes you define, you can track inventory use by commodity code or area, with unlimited history maintained on each item. This module helps you operate a complete and streamlined cost accounting system with interfaces among Accounts Payable, General Ledger, Project & Work Order Management modules.
Work Order & Fleet
The GEMS Project and Work Order Management module helps you assign and track work on projects, locations, buildings, or other assets. The Project Management portion helps you manage larger jobs that can be separated into multiple work orders, such as major construction initiatives. The Work Order portion can be used for more routine maintenance projects, such as plowing snow, widening streets, or repairing a fire truck. Like all GEMS Financial modules, its parameter-driven design provides you with maximum flexibility. You define all codes, work levels, and systems standards.
City public works departments most frequently use the GEMS Fleet & Equipment Management module. This module helps them manage maintenance and repair of all vehicles and equipment, including city vehicles, police cars, fire trucks, buses, light rail equipment, etc.
By taking advantage of automatic scheduling, you are able to keep vehicles in better operating condition. You define multiple maintenance schedules for each asset or asset group, so work is easily scheduled when it is due. When a vehicle requires unscheduled repairs, reports show you what scheduled maintenance is coming up and which repair shops have time to perform repairs.