Building an MVP Platform for Procurement Management

The project aims to develop a platform that allows users to manage the entire procurement of physical parts from mechanical components, consumables, and electronics. The platform should enable users to upload their BOM, track part shortages, get notifications when inventory is running low, manage their orders manually, and place orders with distributors. The minimum viable product (MVP) for this project will focus on building a free dashboard that allows users to upload their BOM, receive availability and pricing information, manage orders and inventory, and find part substitutions.

The MVP experiment aims to validate if people care about the proposed platform.

The MVP will enable users to:

1.Upload their electrical BOM

2.Track part shortages

3.Get notifications when inventory is running low

4.Manage their orders manually

5.Find part substitutions

6.Place orders with distributors

7.Success will be based on user sign-ups and active users.

The user journey for the MVP experiment will involve the following steps:

Step 1: Uploading a BOM and receiving availability and pricing information

User signs up and logs in to the platform.

User uploads his/her BOM or imports it from their CAD software.

The platform uses the Octopart API to show the user real-time information about part availability and pricing from multiple distributors.

User can filter and search the results based on their preferences.

User can select the parts they want to order and place the order directly from the platform.

Step 2: Managing orders and inventory

User logs in to the platform.

User sees a dashboard that shows the current status of their orders and inventory levels.

User receives notifications when there are updates on their orders or inventory.

User can track the status of their orders and see expected delivery times.

User can manage their inventory levels and receive notifications when stock is running low.

User can search and filter their orders and inventory to find specific parts or orders.

Step 3: Finding part substitutions

User logs in to the platform.

User sees a dashboard that shows the current status of their orders and inventory levels.

User receives notifications when there are updates on their orders or inventory.

User can search for a specific part that is not available.

The platform suggests alternative parts that can be used as substitutes.

User can select the alternative part and place an order directly from the platform.

Based on the user's location, the platform should prioritize the distributor and price.

Core Features

1.BOM import: Users should be able to import their BOM directly from their CAD software or upload it in a supported format.

2.Part availability and pricing: The platform should use the Octopart API to show users real-time information about part availability and pricing from multiple distributors.

3.Part substitution: The platform should suggest alternative parts that can be used as substitutes if a particular part is not available.

4.Order placement: Users should be able to place orders with distributors directly from the platform.

5.Inventory management: Users should be able to receive notifications when stock is running low.

6.Dashboard: A dashboard should be provided to show the current status of orders, inventory levels, and any alerts or notifications.

7.Search and filter: Users should be able to search and filter their orders and inventory to find specific parts or orders.

8.User authentication and sign-up: Users should be able to create an account and authenticate themselves to use the platform.

Analytics: The platform should track site views, unique views, average time on site

We are ready to start on the work now. As per our expertise, We have various technologies in our bucket with which we will try our best to complete this project on time.