ACBuy: Master Your Monthly Purchases with Spreadsheet Filters
For serious sourcing professionals, the ACBuy Spreadsheet isn't just a tool—it's the central nervous system of your purchasing operations. Advanced buyers have transformed their monthly procurement strategy by leveraging the spreadsheet's sophisticated filtering capabilities. This guide will walk you through categorizing sellers across three critical dimensions to optimize your sourcing decisions.
Why Filtering Matters for Monthly Planning
Traditional purchasing often involves scattered information across emails, messages, and various documents. The ACBuy filtering system consolidates this data into an actionable framework that enables:
- Strategic allocation
- Predictable outcomes
- Risk mitigation
- Time efficiency
- Predictable outcomes
Filter #1: Categorize by Item Type
Begin your monthly planning by filtering suppliers based on their product specializations. This approach ensures you're matching specific purchasing needs with the most appropriate vendors.
Implementation Steps:
- Create a "Product Category" column in your ACBuy spreadsheet
- Tag each supplier with their primary and secondary product categories
- Use the filter dropdown to view only suppliers relevant to your current purchasing focus
- Compare pricing and capabilities within the same product vertical
Pro Tip:
Filter #2: Evaluate by QC Results
Quality performance tracking separates amateur buyers from procurement professionals. Implement a systematic quality scoring system to filter suppliers by their historical quality metrics.
Setting Up Quality Metrics:
- Add a "Quality Score" column (scale of 1-10)
- Include specific QC failure rate percentages
- Track major vs. minor defect ratios
- Document consistent issues or strengths
When planning monthly purchases, filter to show only suppliers meeting your minimum quality threshold. For critical items, you might set the filter to display only suppliers with quality scores of 8 or above.
Filter #3: Assess Delivery Performance
On-time delivery directly impacts your inventory management and customer satisfaction. The delivery performance filter helps identify reliable partners and flag consistently late suppliers.
Key Delivery Metrics to Track:
| Metric | Description | Filter Usage |
|---|---|---|
| On-Time Rate | Percentage of orders delivered by promised date | Filter for suppliers with >95% on-time rate |
| Average Delay Days | Mean number of days late across all orders | Exclude suppliers with >3 average delay days |
| Communication Quality | Proactive updates about delays or issues | Prioritize suppliers with excellent communication |
Combining Filters for Strategic Decisions
The real power emerges when you apply multiple filters simultaneously. For example, you might filter for:
Scenario:
Applied Filters: Result:
Monthly Planning Workflow
Implement this structured approach at the beginning of each month:
Week 1: Supplier Assessment
Review all supplier performance using your configured filters. Identify any changes in quality or delivery trends.
Week 2: Purchase Allocation
Based on filter results, allocate your monthly purchase volume across qualified suppliers.
Week 3: New Supplier Evaluation
Use the same filtering criteria to evaluate potential new suppliers against your established benchmarks.
Week 4: Performance Updates
Update all metrics based on the month's results, keeping your filtering data current for next month's planning.
Transforming Purchasing from Reactive to Strategic
The ACBuy Spreadsheet filtering system elevates purchasing from a transactional activity to a strategic function. By consistently applying these filtering techniques, advanced buyers create a self-improving procurement system where data drives decisions, performance is systematically tracked, and monthly planning becomes a precise exercise in resource allocation.
Start with one filter category this month, gradually incorporating all three dimensions as you refine your data. Within 2-3 purchasing cycles, you'll notice significant improvements in reliability, quality, and overall sourcing efficiency.