or most companies, the "nirvana" of seamless online sourcing has yet to become a reality.
In the manufacturing sector, the online search engines Google and Yahoo were ranked among the web-sites most valued by UK purchasing managers, according to a survey last month by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS).
One reason that a simple online search for the best supplier remains the benchmark of e-purchasing achievement is that switching from paper-based systems has proved more tough - and taken longer - than even leading corporations expected.
The technology is there. Software leaders such as Ariba, Peoplesoft, Oracle and SAP can supply a suite of systems that computerise the entire buying function, from seeking the supplier to settling the invoice.
Handling everything on screen, from a reverse auction to find the lowest cost supplier, through contract notes and delivery confirmation to invoice reconciliation, empowers purchasing departments to acquire cheaper, more appropriate supplies at lower cost, with fewer staff.