Procurement controlling via supply chain dashboard

Rising procurement costs, volatile supply chains, and growing demands for transparency and documentation are presenting new challenges for procurement. Learn what a supply chain dashboard can do for procurement controlling and how the advanced Line Up Dashboard supports companies.

Anyone who procures internationally or develops complex products today needs to know at all times where projects stand, what costs are incurred, and what the status is in terms of quality and deadlines. Traditional Excel lists, email coordination, and isolated individual solutions are no longer sufficient.

Modern purchasing controlling requires up-to-date data, clear key figures, and a central overview. This is exactly where supply chain dashboards come into play. As specialized procurement software, they bundle information from purchasing, quality, logistics, and project management and make it available in real time.

What is a supply chain dashboard?

A supply chain dashboard is a digital control interface that centrally consolidates and visually presents relevant data along the entire supply chain. It provides a structured overview of purchasing projects, products, suppliers, deadlines, costs, and quality indicators.

Unlike traditional reports or static evaluations, a supply chain dashboard works dynamically:

• Data is continuously updated,

• changes are immediately visible,

• and correlations can be identified more quickly.

The goal is not only transparency, but active control. Procurement managers can identify deviations early on, assess risks, and make informed decisions.

This makes the supply chain dashboard a central tool in modern procurement controlling and an important component in the areas of global sourcing, procure tech, procurement software, e-procurement, and digital procurement.

Why use a dashboard in procurement controlling?

In many companies, procurement controlling is still fragmented: information is scattered across different systems, files, or email inboxes. Status queries take time, reports are created manually, and decisions are often based on incomplete or outdated data.

This way of working carries considerable risks:

• Delays in production or shipping are often detected too late.

• Quality problems can only be traced with great effort.

• At the same time, there is increasing pressure to provide reliable evidence to management, customers, or auditors.

A supply chain dashboard provides all relevant information in one place, reduces manual effort, and significantly increases response speed in procurement. As integrated procurement software, it makes procurement controlling not only more efficient, but also more strategic.

Advantages of supply chain dashboards at a glance

Real-time transparency

A central dashboard ensures that all parties involved have access to the same data. Project status, delivery dates, open issues, and quality reports can be viewed at any time. This reduces queries, prevents misunderstandings, and creates a reliable data basis for decisions.

Better planning and early risk detection

Deviations from schedules, costs, or quality requirements become visible at an early stage. This enables the procurement department to take timely countermeasures, examine alternatives, or initiate measures. Risks can not only be documented, but also actively managed.

More efficient procurement controlling

Key figures such as project progress, delivery performance, and quality status are available at any time. Time-consuming manual reporting is eliminated or significantly reduced. This saves time and frees up capacity for strategic tasks in procurement.

Improved collaboration

A shared dashboard promotes collaboration between procurement, quality assurance, logistics, and external partners. Information is no longer managed in separate silos but is shared transparently. This increases the speed of coordination and improves the traceability of decisions.

Data-driven decisions

Instead of relying on gut feelings or isolated pieces of information, procurement managers can make decisions based on reliable data. This strengthens the position of procurement within the company and improves the quality of strategic decisions.

Typical areas of application in everyday procurement

Supply chain dashboards are used in various phases and areas of procurement. They are particularly relevant in the following areas of application:

• In procurement controlling, they enable the monitoring of budgets, project status, and cost developments.

• In supplier management, they support the evaluation of performance, adherence to deadlines, and quality.

• In project work, they provide a clear overview of ongoing developments, approvals, and open issues.

• Dashboards play a central role in quality management by providing a structured overview of test reports, deviations, and approvals.

• For management, supply chain dashboards serve as a sound basis for reports and decisions.

The Line Up Supply Chain Dashboard

The Line Up Supply Chain Dashboard was developed precisely for these requirements. It serves as a central platform for managing procurement projects and clearly displays all relevant information along the supply chain.

It has undergone continuous development since the first version was released. In addition to a redesigned user interface, numerous new functions have been added in recent months that significantly simplify everyday work in procurement and further increase transparency.

5 key functions of the Line Up Supply Chain Dashboard

1. Central project and product overview

All ongoing projects and products are displayed in a clearly structured overview. Users can see at a glance what phase a project is in, which steps have already been completed, and where action is still needed. This makes prioritization easier and provides a quick overview even when several projects are running in parallel.

2. Quality reports directly on the product

A key new feature is the direct availability of quality reports at product level. Test reports, approvals, or documentation are directly assigned to the respective product and can be accessed online. This saves time, increases transparency, and significantly simplifies traceability in quality management.

3. Comment function for direct exchange

The integrated comment function turns the dashboard into a central communication platform. Queries, approvals, or notes can be documented directly on the project or product. This makes the exchange context-related, traceable, and permanently available. Information is no longer lost in email threads.

4. Integrated product tour and user guide

A question mark button provides a guided product tour that explains the most important functions. New users can find their way around more quickly, while existing users can look up specific functions. This reduces training costs and increases acceptance of the tool.

5. Modern user interface for better usability

The Line Up Supply Chain Dashboard has a completely redesigned user interface (UI). Clear structures, intuitive navigation, and a reduced display ensure that information can be captured more quickly and used more efficiently. The operation is consistently geared to the requirements of everyday procurement.

What's new compared to the previous shopping dashboard?

The current Line Up Dashboard is more than just a visual update. The further development brings noticeable functional improvements. In addition to the new user interface, usability has been significantly improved by the integrated product tour, communication has been made easier by the comment function, and quality transparency has been greatly increased by digital, product-related test reports.

For existing customers, this means more efficient use in everyday life. For new users, the purchasing dashboard offers a quick start and a clear structure without long training periods.

Who is the Supply Chain Dashboard particularly suitable for?

The Line Up Supply Chain Dashboard is aimed at companies that want to manage their procurement professionally. This includes purchasing and procurement managers in industrial and commercial enterprises as well as companies with international production or complex supply chains.

Product developers preparing for series production also benefit from the central overview and transparent documentation. For existing Line Up customers, the dashboard is a key work tool. At the same time, it offers new customers a structured introduction to professional procurement processes.

How the dashboard supports professional procurement control

By bundling key figures, documents, and communication, the supply chain dashboard becomes a central tool in procurement control. Information is available at all times, processes are transparent, and decisions are documented in a traceable manner.

The manual coordination effort is significantly reduced. At the same time, the quality of decisions increases because they are based on current, consistent data. This not only strengthens operational control, but also the strategic role of purchasing within the company.

Make purchasing control digital, transparent, and controllable

A modern supply chain dashboard is no longer an optional add-on tool, but a central component of professional procurement processes. If you want to keep costs, quality, and delivery dates under control, you need real-time transparency and a reliable database.

The Line Up supply chain dashboard supports companies in doing just that. With a clear structure, modern functions, and a consistently refined operating concept, it creates the basis for efficient purchasing control and sustainable procurement.

Would you like to get to know the dashboard, or are you already using Line Up and want to discover the new functions?

You can access the Line Up Supply Chain Dashboard here.

If you have any questions on this topic, please feel free to contact us at any time using our contact form.