In addition to cooperating in completing these larger processes, these functions and the processes for which they are responsible share data with which the processes operate on a day-to-day basis and make important management decisions.
For example, the warehouse manager uses purchasing data to schedule personnel to handle incoming shipments and provide storage space for the goods to be received.
The controller uses the purchasing and receiving data to validate incoming vendor invoices.
The treasurer uses purchasing data to ensure that funds will be available to meet future obligations. Finally, data also is used “up stream” (i.e., left to right in Figure 13.2).
For example, purchasing supervisors may use data about available funds to schedule purchases.