A good decision has to be one that can still be explained later.
Why was this supplier selected? What criteria were decisive? And on what basis was a supplement accepted?
These questions arise in everyday purchasing as well as during internal audits. For sector-specific and public clients, there is also the documentation duty under public procurement law.
FUTURA supports the connection between requirements, quotations, evaluation, and decision-making. When AI prepares an evaluation, it must also be clear what information and technical rules underlie the quotation and where verification is required.
Our principles
Governance clarifies who is responsible, what guidelines apply, and when an audit or approval is required. Compliance means adhering to the applicable requirements within this framework.
Three principles apply to procurement processes and decision-making support:
Data may be used only for the specified purpose.
Quotes, prices, contract documents, and supplier evaluations are confidential. Only the information required for the specific task is used – in accordance with the authorization of the persons involved.
Evaluation according to your rules, with supporting documentation.
Criteria, weightings, and calculation rules are established prior to the evaluation. Evaluations should be based on verifiable information and formally defined criteria. References to sources, missing evidence, and uncertainties are presented transparently in accordance with the specific use case.
Human beings retain the power to decide.
The preparation of evaluations, decision-making, and the approval of business transactions follow the established responsibilities and authorizations. AI support does not alter these responsibilities. Exceptions require justification and approval by the appropriate authority.
Governance in the procurement process.
Our two applications, FUTURA Smart and FUTURA Engineering, support traceability at the point where procurement decisions are made. The shared principles are implemented in a way that is tailored to each application and your process.
SAP-native governance:
Decisions in the context of processes.
For FUTURA, SAP-native governance means viewing procurement decisions in the context of the underlying SAP business processes – not in a separate data environment. Master data, business transactions, and existing authorization structures form an important foundation for this.
There is a clear distinction between which controls are already effective in SAP and which are supplemented by FUTURA.
FUTURA
accesses the SAP process context of the respective procurement event
uses existing master data and business objects
considers procurement processes in the context of the ERP system rather than in isolation
takes existing SAP authorizations and approval mechanisms into account if the specific integration supports this.
FUTURA Smart
Provide a plausible reasoning for the award.
Structured requests, price comparisons, and evaluation matrices make it possible to compare requirements and quotations. This explains which criteria and weightings were decisive for the selection and the reasoning behind the award.
FUTURA Engineering
Keep track of services and changes.
Structured item lists contain the scope of services, quantities, and prices. When used in conjunction with SAP, it becomes clear which services were ordered, which were modified by supplements, which were recorded, and which formed the basis for billing.
More support requires clear boundaries.
FUTURA procurement intelligence links each procurement case to relevant data, corporate knowledge, and specialist evaluation logic, thereby facilitating evaluations and decisions.
It is designed to be model-agnostic and to integrate approved AI models or enterprise AI gateways – including your existing AI infrastructure. Where AI provides support, additional requirements come into play: The principles are translated into specific controls.
Depending on the use case, procurement intelligence encompasses three functions – each with a different scope of data, different level of scrutiny, and different approval processes.
Access information
Understand documents, structure and standardize data, attach information to the procurement case, and make sources available.
Data access depends on the task.
In each use case, there are specific guidelines regarding what information may be processed. Access to business data and its transfer to an AI model are treated separately, even in SAP-native architectures.
Support specialist evaluations
Compare quotations, apply criteria, identify discrepancies, and prepare decision-making templates.
Results are verifiable.
The scope of application includes how source references, missing evidence, and contradictory information are presented. The purchasing department must be able to determine where a technical review is necessary.
Monitor business activities
Prepare the next steps, ensuring that the necessary reviews, authorizations, and approvals are taken into account.
A recommendation is not an action.
In each use case, there are set rules regarding the extent to which AI is permitted to provide support, when a human must review the results, and what approval is required before implementation.
Your framework for procurement intelligence.
When using procurement intelligence, companies can specify which tasks are supported, which data may be used, and which review and approval rules apply. FUTURA supports the implementation of these requirements within the scope of the respective application and technical capabilities.
You retain responsibility – and control.
An example:
A supplier is offering the lowest price, but there is no evidence to support an important technical requirement.
If this is specified in the framework, the missing documentation is listed as an open issue in the evaluation prepared by procurement intelligence.
The specialist department will address the gap or evaluate the discrepancy.
The person in charge makes the decision and records their reasoning.
What you determine:
Define the use case
What task the AI may support and what result is expected.
Specify data and permissions
Data
What information is required, who is authorized to access it, and what information may be shared with an AI model.
Define models and data usage
Data
Which approved models or gateways shall be used – including the location of processing, storage, training, and erasure.
Specify evaluation rules
Rating
Criteria, weightings, and calculation rules by which every evaluation can be measured.
Define review and approval points
Powers
Where review should be done by a human, who does the approval, and what the AI is not allowed to initiate.
Information security is the foundation.
FAQ – frequently asked questions about governance
Macht der Einsatz von FUTURA unseren Einkauf automatisch compliant?
Our software supports compliance with requirements through structured processes and traceable information. Your internal rules, the configuration, the assigned permissions, and actual usage also remain critical factors.
Can procurement intelligence initiate an awarding on its own?
A recommendation alone does not grant execution authority. The actions an application is permitted to initiate and the necessary authorizations are explicitly defined for each specific use case.
Is our data used to train AI models?
This depends on the specific AI services that are used and their contractual terms. Therefore, the permissible use of data is clarified before implementation – including training, storage, and deletion.
Can we use our already approved AI infrastructure?
The model-agnostic architecture is designed to integrate shared models and enterprise AI gateways. Technical suitability and your company's requirements are evaluated for each specific use case.
What role does the European Union's AI Act play?
The European Union's AI Act sets requirements for companies that use AI, for example, regarding employees' AI expertise. Determining which obligations apply to a specific use case in procurement is part of the clarification process prior to deployment.
Better decisions. Built on SAP.
How does FUTURA fit into your control framework?
Please bring a specific procurement case study. Together, we’ll review your processes, evaluation criteria, and responsibilities—and determine how FUTURA and Procurement Intelligence can support you within this framework.