Then vs. Now: Supplier Database

August 25, 2025

From complex apps to lean AI agents: how supplier management is becoming faster, more flexible, and more human-centered.

I share this because supplier management is a striking example: technology unfolds its impact when it adapts to people. AI enables pragmatic quick wins – faster, cheaper, and closer to real business needs.

The picture above shows an Excel table full of suppliers. This is how purchasing still looks in many companies: hundreds of rows, countless criteria, complex maintenance. The key question: How do you quickly find the right supplier for your project?

Then

The answer used to be: we need an app. The path was clear: run envisioning workshops, collect ideas, specify requirements. Then came development – agile, but still lengthy. Build, test, accept, deploy with IT, roll out.

The result: a large application that covered everything – input masks, validations, workflows for maintenance and quality checks. Impressive, but heavy. Each change took weeks, every new feature needed budget and approval.

Now

Today a leaner approach often suffices. The data stays in Excel or a cloud table. Instead of masks and workflows, AI takes over the real work: analyzing suppliers, comparing criteria, generating suggestions – in seconds.

Small “supplier agents” can be built on top: always available, easily integrated into existing tools, answering questions the moment they arise. No months-long roll-out – but a pragmatic quick win.

This changes more than speed and cost. It also changes culture: business teams can experiment, learn iteratively, and decide closer to their needs. IT is relieved because not every scenario must be coded.

Why this matters

We shift the focus: from big projects to flexible solutions. Technology adapts to people – not the other way around. Instead of clicking through masks, we have a dialogue with systems. Instead of waiting months, we act in minutes.

Of course, data quality, compliance and change management remain essential. But that’s exactly why it’s smart to start with small AI solutions – and learn fast.

👉 My question: Where in your organization could an Excel sheet be turned into real value through AI?