What is eBuy?

eBuy is an easy-to-use central web-based shopping site.  eBuy will be accessible to all UI employees for the procurement of goods from select contracted suppliers.  eBuy simultaneously streamlines the procurement process and promotes “best value” pricing.  The eBuy system has been successfully implemented at 7 of the Big 10 schools with proven cost savings.

eBuy Known Issues

Known issues and incompatibilities with eBuy are listed below.

Testimonials

Approximately 1,000 of your UI colleagues successfully used eBuy in its first month.  Here’s what some of them have to say:

• “I really like eBuy.  I was skeptical at first, but it’s so slick and easy.  Thanks to you and your team for implementing it.”  -Diann Pavelka, UI Research Park
• “I was a skeptic; now am an enthusiastic supporter of eBuy.  It’s working great for me.  What I like: a. No reconciliation; b. Audit trail to validate when purchase was made and from whom and the amount – that is electronically searchable.”  -Jerry Pike, Facilities Management
• “eBuy is great!  It’s so fast and efficient.  More importantly, it will help us organize our purchasing and save the University money.”  -Lori Bassler, Internal Medicine
• “We are using E-Buy to purchase several items in our department.  It is efficient and easy-to-use.  The approval process has been streamlined by the use of workflow.  I look forward to expanded use of this technology.”  -Jeanne Myers, Anatomic Pathology
• “I was absolutely thrilled when I used your easy to follow program…The convenience of your program has implemented it all into one easy process and I no longer have to put all the information into the orders as the information is already known by your system…..We here on campus do not show your department the gratitude you deserve with all this new programming and I, for one, needed to let you know.   It is great and has been a long time coming.  A process I used to dread is a piece of cake now.”  -Kay Wheeler, Tippie College of Business

If you have feedback you want to share, email it to eBuy@uiowa.edu.

Join your colleagues who enjoy the many advantages of using eBuy:

• One login to access UI contract pricing from 12 suppliers
• Streamlined order processing
• No sole-source or other supporting documents required on eBuy purchases of >$10,000
• Fewer ordering errors
• Real-time access to data for budget reports
• Reduce paper catalogs on campus
• No reconciling or CVing
• Guaranteed UI contract pricing

New Training Materials

Our training team created new materials based on your feedback, and we will continue updating our documents as the eBuy system evolves.  New & updated documents are on the eBuy Training Materials page.

The new Shopping Cart to PReq snippet specifically shows you how to push your cart from the draft stage into Workflow.  It also clarifies how to process shopping carts with items from multiple suppliers. 

eBuy Roles

Here are some simple definitions for eBuy roles.  More detail is available in our training materials.  Please note, these roles are not mutually exclusive.

Shopper:  Typically the end-user of the item ordered.  This person fills a shopping cart with items and usually assigns the cart to their designated Requester for processing.

Requester:  This is the person designated by your department to process orders on your behalf.  They have an understanding of the appropriate use of the MFKs supporting your work. 

Our eBuy Suppliers

Please remember to try eBuy when ordering from these suppliers:

eBuy Focus Group Members: 

Biochemistry:  Mark Burkman, Karen LeVelle
Business Services:  Gary Anderson
Chemistry:  Gene Hauge, Tim Koon
DNA Facility:  Jan Fuller, Kevin Knudtson
General Stores:  Judy Williams
Health Care Information Systems:  Lynette Eldred, Kris Miller
Internal Medicine: Linda Creed, Christopher Smith
ITS Systems & Platforms:  Peter Brokaw, Sue Fangman
NRS-CWs:  Lela Schumacher
Nursing:  Jan Waterhouse
Ophthalmology:  Kathy Burkle
Pathology:  Carla Lyons, Michelle Smith
Pediatrics: Lori Ahrens
Printing Department Services:  Mary Moel
Procurement Services: Brent Jehle
...and any others who we've failed to mention.  THANK YOU!

eBuy Implementation Team Members: