By role
Virtual purchasing assistant
Purchasing mostly consists of repetition: the same suppliers, the same items, the same spreadsheets. Someone has to ask for a quote, compare it with the last one, place the order, track the delivery and check that the invoice matches the order. Mistakes here cost money directly, but they are usually caused by copying, not by a bad decision.
A virtual purchasing assistant takes over preparation and control, while decisions on what you order and from whom stay with the purchasing officer.
You see the savings range straight after the questions; we only ask for contact details for the full summary. No obligation. After the assessment you can request a 30-minute meeting.
What a virtual worker takes over
Requests for quotes
From internal requests, prepares an enquiry to suppliers with the necessary details on quantity, specification and deadline, which the purchasing officer approves and sends.
Comparing quotes
Brings quotes that arrive in different formats into one table with price, delivery time and payment terms.
Draft order
From the chosen quote or an agreed price list, assembles a draft order. The purchasing officer approves the order.
Tracking deliveries
Tracks expected dates and prepares a reminder to the supplier when a delivery is late.
Matching order, delivery note and invoice
Compares the order, the delivery note and the invoice and picks out deviations in quantity or price before the invoice goes for payment.
What getting started looks like
This is the order of the steps. We agree the exact schedule and timings at the meeting, once we know your work.
- 1
We choose one group of items or suppliers
We start with the ones you order most often, because the rules are easiest to write down and check.
- 2
We write down the purchasing rules
Who you ask for quotes, which terms you require, up to what amount someone else must approve. The worker follows these rules.
- 3
Parallel running
The worker prepares quotes and orders alongside your usual process, so you can see straight away whether it differs, and why.
- 4
Invoice control
Then we add matching of the order, delivery note and invoice, because it needs access to more documents.
What we need from you
- a list of suppliers with contacts and terms
- price lists and past orders as examples
- purchasing rules: amounts up to which the purchasing officer decides alone, and mandatory terms
- access to the email inbox where quotes, confirmations and delivery notes arrive
- a person who approves orders
What a virtual worker does not do
- It does not send an order without your approval.
- It does not choose a new supplier and does not negotiate prices.
- It does not approve payment of invoices.
- It does not change data in your system without permission.
Frequently asked questions
What is a virtual purchasing assistant?
An AI agent that prepares enquiries and orders to suppliers, compares quotes and tracks deliveries. HelpAi sets it up and maintains it on your tools, and the purchasing officer approves orders.
Can the worker spot wrong invoices?
It can compare an invoice with the order and the delivery note and pick out deviations in quantity and price. Whether a deviation is justified is decided by the purchasing officer.
Does the worker read quotes in PDF?
It can pull out data from quotes in common formats, and it flags unclear values instead of guessing them. How well it does this with your suppliers shows on their real quotes.
Does the worker work with our ERP?
It depends on the system and on whether it allows an export or an interface. Until then it works with email and spreadsheets. We check at the meeting.
An estimate now, a clear figure for management.
The assessment shows the range of hours and money your company could get back. If it makes sense, the next step is a 30-minute meeting. You get the price and timeline there, once we know your work.
Start the assessmentUpdated 6 November 2026.