B2B e-Commerce User Permissions: Mapping Complexity in Software
If we’ve learned one thing in refining our B2B e-commerce platform, it’s the fact that “one-size-fits-all” actually fits no one. Every company is different, with its own needs and complicating factors. This is especially evident when it comes to order approval workflows. The B2B procurement process is complex, and multiple people with unique roles are often involved. How do you map that organizational structure in e-commerce software?
One of our clients needed to solve this exact problem. With a complex operation, they had a complex order approval workflow that they needed to map in e-commerce. We implemented a 3-tiered hierarchy of user types, each with its own permissions as it related to order placement. Here are the 3 user types, what they do, and why they’re significant for any B2B company looking to launch e-commerce.
The user with full permissions (.main)
At the top of the hierarchy is the “.main” account. This is usually the business owner or the executive or manager in charge of the division. This user type can see everything related to an order:
- Can build orders
- Can see full order pricing
- Can approve incoming orders and/or place orders
- Can see the PO number
In their dashboard, the “.main” user sees the queue of orders requesting approval. He or she can see all line items, the pricing of individual line items, and the total value of the order. If the “.main” user denies the order, they can provide a reason for doing so by typing into a text field. The denied order disappears from the approval queue.
The requester gets an email about the denial, with the reason which the “.main” user entered in the text field. How does this work in multilingual B2B e-commerce sites? It’s pretty simple, actually. The language of the approver determines what language the email is sent in.
When the requester logs back in to the e-commerce store, he will see the denied order in the list of his requested orders.
Order approval without pricing visibility (.order)
The middle point in the hierarchy is the “.order” account. This user can see and approve orders that have been requested by the “.sub” user (see below) but cannot see pricing. The lack of visibility into pricing is important in industries with a high staff turnover rate to protect your pricing from being undercut by the competition when these users change jobs.
The “.order” user has the following attributes:
- Can build orders
- CANNOT see pricing
- Can approve incoming orders and/or place orders
Order request only (.sub/.limited)
At the bottom of the hierarchy is the “.sub” user type (sometimes called “.limited”). This user can see the catalog and can build orders and can send them to a queue for approval, but he or she can’t see pricing and can’t actually place orders. As with the “.order” user type, the lack of visibility into pricing is designed to protect the client’s business, since this type of job also turns over frequently.
The “.sub” user has the following attributes:
- Can build orders and send them to approval queue
- CANNOT see pricing
- CANNOT place orders
Why user hierarchies are important in B2B e-commerce
User hierarchies allow companies to give their users the exact privileges needed, and nothing more. With the .sub’s ability to request an order, the hierarchy structure mirrors a smart division of labor. The “on the floor” worker (.sub) keeps tabs on materials that are running out so that management doesn’t have to. Ultimately, however, management approves or denies the order—and the e-commerce store supports that communication workflow.
This functionality is significant for B2B e-commerce because it eliminates one common objection—that you can’t envision a software solution that can actually map to your business processes. When you build a B2B e-commerce store that supports this type of order approval workflow, it makes you easier to do business with as a B2B vendor.
Learn more: Case study on LORD Corporation
If you’re curious about B2B e-commerce and how it can simplify existing business processes, download this case study about LORD Corporation. The company switched from a legacy e-commerce platform to the Corevist app. In the process, they got deep insight into customer behavior through integrated business intelligence analytics—plus powerful training for their customer service reps. The end result? A solution that was ready to go for all user types.
[LORD case study download]
