Processes
Three paths, and the place where they meet.
Buying, selling, and getting paid are usually run by different people in different tools. These are the three paths Operant connects, each with its own scene rather than one diagram that tries to mean everything.
Scenes
What each path looks like when it is visible.
Each scene plays once as you reach it, stops where a person has to decide, and settles on a frame you can read. The same story is printed as static frames underneath.
Order-to-cash · Request REQ-2041Sample data- Customer requestOperant prepares
- Reviewed quoteA person decides
- OrderState of the work
- InvoiceOperant prepares
- Payment statusState of the work
Selected step
Customer request
Three items arrive by email. Operant reads them into one card.
- Customer
- Northwind Rail
- Requested items
- 3 · 1 unclear
- Quote
- QUO-2041-1
- Payment terms
- Net 30
Sales operations lead
Owns quotes above the review threshold
Suggested by OperantOperant proposes matching item 2 to a catalogue line.
Approved by a personA person confirms the line before the quote can be sent.
Operant workspace · Product preview.
Frame 1 · Request received
REQ-2041 · 3 items
- Item 1 matched
- Item 2 unclear
- Item 3 matched
Frame 2 · A person decides
Quote held for review
- Sales operations lead
- Operant suggested a match
- Person confirms item 2
Frame 3 · Path is visible
Order · Invoice · Payment
- Quote accepted
- Invoice raised from the same lines
- Payment status on the card
Source-to-pay · Need PR-0318Sample data- Purchasing needOperant prepares
- Supplier optionsOperant prepares
- ApprovalA person decides
- Purchase orderState of the work
- Supplier payment statusState of the work
Selected step
Purchasing need
A need is raised with quantity, date, and the reason for it.
- Need
- PR-0318 · bearings
- Quantity
- 40 units
- Needed by
- In 14 days
- Options compared
- 2 suppliers
Procurement manager
Owns supplier selection for this category
Suggested by OperantOperant ranks the cheaper option and flags the longer lead time.
Approved by a personA person selects the supplier and records why.
Operant workspace · Product preview.
Frame 1 · Need raised
PR-0318 · 40 units
- Needed in 14 days
- Category: bearings
- Raised from an order commitment
Frame 2 · Options compared
Two supplier quotes
- Northaxle Supply · lower price
- Vireo Components · shorter lead time
- Operant ranks, nobody buys yet
Frame 3 · Approved and ordered
PO issued · payment tracked
- Procurement manager approved
- Terms attached to the order
- Payment status on the need
Source-to-cash · Link SC-118Sample data- Supplier sourceOperant prepares
- Purchase decisionState of the work
- Customer commitmentA person decides
- Customer orderState of the work
- RevenueState of the work
Selected step
Supplier source
The chosen supplier and purchase price are recorded once.
- Supplier
- Northaxle Supply
- Purchase price
- 4.10 per unit
- Supplier lead time
- 9 days
- Sold to
- Kestrel Plant
Commercial lead
Owns what gets promised to the customer
Suggested by OperantOperant shows the purchase price and lead time behind the line.
Approved by a personA person confirms the price and date given to the customer.
Operant workspace · Product preview.
Frame 1 · Source recorded
Supplier and purchase price
- Northaxle Supply
- Purchase price per unit
- Lead time 9 days
Frame 2 · Commitment confirmed
Promise held for a person
- Commercial lead
- Operant shows cost and lead time
- Person confirms price and date
Frame 3 · One chain
Purchase · Order · Revenue
- Order points at its purchase
- Margin readable per line
- No second spreadsheet
What Operant is not
Operant is not a full enterprise resource planning replacement. It focuses on the handoffs across order-to-cash, source-to-pay, and source-to-cash — with room to grow where demand is real.