How to raise App Intake Requests using Slack?

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If you struggle to manage app intake requests in your organization, it can lead to various issues. For instance, if you don't diligently vet intake requests, you will end up having multiple apps with overlapping functionalities, leading to shadow IT.

Furthermore, if you cannot properly manage the app intake requests, the resulting delay could lead to employees waiting a long time to have those SaaS apps. This delay might prevent them from finishing their tasks on time and being effective.

If you're short on time and resources to handle each SaaS app request and coordinate with different procurement, legal, and security teams, there's a better way to streamline the process.

One effective way to achieve this is to use Slack, a popular team communication platform. Slack can be used as a central hub for procurement, streamline SaaS procurement processes, enhance collaboration, and boost efficiency.

This quick guide will show you how to use Slack to streamline app intake requests and your entire procurement process

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TL;DR

• CloudEagle.ai eliminates manual steps in the approval process, reducing delays and allowing quicker access to apps.
• CloudEagle.ai routes app intake requests to the correct teams, speeding up approvals and saving time.
• A dedicated Slack channel is created for each app request, allowing all involved teams to collaborate in one place.
• Track the status of your request instantly with updates and notifications in Slack, keeping everyone informed.
• All procurement documents and communication history are stored in CloudEagle.ai for easy access and compliance tracking.

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Challenges with outdated app intake request process

When you deal with many app intake requests and manually handle those requests, it leads to different issues, like:

Lack of standardized process: When organizations don't have a standardized process for requesting SaaS apps, each request may follow a different path. The absence of consistency can confuse employees and hinder managers' ability to track and manage requests efficiently.

Delayed approvals: Without a streamlined process, getting approvals for SaaS app requests can take longer than necessary. Delays in accessing necessary tools can hamper employee productivity and may lead to frustration.

Limited visibility: Manual request management systems may lack the transparency needed for stakeholders to have a clear view of each request's status. Limited visibility may cause requests to be overlooked or forgotten, resulting in inefficiencies and procurement delays.

Increased risk of errors: Manually managing SaaS app requests increases the likelihood of errors occurring throughout the process. If not addressed promptly, such errors can result in delays, unnecessary costs, or security vulnerabilities.

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Benefits of managing procurement intake requests via Slack

Streamlined procurement process: By centralizing procurement intake requests within Slack, organizations establish a standardized process for requesting and approving SaaS apps. Employees don't have to switch platforms; Slack enables direct request submission.

Faster app approvals: Managing app intake requests through Slack accelerates approvals. It reduces turnaround time, enabling users to generate procurement requests quickly. This saves time and resources and boosts efficiency in SaaS procurement processes.

Improved visibility: Slack enhances procurement visibility with real-time updates and status notifications. This transparency empowers stakeholders to track request progress, identify bottlenecks, and address issues proactively.

Enhanced communication and collaboration: Slack streamlines procurement communication and collaboration. Dedicated channels enable efficient discussions, feedback sharing, and coordinated actions, fostering department alignment.

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How does CloudEagle.ai help streamline procurement with intake requests via Slack?

CloudEagle.ai helps transform how businesses manage intake requests. It provides:

Integration with Slack: CloudEagle.ai integrates with Slack, enabling users to submit and manage procurement requests within Slack. This simplifies employee procurement by consolidating all communication and collaboration in one platform.

Automated workflows: This integration automates procurement, streamlining request submission and approval routing. This boosts daily productivity by 2x, reduces coordination time by up to 25%, and provides 100% real-time procurement updates.

Creation of a Slack channel: When you start an app intake request, a Slack channel is created which includes everyone involved in getting the app. This helps everyone agree on whether to go ahead with the request or not.

Additionally, duplicate apps (SaaS apps with similar features and functionality) will be displayed, even in Slack.

Streamlining collaboration: The procurement process involves multiple teams' involvement. The procurement team takes care of the whole process.

However, the legal team ensures the SaaS adheres to different compliances and involves NDA signing. Also, the security team ensures that the security regulations are followed.

With the newly created Slack channels, everybody will be aware of what's going on and can comment or take action directly through Slack.

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Steps for SaaS Intake Requests via Slack

Let's explore how an employee can raise an app access request from Slack.

Step 1: Employees should enable the CloudEagle.ai Bot in Slack. After that, they can raise procurement requests using a straightforward command.

Here’s the command: /raise-procurement-request

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Step 2: Then, they can select the type of procurement request.

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Step 3: A form will appear where you must input the necessary details. There you have to answer the preset questions.

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Step 4: After you click the submit button, you will receive the message “Your procurement request has been received."

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To execute this process, certain prerequisites must be met.

Prerequisite 1: Primarily, dedicated workflows must be enabled within the CloudEagle.ai app.

For instance, in this scenario, the workflow follows these steps: app procurement requests are initiated, managers take action, Jira tickets are generated, and subsequent necessary actions are carried out.

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Prerequisite 2: Also, you'll need to create an intake form that employees will see when submitting the procurement request. You can set different questions for employees to fill out.

For example, you can add questions like,

• Briefly explain what business problem you are trying to solve. Please be specific.
• What tools/solutions are you currently using to do this business process? Why are you switching?
• What features are critical to have in your new purchase?
• What features are nice to have?
• What are the expected integration capabilities?
• What security and compliance requirements would you want this vendor to have?
• If you want to mention any other priorities, please mention it here.

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Prerequisite 3: Also, ensure Slack is integrated with CloudEagle.ai.

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Prerequisite 4: Additionally, if you're using Jira as the ticketing software, ensure it's integrated into the tool, which you can check from the resource dashboard options.

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Following this step-by-step process, you can easily raise app intake requests without navigating through multiple dashboards and experiencing delays.

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How can you take advantage of this feature?

CloudEagle.ai easily connects with Slack, organizes workflows, and stores everything in one place. It gives insights through analytics, helps make requesting procurement easier, encourages teamwork, and makes things run smoothly in organizations.

With CloudEagle.ai, you can:

• Encourage employees to submit procurement requests in Slack for simplicity and centralized communication. During procurement requests, relevant stakeholders will automatically be added to Slack channels to facilitate smooth communication and collaboration.
• Use the customized workflows to streamline the procurement process, from request submission to approval. Templates are available, or you can create custom workflows tailored to your organization's needs.
• Keep all procurement documents, approvals, and communication history in CloudEagle.ai's central storage. This ensures quick access to information and creates a thorough audit trail for compliance purposes.
• Review CloudEagle.ai's analytics and reports to gain insights into procurement process performance and identify areas for improvement. Use this data to optimize workflows and enhance efficiency over time.
• Use CloudEagle.ai's features to identify and consolidate duplicate app requests, reducing redundancy and improving resource allocation.
• Explore the option to raise purchase orders in Coupa and ServiceNow directly through CloudEagle.ai using integrations, further streamlining the procurement process and enhancing efficiency.

By using these features well, you can make the most of CloudEagle.ai's integration with Slack. This will help smooth procurement requests, improve teamwork, and boost overall efficiency within your organization.

Schedule a demo with CloudEagle.ai to learn more about how you can streamline procurement and optimize intake requests via Slack.

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