How does the free supplier audit work?

Sign up and run a single supplier audit across all four dimensions — delivery, service, compliance, and spend. You'll get a full benchmarked scorecard with a composite score and PDF export. No credit card required.

What data do I need to upload?

For spend visibility, upload your PO and invoice data as a CSV or Excel file. For delivery tracking, log promised and actual delivery dates. For audits, just answer the template questions — we handle the scoring.

Your data is stored securely and only visible to users in your organisation. We never share supplier data between organisations. Each organisation's data is isolated and access-controlled with row-level security.

Do I need to be a Howcroft customer?

No. MROiq works standalone for any industrial procurement team. If you are a Howcroft customer, you get an enhanced experience with integrated procurement expertise built in.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. All plans are monthly with no long-term contracts — cancel anytime before the next billing cycle. Every plan includes a 7-day free trial, no credit card required.

What's in the weekly digest email?

Each week you get an email summarising delivery breaches, new spend anomalies detected, scorecard changes, and your top-performing suppliers. It's designed to be read in under two minutes — no need to log in.

What is the Savings Finder and how does it work?

The Savings Finder is a free tool where you upload your procurement data (CSV or Excel) and our team analyses it against our product catalog to find cost-saving opportunities. You receive a personalised report showing potential savings, matched items, and recommended alternatives.

How does MROiq compare to other procurement software?

MROiq is purpose-built for industrial MRO procurement, unlike generic platforms. We offer detailed comparisons against KodiakHub, Oboloo, Geckoboard, Coupa, and Procurify — highlighting our industry-specific focus, automated weekly digest model, and Howcroft Group's 40+ years of MRO expertise.

Can MROiq connect to my ERP or accounting system?

Yes. We build custom connectors for ERP systems, accounting platforms, and other business tools. Request a connector and our team will scope the integration, including data sync scope, supplier mapping, and timeline.

Which buyer roles is MROiq built for?

MROiq is designed for every procurement decision-maker: Engineering Managers (uptime and critical parts sourcing), Purchasing Directors (cost reduction and supplier consolidation), Operations Directors (asset reliability and throughput), and H&S Directors (compliance and risk reduction).

Is MROiq ISO certified?

MROiq is built by Howcroft Group, which is ISO 9001 Quality Management certified by the Centre for Assessment. This underpins our commitment to quality processes and continuous improvement across the platform.

What is a supplier scorecard?

A supplier scorecard is a structured evaluation tool that rates suppliers across key performance dimensions. MROiq scorecards cover four dimensions: delivery (on-time rate, variance), service (responsiveness, quality), compliance (certifications, standards), and spend (price competitiveness, anomaly-free). Each dimension is scored 0-100 and combined into a composite score benchmarked against your industry sector.

How do I calculate on-time delivery rate?

On-time delivery rate = (number of deliveries on or before the promised date / total deliveries) x 100. MROiq automates this calculation from your delivery promise data, tracking promised vs actual dates and flagging late, early, and on-time deliveries automatically.

What counts as a spend anomaly?

A spend anomaly is an irregularity in procurement data that signals potential waste or risk. MROiq detects four types: duplicate purchases (same item bought multiple times), price variances (same SKU at different prices), overpayments (above contract or benchmark price), and off-contract purchases (items bought outside preferred supplier agreements).

What is MRO procurement?

MRO procurement refers to the purchasing of Maintenance, Repair, and Operations supplies — the goods needed to keep facilities running but not part of the finished product. This includes bearings, PPE, tools, lubricants, fasteners, electrical components, and hydraulics. MRO procurement is often fragmented across many suppliers, making it a prime area for consolidation savings and performance benchmarking.

What is PPE in procurement?

PPE in procurement stands for Personal Protective Equipment — safety gear worn by workers to reduce workplace hazards. This includes safety glasses, gloves, hi-vis clothing, helmets, ear protection, and safety footwear. PPE is a critical MRO category for industrial sites, and tracking PPE supplier performance and compliance is essential for H&S directors.

How does supplier benchmarking work?

Supplier benchmarking compares a supplier's performance scores against industry medians and percentiles. MROiq collects anonymised scorecard data across organisations to build sector benchmarks. Your suppliers are ranked against the 25th, 50th (median), and 75th percentile for each dimension, so you can see if a supplier is above or below industry average.

What is spend visibility?

Spend visibility is the ability to see and analyse where your procurement budget goes. MROiq provides spend visibility by ingesting your PO and invoice data, categorising spend by supplier and product type, detecting anomalies like duplicate purchases and price variances, and surfacing cost-saving opportunities. It replaces manual spreadsheet analysis with automated intelligence.

What is a delivery promise in procurement?

A delivery promise is a supplier's commitment to deliver goods by a specific date. MROiq tracks promised dates against actual delivery dates, calculates variance in days, and flags late deliveries automatically. This helps procurement teams hold suppliers accountable and identify consistently underperforming vendors.

Procurement & MRO Glossary

The key terms every industrial procurement professional should know — from supplier scorecards to spend anomalies.

B

Benchmark Delta

The difference between a supplier's score and the industry median for that dimension. Positive delta means above average; negative means below.

C

Composite Score

A single 0-100 score combining all supplier scorecard dimensions (delivery, service, compliance, spend) into one comparable metric, weighted by importance.

Credit Rating

A supplier's financial health indicator (AAA to D). Helps assess supplier stability and long-term viability.

Category Management

A procurement approach that organises purchasing by product category rather than by supplier, enabling strategic sourcing and consolidation.

Cost-Saving Opportunity

An identified area where procurement spend can be reduced — through price negotiation, supplier switching, consolidation, or anomaly resolution.

D

Delivery Promise

A supplier's commitment to deliver goods by a specific date. Tracked against actual delivery dates to calculate variance and on-time performance.

Duplicate Purchase

A spend anomaly where the same item is bought multiple times in the same period, often by different buyers, due to decentralised procurement.

M

MRO

Maintenance, Repair, and Operations. The category of supplies needed to keep facilities running but not part of the finished product — bearings, PPE, tools, lubricants, fasteners, electrical components, hydraulics.

MRO Procurement

The purchasing of Maintenance, Repair, and Operations supplies. Often fragmented across many suppliers and buyers, making it a prime area for consolidation and savings.

O

On-Time Delivery Rate

The percentage of deliveries that arrive on or before the promised date. Calculated as: (on-time deliveries / total deliveries) x 100.

Off-Contract Purchase

A spend anomaly where items are bought outside preferred supplier agreements, fragmenting spend and reducing negotiating leverage.

Overpayment

A spend anomaly where the paid price exceeds the contracted or benchmark price for an item.

P

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment. Safety gear worn by workers to reduce workplace hazards — safety glasses, gloves, hi-vis clothing, helmets, ear protection, safety footwear.

Price Variance

A spend anomaly where the same SKU is purchased at different prices across different POs, indicating potential negotiation or consolidation opportunities.

Procurement Intelligence

The practice of using data analysis and automation to generate actionable insights from procurement data — supplier performance, spend patterns, delivery trends, and savings opportunities.

Payment Terms

The agreed number of days a buyer has to pay an invoice (e.g., Net 30 = 30 days). Longer terms improve cash flow.

Purchase Order (PO)

A formal document authorising a supplier to supply goods or services at agreed prices. The foundation of spend tracking.

S

Supplier Scorecard

A structured evaluation tool that rates suppliers across key performance dimensions. MROiq scorecards cover delivery, service, compliance, and spend, each scored 0-100 and combined into a composite score.

Spend Anomaly

An irregularity in procurement data signalling potential waste or risk. Types include duplicate purchases, price variances, overpayments, and off-contract purchases.

Spend Visibility

The ability to see and analyse where procurement budget goes. Involves categorising spend by supplier, product type, and site to identify savings opportunities.

Supplier Benchmarking

Comparing a supplier's performance scores against industry medians and percentiles to determine if they're above or below average for their sector.

Supplier Audit

A structured evaluation of a supplier across defined dimensions using standardised questions. MROiq audits cover delivery, service, compliance, and spend.

SKU

Stock Keeping Unit. A unique identifier for each distinct product variant, used for tracking inventory and spend at the item level.

Supplier Consolidation

Reducing the number of suppliers for a given category to increase volume with remaining suppliers, improving pricing and simplifying management.

V

Variance Days

The difference between a promised delivery date and the actual delivery date, measured in days. Positive variance means late; negative means early.