SILA
How We Work

Shadow. Categorize. Build.

Every Sila engagement follows the same three-step methodology. No generic playbooks. No assumptions about your process. We observe, classify, and build only what the data supports.

Step 01

Shadow & Document

We come on-site. Sit with your procurement team. Watch them work. Every task, every handoff, every workaround — documented as it actually happens, not as the process manual says it should happen.

We do not interview people and ask "how does your process work?" People describe the ideal. We observe the reality. The gap between those two is where the automation opportunities live.

What we document

Every step in the procurement workflow, from request to PO
Who does each task, with which tools
How long each step takes (measured, not estimated)
Where handoffs happen and where things get stuck
Which communications happen on email vs WhatsApp vs phone
Where data is entered, re-entered, or lost
Step 02

Categorize & Prioritize

Every task documented in Step 1 gets classified into one of three categories. No ambiguity. Each classification comes with rationale and estimated impact.

Automate Now

High frequency, well-defined, low complexity. Clear ROI. These get built first.

Examples: Quote collection, PO generation, approval routing, document parsing

Automate Later

Valuable but requires more context, data, or process maturity. Phase 2 candidates.

Examples: Complex negotiation, predictive reordering, cross-site consolidation

Keep Human

Requires judgment, relationship, or context that AI cannot replicate. These stay manual.

Examples: Strategic vendor selection, contract negotiation, quality disputes

Step 03

Build to Spec

We build only what is in the approved blueprint. No feature creep. No "while we are at it" additions. Every feature tested against your real data before going live.

Implementation scope locked to approved blueprint
Tested against real procurement data (your actual POs, your actual suppliers)
Deployed incrementally — one service at a time
Your team validates before each service goes live
Training included — though most people figure out WhatsApp chat without training

Typical timeline

Week 1-2
Shadow & Document
On-site observation and workflow documentation.
Week 3
Categorize & Present
Classification matrix and blueprint delivered for approval.
Week 4-6
Build Phase 1
First services deployed (typically Quote Comparison + PO Routing).
Week 7-8
Validate & Expand
Phase 1 validated. Phase 2 services added based on results.

What you commit to

The audit works when both sides show up.

From you

  • Access to your procurement team for 1-2 weeks of observation
  • A designated point of contact for questions
  • Sample procurement data (recent POs, supplier lists)
  • Decision-maker available to approve the blueprint

From Sila

  • Complete workflow documentation
  • Task classification matrix with rationale
  • Prioritized automation roadmap
  • Time savings estimates per task
  • Implementation blueprint (usable with or without Sila)
No Commitment Required

Start with the audit

Free on-site process audit. No obligation. No software to install. We document your procurement workflow and deliver a prioritized automation roadmap.

Or email us directly