Compare Costs: Smart Procurement for Success

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Compare Costs: Smart Procurement for Success

This course is part of Procurement & Sourcing Operations Specialization

Instructor: LearningMate

Included with

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2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Effectively identify total landed costs associated with procurement decisions, enabling informed purchasing choices.

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Microsoft Excel

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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This course is part of the Procurement & Sourcing Operations Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
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There are 2 modules in this course

Compare Costs: Smart Procurement for Success is an essential course for any professional involved in purchasing who aims to make truly informed, data-driven decisions. The lowest price on a quote is rarely the lowest total cost. This course equips you with the analytical framework to see beyond the sticker price and calculate the Total Landed Cost—including all the hidden fees like shipping, duties, and insurance that impact your bottom line.

Through practical case studies and hands-on spreadsheet exercises, you will master the art of building a powerful quotation comparison matrix. You will learn to structure supplier proposals side-by-side for a fair, transparent evaluation. Crucially, you will apply advanced spreadsheet techniques like conditional formatting to instantly visualize the most cost-effective options and flag non-compliant offers. By the end of this course, you will be able to stop guessing and start making procurement decisions that are both financially sound and strategically smart.

This module moves beyond the initial product or service price to uncover the full financial picture of a procurement decision. We explore why focusing only on the unit price can lead to costly mistakes.. You will learn what the key components of Total Landed Cost are—from freight and duties to insurance and fees. You will then learn how to identify these elements in supplier documentation. The module concludes as you apply this knowledge to deconstruct a sample quote and assess your understanding, building a solid foundation for accurate cost analysis.

What's included

2 videos1 reading1 assignment

This module provides the practical tools to transform raw data into smart decisions. You will learn why a standardized comparison matrix is essential for fair and efficient evaluation. We will break down what a best-practice matrix includes and how to build one in a spreadsheet. Through a step-by-step screencast, you will learn to apply conditional formatting to instantly visualize the lowest cost and flag non-compliant bids. You will apply your skills in a dialogue to defend your supplier choice before being assessed in a final project where you conduct a complete cost analysis.

What's included

3 videos1 reading2 assignments

3 videos Total 13 minutes

Why a Matrix Brings Clarity to Chaos? 4 minutes
How-To: Build Your Comparison Matrix? 5 minutes
How-To: Visualize Your Best Option with Conditional Formatting? 4 minutes

1 reading Total 8 minutes

Anatomy of a Quotation Comparison Matrix 8 minutes

2 assignments Total 45 minutes

Open-ended Total Landed Cost Analysis 20 minutes
Final Project: Landed Cost Analysis Project 25 minutes

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Instructor

LearningMate

210 Courses 10,904 learners

Offered by

Coursera

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Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

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