Field notes
Preparing extracts for a spend review
The fields that save a week of back-and-forth when your analyst first opens the file.
Clean extracts shorten every engagement. Aim for one row per invoice line or PO line with: posting date, supplier name and tax ID if available, category or GL code, amount in VND (and original currency if dual-currency), business unit or cost centre, and a short description field.
Export from the system of record rather than from a manually maintained spreadsheet when possible. Manual books often drop cancelled lines or duplicate adjustments in ways that inflate category totals.
Include a supplier master if you have one — even a partial list with preferred-status flags helps separate intentional dual sourcing from accidental fragmentation. Note which legal entities are in scope; multi-entity groups in Ho Chi Minh City frequently mix shared services purchases into local ledgers.
Agree a review window before export. Twelve to twenty-four months is usual. Longer windows help for seasonal categories; shorter windows suit a fast renewal deadline. State the window in the file name so later versions do not collide.