The first step is to cut back on small expenses, and for this centralization of procurement and strengthening negotiation skills is something that should be developed. (These are basic principles of Supplier Relationship Management.)
Each department should make purchase requests by inputting the desired quantity in a list of products. The below sample assumes a broad range of purchasable items, from office supplies (paper, toner cartridges), to software licenses and marketing tools (fliers, catalogs).
If the quantity of a product was modified by General Affairs due to budget restraints, etc., the person should probably be informed. In this case, you could have an automatic email that uses a different template, and is Cc-ed to the approving supervisor.
