What is Automated Procurement Software? + Why HR Should Care

Automated procurement software is the future. No, really, it is. I mean, we live in the age of digitization, so really it was bound to happen at some point.

And I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that it can really save businesses. It can save them time, money, everything. Allow me to explain.

In this article, we’re going to examine what automated procurement software is, what it does, and its benefits, and then I’ll walk you through some of the best solutions you can find. Sound good?

Let’s get started!

What is automated procurement software?

Automated procurement software, also known as purchase-to-pay software or e-procurement software, is a digital solution designed to automate and streamline the procurement process within organizations. 

It serves as a centralized platform that facilitates the entire procurement lifecycle, from requisition to payment, offering a range of features and functionalities to enhance efficiency, control, and cost-effectiveness.

At its core, procurement software digitizes and simplifies traditionally manual and paper-based procurement tasks. It replaces manual requisition forms, purchase orders, and invoices with electronic documents. That gives companies a seamless flow of information and eliminates the need for tedious paperwork. 

One of the primary purposes of procurement software is to optimize the sourcing and purchasing of goods and services. It allows businesses to: 

• Create and manage supplier catalogs
• Request and evaluate quotes or bids 
• Negotiate contracts
• Generate purchase orders automatically

By automating these tasks, procurement software helps streamline the procurement process, reduces administrative burdens, and enables better control over spending.

Benefits of automated procurement software

Automated procurement software offers a wide range of benefits for organizations looking to streamline and optimize their procurement processes. Here are some key advantages:

Improved efficiency 

Automated procurement software eliminates time-consuming manual tasks by digitizing and automating various procurement processes. This leads to increased efficiency and productivity as employees can focus on strategic activities rather than administrative work. With automated workflows, approvals, and notifications, the entire procurement cycle becomes faster, smoother, and more streamlined.

Cost savings 

By automating procurement processes, organizations can achieve significant cost savings. Automated software helps identify cost-saving opportunities through features such as spend analysis, supplier performance tracking, and contract management. 

It enables organizations to negotiate better prices with suppliers, identify and eliminate unnecessary spending, and leverage volume discounts. Additionally, automation reduces errors and eliminates manual data entry, which can save costs associated with rectifying mistakes.

Enhanced visibility and control 

Automated procurement software provides organizations with improved visibility and control over their procurement activities. It offers real-time insights into spending patterns, supplier performance, and contract compliance. 

This visibility enables organizations to make data-driven decisions, identify bottlenecks, and take proactive measures to address issues promptly. The software also enforces procurement policies and ensures adherence to compliance regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.

Supplier relationship management

Effective supplier management is crucial for successful procurement. Automated procurement software facilitates better supplier relationship management by centralizing supplier information, performance metrics, and contract details. 

It streamlines communication, simplifies supplier onboarding and qualification processes, and enables organizations to track supplier performance, negotiate favorable terms, and foster strong, long-term relationships with suppliers.

Enhanced data accuracy and reporting

Manual procurement processes are prone to errors and inconsistencies. Automated procurement software minimizes the risk of human error by eliminating manual data entry and ensuring data accuracy throughout the procurement cycle. 

Accurate and real-time data enables organizations to generate comprehensive reports, analyze spending patterns, identify cost-saving opportunities, and track key performance indicators. This data-driven approach helps organizations make informed decisions, improve forecasting accuracy, and demonstrate compliance during audits or evaluations.

Integration with financial systems 

Automated procurement software can integrate with financial systems or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, creating a seamless flow of data between procurement and finance functions. This integration ensures accurate financial reporting, facilitates budget control, and enables organizations to align procurement activities with overall financial goals.

Best automated procurement software

Let’s take a look at three of the top automated procurement software on the market:

Process Street

Process Street is a powerful workflow automation platform that can be utilized effectively for automated procurement processes. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Process Street for automated procurement:

Identify procurement processes 

Begin by identifying the specific procurement processes that you want to automate using Process Street. This could include tasks such as 

• Requisition
• Supplier evaluation
• Purchase order creation
• Contract management
• Invoice processing

Create or use process templates

Once you have identified the procurement processes, create or use pre-made process templates for each of them. Pre-made templates are completely editable, so don’t worry at all if it doesn’t have everything you need. You can add or delete whatever you need to.

Define task assignments 

Within each process template, assign tasks to the relevant stakeholders or teams responsible for completing them. Process Street allows you to assign tasks to specific users or user groups, ensuring clear accountability and visibility.

Set task due dates and reminders

Configure due dates for each task to ensure that the procurement process moves forward in a timely manner. You can set due dates and automate reminders, making sure that tasks are completed within the desired timeframe.

Implement conditional logic

Utilize Process Street’s conditional logic feature to incorporate dynamic decision-making into your procurement processes. For instance, you can set conditions where specific tasks or approvals are triggered based on certain criteria, such as the value of a purchase or the type of supplier.

Integrate with other tools 

Process Street offers integrations with various other software tools, such as Salesforce, Zapier, and MailChimp. Integrate with these tools to streamline data exchange and enhance the automation capabilities of your procurement processes. 

Enable collaboration and communication

Leverage the collaboration features to promote effective communication and collaboration among team members involved in the procurement process. Use comments and mentions to facilitate discussions, seek clarifications, or provide updates, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Monitor and track progress

Monitor the progress of your automated procurement processes using the dashboard and reporting features. Gain insights into process completion rates, identify bottlenecks or delays, and take proactive measures to address any issues.

Continuously improve

Regularly review and analyze the data and feedback collected from your automated procurement processes. Identify areas for improvement, refine your process templates, and make necessary adjustments to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Procurify

Procurify is a cloud-based procurement software platform that streamlines the way organizations manage their procurement processes. It enables businesses to gain better control, transparency, and efficiency in their procurement activities.

Procurify offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to empower procurement teams and stakeholders across the entire procurement lifecycle. The platform provides functionalities for purchase requisitions, purchase orders, vendor management, inventory tracking, and expense management. 

It caters to organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, and serves a wide range of industries.

One of Procurify’s biggest strengths is its user-friendly interface, which prioritizes ease of use and accessibility. The platform’s intuitive design makes it easy for employees to navigate and perform procurement tasks, reducing the learning curve and increasing user adoption. 

Another standout feature of Procurify is its emphasis on transparency and real-time visibility. The platform provides users with clear insights into their procurement data, enabling them to track spending, monitor budgets, and make informed decisions. 

By centralizing procurement information in one location, Procurify facilitates collaboration and communication among team members, as well as with vendors and suppliers.

Furthermore, Procurify offers robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Users can generate customizable reports and gain valuable insights into their procurement activities. Its reporting features also support compliance efforts, allowing businesses to meet regulatory requirements and internal audit needs.

Security and data protection are top priorities for Procurify. The platform implements industry-standard security measures to safeguard sensitive information, such as encryption, access controls, and regular security audits. This ensures that organizations can trust Procurify with their procurement data and mitigate the risks associated with procurement processes.

Precoro

Precoro is a no-code procurement software solution that assists organizations in streamlining and automating their procurement processes. Here are some key aspects of what Precoro does:

Purchase requisitions

Precoro allows employees to create and submit purchase requests digitally. It streamlines the requisition process, making it easier for employees to request the goods or services they need and providing a standardized format for capturing all the necessary details.

Purchase orders

It enables businesses to generate purchase orders electronically. It automates the creation and approval of purchase orders, ensuring accuracy and compliance with organizational policies. This feature helps streamline the procurement workflow and facilitates efficient communication with suppliers.

Supplier management

The software provides a centralized database for managing supplier information. It allows businesses to store and organize vendor details, track performance metrics, and maintain a history of supplier interactions. This functionality helps streamline supplier management, enhance collaboration, and evaluate supplier relationships.

Contract management

Precoro helps businesses maintain contracts with suppliers by providing a centralized repository for storing and managing contract documents. It enables organizations to track contract terms, renewal dates, and compliance obligations, ensuring that contractual agreements are upheld and optimized.

Invoice automation

Precoro streamlines the invoice processing workflow, automating tasks such as invoice capture, matching, and approval. It helps eliminate manual data entry, reduces the risk of errors, accelerates the payment cycle, and provides better visibility into financial obligations.

Budget control

The software enables businesses to set budget limits and controls for procurement activities. It helps monitor spending against budgets, alerts users when thresholds are reached or exceeded, and ensures compliance with financial plans.

Reporting and analytics

It offers robust reporting and analytics capabilities, providing organizations with insights into their procurement data. It generates customizable reports that help analyze spending patterns, identify cost-saving opportunities, and evaluate supplier performance. These insights facilitate data-driven decision-making and enable continuous improvement in procurement strategies.

Integration capabilities

Precoro integrates with other essential business systems, such as accounting software and ERP systems. This integration ensures seamless data flow and enables data synchronization between different systems, reducing manual data entry and improving data accuracy.

What to remember about automated procurement software

Automated procurement software can make a big difference in day-to-day operations, so it’s important to choose the right tool.

Take the time to identify the types of features you want in an automated procurement solution and use that as your base when making a decision. 
If you need help, you can book a free demo with Process Street and we can show you how to set up some pretty incredible automations in just a few minutes!