Efficiency and control with the OCI link in business procurement processes.
In the world of business procurement processes, efficiency is essential. The Open Catalog Interface (OCI) link plays a key role in this by providing integration between an organisation's procurement system and the supplier's web shop. This allows orders to be placed faster, more accurately and with more control. In this blog, we explain what the OCI link is, how it works and share practical examples of organisations experiencing its benefits.
What is an OCI link?
The OCI link is an open standard that allows purchasing systems to connect directly to suppliers' online catalogues. This means buyers can select products in a supplier's webshop directly from their own procurement system. The ordered items are then automatically sent back to the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, where they can be processed further.
With this technology, organisations can order products efficiently, without logging into different online shops or manually entering data. Everything is automatically transferred and processed through the organisation's internal system.
How does the PunchOut function work?
The PunchOut function is an advanced link between an ERP or procurement system and a supplier's webshop. Instead of manually searching and entering products into the ERP system, a user uses PunchOut to open the supplier's webshop directly from the purchasing system. Here, products can be selected and automatically returned to the ERP system as a draft order. This makes the procurement process more efficient and prevents errors.
How does it work?
Access via ERP system - The user clicks the PunchOut button and is automatically redirected to the supplier's web shop.
Selecting products - In the web shop, the user adds products to the shopping basket as in a normal online order.
Return to ERP - Instead of checking out directly, the selected products are automatically sent to the ERP system.
Internal approval - There, the order can be checked, approved and supplemented with additional information before it is finally placed.
More control and automation in your ERP system.
Instead of manually entering and approving orders, this is processed automatically within your ERP system. This offers benefits such as a more efficient invoicing process, with orders placed via the OCI link being linked directly to invoicing. In addition, you always have up-to-date visibility of the stock of ordered products, which facilitates inventory management and increases efficiency.
Benefits of the OCI link.
Efficiency
Buyers can order products directly from their own system, without having to log in separately to the supplier's webshop. Orders are automatically processed in the ERP system, eliminating the need for manual input per branch.
Time saving
Thanks to the link with the ERP system, the procurement process is accelerated and simplified. The administrative workload decreases and orders can be processed more efficiently, regardless of the number of branches or suppliers.
Enhanced control
Orders automatically go through internal approval processes, providing better visibility of spending and compliance with procurement policies. This prevents unauthorised purchases and helps with budget management.
Realtime information
The OCI link provides instant insight into current prices and stock levels. This helps procurement teams make more informed decisions and avoids delays caused by unexpected shortages.
Streamlined ordering process
Large orders for several branches or departments can be easily processed. This reduces the administrative burden and ensures a more accurate procurement process, without duplicate or incomplete orders.
Simple integration
The link works directly with existing ERP systems, without complicated modifications. This makes implementation and use low-threshold, while making procurement processes more efficient and transparent.
Workflows en integraties.
An OCI link can be customised for specific procurement systems such as SAP Ariba and Proquro, which is part of Exact. It allows organisations to place orders and optimise their procurement processes. The link uses cXML to communicate with external systems. This means that the integration needs to be set up once per procurement system, but can then be re-used for multiple customers. This offers not only flexibility but also economies of scale. Being customised, integrations can be adapted to specific customer requirements. Think of customer-specific webshop styling or additional functionalities that match the organisation's internal processes.
Case study: Nou
Voor Nou hebben we een OCI-koppeling gerealiseerd. Gezien de omvang van de inkoopbehoeften van hun klanten, zou een handmatige bestelprocedure te tijdrovend en foutgevoelig zijn. Met de OCI-koppeling kunnen medewerkers van deze klanten direct vanuit hun inkoopsysteem producten selecteren in de webshop van Nou. De bestellingen worden automatisch teruggestuurd naar hun ERP-systeem, waar ze een interne goedkeuringsworkflow doorlopen.
Better controlled procurement workflow.
The OCI link allows organisations to optimise their procurement processes by increasing efficiency, improving control and making real-time information available. By using advanced procurement software such as Exact Proquro, organisations can effectively implement the OCI link and enjoy the benefits it offers. The result is a faster, more accurate and better-controlled procurement workflow.
Ready for the next step? We are too.
Also interested in an OCI link? We'd be happy to help your organisation.
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