Punchout and eProcurement Glossary
Core Terms
Punchout Punchout is an integration protocol that allows corporate buyers to access a supplier’s product catalog directly from within their ERP or eProcurement system, without leaving their company’s platform. Selected products are automatically transferred back into the purchasing system as a requisition, eliminating manual data entry and reducing procurement errors.
Punchout catalog A punchout catalog is a supplier’s product catalog made accessible directly from within a corporate eProcurement platform via OCI or cXML protocols. It allows the buyer to browse, select, and add products to a cart without leaving the ERP environment, with automatic transfer of order data back into the procurement system.
Punchout session A punchout session is the temporary, secure connection established between a buyer’s eProcurement system and a supplier’s catalog. It begins when the buyer clicks the supplier’s link inside their ERP, continues through browsing and product selection, and ends when the cart data is automatically sent back to the procurement system as a purchase requisition.
Punchout cart The punchout cart is the set of products selected during a punchout session. At the end of the session, the cart data — product codes, quantities, prices, descriptions — is automatically transferred into the buyer’s ERP as a purchase requisition, with no manual re-entry required.
Punchout catalog integration Punchout catalog integration is the technical process of connecting a supplier’s eCommerce store to a buyer’s eProcurement system so that buyers can access the supplier’s catalog directly from within their procurement platform. Integration is implemented via OCI or cXML protocols and can be done through a ready-to-use plugin (for WooCommerce, Magento, nopCommerce) or custom development.
Protocols
OCI — Open Catalog Interface OCI (Open Catalog Interface) is the punchout integration standard developed by SAP. It is primarily used in European eProcurement platforms such as SAP Ariba and Meplato. OCI uses HTTP form-based communication between the buyer’s procurement system and the supplier’s catalog. It is the most widely used punchout protocol in the European market. Note: OCI should not be confused with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, which shares the same acronym.
cXML — Commerce XML cXML (Commerce XML) is the international punchout integration standard based on XML, promoted by Ariba and adopted by Coupa, Jaggaer, Oracle Procurement, and others. It uses a structured request-response model for procurement communication. cXML is the most widely used punchout protocol in the US market and in international eProcurement environments.
PunchOut Setup Request (PSR) The PunchOut Setup Request is the cXML message sent by the buyer’s eProcurement system to the supplier’s server to initiate a punchout session. It contains authentication credentials, buyer data, and the return URL where the cart data should be sent at the end of the session.
PunchOut Order Message (POM) The PunchOut Order Message is the cXML message sent by the supplier’s server back to the buyer’s eProcurement system at the end of a punchout session. It contains the selected cart data — items, quantities, prices, descriptions — which are automatically imported as a purchase requisition into the buyer’s ERP system.
HTTPS / SSL in punchout All punchout sessions are conducted over HTTPS to ensure encrypted, secure communication between the buyer’s eProcurement system and the supplier’s catalog. SSL certificates are required on the supplier’s eCommerce store for any punchout integration to function correctly.
Systems and Platforms
eProcurement eProcurement is the electronic management of enterprise purchasing processes through digital platforms — ERP systems, P2P software — that automate requisition, approval, and ordering of goods and services from external suppliers. Leading eProcurement platforms include SAP Ariba, Coupa, Jaggaer, Oracle Procurement, Meplato, and Ivalua.
ERP — Enterprise Resource Planning An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is integrated business software that manages a company’s core operational processes: procurement, sales, inventory, accounting, manufacturing, and human resources. In the context of punchout, the ERP is the system from which the buyer initiates a punchout session and into which the order data is automatically imported at the end of the session.
P2P — Procure-to-Pay A Procure-to-Pay (P2P) system manages the entire corporate purchasing cycle, from purchase requisition to invoice payment. It is the software category that includes the leading eProcurement platforms such as Coupa, Jaggaer, and SAP Ariba. A punchout catalog integrates directly into P2P systems, enabling buyers to access supplier catalogs without leaving their procurement workflow.
SAP Ariba SAP Ariba is the world’s leading eProcurement platform, developed by SAP. It supports both OCI and cXML protocols for punchout integration. It is used by large enterprises to manage procurement, contracts, and supplier relationships centrally. Having a punchout catalog integrated into SAP Ariba allows a supplier to sell directly within the purchasing workflow of their corporate customers.
Coupa Coupa is a cloud-based Business Spend Management (BSM) platform that includes eProcurement, supplier management, and spend analytics modules. It supports the cXML protocol for punchout integration. Coupa is widely used in the United States and in English-speaking markets.
Jaggaer Jaggaer (formerly SciQuest) is an international eProcurement and supplier management platform that supports the cXML protocol for punchout integration. It is used by universities, public institutions, and large private companies, particularly in the manufacturing, healthcare, and research sectors.
Meplato Meplato is a European eProcurement platform that supports the OCI protocol for punchout integration. It is particularly widespread in Germany and Central European markets. It allows suppliers to publish and manage product catalogs integrated with their corporate customers’ purchasing systems.
Oracle Procurement Oracle Procurement is the purchasing module of the Oracle suite, available in Oracle Fusion, Oracle iProcurement, and Oracle PeopleSoft versions. It supports the cXML protocol for punchout integration. It is used by large enterprises and organizations worldwide for centralized procurement management.
Ivalua Ivalua is a cloud-based Source-to-Pay platform that includes eProcurement, contract management, and spend analytics modules. It supports punchout integration via cXML. It is used by large enterprises in Europe and the United States.
POOL4TOOL POOL4TOOL is a European eProcurement platform used primarily in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. It supports OCI-based punchout integration for supplier catalog connectivity.
Mercateo Mercateo is a European B2B marketplace and eProcurement platform that supports punchout catalog integration for suppliers. It is widely used in Germany and other European markets for indirect procurement.
Plugins and Solutions
PunchOut Rocket PunchOut Rocket is the punchout plugin developed by Punchout Solutions (Weblink Srl) for WooCommerce (WordPress), Magento, and nopCommerce. It allows suppliers to connect their eCommerce store to leading enterprise eProcurement systems via OCI and cXML protocols, without custom development. Available at punchoutrocket.com.
WooCommerce punchout plugin The WooCommerce punchout plugin is a WordPress extension developed by Punchout Solutions that enables punchout functionality on any WooCommerce store. It supports OCI and cXML protocols and enables integration with SAP Ariba, Coupa, Jaggaer, Meplato, and other eProcurement systems without custom code.
Magento punchout plugin The Magento punchout plugin is an extension developed by Punchout Solutions that enables punchout functionality on Magento (Adobe Commerce) stores. It supports OCI and cXML protocols for integration with leading B2B eProcurement platforms.
nopCommerce punchout plugin The nopCommerce punchout plugin is an extension developed by Punchout Solutions that enables punchout functionality on nopCommerce stores. It supports OCI and cXML protocols for connecting to leading enterprise eProcurement systems.
Custom punchout integration A custom punchout integration is a bespoke development solution for connecting any B2B eCommerce platform — not covered by standard plugins — to a buyer’s eProcurement system. Punchout Solutions (Weblink Srl) develops custom integrations for any combination of eCommerce platform and eProcurement system, via OCI or cXML.
Related Concepts
Electronic catalog (e-catalog) An electronic catalog is the digital version of a supplier’s product listing, structured in a standard format (BMEcat, CSV, Excel) for upload and management within eProcurement platforms. Unlike a punchout catalog — which is dynamic and browsable in real time — an electronic catalog is a static file updated periodically.
BMEcat BMEcat is the XML standard for exchanging electronic catalogs between suppliers and eProcurement platforms. It is used primarily in Europe, especially in Germany. Unlike punchout, BMEcat is a format for static catalogs that are imported into the buyer’s eProcurement platform and updated periodically.
Purchase Requisition (PR) A purchase requisition is the internal document automatically generated in the buyer’s ERP system at the end of a punchout session. It contains the data of the selected products — codes, quantities, prices — and is the first step in the internal approval process before becoming a formal purchase order.
Purchase Order (PO) A purchase order is the formal document issued by the buying company to the supplier after the internal approval process is complete. In the punchout workflow, the purchase order is automatically generated by the buyer’s ERP from the purchase requisition created during the punchout session, with no manual input required.
Procurement Procurement is the business process that encompasses all activities required to acquire goods and services externally: supplier identification, negotiation, ordering, receiving, and payment. Punchout optimizes the ordering phase of the procurement process by automating data transfer between the supplier’s catalog and the buyer’s purchasing system.
Preferred supplier A preferred supplier is a vendor approved and listed in a buyer’s eProcurement system. Having a punchout catalog integrated into a customer’s eProcurement system — such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, or Jaggaer — is often a requirement to become a preferred supplier for large enterprises.
Tail spend Tail spend is the portion of a company’s total procurement expenditure distributed across a large number of minor suppliers, which is difficult to monitor and optimize. eProcurement platforms with punchout catalogs help companies reduce tail spend by consolidating purchases on integrated, centrally monitored suppliers.
Supplier onboarding Supplier onboarding in the context of eProcurement is the process by which a supplier is registered, qualified, and integrated into a buyer’s procurement system. For punchout, supplier onboarding includes the technical setup of the OCI or cXML connection, catalog testing, and validation by the buyer’s procurement team.
Punch-in Punch-in is an alternative integration model where the supplier provides a direct link to a specific product or section of their catalog, which the buyer accesses from within the eProcurement system without a full punchout session. It is less common than standard punchout but used for simplified catalog access scenarios.
Level 2 punchout Level 2 punchout (also called “punchout to item”) is an advanced punchout integration where the buyer can be redirected directly to a specific product page in the supplier’s catalog, rather than to the catalog homepage. It is used in eProcurement platforms like SAP Ariba to enable faster, more targeted purchasing.
