Introducing Punchout: Ensure your web store and your buyer's e-Procurement system work as one

B2B web stores are facing a common challenge: B2B buyers are growing accustomed to seamless online ordering processes. What this means is that buyers refuse to place orders in multiple systems.

At Sana Commerce, we see the opportunity to create friction-free ordering for buyers by introducing an add-on that makes the Sana web store and the buyer’s online procurement systems work as one. Improve customer experience by allowing users to “punch out” or transfer their shopping cart back to their own procurement system with a single click.

What is punchout and how does it work?

Sana Commerce Cloud’s punchout solution is a seamless integration that connects buyers’ e-procurement system to your ERP system through your Sana Commerce Cloud web store. By reducing steps in the e-commerce journey, we can automate manual intervention to reduce order error rates and operational costs.

Benefits of punchout

This feature gives buyers direct access to a supplier’s web store from within their own procurement system.

1. Increase returning orders and sales volume when buyers can use the systems they prefer. With punchout, you can offer a comprehensive range of products and services through a link that integrates with the merchant’s web store.
2. Reduce costs and order error rates when buyers have access to accurate real-time supplier catalogs directly within Sana Commerce Cloud. Automating the procurement process through punchout can reduce administrative costs associated with manual order processing and data entry.
3. Improve customer experience with a single click. You can easily generate and send Advanced Shipping Notices (ASN) and invoices directly from the punchout seller’s ERP to the buyer’s ERP or procurement system.
4. Improve web store adoption rates thanks to punchout’s ability to facilitate a smooth transition between the supplier’s catalog and the buyer’s procurement system. Make buying easy by harnessing the power of automation — which includes the transfer of selected items like product descriptions, quantities, and prices — back to the procurement system.
5. Get faster time to value. Data silos and inconsistencies waste time. Get accurate information straight from the web store to the procurement system. With optimized post-order fulfillment and billing processes, ensure timely and accurate information flow.

Without a punchout e-procurement integration, businesses will struggle to centralize procurement data and reporting. This necessitates manual order entry, resulting in poor web store adoption.

Key features of Sana Commerce Cloud’s punchout functionality

The punchout add-on accommodates for the following:

• Authentication through punchout. The buyer will be able to log into the Sana web store via their e-procurement system. This means that an account in the procurement system will be linked to a Sana Commerce Cloud shop account. If there is a match and the shop account is active, then the user will be automatically logged into the web store.
• Shopping basket transfer. The buyer can add products to the basket from the web store and when ready, click the ‘Punch out’ button to transfer the contents of the basket to the e-procurement system into a new purchase order. Here the punchout buyer can apply their usual approval process, assign a PO number and confirm the order.
• Order confirmation. The Sana web store admin can then ‘release’ the order, which means they can ‘confirm’ the order for the buyer.
• Advanced shipment notice. The Sana Admin will create a shipment document (ASN) to ship the order. This document can be sent to the buyers’ procurement system to confirm that goods are being shipped. The buyer’s logistics department can then take this into consideration to assist with planning.
• Invoice document. The Sana Admin will generate an invoice for the order. This document can also be sent through punchout to the buyer’s procurement system so the invoice is automatically generated there too.
• Credit note document. For some orders, a credit note might need to be generated. This document can also be automatically transferred to the punchout buyers’ procurement system.
• Catalog import: Get your products in front of your buyers by importing your catalog (tailored to their specific needs) directly into their eProcurement system. Note: Pricing and stock information aren’t displayed in their system, just the product details.
• Product search: Make it easy for buyers to find exactly what they’re looking for with optimized search capabilities within their own system.
• Smooth checkout: One click takes the buyer to your product page, fully logged in and ready to buy. No more friction, just a fast and easy path to purchase.

With PunchOut, your buyers can browse your catalog without ever leaving their familiar procurement system. No more jumping between platforms or hunting for product information. They find what they need, click once, and land directly on your product page, ready to check out. It’s a seamless experience that keeps buyers engaged and drives conversions.

Implementing punchout: a practical guide

The add-on is built on a third-party service provided by InstaPunchout. To use this add-on, the Sana Commerce Cloud user needs to purchase their service from Sana Apps to activate the add-on. This add-on then allows you to connect your Sana web store to the e-procurement system using InstaPunchout.

Contact your Sana Commerce representative for more information about InstaPunchout and pricing.

Create friction-free ordering for your customers

Centralizing procurement data has never been so attainable. By making the Sana web store and the buyer’s online procurement systems work as one, you create a seamless and integrated experience for B2B buyers. When you make things easier in the online buying process, you can enhance the user’s experience and increase customer conversion and retention.

Simplify the B2B e-commerce journey for your buyers with Sana Commerce Cloud.