All Things Supply Chain

MAY 21, 2025

Global shipping is evolving rapidly. Rising fuel prices, new trade regulations, and port congestion are making freight costs harder to predict.

Price

Spend Matters

MAY 1, 2025

We continue our Procurement Transformation Guide with a look at implementing an e-procurement transformation. Procurement has moved beyond a transactional function. It is now a strategic enabler of operational efficiency, cost savings and supplier innovation. Yet, many organizations struggle to modernize procurement processes, not due to a lack of technology, but because they fail to align workflows, stakeholder collaboration and automation effectively.

Real-time Visibility

Procurement Insights

MAY 3, 2025

There is definitely a reason why a handful of us are still around after all these years: quality over quantity. Below are the oldest procurement blogs identified from the web results, ranked by their earliest documented or implied launch date, with details on their content, longevity, and relevance to procurement professionals. Where exact dates are unavailable, I estimate based on context (e.g., organizational founding, industry presence).

Procurement

Shapiro Negotiations Institute

MAY 23, 2025

You’ve been there. Sitting across from that procurement manager who just slashed your proposal by 20%. Or facing that supplier who “can’t possibly” meet your timeline. Your heart races a bit. Your palms might even sweat. Because you know what happens in the next few minutes matters. You want the numbers to work. But you also need this relationship to last beyond today’s conversation.

Negotiation

Speaker: Jason Chester, Director, Product Management

In today’s manufacturing landscape, staying competitive means moving beyond reactive quality checks and toward real-time, data-driven process control. But what does true manufacturing process optimization look like—and why is it more urgent now than ever? Join Jason Chester in this new, thought-provoking session on how modern manufacturers are rethinking quality operations from the ground up.

Quality

ivalua

MAY 16, 2025

Rising software costs, lack of procurement oversight, compliance headaches, and clunky vendor management. Sound familiar? If you’ve been feeling the pressure, you’re not the only one. Many organizations are discovering that without clear procurement software best practices, costs spiral, risks multiply, and efficiency stalls. At Ivalua, we’ve helped some of the world’s most complex organizations transform their procurement operations, giving us deep expertise in what works – and what doesn’t.

Real-time Visibility

TYA Suite

MAY 23, 2025

According to recent industry research, 80% of businesses report a significant reduction in operational inefficiencies when implementing automated vendor onboarding software. As organizations grow and work with an increasing number of vendors, the process of onboarding new suppliers can become complex and resource-intensive. Manual processes often lead to delays, errors, and inconsistent data, which can negatively impact business operations.

Real-time Visibility

Spend Matters

MAY 8, 2025

This article is part of our ongoing series on digital procurement transformation. Previous articles explored the foundational steps organizations need to take when beginning a digital transformation journey: Part 1: Building the foundation How to approach digital transformation, whether starting from scratch or with limited technology. Part 2: Designing the transformation journey Best practices for structuring a phased, strategic roadmap.

Procurement

Supply Chain Brain

MAY 13, 2025

FedEx had severed its relationship with Amazon in 2019 because of rising competition between the two companies.

Jaggaer

MAY 8, 2025

I am a big believer in procurement getting involved as early as possible in new product development based on all the market knowledge available. The worst-case scenario is product engineering developing a new product, selecting a supplier and then telling procurement to get on with negotiation. Thats why I was fascinated to get Lora Ceceres insights into how organizations need to adapt their approach to NPD, involving procurement from the start.

Supply Chain Optimization

ivalua

MAY 30, 2025

AI is reshaping the way organizations source, manage suppliers, and drive value today. As supply chains become more interconnected and risks more dynamic, traditional procurement tools fall short. AI agents offer a smarter, faster way to manage sourcing, risk, and spend across the entire procurement lifecycle. At Ivalua, we help organizations harness AI to transform procurement from a tactical function into a strategic advantage – and our Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) is leading the next w

Procurement

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Product lead time is crucial in the life sciences industry and represents a key consideration for customers’ purchasing decisions. For this reason, BD Biosciences aimed to optimize its global supply and distribution network to reduce delivery lead time to customers and optimize its global inventory. How BD Biosciences was successful in reducing global distribution lead times between 30% and 60% in addition to: Increasing agility to prioritize urgent and ad-hoc customer requests Increasing global

Inventory

TYA Suite

MAY 23, 2025

72% of procurement leaders say vendor data is scattered across tools, emails, and spreadsheets. This statistic shows a real and common problem in many companies today. Vendor informationlike contracts, certificates, and performance reportsis often stored in different places. Some of it is in Excel sheets, some in email threads, and some is saved on local computers.

supply chain software solutions

Procurement Insights

MAY 14, 2025

Here is a Model 1 excerpt from yesterday’s post titled “ Moving AI From Progressive Theory To Practical Procurement Utilization And Outcomes.” Closely examine the profiles and assessments of the following three individuals, then decide with whom you would want to partner and work to select and implement your ProcureTech strategy. Analyst Backgrounds Analyst Primary Focus Pieter den Hamer AI strategy, maturity models, governance, and enterprise-scale AI roadmaps.

Supply Chain Optimization

Spend Matters

MAY 14, 2025

Coupa announced during its Inspire 2025 event that it has acquired Cirtuo, a provider of category management (CatMan) software. The move addresses a long-standing gap in many procurement technology offerings: helping teams define and manage procurement strategies, rather than just executing sourcing events. The timing reflects the current environment.

Category management

Procurement Software

MAY 25, 2025

Procurement stands at a crossroads. The old ways of working no longer fit our digital world. Traditional procurement teams operate too much like bureaucratic machines. They all-too-often focus on process over results. This inevitably means they slow down decisions, when we should instead be striving to speed them up. This approach costs organizations dearly.

Procurement

Advertiser: GEP

“What should we do about the tariffs?” There’s no straightforward answer — every leader has a different expectation. CFOs want numbers. COOs want action. CEOs want strategy. And supply chain and procurement leaders need to be ready with the right response — fast. That’s why GEP has created a simple three-part framework that will help CPOs and CSCOs brief the board and C-suite with clarity and confidence.

Supply chain

Let's Talk Supply Chain

MAY 2, 2025

In a‍ digital world where innovation ‍and automation reign supreme, the rise of AI-generated code has sparked both ‍excitement and concern within the software supply chain. As technology continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, the prospect of artificial intelligence taking the reins in software advancement raises crucial questions about reliability, security,‍ and the very foundation of our digital infrastructure.

supply chain software solutions

ivalua

MAY 30, 2025

AI is reshaping the way organizations source, manage suppliers, and drive value today. As supply chains become more interconnected and risks more dynamic, traditional procurement tools fall short. AI agents offer a smarter, faster way to manage sourcing, risk, and spend across the entire procurement lifecycle. At Ivalua, we help organizations harness AI to transform procurement from a tactical function into a strategic advantage – and our Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) is leading the next w

Procurement

TYA Suite

MAY 23, 2025

Managing a successful supply chain requires more than just ensuring products are delivered on time its about building strong, effective partnerships with your suppliers. As businesses face increasing pressure to improve operations, control expenses, and stay ahead of market demands, the need for improved supplier relationships has never been more important. has an important role to play.

supply chain software solutions

Procurement Insights

MAY 3, 2025

Here is the link to everything I have written about spreadsheets in the Procurement Insights blog since 2007. So, here is the big question: Is procurement’s use of spreadsheets on the decline? Estimated Year-by-Year Spreadsheet Usage (20052025) Below is an estimated percentage of organizations using spreadsheets for procurement or related tasks, based on available data and inferred trends.

Procurement

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

Risk

Fraxion

MAY 8, 2025

The role of a CFO is becoming more strategic than ever. As a finance leader in 2025, your role goes far beyond oversight. Youre expected to manage cost pressures, lead digital transformation, support strategic decisions, and respond to shifting regulatory and talent demands while keeping the business financially strong. A recent Gartner survey found that over 70% of CFOs are prioritizing improved financial metrics, storytelling, cost optimization, and transformation leadership.

Cost optimization

Procurement Software

MAY 18, 2025

“Lone wolves” and procurement leaders of small teams often face outsized expectations. Limited resources and growing demands create a challenging environment. The good news? Technology offers powerful solutions that level the playing field. This week, we explore how small teams in developing procurement functions can harness both general-purpose AI and specialised procurement tools.

Procurement

Procurement Leaders

MAY 19, 2025

When Haleon CPO Richard Crane ( pictured above ) took to the stage at the World Procurement Congress last week he began by sharing the irony of asking a staunch capitalist (himself) to talk about the issue of sustainability. Sure, he said, we all care about the planet, but he is firmly in the Milton Friedman camp when it comes to his thoughts about the role corporations have in society that is to maximise profit and financial returns to shareholders.

Price

ivalua

MAY 29, 2025

Procurement and supply chain management are often used interchangeably—but in practice, the lines between them can blur in ways that create real friction. Misaligned priorities, siloed systems, and unclear ownership can directly impact key performance indicators like cost savings percentage and procurement cycle time. At Ivalua, we’ve worked with hundreds of global enterprises to bridge these gaps, streamline operations, and build stronger, more connected processes.

Supply chain management

Advertiser: ZoomInfo

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

Data

Spend Matters

MAY 8, 2025

This weeks announcement that TPG and Corpay (formerly Fleetcor) will acquire AvidXchange in a $2.2 billion take-private transaction marks a significant moment in the evolution of the corporate B2B payments market. The move underscores the growing strategic importance of accounts payable (AP) automation and managed services, particularly in the underserved middle market.

Buyers

Procurement Insights

MAY 23, 2025

The RAM 4-Model Assessment Tool , developed by Jon W. Hansen, is a proprietary evaluation framework designed to assess the readiness, alignment, and sustainability of ProcureTech solution providers or procurement transformation initiatives. Its especially useful when applied to both technology platforms and the organizations adopting them. RAM 4-Model stands for: Readiness Alignment Maturity Model-fit Purpose of the RAM 4-Model Tool Identify whether a solution or initiative is fit-for-purpose

Sustainability

Supply Chain Brain

MAY 13, 2025

The April average price for a dozen large eggs was 79% higher than the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for the same month a year ago, when the price averaged $2.86 per dozen.

Price

TYA Suite

MAY 23, 2025

Why do companies still struggle with delays, errors, and compliance issues in their , even with so much technology available today? The answer often lies in disconnected systems, manual workflows, and a lack of visibility between procurement and finance teams. Procure to pay automation addresses these issues by digitizing and streamlining the entire cycle, from to invoice payment.

Real-time Visibility

Speaker: Ethan Woolley, Director at Kharon

This webinar will explore how companies can proactively address compliance risks–rather than reactively responding to–UFLPA enforcement actions. Ethan Woolley will provide insights into the latest CBP enforcement trends, entity list updates, and industries under increased scrutiny, with a look at potential shifts under the Trump administration. Ethan will also explore how predictive data and strategic due diligence can help organizations stay ahead of regulatory challenges and strengthen complia

Retail Supply Chain

Fraxion

MAY 11, 2025

Does your procurement system consist of a piece of paper thats passed around until it eventually ends up in a dusty folder? Or does your department keep track of everything in a spreadsheet system that's just as easily lost in electronic sub-folders, if you remember to save it at all? If you're using a legacy system, it is time to consider an e-procurement system that will put you back in control of spending, plus save your company time and money.

Procurement

ivalua

MAY 2, 2025

In our previous posts ( part 1 , part 2 ), we explored the potential of AI agents in procurement, how they can drive efficiency, and the organizational changes required to adopt them effectively. Now, we turn to a crucial but often overlooked piece of the AI puzzle: Where do these AI agents get their data, and how do you ensure it’s accurate and compliant?

Procurement

Spend Matters

MAY 13, 2025

This content does not express the views or opinions of Spend Matters. Across industries, organizations are actively exploring how generative AI (GenAI) can transform the way they operate. From automating repetitive tasks to enabling more informed data-driven decision making, the impact of this technology is both significant and rapidly accelerating.

Real-time Visibility

Procurement Insights

MAY 22, 2025

Hi Jon, hope all is well. May I ask you what is your take on Certa.ai? Would vlaue your input. Thanks, Cynthia I am receiving increasing requests to use the RAM 4-Model Assessment Tool to assess the viability and potential success of the provider-practitioner relationship. The above is one such request. The preliminary run uses the RAM 4-Model Assessment tool to access the Procurement Insights proprietary archives and many cross-reference sources using my AI for AI platform.

Supply Chain Efficiency

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

Innovation