Article
What Is E-Procurement, and Is the Term Still Relevant Today?
What e-procurement means, how it compares to procure-to-pay and source-to-pay, and whether the term still matters now that providers use other names.
Learning articles
Evergreen explainers on the frameworks and practices procurement teams use.
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The Procurement Process: From 7 Steps to a Flywheel
The 7 steps of the procurement process, why frameworks count them differently, where the process slows down, and when to run it as a flywheel instead.
Article
Should-Cost Analysis: My Guide for Procurement
Should-cost analysis estimates what a part should cost from materials, labor, overhead, and profit. Here is how I use it to negotiate with data, not power.
Article
My Quick Take on Source to Pay Software in 2026
Source-to-pay software connects sourcing, contracts, purchasing, and payments. Here is what it does well, where it falls short, and how to choose.
Article
Procure-to-Pay: The Process, and Why It Stalls So Often
Procure-to-pay runs from requisition to supplier payment. The full P2P process, how it differs from source-to-pay, and why rollouts stall.
Article
Group Purchasing Organizations: Why Leverage Is Only Half the Value
A GPO pools member spend to negotiate supplier contracts. Learn how group purchasing organizations work, which categories fit, and what to ask.
Article
Outsourcing in Procurement: Models and Best Practices
Procurement outsourcing means handing all or part of your purchasing to a third-party specialist. Here is how I think about the models, the trade-offs, and when it works.
Article
Contingent Workforce Management: A Procurement Perspective
Contingent workforce management is how you source, engage, and oversee non-permanent workers for cost, compliance, and quality. Here is how I think about it.
Article
Maverick Spend: Why It’s Usually Procurement’s Problem, Not the Buyer’s
Maverick spend is off-contract buying that erodes up to 16% of negotiated savings. Learn why it happens, what it costs, and how to reduce it.
Article
Procurement Automation: A Guide to Where AI and Automation Actually Belong
Procurement automation is the use of software, rules, and AI to execute steps in the purchasing lifecycle without human intervention, or with human intervention reduced to a final approval or exception handling.
Article
Request for Proposal (RFP) Guide & Best Practices for More Responsible Procurement
In this guide, I want to walk you through how I think about running a responsible, effective RFP process from end to end: what to do before you ever issue one, how to design the evaluation itself, and the one step that most procurement teams skip but shouldn't.
Article
ChatGPT for Procurement – 10 Use Cases, Examples, and Benefits
In this guide, I’ll walk you through ten high-value use cases where ChatGPT can deliver practical benefits across your procurement operations.
Article
How to Build a Proactive Procurement Governance Framework
A practical guide to proactive procurement governance that explains why governance is not compliance, how over-focusing on cost savings traps procurement in a narrow role, and how to use an executive steering committee and a balanced scorecard to align procurement priorities with what business leaders actually value.
Article
How to Build a Proactive Procurement Strategy
Shift procurement from reactive “process police” to a proactive business partner. This practical guide explains the process dependency fallacy, introduces a service-provider mindset, and gives a step-by-step roadmap (stakeholder roadshow, capability map, executive steering committee, quick wins) to earn voluntary engagement and deliver value beyond savings.
Article
Five Pillars of Digital Procurement Transformation
This article sets out five pillars that I’ve seen separate successful digital procurement transformations from less successful initiatives over the past two decades.
Article
What a Balanced Scorecard Means for Procurement
Let’s reimagine the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard through a procurement lens. Here's how the framework applies to modern procurement organizations.
Article
Contract Lifecycle Management Tools and Trends to Know
Contract lifecycle management (CLM) is a systematic approach that streamlines and automates the full journey of a business contract.
Article
What Are Agentic AI Systems and What Do They Mean for Procurement?
Agentic AI is a type of computer system that can take charge of a task on its own. See how they impact the future of procurement.
Article
AI Agents in Procurement: What, Why and Will They Take Your Job?
AI Agents are a very new form of technology. Let’s go through what AI Agents are and how they have started to impact procurement jobs.
Article
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary on Tariffs, Risk, & Resilience
Kevin O’Leary discusses tariffs, risk management, and resilience at ISM2025, offering insights on navigating today's volatile supply chain landscape.
Article
State of AI in Procurement in 2026
In the regularly updated State of AI in Procurement we explore the core concepts every procurement executive should know.
Article
My AI Governance Framework for Procurement
An AI governance framework for procurement sets clear principles: accountability, transparency, fairness, risk management, and data governance.
Article
Beyond Supplier Agreements: How to Maximize Value After a Contract is Signed
A supplier agreement is a legally binding document that outlines the conditions under which a supplier provides goods or services to a buyer. Find out more.
Article
Tips for Successful Supplier Negotiations in Strategic Sourcing
I’ve negotiated billions of dollars’ worth of contracts both as a procurement practitioner and as a consultant. Here are my top tips for successful supplier negotiations in strategic sourcing.
Article
Auctions in Procurement: My Proven Way to Conduct RFx Events in Strategic Sourcing
Auctions and RFx events are two of the most powerful tools in a strategic sourcing toolkit. Let’s go through my proven approach and key best practices and mistakes to avoid.
Article
Key Supplier Selection Criteria Every Procurement Executive Should Know
A structured supplier selection process keeps decisions data-driven, objective, and strategic. By taking a holistic approach, you build stronger supplier partnerships that create lasting value.
Article
Top Sourcing Strategy Tips from My 7 Step Strategic Sourcing Plan
Top tips from the seven-step strategic sourcing plan I developed over a decade as a procurement practitioner and consultant
Article
Procurement Orchestration Explained: All You Need To Know
Procurement orchestration is a comprehensive and digitally supported methodology that facilitates the coordination of multiple procurement processes. See everything you need to know.
Article
Why Procurement Needs Intake Management Software – And How to Choose the Right One
Intake management software can improve procurement efficiency by automating workflows, improving visibility, and reducing rogue spend. Know your options.
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10 Contract Management Best Practices + Checklist for Procurement
What is contract management and how can it be systematically approached in enterprise businesses.
Article
5 Procurement Transformation Tactics to Quickly Shift Your Performance Trajectory
Procurement transformation involves rethinking core procurement processes and organizational structures to improve efficiency and value created for the business.
Article
Unpacking Indirect Procurement Strategies and Best Practices I’ve Learned in my Career
Here’s how you can build a strategy that delivers a high-impact indirect procurement function.
Article
200+ Key Procurement Software Providers Listed (with Tips to Find Your Best-fit Solution)
In this article you’ll find providers grouped by category to help you identify your best-fit options. Skip to the sections most relevant to your needs.
Article
Key Procurement Operating Models Explained with Examples
An procurement operating model represents the framework that integrates people, processes, and technology to achieve desired outcomes.
Article
Generative AI in Procurement – Opportunities and Challenges Highlighted by AI at Wharton Study
A recent report by AI at Wharton identifies a number of key trends related to the use of generative AI in procurement.
Article
Procurement Analytics: Key Methods, Tools & Use Cases for Data Savvy Procurement Professionals
Procurement analytics explained: what a procurement analyst does, the foundational analysis methods, and the key tools and providers to know.
Article
Supplier Performance Management Metrics and Frameworks Explained
Supplier performance management explained: the three phases, the key metrics to track, and how to manage underperforming suppliers fairly.
Article
Supplier Lifecycle Management Simply Explained
Supplier lifecycle management explained: what SLM is, a seven-step process you can follow, and how to keep track of supplier information and data.
Article
What is Supplier Risk Management?
What is supplier risk management? How it works, why it matters, how third-party risk is converging with procurement, and how to build it into sourcing.
Article
What is Supplier Relationship Management in Procurement?
What is supplier relationship management (SRM)? Key definitions, why SRM matters, its role in strategic sourcing, and how it elevates procurement.
Article
Supplier Management Explained – Definitions, Elements, and Examples
Supplier management explained: what it is, why it matters, the four key elements, and the benefits for procurement and the wider business.
Article
What is Procurement Technology? The Definitions, Trends, and Tools you Should Know
What is procurement technology? Key definitions, three recent trends, and how procurement suites, ERP add-ons, and point solutions compare.
Article
What is Spend Cube Analysis? Including Power BI Example
What is spend cube analysis? How to analyze spend by supplier, category, and cost center, with a Power BI example report you can download.
Article
Spend Analysis Approaches and Software Explained
Discover the different types of spend analysis solutions and learn how to choose the right tool for your procurement needs.
Article
Porter’s Five Forces from a Procurement Perspective
How to apply Porter's Five Forces in procurement: a recap of the framework and how to use it in strategic sourcing, category management, and SRM.
Article
What Exactly is the Supplier Preferencing Model (a.k.a. Supplier Perception Matrix)?
What is the Supplier Preferencing Model (Supplier Perception Matrix)
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How to Start a Strategic Sourcing Process (with My Proven 7-Step Plan)
My seven-step strategic sourcing process, used in procurement transformations at GMAC and Chiquita, starting with how to identify sourcing opportunities.
Article
How to Create a Category Profile for Strategic Sourcing
How to create a category profile for strategic sourcing: what it includes, how it relates to the sourcing process, and how to develop one.