Ever wondered what PunchOut is and how it works? Check out this article for more information.
'PunchOut' is an integration set up between a Supplier's online website & directly connected to the Customer's PurchasePlus account. PunchOut uses cXML (commerce eXtensible Markup Language) for electronic-commerce transactions.
When raising a Purchase Requisition in PurchasePlus via the PunchOut source, the Customer is redirected out of PurchasePlus and connects to the Supplier's online portal. This launches the Supplier’s website within the Customer's browser. The Customer browses the Supplier's online portal, adds items to the shopping cart and completes the checkout process, while both applications maintain their connections.
No orders are sent to the Supplier when the Customer checks out ("punches out") from the Supplier’s PunchOut site. Instead, the shopping cart, with the Customer's selected items, is redirected back to PurchasePlus with the lines added to the Purchase Requisition.
After the shopping cart is returned, the Customer proceeds through their normal workflow, which may include adding additional items to the requisition, cancelling or editing the requisition, submitting the requisition, or discarding the requisition within PurchasePlus.
An order is not submitted to the Supplier until the Customer has submitted their Requisition in PurchasePlus, and the Purchase Order has been sent from PurchasePlus as per the normal process. All compliance frames are met, audit trails are maintained, and normal procedures are followed.
Why can't all Supplier's offer PunchOut?
Although it appears relatively simple, the process behind setting up a PunchOut connection can be time-consuming, requires extensive development and testing, requiring developmental resources that the Supplier may not have available to them.
PunchOut is only available to our formal, premium Suppliers. Our team works with the Supplier's development/Engineering team to provide all the necessary information to get started.
Note - While our Customer Success team is happy to help set things up in PurchasePlus and run some testing, we are not able to troubleshoot in terms of reviewing code or help with development. For further support, we can put you in contact with our dedicated 3rd party company who can offer support at an agreed upon additional price.
I am a Supplier who wants to investigate a new Punchout connection, who should I speak to?
Please reach out to our Supplier Relations Team, via help.suppliers@marketboomer.com, and we can assist you with further information on scoping and development.