What PunchOut Means

PunchOut is a procurement integration that allows a buyer to access a supplier’s ecommerce catalogue directly from their own procurement system.

Instead of manually browsing a supplier website, downloading product information, requesting quotes by email or rekeying basket details into a procurement platform, the buyer “punches out” from their procurement system into the supplier catalogue.

They can browse products, add items to a basket and then return that basket back into their own procurement platform for approval and purchase order creation.

How PunchOut Works

The exact technical workflow can vary depending on the customer’s procurement platform and supplier catalogue, but the commercial journey is straightforward.

In practical terms, this means the customer keeps procurement governance in their own environment while the supplier controls the catalogue, product experience, pricing and availability.

Why Customers Want PunchOut

Larger customers often have strict procurement requirements. They may use systems such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, Oracle, Jaggaer or other purchasing platforms to control spend, approvals and supplier access.

PunchOut helps those customers buy from approved suppliers while maintaining internal controls.

What PunchOut Means for MSPs and IT Resellers

For MSPs, VARs and IT resellers, PunchOut can become a competitive advantage. Many larger customers expect suppliers to support procurement integration, especially where purchasing volume is significant or governance is strict.

If an MSP cannot support the customer’s procurement requirements, the customer may move spend to a supplier that can.

• Win and retain larger customers with more advanced procurement needs.
• Increase share of wallet by becoming easier to buy from.
• Reduce manual quote and order processing.
• Support customer-specific catalogues and pricing.
• Improve procurement accuracy and approval visibility.
• Create a more enterprise-ready buying experience.

What a Good PunchOut Experience Needs

PunchOut is only valuable if the underlying catalogue and buying experience are strong. A poor catalogue connected to procurement still creates a poor customer experience.

1. Customer-Specific Catalogues

Customers should see approved products, relevant categories, agreed standards and suitable bundles.

2. Account Pricing

Pricing should reflect customer-specific terms, agreed margins or contracted pricing rules.

3. Live Stock and Availability

Customers need confidence that products are available before they begin internal approval workflows.

4. Rich Product Content

Specifications, images, accessories, related products and alternatives help buyers make better decisions.

5. Approval-Friendly Baskets

The returned basket should provide enough detail for procurement teams and approvers to understand what is being purchased.

6. Order Automation

Once approved, the journey should connect into fulfilment, supplier ordering, tracking and updates wherever possible.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many suppliers underestimate the importance of the customer experience behind PunchOut. The integration matters, but the catalogue experience, data quality and commercial workflow matter just as much.

• Weak product data: Poor titles, missing images or limited specifications reduce buyer confidence.
• Outdated pricing: Incorrect pricing causes approval issues and customer frustration.
• Poor availability: Customers should not approve products that cannot be fulfilled.
• No alternative products: Out-of-stock items should have suitable alternatives.
• No service attachment: Deployment, support, warranties and subscriptions should be visible where relevant.
• Disconnected fulfilment: PunchOut should not simply move manual work further down the process.

Final Thoughts

PunchOut is becoming increasingly important for MSPs and IT resellers serving larger customers. It helps buyers combine modern ecommerce with procurement control, while helping suppliers become easier to buy from.

The opportunity is not only technical. It is commercial. PunchOut can help MSPs increase customer stickiness, capture more spend, reduce manual admin and support enterprise-grade buying journeys.

As IT procurement continues to modernise, PunchOut will become an important part of how MSPs, VARs and resellers deliver better customer experiences.