The Procurement Glossary » E-Procurement
E-Procurement
Technology & Systems
Also known as: Electronic Procurement
Definition
The use of web-based systems to manage purchasing activities electronically, from requisition to payment.
Explanation
E-procurement replaces paper and email-based buying with structured digital workflows — catalogs, approvals, purchase orders, receipting and invoicing all captured in one system. It improves compliance, speed and spend visibility while reducing manual effort and errors.
Example
After rolling out e-procurement, staff order approved items from an online catalog instead of emailing requests to purchasing.
Related terms
- Procurement Software — Software that digitises and automates procurement processes such as sourcing, purchasing, contracts and supplier management.
- Guided Buying — A buying experience that steers users to compliant, preferred choices with a simple, consumer-like interface.
- Catalog — A curated, priced list of items available for purchase, from which buyers requisition without needing a fresh quote.
- Procure-to-Pay (P2P) — The end-to-end operational cycle of buying goods and services — from requisition and approval through purchase order, receipt, invoice matching and payment.
Related concepts
- Procure-to-Pay (P2P) — The end-to-end operational buying cycle — from requisition and approval to purchase order, receipt, invoice matching and payment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is E-Procurement?
The use of web-based systems to manage purchasing activities electronically, from requisition to payment. E-procurement replaces paper and email-based buying with structured digital workflows — catalogs, approvals, purchase orders, receipting and invoicing all captured in one system. It improves compliance, speed and spend visibility while reducing manual effort and errors.
Can you give an example of E-Procurement?
After rolling out e-procurement, staff order approved items from an online catalog instead of emailing requests to purchasing.
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