Ordering via PunchOut integration
Fonda offers a PunchOut integration that allows your customers to connect directly through their eProcurement environment. No manual orders, no duplicate entry. Just a purchasing process that runs smoothly on both sides.
What is PunchOut?
PunchOut is a technology that establishes a direct, secure connection between your customer's procurement system (such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, or Dynamics 365) and your webshop. When a buyer clicks "Order from supplier," they are redirected from their own system to a personalized version of your catalog. The buyer selects products, adds them to the shopping cart, and that cart automatically returns to the procurement system for approval and processing.
Result: the buyer works entirely from their familiar environment, while your webshop handles the transaction. No emails, no PDF catalogs, no manual order processing.
When does a supplier need PunchOut?
You need PunchOut as soon as business customers order from their own procurement system, such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, or Dynamics 365. Tenders and framework agreements are also increasingly requiring it. For manufacturers and wholesalers supplying larger companies or government agencies, PunchOut is often a prerequisite for maintaining the contract. Customers who simply order from your webshop do not need it.
Two standards, fully supported
OCI (Open Catalog Interface)
The standard widely used by SAP environments. OCI defines how product data (item number, description, price, unit) is returned to the procurement system after a session in your webshop.
cXML (Commerce eXtensible Markup Language)
The XML-based protocol used by Ariba and most non-SAP platforms. cXML manages both session initiation (PunchOutSetupRequest) and the data transfer of the populated shopping cart (PunchOutOrderMessage).
What is the difference between OCI and cXML, and which one do I need?
Ask your customer which procurement system they use. SAP environments usually work with OCI. SAP Ariba and most other platforms work with cXML. Fonda supports both, so you don't have to choose in advance and you can connect customers using either standard.
Supported ERP and eProcurement systems
- SAP Ariba
- Coupa
- Oracle Fusion / Oracle Procurement Cloud
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations
- JAGGAER (formerly SciQuest)
- Basware
- Ivalua
- Synertrade
- Mercateo
Is your customer using a different system? Contact us, and we'll explore the possibilities.
What do you need for a PunchOut integration?
For a working PunchOut integration, you need five things: structured product data, real-time pricing and inventory via an ERP connection, customer-specific sessions with custom pricing and assortments, secure sessions using a token, and a test environment to verify everything before going live.
The steps are:
- Confirm which procurement system and standard your customer uses.
- Get your product data in order.
- Connect your webshop to your ERP.
- Configure the session and test with your customer's IT department.
- Go live and monitor the orders.
Why offer PunchOut as a manufacturer or wholesaler?
Stronger customer loyalty
When your webshop is directly integrated into your customer's procurement system, switching to a competitor becomes much more complex. You are no longer just one supplier on a list, but a fixed link in the daily purchasing process.
Ready for tenders and framework agreements
Large companies and government agencies increasingly require a PunchOut connection as part of their supplier terms. With Fonda, you meet that requirement and can participate in tenders for which you would otherwise not qualify.
Less administration, fewer errors
Orders are processed entirely digitally and structured. No typos in item numbers, no ambiguity about prices or quantities. Your customer orders exactly what you offer.
Faster order turnaround time
The buyer doesn't need to fill out a separate order form or request a quote. Build the cart, request approval in their own system, and you receive a fully processed order.
Higher order value
Buyers who order via PunchOut place larger orders on average. They can easily navigate your full catalog from their own work environment, without switching between systems.
Credibility with procurement teams
A functional PunchOut integration shows that you understand your customers' professional procurement processes. That is a factor in supplier assessment.
What are the pitfalls of PunchOut?
The most common mistakes are:
- Inconsistent product data, leading to incorrect item numbers or units in the procurement system.
- Prices that are not pulled from the ERP in real time.
- One generic catalog for all customers instead of a custom assortment and pricing per customer.
- Supporting only one standard, which means you miss out on customers using the other protocol.
- No test environment, causing errors to only surface after going live.
- Treating PunchOut as a one-off project, even though new customers always require their own configuration.
PunchOut does not replace EDI. EDI exchanges documents, while PunchOut allows buyers to search the catalog themselves with up-to-date pricing. Many suppliers use both.
Frequently asked questions about PunchOut
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) manages the exchange of documents such as orders, invoices, and delivery confirmations. PunchOut allows the buyer to interactively shop in your catalog from their own procurement system, with real-time prices and availability. Both technologies can coexist.
No. The integration is configured at the level of your customer's procurement system. Once the connection is set up, all users of that system can shop directly in your webshop, without additional software or plug-ins.
Yes. Fonda supports personalized PunchOut sessions: depending on the logged-in customer, your webshop displays the contract prices, authorized assortments, or specific item lists you have agreed upon with that customer.
Yes. Each session is initiated via a secure, unique token generated by the customer's procurement system. There is no shared password, and sessions expire automatically. All data transfer occurs via HTTPS.
No. The PunchOut functionality is added on top of your existing Fonda environment. Your own ERP integration, inventory management, and order processing remain unchanged.
Ready to connect your customers?
Schedule a 30-minute demo. We'll show you the platform based on your sector and your way of working. No sales pitch — just an honest conversation about whether Fonda is right for you.