What is autonomous procurement and how to set up ?

Implementing autonomous procurement has never been easier. The world of software has reached a certain maturity, enabling business teams to easily digitalize and automate their purchasing and ordering processes, and even without IT skills. This transformation is based on procurement software:

Easy to install and no-code, i.e. no need to write a single line of code
Intuitive for teams
Suitable for companies of all sizes, especially SMEs

Many companies see autonomous procurement as an opportunity to optimize their purchasing processes, cut costs, empower teams and gain visibility and control.

With Procure to Pay software, purchase requisitions are centralized, approval circuits are efficient, and all requisitions and orders are easily traceable according to their progress.

What is autonomous procurement?

Definition of autonomous procurement

Autonomous procurement is the use of software to perform routine tasks in the purchasing process. There are two objectives:

Guide employees through mandatory manual task sequences
And automate non-value-added tasks to free teams from these constraints.

The idea is to make the procurement journey – from requisition to order payment – increasingly automated, while maintaining control and consistency via pre-established rules and approvals.

Difference with paper, mail and Excel procurement

In a traditional purchasing process

Requisitioners fill in paper requisitions or Excel spreadsheets, exchange e-mails repeatedly with suppliers, and re-enter the same information in several systems (ERP, WMS, spreadsheet, etc.). There are many elements that are subject to potential errors or omissions.

In an autonomous procurement process

Most of these manual tasks (purchase requisition, inventory check, supplier selection, invoice reconciliation) are simplified, approval circuits are efficient and non-value-added tasks are automated thanks to Procure to Pay software such as Lapala.

The main pillars of autonomous procurement

Centralized requisitioning and ordering: With ergonomic, collaborative software, teams gain simplicity and autonomy in requisitioning, order release and order reception. Software offers a guided, automated experience that limits errors, reduces repetitive data entry and eliminates complex information searches.
Workflow automation: Each step (request, validation, order, payment) can be automated to free teams from non-value-added tasks. For example: sending e-mails, updating ERP, CRM, HRIS, etc., notification, reminders, task allocation, etc. The user intervenes only at key stages, or when the system detects an anomaly.
Visibility and control: Thanks to their data visualization functionality, managers can see the progress of supplies and orders at any time. In the blink of an eye, they can identify friction, improve the situation and make informed decisions.

The benefits of autonomous procurement

Reduce costs and save time

In a manual process, the number of re-entries, e-mails and repetitive tasks is very high. Procurement tasks can comprise around 30% of administrative actions with no real added value. By automating most of the flow – from requisition to payment – a company can achieve :

Reduced errors (copy and paste, missing values, quantity confusion).
This saves time for teams, who can concentrate on strategic management, negotiating more advantageous framework contracts and quality monitoring.
Reduced lead times in the procurement process.

Improved data quality and reporting

By automating certain data entry steps and guiding teams through manual tasks, we ensure that information is entered correctly and transmitted in real time to the ERP, CRM or WMS.

This enables managers and directors to keep better track of progress. It avoids complex searches for information, which contribute to a poor working climate.

This data reliability then facilitates the generation of dashboards, consumption monitoring and budget visibility.

Improved collaboration and team satisfaction

For teams and purchasing departments: fewer micro-tasks, fewer scattered e-mails, real-time management via a single platform.
For managers: Faster approvals, as they are only called upon to intervene when the situation justifies it (large amount, deviation from standards, etc.).
For suppliers: Smoother relations thanks to clearly-stated orders, transparent follow-up and cleaner reconciliation of purchase orders and invoices.

Simplifying the process improves the company’s responsiveness to unforeseen events (stock-outs, demand peaks) and enhances the reliability of the supply chain as a whole.

Better management of the procurement process and fraud

An internal validation circuit (based on predefined rules and controls) reduces the risk of fraud and unjustified expenditure.

In a manual context, some purchases may be made after the fact, or without proper budgetary control.

With an autonomous device, the slightest anomaly triggers an alert and an automatic block, preventing any drift.

Your procurement process becomes 100% compliant and secure. All the while improving team autonomy, creating intuitive workflows and eliminating non-value-added tasks.

The stages of an autonomous procurement process

Structure a purchase requisition with Lapala software, 100% customizable

Needs assessment and purchase requisition

An employee detects an insufficient stock level or a purchasing need. He analyzes and frames the need with his teams. He can even contact his favorite supplier to receive a quote or get an idea of the budget to be spent.

The team then enters the purchase requisition into Procure to Pay software. Only the most important information is entered, the rest is automated. They also determine whether or not the purchase is related to the launch of a tender or a direct purchase from a known supplier.

Approval circuit

Procurement software can be used to create dynamic, efficient approval circuits based on a wide range of criteria. For example, depending on the amount, the stakes and the type of expenditure, the approval paths can vary, notifying the appropriate players (managers, directors, etc.) or not.

Iterations and cross-references to previous approval stages also increase efficiency and transparency. Explanations of the reason for rejection are quickly communicated to the requester, who can then modify his purchase request accordingly.

Supplier selection

If you need to issue a call for tenders, the software lets you compare suppliers and their proposals. You can then ensure that a call for tenders is compliant, by obliging your teams to solicit a minimum number of suppliers. You can also check that your teams are following the bid evaluation criteria.

Launch order

After final validation, the Procurement software connects directly to your ERP or CRM system to automatically generate a purchase order with the correct information, and register the order.

The system then automatically sends the purchase order to the supplier.

Receiving and checking order quality

The employee receiving the order can then follow the steps involved in checking the quality and conformity of the order, and if necessary return it to the supplier in the event of an incident.

Monitoring, reconciliation and payment

On receipt of the invoice from the supplier, the teams can then integrate it into the software and compare it with the purchase order.

The accounting teams are then notified to make the payment according to the negotiated payment terms.

Practical tips for a successful transition to autonomous procurement

Identify the right Procure to Pay or supply management software

There are many criteria to help you choose the right solution for your business:

Company size: VSE, SME, Large Group. You’ll find the right software for every family
License price: Procure to Pay software has different billing levers. Some subscriptions are linked to the number of users, others to the number of purchase requests and orders.
Functional requirements: type of approval circuit, coverage of your current stages.
Software installation :
- For some software, you’ll need an external integrator, and this will be included in the cost of the project.
- With others, you’ll need IT resources and teams.
- Some of them are no-code, so they’re ideal for business teams with no technical skills.
Connection and integration with your existing software: it’s much more efficient to connect your existing software to the procurement software, such as your ERP, email address, CRM, HRIS, various collaboration tools…
Easy for teams to get to grips with :
- Some software programs require extensive training of staff
- Others are intuitive and ergonomic, requiring almost no training at all.

Involving internal and external players

Setting up autonomous sourcing should not be limited to the purchasing department or manager. It must involve :

Production (for exact specifications and frequency of requirements).
Accounting (to understand financial constraints, automate invoice reconciliation and reduce late payments).
Management (to set clear objectives in terms of ROI, budget, time reduction, etc.).
Suppliers (so that they too can adopt a tool or collaboration mode that enables them to receive and process orders seamlessly).

Maintain human control and continuously adjust

Even if the idea of autonomous procurement is to reduce human intervention to a minimum, it is essential to provide for some form of monitoring and control. In the event of sudden price fluctuations or strategic changes, managerial intervention remains unavoidable.

Measure and adjust regularly

Set yourself precise indicators and schedule regular updates (every month or quarter) to :

Analyze the gaps between your current situation and your objectives.
Adjust automation rules if you notice anomalies or new opportunities.
Update supplier repositories (additions, deletions, price changes).

The contribution of software such as Lapala to autonomous procurement compared with other programs

No-code accessibility: without writing a single line of code, business teams can configure their own forms, approval rules, notifications, etc.
Scalability: New rules, suppliers and processes can be added in an agile way as you progress.
Rapid adoption: With its intuitive interface, employees quickly get to grips with the tool, which then becomes the single point of entry for all requests.
Pricing tailored to SMEs: Unlike complex, expensive traditional solutions, no-code platforms enable gradual implementation and rapid ROI.

Conclusion on autonomous procurement

Autonomous procurement is no longer a utopian or laboratory concept. Supported by the new generation of high-performance, easy-to-use software, it is becoming a major lever for companies wishing to gain productivity in their supply chain. The main lessons to be learned :

Centralize and automate: By digitalizing your processes and adding a layer of intelligence, you can drastically reduce manual tasks (data entry, validation, administrative follow-up), while making data more reliable.
Optimize collaboration: Purchasing, production, finance and management teams gain time and visibility, without the burden of multiple Excel files or scattered e-mails.
Flexibility: Software such as Lapala enables you to adapt your autonomous procurement process to your specific context (company size, product typology, budgets, internal rules) and to make it evolve over time.
The need for minimal change management: Even the best digital solution will fail if employees don’t understand the benefits, mechanisms and positive impact it brings. Even if some software is very easy to use, training, communication and feedback are the keys to successful adoption.
A global, sustainable approach: the benefits are not limited to better cost control, but also include responsiveness, internal and external satisfaction, and the ability to innovate in the marketplace.