Overview
This article provides an overview of the Punchout functionality available in the CIMcloud platform.
If you are interested in learning more about/adding this functionality to your website, please submit a task in Extranet requesting more information from our Account Management team.
What is Punchout?
Punchout is an integration that enables your customers who use a procurement system for purchasing (some examples include Coupa, Ariba, Oracle, etc.) to seamlessly connect to your CIMcloud website. It allows them to browse your products and create a shopping cart directly in your website that they can then bring back (punch-in) to their procurement system.
How it Works:
- Punchout Initiation
- A buyer goes into their procurement system and selects your punchout link
- The link redirects the buyer to your website and auto logs them in (creates a secure session)
- Browse Product Catalog
- The buyer can browse your product catalog and see their pricing, with the ability to add products to a cart
- This interaction looks and feels the same as if they had logged in directly to your website
- Cart Transfer
- Once the buyer has created a shopping cart, they can punch back out to their procurement system
- The contents of their shopping cart are automatically transferred
- Order Placement
- Back in the buyer’s procurement system, a PO is created that can then be sent to you for order fulfillment
CIMcloud offers 3 add on bundles that enable different levels of the punchout integration for your website. Read more about each bundle in the “CIMcloud Punchout Summary of Features” section below.
CIMcloud Punchout Summary of Features
CIMcloud offers the following 3 add on bundles that support the 3 common stages of Punchout functionality.
(1) Punchout (via cXML) – Base
This is the base Punchout offering that allows your customers to access your website through their procurement system, browse your product catalog and create a shopping cart, and transfer their shopping cart (punch back in) to their procurement system.
- Summary of Features
- Automatic log-in to the website, add items to cart, return cart to the procurement/fulfillment system
- The website identifies a matching account.
- If needed, the website will create a new user contact.
- The website will allow users to review existing saved carts/quotes and add items to their carts.
- A Punch-In button allows users to return the cart’s contents to their procurement system.
- After punching back into their procurement system, the user will have the SKU, qty, and prices from the cart in their system
- Automatic log-in to the website, add items to cart, return cart to the procurement/fulfillment system
(2) PO Acceptance and Order Pass-Through to ERP System
This allows your customer to submit the PO created in their procurement system back to your CIMcloud website. The website stores this “pass through” order and then imports the order into your ERP system for order fulfillment, similar to orders placed directly on your website.
- Summary of Features
- Your CIMcloud website accepts the PO sent from the procurement system via API endpoints
- The PO is stored in “order pass-through” tables
- The PO is exported from the website and imported into your ERP System through CIMcloud’s ERP Driver sync tool
(3) Transmission of Order Acknowledgments, Advanced Shipping Notices, and Invoices
This feature bundle enables the transmission of data (like order acknowledgements, advanced shipping notices, and invoice data) to your customer’s procurement system from your CIMcloud website.
- Summary of Features
- Order acknowledgments – notifies your customer’s procurement system that their PO has been received and accepted by your ERP system
- Advanced shipping notices – notifies your customer’s procurement system that items on an order have been shipped
- Invoice transmissions – sends invoices to your customer’s procurement system
Additional Resources
- cXML specification
- UN Unit of Measure Common Codes