In a recent webinar, Focal Point’s team showcased how their Request Intake & Orchestration tool integrates seamlessly with Coupa, bringing enhanced visibility, efficiency, and collaboration to procurement processes. This article will walk you through the key takeaways from the webinar, focusing on the core functionalities of Request Intake & Orchestration, why Coupa customers need these solutions, and the benefits of Focal Point’s offering.
What are Request Intake & Orchestration?
Request Intake and Orchestration are often mistakenly used interchangeably, but they serve distinct purposes within procurement processes.
- Request Intake is the initial step where requests are submitted into the system. It acts as a “front door” for capturing needs across the organization, whether they are related to procurement, IT, HR, or any other function. It’s a tactical task, essential for gathering and funneling requests into the appropriate workflows.
- Orchestration refers to the process of managing and automating the entire lifecycle of a request after it has been submitted. This includes routing, approvals, and ensuring all necessary actions are taken in sequence. Orchestration connects different systems, teams, and processes, ensuring that the request is fulfilled efficiently and with full visibility.
Together, these functions help organizations streamline their procurement processes, reduce manual effort, and ensure that requests are managed accurately and effectively.
Why Coupa Customers Need an Intake & Orchestration Solution
Coupa is a powerful platform for procurement and spend management, but it benefits from a solution that integrates different existing processes and stakeolders within an organization. There are a few reasons why Coupa customers benefit from adding an Intake & Orchestration solution like Focal Point’s.
Often, business users lack visibility into the status of their requests once they’ve been submitted. Focal Point’s orchestration addresses this challenge by providing real-time updates, enabling users to track the progress of their requests across different systems and teams. This enhanced visibility ensures that everyone involved in the procurement process is informed and aligned, reducing the likelihood of delays or miscommunications.
Many organizations also rely on multiple systems to meet all of procurement’s needs, for anything from contract management to supplier onboarding. Focal Point’s orchestration layer bridges these systems, integrating them into a cohesive workflow that encompasses the entire organization. This seamless integration ensures that data flows smoothly between platforms, eliminating silos and ensuring that all relevant information is accessible when needed.
Efficiency is another key benefit of Focal Point’s orchestration. By automating manual tasks and providing a streamlined workflow, the tool significantly reduces the time and effort required to meet business requests. This increased efficiency not only accelerates procurement processes but also allows CPOs to redirect their focus to more strategic initiatives, ultimately driving better outcomes for the organization.
What Does Focal Point Intake & Orchestration Include?
Focal Point’s Request Intake & Orchestration tool offers a holistic set of features designed to enhance RoI on procurement’s Coupa investment:
- Single Front Door Experience: Users can submit requests through a single, unified interface, whether they need a new contract, IT support, or any other service.
- Flexible, No-Code Intake Forms: Business teams can easily create and configure intake forms without needing IT support, making it easy to adapt the system to changing needs.
- Certified Coupa Integrations: Focal Point’s tool is fully integrated with Coupa, with certified APIs that ensure seamless communication and data exchange between systems. This means that processes can run autonomously, with Focal Point informing Coupa of updates and advancing workflows as needed.
- Orchestration Across Systems: The tool supports serial and parallel workflows, allowing organizations to manage tasks that span multiple systems or departments, ensuring all actions are coordinated and completed on time.
- Elimination of Manual Processes: By automating routine tasks and reducing reliance on spreadsheets and manual tracking, Focal Point helps eliminate process ambiguity and enhances overall efficiency.
Conclusion & Summary
Focal Point’s Request Intake & Orchestration tool is a game-changer for Coupa users, providing the integration, visibility, and automation needed to optimize procurement processes. By bridging gaps between different systems and streamlining workflows, it helps organizations achieve better outcomes with less effort.
To learn more about how Focal Point can enhance your Coupa experience, visit the Coupa App Marketplace. Whether you’re looking to improve efficiency, enhance visibility, or simply streamline your processes, Focal Point’s solutions offer the tools you need to succeed.
