Ordering food for the workplace may sound simple, but for procurement professionals who work hard to source and evaluate vendors, it can be anything but. Getting organizations to stick to strict guidelines and approved vendor lists is a big part of the job. But when employees order from their favorite spots without checking for compliance, it makes it hard to track and manage expenses. 

But there’s good news. ezCater’s PunchOut Ordering is designed to solve these problems. It’s a procurement integration that takes the stress out of workplace catering, from finding company-approved vendors to automatically handling invoices.

With PunchOut Ordering, procurement teams can rest easy knowing every order stays within budget and policy.

What is ezCater PunchOut Ordering?

ezCater’s PunchOut Ordering streamlines the way employees order meals for the office. This procurement integration lets workers place catering orders directly through their company’s procurement system — even if they’ve never used ezCater before.

With PunchOut, food orderers can jump straight from their system to ezCater, pick from approved restaurants, place their order, and get sent right back to where they started in their procurement system. It’s quick, easy, and keeps everything organized.

Simple, right?

4 ways ezCater PunchOut Ordering streamlines orders, payments, and tracking

ezCater PunchOut Ordering was designed to remove the complexity from catering procurement. Let’s explore how this integration improves the process from start to finish.

1. Streamlined ordering

Gone are the days of switching between multiple windows and tabs and combing through endless menus. With PunchOut Ordering, food orderers can browse restaurant menus and select the right dishes for their meeting or event — all from within their procurement system.

Complying with procurement food policies is effortless, too. Let’s say that your company requires supporting local, independent restaurants at work. It’s your job to find a vendor that fits the bill. You could look online for suggestions — or you could save time and use ezCater’s small business filter. It’s just one of many advanced features that will make you a food ordering pro.

2. Automatic authentication

Another perk of using PunchOut Ordering is never having to manually log in. Why? Because users are automatically logged in and authenticated. This means there’s no additional step requiring employees to pause their workflow and create yet another vendor account — and there’s no more risk of compromising company data with easy-to-guess login credentials. 

3. Integrated approval process

Once users place an ezCater order, the status switches to “pending approval” instantly. That sends a notification to the procurement specialists in charge, letting them know that they have an order to review.

It’s a quick process that makes things easier for everyone. Food ordering professionals don’t need to hound approvers for feedback. And approvers can relax knowing there are no review requests languishing in their always-full email inbox.

4. Direct invoicing

Who could forget about invoices and receipts? From duplicates to errors, they can create a lot of frustration. But PunchOut Ordering changes all that — and this feature is one of the main reasons procurement pros love PunchOut Ordering.

With PunchOut Ordering, orders are automatically sent to the procurement system as soon as the order is complete, creating a PR requisition. After the invoice period ends, customized invoices tailored to your system’s needs will be sent directly to your system. This hands-off setup not only saves time but makes financial reporting more accurate. Anyone who’s ever felt that heart-thumping panic from losing track of receipts or invoices will breathe a sigh of relief.

How to use ezCater PunchOut Ordering 

As you can see, ezCater’s procurement automation tool can be a lifesaver for companies. Let’s break down exactly how it works, step by step.

1. Log in to your company’s procurement system

First, log in to your company’s procurement system, such as Coupa or Ariba. Click on the ezCater logo to start the “punch out” process. This takes you straight to ezCater’s platform, where users are automatically logged in and authenticated.

2. Browse catering options and place the order

Once on the ezCater marketplace, browse the selection of pre-approved catering options that meet company policies. Choose items based on headcount, event type, and team preferences, then submit the order.

3. Wait for purchase order approval

After the order is placed, it’s saved with a “pending approval” status. A purchase order request is then automatically created in the procurement system for review.

4. ezCater is automatically notified of the order 

Once the purchase order is approved in the system, ezCater is automatically notified. The order is then sent to the selected caterer. If the approval isn’t completed before the restaurant’s cutoff time, the order is canceled to prevent unauthorized spending.

5. The invoice is directed back to the procurement system

On the specified invoice date, ezCater sends a configurable invoice directly to the procurement system. This helps ensure accurate accounting and compatibility with the company’s accounting needs.

ezCater PunchOut Ordering simplifies catering management

Feeding the workplace is so much easier with PunchOut Ordering. Now, procurement teams can effortlessly keep track of expenses, organizations can be certain every order sticks to their ordering policies, and employees can order meals faster. Everyone wins. Ready to upgrade how your company handles catering orders? Reach out to your ezCater account manager or submit the form below to learn more about ezCater’s procurement automation.

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