Best Supplier Relationship Management Software Shortlist
Here are the top tools I could find after determining their suitability for managing and enhancing supplier relationships with your ecommerce brand.
Ecommerce brands heavily rely on suppliers for the products they need to operate their business; this can be raw materials for manufacturing products to sell, advertising materials, office supplies, or equipment. You can use supplier relationship management software to monitor supplier performance and develop stronger business partnerships. There are many SRM solutions available to help you reach your vendor relationship goals. So, in this article, I’ll help you discover what tools to consider and what you can expect from each one.
What is Supplier Relationship Management Software?
Supplier relationship management (SRM) software refers to a specialized software solution that helps organizations effectively manage and optimize their relationships with suppliers. It provides a centralized platform to streamline and automate various aspects of supplier management, including supplier onboarding, performance evaluation, contract management, communication, and collaboration. SRM software enables businesses to track supplier interactions, monitor key metrics such as delivery times and quality, and establish stronger partnerships with their suppliers.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Supplier Relationship Management Software
Here are my detailed evaluations of the best supplier relationship management software, including the top features that set them apart from the rest.
Pipefy
Best for process automation
Pipefy can help ecommerce merchants automate supplier relationship management processes and centralize essential details, such as supplier databases and contracts.
Why I picked Pipefy: This platform is a part of this list because of its automation capabilities that will handle your supplier management workflows and actions. Pipefy provides built-in supplier relationship management capabilities that handle processes such as procurement, purchasing, and contract management. While automating these processes for you, Pipefy will provide a complete overview of supplier details to help you improve communications, monitor spending, and enhance approvals.
Pipefy Standout Features and Integrations
Features include communication tools that empower you to have clear collaboration with stakeholders that allows for a single status update flow. Pipefy will also help you simplify procurement execution, engage with suppliers, and get accurate spending data.
Integrations include native connections with your current systems to help you orchestrate work from a single platform. These integrations include connections with third-party platforms such as Airtable, Basecamp, Capsule CRM, DocuSign, FreshBooks, Google Drive, HubSpot, Infusionsoft, Intercom, Mailchimp, and other software options.
Pros
- Keeps to-do lists on track
- Tracks every order
- Excellent history recording
Cons
- Email automation is complex
- Progress updates aren’t entirely in real-time
Anvyl
Best for improving supplier performance
Anvyl helps ecommerce organizations improve supplier performance with tools to ensure they have effective communications between them and their suppliers.
Why I picked Anvyl: I added Anvyl to this article because it’s able to help you enhance supplier performance when working with your ecommerce business. Anvyl uses supplier scorecards to give you an overview of performance over time, detailing indicators such as responsiveness and on-time delivery rates. The platform will highlight where suppliers are performing effectively and where they can improve to ensure your business experiences a significant positive impact.
Anvyl Standout Features and Integrations
Features include intelligent purchase order management tools that span across every stage of your PO process and track everything from issuance to delivery. Anvyl also provides collaboration capabilities that allow straightforward communications across your business and keeps files, messages, and relevant tasks in a centralized area.
Integrations include connections with tools such as ERPs, inventory management, fulfillment, and other vital systems to help your teams work as effectively as possible. These integrations include connections with applications such as Brightpearl, Cin7, Flowspace, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Project44, QuickBooks Online, ShipBob, Shiphero, Tipalti, Xero, and other software options.
Pros
- Excellent collaboration tools
- Visible PO information
- Simple messaging features
Cons
- Supplier interaction needs improvement
- Glitches can happen during updates
Coupa
Best for supplier risk management
Coupa helps ecommerce businesses mitigate supplier risk with comprehensive risk management capabilities across many stages of the supply chain.
Why I picked Coupa: I put Coupa in this article because of how it stands out from the rest, thanks to its supplier risk management capabilities. Coupa helps by developing a multi-level supplier risk assessment model that also allows you to communicate risks to decision-makers and help you maintain regulatory compliance. The platform enables you to take action to manage corrective action plans and keep spending away from high-risk suppliers when necessary.
Coupa Standout Features and Integrations
Features include tools to help you analyze spending and improve purchase efficiency by automatically identifying suspicious spending to reduce risk. Coura also uses artificial intelligence to help optimize your sourcing decisions and identify opportunities, insights, and other beneficial details.
Integrations include connections with 40 tools such as Avarni, Kodiak Hub, Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite, Order.co, Persefoni, Propeller, SAP ERP, SimpleLegal, UpKeep, and other software options. You can also use Coupa’s API to create custom integrations with your current toolset.
Pros
- Short learning curve
- Flexible and intuitive
- Excellent community knowledge base
Cons
- Dashboard needs improvement
- Creating reports is complex
Gatekeeper
Best for contract lifecycle management
Gatekeeper uses artificial intelligence to help brands with contract lifecycle management to maintain perfect compliance.
Why I picked Gatekeeper: The platform provides effective contract lifecycle management capabilities that will result in lower costs, reduced time spent on admin tasks, and improved team resilience. Gatekeeper uses its AI Extract feature that’s specifically for contract data and clause analytics. You can also manage simple or complex contract approval routines using email updates that automatically notify vital stakeholders.
Gatekeeper Standout Features and Integrations
Features include artificial intelligence capabilities that will automatically extract key metadata and clause language from uploaded PDFs. Gatekeeper’s Optical Character Recognition tool will automatically process, index, analyze, and link critical documents to essential contract records.
Integrations include connections with leading business management tools popular with many ecommerce organizations, including Adobe Sign, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite, Okta, Salesforce, SAP Financials, Xero, and other software options.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Little initial setup
- Responsive customer support
Cons
- No contract archiving feature.
- Pricing prohibitive to SMBs
GEP SMART
Best unified source-to-pay solution
GEP Smart provides a unified source-to-pay (S2P) solution ecommerce brands can use for end-to-end supplier relationship management functionality.
Why I picked GEP Smart: The software will provide a unified S2P solution, your business can use to handle all processes and identify procurement opportunities. GEP Smart enables fluid information and process flow to increase end-to-end indirect and direct supplier relationship processes. You can also use GEP Smart to manage savings and make purchases from suppliers while receiving comprehensive sourcing, spending, and procurement functionality.
GEP Smart Features and Integrations
Features include tools to help enhance company-wide compliance by enabling efficient and effective workflows. The platform is also a mobile-native tool that allows you to manage all S2P processes from anywhere, anytime, on any device.
Integrations include a small number of native integrations, such as Arkestro, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Word, and Punchout Catalogs. GEP Smart provides an API you can use to create custom integrations with your current systems.
Pros
- Intuitive user interface
- Cloud-based platform
- Real-time analytics and reporting
Cons
- Complex setup
- Needs more customization options
SAP Ariba
Best all-in-one solution
SAP Ariba provides an all-in-one supplier relationship management solution that handles entire supplier journeys.
Why I picked SAP Ariba: I chose to add SAP Ariba to this list for those who wish to have an all-in-one supplier relationship management software solution. SAP Ariba can simplify source-to-pay operational processes for growing and large organizations that need a platform for controlling their entire supplier management. With this platform, you can handle everything from initial sourcing and bidding stages and negotiations to contract execution, risk management, and performance analysis.
SAP Ariba Standout Features and Integrations
Features include procurement capabilities that connect spend categories and enhance supplier collaboration, such as guided buying and data centralization and analysis. The platform’s supplier management tools enable you to manage performance, lifecycle, and risks from a centralized location and prioritize spending with your best vendors.
Integrations include connections with applications that are common among ecommerce organizations to help automate processes and manage supplier relationships more effectively. These connections include systems such as Coreprint, DataServe, OnScreen, Ordero.co, Plika, Punchout Catalogs, SnapAP, TrueCommerce, Uptempo, VendorPanel, and other software options.
Pros
- Accessible on the cloud
- Flexible procurement process
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Integrating with third-party applications is complex
APEX Portal
Best for supplier discovery
APEX Portal allows ecommerce businesses to search and engage with a directory of pre-qualified suppliers.
Why I picked APEX Portal: If you’re starting your search for new suppliers, I added APEX Portal to help you out. The platform simplifies this process for you by providing a supplier search portal that will find vendors from three sources: your candidate database, your current vendor master, and millions of suppliers from the APEX Portal’s smartvm database. APEX Portal allows you to establish preregistration business rules that enable you to decide which details supplier prospects must provide and whether the platform should automatically validate this information against private and public databases.
APEX Portal Standout Features
Features include supplier statement audit tools that use artificial intelligence to improve recovery speed and supplier relationships, including cognitive computing technology to target suppliers likely to have outstanding account credits. APEX Portal also provides e-invoicing capabilities that help you avoid missed and duplicate payments.
Pros
- Simple supplier search capabilities
- Excellent collaboration tools
- Extensive supplier list
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- No pricing information
ProcureWare
Best for competitive, pre-qualified supplier bidding
ProcureWare allows ecommerce organizations to create competitive, pre-qualified supplier bidding and facilitate bid evaluations.
Why I picked ProcureWare: When searching for new suppliers, you might decide to hold competitive bidding events to help you find the best vendor for your needs. So, I added ProcureWare to help you with the bidding process by enabling you to invite pre-qualified suppliers who already answered pre-bid questions to your bidding. The platform simplifies the bid evaluation process and facilitates sourcing team collaboration when analyzing and scoring suppliers’ responses.
ProcureWare Standout Features and Integrations
Features include contract management tools that help you track all contracts and ensure terms and conditions compliance. ProcureWare’s supplier management tools provide a centralized system that allows you to get an overview of supplier data to help you manage risks and make better decisions.
Integrations include connections with your third-party applications via ProcureWares single sign-on system or ongoing synchronization with your on-premises systems.
Pros
- Very organized system
- Easy to use
- Customizable platform
Cons
- Outdated interface
- Slow customer response
Ivalua
Best for spending management
Ivalua provides brands with a spend management platform that enables ecommerce businesses to effectively manage supplier spending.
Why I picked Ivalua: No matter the size of your budget, getting spending under control when working with suppliers is essential. I added Ivalua to this article because it provides you with a Spend Analysis solution that will help you identify savings opportunities and understand purchasing patterns. Ivalua also empowers your teams to analyze bids to choose the best suppliers and further manage spend effectively.
Ivalua Standout Features and Integrations
Features include e-procurement tools that will simplify the buying experience for your team by connecting your business with suppliers through a supplier portal. You can also use the platform’s risk and performance management capabilities to identify risks and get a complete overview of suppliers’ information and activities to get in-depth insights.
Integrations include connections with systems to enhance your business’s processes and workflows. You can connect Ivalua to systems such as Adobe Sign, Beamy, DocuSign, Entrio, Fairmarkit, Fluxym, IntegrityNext, Lemon Learning, PunchOut Catalogs, Shortways, and other software options.
Pros
- Very flexible tool
- Excellent reporting module
- Simple user interface
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- No integrations with warehouse ERPs
Oracle Supply Chain Management
Best for supply chain visibility
Oracle Supply Chain Management allows brands to get complete visibility over supplier relationships and supply chains.
Why I picked Oracle Supply Chain Management: The platform is suitable for ecommerce brands that need complete supply chain visibility. Oracle Supply Chain Management’s analytics tools will help you identify cost-saving opportunities and bottlenecks that you can fix to perform perfect order execution. You can also get complete visibility across suppliers to help you fill extensive customer demand.
Oracle Supply Chain Management Standout Features and Integrations
Features include procurement tools that will help simplify source-to-pay workflows, such as vendor selection, spending compliance, and profitability improvement. You can also have access to the platform’s supply chain planning capabilities that enables you to plan supply, demand, sales management, and order fulfillment throughout your supply chain.
Integrations include connections with a small number of systems to help you improve data passing between applications and enhance productivity. The integrations I could find include Calameo, Rite Software, and Tangentia.
Pros
- Handles a significant amount of data
- Excellent security
- High-quality reporting tools
Cons
- User interface needs an update
- No open APIs
The 10 Best Supplier Relationship Management Software Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pipefy Best for process automation | Free trial of paid version | From $12/user/month | Visit Website |
2 | Anvyl Best for improving supplier performance | Free demo available. | From $500/month. | Visit Website |
3 | Coupa Best for supplier risk management | Free demo available. | From $11/user/month. | Visit Website |
4 | Gatekeeper Best for contract lifecycle management | Free trial available. | From $995/month. | Visit Website |
5 | GEP SMART Best unified source-to-pay solution | Free demo available. | $500,000 for a perpetual license. | Visit Website |
6 | SAP Ariba Best all-in-one solution | Free demo available. | From $50/month. | Visit Website |
7 | APEX Portal Best for supplier discovery | Free demo available. | Pricing upon request. | Visit Website |
8 | ProcureWare Best for competitive, pre-qualified supplier bidding | Free demo available. | From $1,041/month. | Visit Website |
9 | Ivalua Best for spending management | Free demo available. | From $2,000/user/month. | Visit Website |
10 | Oracle Supply Chain Management Best for supply chain visibility | Free demo available. | Pricing upon request. | Visit Website |
Other Options
Because there are so many supplier relationship management software options available, I thought it would be helpful to add more to this article for your consideration.
- Kodiak Hub
Best modular supplier relationship management software
- Convictional
Best for supplier recruitment
- StandardFusion
Best for meeting supplier compliance standards.
- SourceDay
Best for supplier alignment and collaboration. Informatica Supplier 360
- Informatica Supplier 360
Best for managing supplier master data.
- Warm Commerce
Best for optimizing supply chain processes.
- Graphite Connect
Best for corrective action plans.
Selection Criteria for Supplier Relationship Management Software
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best supplier relationship management software for this article.
Core Functionality
While the specific functionalities of SRM software may vary depending on the provider and the organization's needs, two fundamental functionalities that all SRM software should ideally have are:
- Offer a robust supplier database management system, including contact details, performance metrics, certifications, contracts, and historical data
- Ability to monitor and evaluate supplier performance, including tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as on-time delivery, product quality, pricing, responsiveness, and adherence to contractual agreements
Key Features
When searching for new supplier management software for your ecommerce business, you should consider the following key features:
- Supplier Risk Management: SRMs allow businesses to assess and mitigate supplier risks, including financial, operational, and reputational risks and risks associated with specific industries and geographies.
- Supplier Collaboration and Communication: Your SRM should facilitate collaboration and communication between your organization and suppliers, enabling you to share information, updates, and documents with suppliers and collaborate on initiatives.
- Supplier Contract Management: SRMs help you effectively manage supplier contracts by providing your business with tools to create, negotiate, and track contracts.
- Spend Analysis and Cost Savings: SRM tools enable you to analyze spending across various contracts and purchase orders and track savings from negotiated prices.
- Supplier Portal: This centralizes all details your supplier needs access to, such as catalogs, information resources, personalized dashboards, instant messaging, contracts, and templates.
- AI Supplier Pre-Qualifications and Selections: Many supplier relationship management software uses artificial intelligence to optimize the bidding and supplier selection processes by matching you with vendors based on financing, risks, compliance, and capabilities.
Usability
The last thing you want from an SRM is complexity and difficulty that will hinder rather than help your supplier relationship. When researching for SRMs to add to this list, I looked through multiple reviews from real users that state the platform is user-friendly. I also paid special attention to tools that are easy to navigate so you can quickly and efficiently access and manage supplier data.
Software Integrations
Simple integration with your current tools and systems that help you manage your ecommerce business is essential. I made sure to add SRMs that will integrate with applications such as enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, and inventory management systems. For everything to effectively work together as expected, your supplier relationship management software needs to communicate with your other tools and solutions that manage your operations so you don’t experience issues such as inconsistent data or data silos where information is inaccessible to the people who need it.
Customizability
Another important criterion I used to ensure this list is as helpful as possible is customizability. Many of the SRMs I added to this list are customizable to fit your unique needs and requirements. Customizability will also help these platforms accommodate your growth and changes in your supplier base.
People Also Ask
Having questions about supplier management software is common. So, to help with your search, I researched the most asked questions about SRMs and provided detailed answers below to help.
What are the benefits of supplier relationship management software?
What is the difference between CRM and SRM?
How much does supplier relationship management software cost?
Other Supply Chain Software Reviews
When focusing on enhancing your ecommerce business’s supply chain processes, you can use the following tool reviews to find new applications that will help:
- Inventory Management Software
- Product Information Management Software (PIM)
- Stock Control Software
- Stock Management Software
The Takeaway
All of the supplier relationship management software in this list are some of the best options available in today’s market. I developed this article to help you narrow down your choices and make this task as simple as possible by providing the best details. Now, it’s up to you to decide which software to use that will meet your needs.
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Related Read: Why You Needs A Transparent Supply Chain (Benefits & Solutions)