PunchOut cXML overview

  • Updated

Optimizely Configured Commerce includes PunchOut functionality to work with procurement systems, acting as an alternate to a static catalog file. The Configured Commerce website then becomes available through the procurement system with a button, automatically logging the customer into the website to view their catalog and pricing. Optimizely has developed partnerships with Supplier Solutions, TradeCentric, and Greenwing as the preferred PunchOut providers who facilitate the communication between procurement systems and Configured Commerce. These integration partners act as trusted intermediaries who handle the transaction of data between Configured Commerce and the buying parties' procurement system.

More generally stated, PunchOut is an electronic communication between a buyer's procurement or ERP system and the supplier's web website and order management system. With PunchOut, the electronic protocols link the buyer and supplier systems and software applications (typically using cXML documents) to create a collaborative commerce environment.

Benefits of PunchOut

  • Reducing operational costs
  • Eliminating manual PO entry and contract verification
  • Ensuring adherence to negotiated contracts
  • Leveraging the workflow of the buyer's procurement system
  • Delivering accurate and consistent information to the buyers

PunchOut set up

Setting up PunchOut to work with the Configured Commerce website differs depending on the implementation. It typically requires setup and configuration with an integration partner. More detailed instructions for setting up and configuring PunchOut can be found in the PunchOut/cXML Process and Design article, and you can also talk to your integration partner.

PunchOut process


A PunchOut session can be created by clicking the PunchOut button from within the procurement application. This button or functionality differs depending on the procurement application. When the applicable button is pressed, a browser window opens, leading the user into a PunchOut session within Configured Commerce. This PunchOut session can be configured to automatically set the Customer and Ship-to for the context of the session, provided the necessary data is provided by the procurement system. If the necessary data is not provided, the user is presented with a list of assigned customer and ship-to accounts to establish the context. When an address has been chosen, it cannot be edited or changed. Some functionality is locked during the PunchOut session and does not appear.

The shopping experience within the PunchOut session works much like a user logged directly into the site, where they can see their specific catalog and pricing. The buyer then adds items to a shopping cart and checks out. When using PunchOut, the checkout process does not follow the usual address and payment steps. Instead, the cart data is sent to the procurement system, resulting in a requisition order in the procurement system. Using the procurement system's workflow and approval process, the requisition is converted to a purchase order and sent electronically to Configured Commerce for processing. Finally, after successful processing, the order is submitted to the client's ERP.

The same purchase order processing interface used by PunchOut can be used to process any electronic orders. Because the interface is based on standard cXML protocol, any outside system could process electronic orders through Configured Commerce, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Machine to Machine (M2M), and so on. Optimizely has another integration partner, Conexiom, that uses this interface to submit orders sent through email. Conexiom receives emailed orders, parses the message to obtain order header and line data, and submits them to Configured Commerce for processing and ERP submission.

The following image provides a more detailed visualization of the Configured Commerce PunchOut process flows and interfaces, including the responsibilities of the various systems.