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5 Challenges of Juggling Multiple PunchOut Catalogs | Blog | ZAGENO

Written by ZAGENO | February 20, 2025

The year was 1999. The Matrix was in movie theaters. Michael Jordan announced his second retirement from the NBA. The Sopranos was new to HBO. And the term “PunchOut catalog” was first used in reference to a cXML innovation that allowed users to connect directly to suppliers’ websites from their procurement systems, making it easier to order supplies.

The benefits of using PunchOut catalogs quickly became evident, but for industries requiring many vendors to fulfill their supply needs, it became necessary to utilize multiple PunchOut catalogs to meet purchasing demands. For researchers, lab managers, and procurement teams in life sciences and biotech, juggling multiple PunchOuts has turned into a burden rather than a benefit. Instead of streamlining purchasing, it creates inefficiencies, increases administrative workload, and slows down procurement

Lab supply ordering: A process in need of reform

Survey data from hundreds of R&D scientists, lab operations teams, and procurement professionals revealed widespread dissatisfaction with lab supply ordering. A staggering 67% of respondents would not recommend their current lab supply purchasing process, citing issues like wasted time, order tracking headaches, and experiment delays.

This is where lab supply marketplaces come in. By consolidating purchasing into a single, seamless platform, solutions like ZAGENO make lab procurement faster, simpler, and more cost-effective.

Read more about ZAGENO’s survey in the free ebook: 6 Key Lab Supply Purchasing Pains and Solutions

What Is a PunchOut catalog?

A PunchOut catalog is a digital procurement tool that allows organizations to buy directly from suppliers' websites via their own procurement system. Instead of browsing a supplier’s public website, users “punch out” from their procure-to-pay (P2P) platform (such as SAP Ariba, Jaggaer, or Coupa) to access a pre-approved, customized catalog from a specific vendor.

When an order is placed through a PunchOut catalog, the system auto-generates a requisition. Once approved, a purchase order (PO) is issued, completing the procurement process. In theory, this removes a few steps from the purchasing cycle, but only if labs rely on a single supplier. In reality, research requires supplies from many vendors, leading to the challenge of managing multiple PunchOut catalogs.

Learn more: Why Searching for Lab Supplies Takes So Much Time and What You Can Do About It

The 5 biggest challenges of managing multiple PunchOut catalogs

  1. Time-consuming product searches. Scientists spend a full day per week searching for supplies, while procurement teams spend three days per week navigating separate supplier portals, leading to excessive time spent across multiple websites and catalogs, as well as hundreds of open tabs.
  2. Limited search and filtering capabilities. PunchOut catalogs often have rigid or outdated search tools, making it difficult to find the right products. The same item may have different names across suppliers, and item numbers may not match, leading to manual cross-checking and wasted time.
  3. Inefficient order tracking. Each PunchOut catalog has its own tracking system, requiring users to manually check statuses across multiple platforms. Scientists and procurement professionals spend an average of six hours per week tracking orders, leading to inefficiencies and communication gaps.
  4. Outdated information leads to experiment delays. 90% of scientists report experiment delays caused by unavailable items. PunchOut catalogs often lack real-time stock updates, meaning labs discover backorder issues only after placing an order, forcing them to scramble for alternatives.
  5. Administrative overload. Managing multiple PunchOut catalogs means handling separate purchase orders, invoices, and vendor agreements.

Why an eCommerce marketplace Is a better solution for lab supply procurement

Instead of struggling with multiple PunchOut catalogs, research labs and procurement teams can streamline purchasing through a centralized eCommerce marketplace. Platforms like ZAGENO bring together thousands of suppliers into a single, integrated system, solving the inefficiencies of PunchOut catalogs.

A lab supply marketplace transforms purchasing into an Amazon-like experience, where researchers can build a cart from millions of products across multiple vendors, while procurement benefits from consolidated invoicing and streamlined approvals.

5 ways a lab supply marketplace solves PunchOut catalog challenges

  1. Comprehensive product access saves time. Instead of navigating multiple PunchOuts, researchers and procurement teams can find millions of lab supplies from thousands of vendors all in one marketplace, eliminating wasted hours searching across separate supplier portals.
  2. Advanced search and filtering reduce inefficiencies. A marketplace offers robust AI-powered search and filtering tools that standardize product names, match item numbers, and provide real-time availability, eliminating the need for tedious manual cross-checking.
  3. Integrated tracking simplifies order management. A marketplace consolidates tracking from multiple vendors into a single system, allowing scientists and procurement teams to monitor all their orders in one place, reducing time spent checking multiple platforms.
  4. Real-time stock updates prevent delays. Marketplaces provide accurate, up-to-date stock information, so labs can see availability before ordering, avoiding experiment disruptions caused by unexpected backorders.
  5. Centralized procurement reduces administrative workload. Instead of managing separate POs, invoices, and vendor agreements, labs can place all orders through a single platform, streamlining procurement processes and improving efficiency.

 

The last PunchOut you’ll ever need

Rather than dealing with the inefficiencies of multiple PunchOut catalogs, lab procurement teams can simplify their workflow by utilizing a lab supply marketplace like ZAGENO. With a single PunchOut connection, labs gain access to an entire ecosystem of lab supplies without the hassle of managing multiple vendor catalogs.

If your lab is struggling with fragmented procurement processes, it’s time to upgrade to a solution that makes ordering as seamless as possible. Contact us to explore how ZAGENO can transform lab procurement today!
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