018 minute read
What is procurement?
A clear definition of procurement, what the function owns, how the lifecycle works, and how procurement differs from purchasing and supply chain.
Read the guideProcurement field guides
Learn procurement from first principles.
Clear explanations for practitioners, candidates, and business partners—written to settle the definition before adding the nuance.
01 / The library
Every guide states its answer early, separates practical interpretation from official guidance, and links the primary or institutional sources used in its editorial review.
Start with the function. Then follow the decisions.
Move from the meaning of procurement to the operating process, the strategic sourcing method, and the boundary between procurement and purchasing.
Procurement guides
0210 minute read
The procurement process
A nine-step procurement process from need definition and market research through sourcing, contracting, supplier performance, and renewal.
Read the guide039 minute read
What is strategic sourcing?
What strategic sourcing means, how its seven-step process works, when to use it, and how it differs from tactical buying and category management.
Read the guide047 minute read
Procurement vs. purchasing
The difference between procurement and purchasing, where the two overlap, and how to tell which work a role or team actually owns.
Read the guide02 / Apply the method
How much procurement work does this decision deserve?
Use the original Procurement Complexity Index to assess the market analysis, assurance, governance, and specialist input a purchase warrants.
Use the Procurement Complexity Index