inkoop

Inkoop, or procurement, is the process by which organizations obtain goods, services, or works from external sources to fulfill their needs. It covers the entire lifecycle from identifying requirements to managing supplier relationships and contracts.

Scope includes strategic procurement (category management, supplier relationship management, sourcing strategy), operational procurement (purchase orders, invoicing, payments), and contract management. Activities include requirement specification, market analysis, supplier selection, RFI/RFP/tendering, negotiation, contracting, order placement, delivery, invoice processing, and performance review.

Typical steps are: demand identification, market analysis, supplier search, RFP/tender, negotiation, contracting, purchase order, receipt, invoice, payment, and performance evaluation.

Procurement professionals include procurement managers, category managers, contract managers, purchasing officers, and procurement analysts.

Key metrics include cost savings, total cost of ownership, cycle time, compliance with contracts, on-time delivery, and supplier risk.

Trends in the field include digital procurement, e-procurement platforms, spend analytics, supplier diversity, sustainability and responsible procurement, and automation such as e-auctions and procurement analytics tools.

Differences with purchasing: Purchasing tends to focus on transactional orders and day-to-day buying, whereas procurement also covers strategy, sourcing, supplier relationship management, contract management, and risk and value optimization. Inkoop is a central function in many organizations, integrating objectives across finance, operations, and legal to ensure value, compliance, and continuity.