Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is i2B?

i2B is a cloud-based Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) platform designed to streamline and automate the entire procurement lifecycle, from requisition through purchase order creation, supplier collaboration, invoice processing, and spend analysis. The platform helps organisations reduce manual administration, improve supplier engagement, gain greater spend visibility, and accelerate procurement processes.

What does Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) mean?

Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) refers to the complete process of purchasing goods and services, beginning with a requisition request and ending with supplier payment. The process typically includes:

• Requisition creation
• Approval workflows
• RFQs and sourcing
• Purchase order management
• Supplier collaboration
• Goods receipt
• Invoice processing
• Payment authorisation
• Spend analysis and reporting

i2B automates and connects these processes within a single platform.

Who is i2B designed for?

i2B is suitable for organisations of all sizes looking to modernise procurement operations, improve control over spending, increase procurement efficiency, and strengthen supplier relationships. The platform is used by procurement, finance, accounts payable, operations, and supply chain teams.

What business challenges does i2B solve?

i2B addresses common procurement challenges including:

• Manual procurement processes
• Delayed requisition approvals
• Poor visibility of supplier performance
• Maverick spending
• Lost or unacknowledged purchase orders
• Invoice processing inefficiencies
• Lack of spend transparency
• Supplier communication issues
• Limited audit trails

By digitising and automating procurement workflows, i2B helps organisations improve efficiency and compliance.

Features & Functionality

What processes can i2B automate?

i2B can automate:

• Internal requisitions
• Approval routing and workflows
• Requests for Quotation (RFQ)
• Supplier onboarding
• Purchase order creation and distribution
• Purchase order acknowledgements
• Supplier communications
• Invoice processing
• Approval workflows
• Reporting and analytics
• Exception management

This significantly reduces manual effort and administrative overhead.

Does i2B support requisition approvals?

Yes. i2B includes configurable approval workflows that automatically determine approvers based on business rules, spend limits, departments, locations, or cost centres. Automated notifications help ensure approvals are completed quickly and efficiently. 

Can i2B manage RFQs?

Yes. i2B enables organisations to create and distribute RFQs to one or multiple suppliers, collect responses online, compare supplier quotations, evaluate pricing and lead times, and convert approved quotations into purchase orders. 

How does supplier onboarding work?

The i2B Supplier Onboarding solution helps organisations gather supplier information electronically, reducing manual administration and ensuring supplier data is accurate, complete, and compliant before suppliers transact with the business. 

Does i2B include a supplier portal?

Yes. Suppliers can access a secure portal where they can:

• Receive purchase orders
• Acknowledge orders
• Update delivery dates
• Submit invoices
• Respond to RFQs
• Manage communications
• Maintain supplier information

This improves collaboration and visibility for both buyers and suppliers.

What visibility does i2B provide?

i2B provides real-time visibility into:

• Requisition status
• Approval progress
• RFQ activity
• Purchase order status
• Supplier performance
• Delivery commitments
• Invoice processing
• Procurement spend

This helps procurement teams make informed decisions and identify bottlenecks quickly. 

ERP Integration

Will i2B integrate with our ERP system?

Yes. i2B is designed to integrate with major ERP platforms and can synchronise procurement information between systems, helping maintain a single source of truth across procurement and finance operations. 

Which ERP systems can i2B integrate with?

i2B supports integration with a wide range of ERP solutions including SAP, Oracle, Infor, Microsoft Dynamics, and other ERP platforms. Integration options can be tailored to your existing infrastructure and business requirements.

Can i2B work alongside our existing processes?

Yes. Many organisations implement i2B alongside existing finance and ERP systems to enhance procurement processes while minimising business disruption.

Supplier Management

How does i2B improve supplier relationships?

i2B gives suppliers greater visibility into orders, deliveries, invoices, and payment status. Clear communication, automated notifications, and shared information reduce disputes and improve collaboration across the supply chain.

Can suppliers update order information directly?

Yes. Suppliers can update order acknowledgements, delivery dates, and other relevant information directly through the portal, reducing the need for emails, phone calls, and manual follow-up.

How does i2B help monitor supplier performance?

i2B provides supplier performance reporting and visibility into metrics such as:

• On-time delivery
• Order fulfilment performance
• Response times
• Commitment accuracy
• Compliance metrics

This enables procurement teams to identify opportunities for improvement and manage supplier relationships more effectively

Accounts Payable & Finance

Does i2B support invoice automation?

Yes. i2B helps streamline invoice management and approval processes, reducing manual intervention and improving efficiency within accounts payable teams.

How can i2B reduce invoice processing costs?

By automating invoice capture, approval workflows, exception handling, matching processes, and supplier collaboration, organisations can significantly reduce the time and cost involved in processing invoices.

Does i2B provide audit trails?

Yes. Every transaction, approval, workflow action, and supplier interaction is recorded, providing a complete audit trail for governance, compliance, and reporting purposes.

Analytics & Reporting

What reporting capabilities are available?

i2B provides dashboards and reporting tools that help organisations monitor:

• Procurement activity
• Supplier performance
• Spend by category
• Approval cycle times
• Invoice processing performance
• Cost-saving opportunities

These insights support informed procurement decision-making.

Can i2B help identify savings opportunities?

Yes. Spend visibility and analytics help organisations understand purchasing patterns, reduce off-contract spending, consolidate suppliers where appropriate, and identify opportunities to improve procurement efficiency and reduce costs.

Security & Implementation

Is i2B cloud-based?

Yes. i2B is delivered as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, allowing users to access the platform securely through a web browser without the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure.

How long does implementation typically take?

Implementation times vary depending on business complexity, ERP integration requirements, and process configuration. However, i2B is designed for rapid deployment and can typically be implemented significantly faster than traditional enterprise procurement platforms. 

How much training is required?

Most users become productive quickly due to the platform’s intuitive design. i2B provides onboarding assistance, user training, and supplier enablement support to ensure successful adoption. 

Is supplier adoption difficult?

No. Suppliers access a simple web-based platform and benefit from improved visibility, streamlined communication, and faster transaction processing, which typically encourages high adoption rates. 

Why Choose i2B?

Why should organisations choose i2B over traditional procurement software?

i2B combines enterprise-grade procurement capabilities with rapid deployment, supplier collaboration tools, flexible ERP integration, automation, spend analytics, and an easy-to-use cloud platform. Organisations benefit from improved visibility, reduced costs, greater compliance, and faster procurement cycles without the complexity often associated with traditional procurement projects. 

What results can customers expect from i2B?

Customers typically experience:

• Faster procurement cycles
• Reduced administrative workload
• Better spend visibility
• Improved supplier engagement
• Stronger compliance
• More efficient invoice processing
• Improved procurement governance
• Better decision-making through analytics

The result is a more efficient, transparent, and controlled procurement function