The challenge
Why on-contract spend is harder to maintain than it should be
Procurement teams work hard to negotiate strong contracts and build approved supplier lists. But those savings are only realised if staff actually use them.
In most organisations, they often do not. When the official buying process is slow, unfamiliar or difficult to navigate, staff take the path of least resistance - searching for suppliers themselves, placing orders directly and bypassing the contracts and pricing that procurement has put in place.
The result is maverick spend: purchases made outside agreed channels, at uncontracted prices, with unapproved suppliers. It inflates costs, creates compliance risk and erodes the value of procurement’s work across the organisation. The challenge is not usually a lack of willingness. It is a lack of the right tools.
The solution
Make the right way to buy the easy way to buy
Proactis Marketplace gives every member of your organisation - from finance and procurement teams to on-site staff, faculty members and operational teams - a simple, guided buying experience that channels purchasing to approved suppliers and negotiated contracts.
The experience is designed to feel familiar, not bureaucratic. Staff find what they need and are directed to the right supplier, at the right price, through the right process — without needing to know the procurement policy behind it.
Approval workflows and spending limits are enforced automatically, so compliant purchasing happens as a matter of course.
Four ways Proactis improves on-contract spend
Guided Buying that puts approved suppliers first
Staff are directed to pre-approved supplier catalogues and contracted items the moment they start a search. Preferred suppliers are surfaced first, negotiated discounts are applied automatically and off-catalogue requests are flagged for review before they progress. Compliant purchasing becomes the default, not the exception.
Approval controls built into every purchase
Spending limits, budget checks and approval workflows are configured once and enforced automatically across the organisation - regardless of department, location or seniority. Purchases that require a second pair of eyes are routed to the right approver without manual chasing or email chains.
Every purchase follows the same process, every time.
Suppliers manage their own content
Proactis Marketplace supports supplier self-service, meaning approved suppliers keep their catalogues, pricing and product details up to date themselves.
Buyers always see accurate information, fewer orders are placed incorrectly and the administrative burden of maintaining catalogue content does not fall on the procurement team.
Real-time visibility of all committed spend
Every purchase made through Proactis is visible to finance and procurement in real time. Committed spend is tracked against budgets before an invoice arrives, giving teams the oversight they need to manage costs proactively.
Finance directors and procurement leads get a consolidated view of what is being spent, with which suppliers and against which contracts - across the whole organisation.
What organisations achieve when they improve on-contract spend
Organisations that address maverick spend with Proactis typically see lower purchasing costs, stronger compliance and more time freed from procurement teams who no longer need to police purchasing behaviour.
Buyers channelled to the right suppliers
The University of Sussex reports that buyers are directed to preferred suppliers as a matter of course - including those with negotiated discounts in place - improving both compliance and the value extracted from supplier relationships.
Proven outcomes from organisations like yours
95% of all procurement activity managed through Proactis
Caerphilly County Borough Council implemented Proactis Sourcing to build an end-to-end procurement process and gain full visibility and control of spend across the authority. Today, 95% of all procurement activity runs through the Proactis platform - giving the council a consistent, auditable approach to purchasing that supports their long-term procurement programme.
of all procurement activity managed through Proactis
Modules
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Every sector faces different pressures - from regulation to supplier complexity. Proactis supports procurement and finance teams with solutions that adapt to how your organisation works
Get guidance tailored to your organisation
Whether you’re exploring options or addressing a specific procurement or finance challenge, our experts are here to help. Speak to a Proactis specialist to discuss your priorities, understand your options, and explore how our solutions could support your organisation.
A practical, high-impact place to start
Improving on-contract spend is one of the fastest ways to demonstrate procurement value - and one of the most common places organisations begin their Proactis journey. The savings are real and measurable, and the change is visible to finance, procurement and senior leadership alike.
If maverick spend, supplier compliance or lack of purchasing visibility are priorities for your team, Guided Buying is a practical starting point. And because Proactis is modular, you can begin here and build towards a broader Source-to-Pay solution at your own pace.
Resources and Guides
Explore practical insights, guidance, and real-world examples designed to help procurement and finance teams navigate complex challenges with confidence.
-
Case StudyCare ProvidersAccounts PayableAP AutomationAvon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust extends Unit4 capabilities with Proactis Invoice Capture.
-
NewsAccounts PayableAP AutomationBetfred unlocks a 47% AP efficiency improvement with AI powered by Proactis
-
ProcurementSource-to-PayLocal GovernmentWebinar & On-DemandUnlocking Procurement Evolution: How Caerphilly Council evolved procurement to award winning recognition
-
ProcurementWhitepaperSupplier Relationship ManagementSourcingContract ManagementUnlock true value with Source-to-Contract
-
Case StudyHigher EducationProcure-to-PayMarketplaceProcurementAccounts PayableBright Horizons achieves total visibility of end-to-end procurement and spend with Proactis
-
WhitepaperCFOProcurementAccounts PayableProcure-to-PayProcure-to-Pay: Unlock the full potential
Partners
Our partners help organisations integrate Proactis into their wider technology landscape, supporting implementation, integration, and long-term success.
About Us
With deep sector experience and a focus on governance, Proactis supports organisations that need confidence, control, and long-term reliability in how spend is managed.
Customers
From onboarding and training to ongoing support, Proactis helps procurement and finance teams adopt the platform effectively and use it with confidence.
Not sure where to start? Let's talk
You don't need a brief to speak to us. Tell us what's frustrating you right now and we'll have an honest conversation about how we can help.