How to choose the right purchasing software for your university

Finding the right purchasing software for your university can significantly cut costs, boost operational efficiency and support sustainability targets.

With growing financial pressure and the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, universities must rethink how they manage purchasing – making the choice of purchasing software more important than ever.

The procurement pressure facing universities right now

Procurement teams across UK higher education are under increasing strain.

Rising costs of goods and services, constrained budgets and fluctuating student numbers are forcing institutions to do more with less. At the same time, compliance requirements are evolving. The Procurement Act 2023 introduces new expectations around transparency, supplier evaluation and reporting.

Sustainability is also now a core priority. Institutions are expected to demonstrate responsible purchasing decisions, track supplier performance and align activity with wider ESG targets. For those still relying on manual processes or disconnected systems, meeting these expectations is becoming increasingly difficult.

What is university purchasing software?

University purchasing software – also known as an eProcurement system for higher education – is designed to manage the full purchasing lifecycle in one place.

Rather than relying on spreadsheets, emails and manual approvals, a modern system brings together requisitions, approvals, purchase orders, supplier management and spend reporting into a single, centralised environment. This creates a more consistent and controlled approach to purchasing across the entire organisation.

It also reduces the risk of errors and duplication, while giving procurement and finance teams access to accurate, real-time data. As a result, decision-making becomes faster, more informed and better aligned to organisational priorities.

Signs your university needs a better purchasing system

In many institutions, purchasing processes have evolved over time rather than being intentionally designed. As a result, inefficiencies can become embedded.

This often shows up as heavy administrative workloads, duplicated data entry and limited visibility across departments. Teams may struggle to control maverick spend or ensure that staff are buying from approved suppliers. Approval processes can be slow and inconsistent, while supplier performance remains difficult to measure.

Over time, these challenges don’t just impact efficiency – they make it harder to control costs, demonstrate compliance and support strategic decision-making. Addressing them requires not just process change, but the right technology to support it.

Key features to look for in purchasing software

Choosing the right purchasing software for your university means focusing on functionality that delivers control without adding complexity. The table below outlines what to prioritise.

Must-have features	Nice-to-have features
Cloud-based access for flexible, remote working	Advanced forecasting and predictive insights
Centralised purchasing experience to guide users to approved suppliers	Custom dashboards tailored to different roles
Seamless integration with finance systems to eliminate duplicate data entry	Enhanced benchmarking tools
Automated workflows across requisitions, approvals and purchase orders	Mobile-optimised interfaces
Real-time spend visibility and reporting	AI-driven recommendations
Core supplier management and performance tracking	Extended marketplace integrations (e.g. wider punchouts)
Built-in compliance and audit tracking	Advanced ESG reporting and analytics

In practice, the most effective systems combine these capabilities with a user-friendly interface. The goal is to make it easy for staff to follow the correct processes while giving teams full visibility and control over spend.

Cloud-based vs legacy purchasing systems

For many universities, legacy systems have become a barrier to progress.

On-premise platforms often rely on manual updates, require internal infrastructure and can be costly to maintain over time. They may also limit flexibility, particularly where remote or hybrid working models are in place.

Cloud-based systems offer a more modern alternative. By being accessible via a web browser, they allow staff to engage with purchasing processes from anywhere. Updates are handled automatically, ensuring the system remains current without disruption, while integrations with finance and other platforms are typically easier to manage.

This shift not only improves operational efficiency, but also ensures the purchasing system can adapt as institutional needs evolve.

Sustainable procurement: how software can help

Sustainability is now firmly embedded in procurement strategy.

Modern purchasing software enables universities to take a more structured approach by capturing and analysing supplier data in a consistent way. This includes tagging suppliers based on sustainability credentials and monitoring performance against ESG criteria over time.

It also provides greater visibility across the supply chain, helping institutions understand not just who they buy from, but how those suppliers operate. This is increasingly important as expectations around transparency and responsible sourcing continue to grow.

With better insights, procurement teams can make more informed decisions and demonstrate measurable progress against institutional sustainability goals.

Procurement Act 2023: what universities need to know

For those universities in scope – or for those in alignment – the Procurement Act 2023 introduces a new layer of complexity, with greater emphasis on transparency, accountability and reporting.

To meet these requirements, universities need consistent processes and reliable data. Purchasing software supports this by standardising workflows, maintaining accurate records and providing clear audit trails that can be accessed when needed.

It also enables real-time reporting, making it easier to respond to compliance requirements without placing additional pressure on procurement teams. In this context, technology becomes a key enabler of both efficiency and compliance.

It’s time to save time

One of the most immediate benefits of modern purchasing software is the reduction in administrative effort.

With Purchasing from OneAdvanced, routine tasks such as requisitions, approvals and supplier updates can be automated, removing the need for duplicate data entry and freeing up time for more strategic work.

At the University of Leeds, this has delivered measurable results:

“Since we started using OneAdvanced’s Purchasing solution, our team have been able to save an average of 3,300 hours a year on admin time.”
– Tim Brannon, Director of Procurement at University of Leeds

As a cloud-based solution, it also supports flexible working and ensures users always have access to the latest functionality.

A clear view on spend

Visibility is one of the biggest advantages of moving to a modern purchasing system.

Purchasing from OneAdvanced integrates with OneAdvanced Financials to provide a clear, organisation-wide view of spend. This allows finance and procurement teams to work from the same dataset, improving both accuracy and collaboration.

The system also helps guide users towards approved suppliers and embeds approval processes into day-to-day workflows. This reduces the likelihood of off-contract purchasing while ensuring that spending aligns with organisational policies.

Combined with real-time analytics, this gives universities the ability to monitor trends, identify inefficiencies and take action before issues escalate.

Choosing the right purchasing software for your university

When evaluating solutions, it’s important to assess how well they align with your institution’s needs.

• Does it support compliance with the Procurement Act 2023?
• Is it cloud-based and able to scale with your organisation?
• Can it integrate seamlessly with your existing finance system?
• Will it reduce manual admin and eliminate duplicate processes?
• Does it provide clear, real-time visibility of spend?
• Can it help control maverick spend and improve supplier management?
• Does it support your sustainability goals?
• Is it intuitive enough for users to adopt with minimal training?

A solution that meets these criteria will not only improve efficiency but also strengthen control and support better decision-making across your university.

Summing up

Universities are operating in an increasingly complex environment, where financial pressure, regulatory change and sustainability expectations are all converging.

The right purchasing software for your university provides greater visibility, reduces administrative burden and enables stronger control over spend. It also plays a critical role in supporting compliance and improving how institutions manage suppliers.

With Purchasing from OneAdvanced, universities can take a more modern, efficient approach to purchasing – built around the needs of higher education today.

FAQs

What is university purchasing software?
A digital system that manages purchasing processes, bringing together requisitions, approvals, supplier management and spend tracking in one place. It replaces fragmented tools with a single, consistent approach.

How does Purchasing from OneAdvanced help reduce maverick spend?
By guiding users towards approved suppliers and enforcing approval workflows, it reduces the likelihood of unauthorised purchasing and ensures processes are followed consistently.

Can Purchasing support sustainability goals?
Yes – it enables organisations to track supplier performance, capture ESG data and align purchasing decisions with sustainability objectives.

How does it support compliance?
Purchasing from OneAdvanced standardises processes, maintains audit trails and enables transparent reporting, making it easier to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.

Is cloud-based software better than legacy systems?
In most cases, yes – cloud systems offer greater flexibility, lower maintenance requirements and faster access to updates and new functionality.

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Find out more

Purchasing from OneAdvanced is widely used in UK universities – explore this case study of the University of Exeter to see how it works in practice You can also book a demo to find out more.