In short
In B2B e-commerce, PunchOut refers to a procedure in which a business customer's internal procurement system (e-procurement system) is connected directly to a supplier's online shop. The buyer starts in their own procurement system, "punches out" into the supplier's web shop with a click (hence the name), selects their products there in the familiar shop front end and, instead of ordering there, the filled basket is transferred back into their own procurement system.
There the order then passes through the internal approval and budget processes before it goes back to the supplier as a formal order. In German-speaking countries, the most widespread technical implementation of PunchOut is the OCI interface.
What is OCI?
OCI stands for Open Catalog Interface, an open interface specification defined by SAP. OCI governs how a procurement system and a supplier shop exchange data: how the buyer gets from the procurement system into the shop (including log-in/authentication), and in which format the finished basket is transferred back. Because SAP systems (in particular SAP SRM and later SAP Ariba) are widely used in B2B purchasing, OCI has become established as the de facto standard for PunchOut in the DACH region. Internationally, cXML PunchOut (shaped by Ariba) is also widespread; both solve the same problem, just with different protocols.
How a PunchOut process works in concrete terms
The typical OCI PunchOut process runs in several steps:
- 1. Calling the hook URL: the buyer clicks on the stored supplier in the procurement system. The system calls an agreed URL of the shop and passes log-in details and a return address (the "HOOK_URL").
- 2. Log-in and catalogue: the shop recognises the customer, logs them in automatically and shows their catalogue, often customer-specific, with negotiated prices.
- 3. Selection in the shop: the buyer browses and adds items to the basket, in the supplier's familiar, fully-fledged shop front end.
- 4. Transfer back: instead of "Order", they click "Transfer basket". The shop passes the items (item number, description, quantity, price, unit) in OCI format back to the HOOK_URL in the procurement system.
- 5. Approval and order: in the procurement system, the basket passes through the internal approvals. Only then is a formal order (usually via EDI or as an electronic order) triggered with the supplier.
The decisive point: in PunchOut, no order is placed in the shop. The shop only supplies the product selection; the actual order is created in the customer's system. That is the core of the model.
Why B2B customers demand PunchOut
For larger companies, procurement is a strictly regulated process: budgets, cost centres, approval levels and compliance requirements must be observed. An employee may not simply order on their own initiative in a supplier's web shop. PunchOut resolves this conflict of objectives elegantly: the buyer uses the supplier's convenient, up-to-date shop with images, filters and real-time availability, but control, approval and booking remain in the central procurement system. For the supplier, in turn, PunchOut is often the prerequisite for being considered as a listed supplier of large corporations at all.
For Shopware retailers in the B2B segment, PunchOut is therefore a frequent requirement. The Shopware B2B functions or specialised extensions provide OCI endpoints through which the shop can be connected to SAP, Onventis, JAGGAER or other procurement systems.
PunchOut versus a classic catalogue (CIF)
| Criterion | Static catalogue (e.g. CIF/Excel) | PunchOut (OCI/cXML) |
|---|---|---|
| Data topicality | As of the import date, quickly outdated | Real time from the shop |
| Prices/availability | Stored statically | Live, often customer-specific |
| Maintenance effort for the customer | High (regular imports) | Low (the supplier maintains the shop) |
| Product experience | Reduced | Full shop with images/filters |
| Suitability | Small, stable ranges | Large, dynamic ranges |
A concrete example
An industrial company uses SAP Ariba as its procurement system. A workshop employee needs consumables from a C-parts dealer whose Shopware shop is connected via OCI. The employee clicks on the dealer in Ariba, lands automatically logged in to the shop with the terms negotiated for their company, adds three items to the basket and clicks "Transfer". The basket appears immediately in Ariba, is approved by the line manager and triggers the order. The dealer does not have to maintain a separate catalogue: its shop is the catalogue.
Common misconceptions
First, OCI and EDI are often confused. OCI/PunchOut governs the product selection (filling the basket); the actual transmission of the order then typically runs via EDI or another ordering protocol. The two complement each other. Second, PunchOut is not a complete solution for a "B2B shop"; it is an integration interface for customers who operate a procurement system, while smaller B2B customers continue to order directly in the shop. Third: OCI is not a single fixed version but exists in several forms (OCI 4.0, 5.0); when connecting, the version supported by the customer's system must be agreed.
Outlook
With classic SAP SRM landscapes being replaced by cloud-based procurement platforms (SAP Ariba, Coupa, Onventis), PunchOut remains central but is shifting more towards cXML and API-driven integrations. At the same time, open standards and pure API connections are gaining in importance, particularly in the course of composable commerce. For suppliers, the ability to connect cleanly via OCI and cXML remains a hard competitive factor in high-volume B2B business. The Wikipedia article on the Open Catalog Interface offers a technical classification of the standard.
FAQ
What does PunchOut mean in simple terms?
The buyer selects products in the supplier's online shop, but the filled basket is transferred back into their own procurement system for approval and ordering rather than being ordered in the shop.
What is the OCI interface?
OCI (Open Catalog Interface) is the standard defined by SAP through which the procurement system and the shop exchange data during a PunchOut. In the DACH region, OCI is the most widespread PunchOut variant.
How do OCI and cXML differ?
Both enable PunchOut. OCI comes from SAP and is dominant in the DACH region; cXML comes from Ariba and is more widespread internationally. They use different protocols.
Do I need PunchOut for my B2B shop?
Only if you serve business customers who use an e-procurement system and demand the connection; for large corporations, this is often a prerequisite for being listed as a supplier.