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Jaggaer Advantage, formerly BravoSolution, has been known for many years for its spend analysis functional prowess. But Ivalua has been somewhat of a well-kept secret among spend analysis software vendors, since the provider has not often emphasized this module alone, on a product basis, distinct from its best-in-class source-to-pay suite. Both Jaggaer Advantage and Ivalua bring a unique set of capabilities to spend analysis and related procurement software areas. And both beat the average functional benchmark score in Spend Matters Q2 2018 Spend Analytics SolutionMap. But how do they stack up against each other in a head-to-head bout?

Join us in this unfiltered SolutionMap results analysis from our Q2 2018 dataset, along with the commentary of the Spend Matters analyst team. These Head-to-Head columns share the insights of each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers, providing unique comparative cuts of SolutionMap benchmark data along with the trademark quips that Spend Matters was better known for in its early years. So buckle your seat belt, prepare for some real data and expect a few sparks to fly as we pit Jaggaer Advantage and Ivalua against each other in the spend analysis evaluation ring.

Not yet an Insider member? Here’s a preview: In four out of seven spend analytics categories — which include data layer, process support, technology and services — Jaggaer Advantage comes out on top (sometimes convincingly so). But in three areas, Ivalua delivers superior performance. And as you peel the onion between the two on a subcategory basis, the use cases for when one is likely a better fit than the other becomes clearer.

Overall, the results suggest that the right solution will vary based on different organizational requirements. There’s no debate that spend analytics selection processes will reward procurement organizations that tailor provider selection to their specific needs.

Jaggaer Indirect (Jaggaer) occupies a unique position in the procurement software market. Not only is it the only independent source-to-pay suite vendor with proven use cases for all solution areas, it also has a track record of competing across multiple, highly specialized market segments with targeted offerings. Jaggaer’s deep vertical expertise and specialized capability extends to the life sciences, higher education research, manufacturing and public sectors, but the provider also brings non-industry-specific capabilities that allow it to compete more broadly.

In the e-procurement market, Jaggaer differentiates itself in a number of functional areas. As the Spend Matters Q2 2018 E-Procurement SolutionMap illustrates, Jaggaer delivers above-the-benchmark functional capability across over 50 individual e-procurement requirements. Its SolutionMap performance provides compelling evidence that the provider is a must-shortlist candidate for all e-procurement buying scenarios.

“What Makes It Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider subscribers. Based on both our rigorous evaluation process and customer reference reviews, each brief offers quick facts on the provider, describes where it excels, provides hard data on where it beats the SolutionMap benchmark and concludes with a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider it.

Aravo is both a pioneer and a survivor. Not only was Aravo the first specialized supplier management software provider to deliver unique capabilities outside of previously established procurement and GRC solution areas, it also emerged, over a decade, as a leader in the new space it carved out itself.

Today Aravo has a strong focus on targeted supplier management technology areas, including third-party risk management, anti-bribery and corruption, data security and privacy, and responsible sourcing. As the Spend Matters Q2 2018 Supplier Management SolutionMap illustrates, Aravo delivers above-the-benchmark functional capability across these and dozens of other key supplier management requirements. Its SolutionMap performance provides compelling evidence that the provider is a must-shortlist candidate for the majority of supplier management buying scenarios.

“What Makes It Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers. Based on both our rigorous evaluation process and customer reference reviews, each brief offers quick facts on the provider, describes where it excels, provides hard data on where it beats the SolutionMap benchmark and concludes with a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider it.

The bar for spend analysis software has risen considerably in recent years. Thanks to higher expectations for overall function enablement, enhanced reporting, artificial intelligence-based classification capabilities, and even predictive and prescriptive capabilities, a spend analysis tool designed even a few years ago may not stand the test of time as well as it might have in the past.

This makes the comparison between Jaggaer Indirect and Sievo all the more interesting. The good news for procurement organizations considering both solutions is that they perform at or above the Q2 2018 Spend Analytics SolutionMap overall — and individually help set the benchmark standard for certain areas. But how do they stack up against each other in a head-to-head bout?

Join us in this unfiltered SolutionMap results analysis from our Q2 2018 dataset, along with the commentary of the Spend Matters analyst team. These “Head-to-Head” columns share the insights of each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers, providing unique comparative cuts of SolutionMap benchmark data along with the trademark quips that Spend Matters was better known for in its early years. So buckle your seat belt, prepare for some real data and expect a few sparks to fly as we pit Jaggaer Indirect against each other in the Spend analysis evaluation ring.

Not yet an Insider member? Here’s a preview: In most spend analytics categories — which include data layer, process support, technology and services — Sievo comes out on top (sometimes convincingly so). But in at least one area, Jaggaer delivers superior performance. And as you peel the onion between the two on a subcategory basis, the use cases for when one is likely a better fit than the other becomes clearer.

On its own, SpendHQ’s performance in the Q2 2018 SolutionMap for spend analytics technology and solutions is noteworthy (not only because it beats the functional benchmark for all five buying organization personas). But SpendHQ stands out even more from competitive spend analytics providers – and the broader procurement technology vendor crowd – because it has close linkages to its parent organization, Insight Sourcing Group.

This affiliation brings related capabilities, which expand on the value proposition of spend analysis to deliver rapid savings and continuous value creation opportunities (e.g., leveraged/GPO contracts and category specific solutions for energy), not to mention deep procurement transformation, strategic sourcing and category enablement services. As important, this relationship led to the design of a spend analysis solution which, on its own outside of ISG, is purpose-built to drive sourcing results and savings capture on a category-specific basis to clients.

In terms of targeted spend analytics technology and enabling services, as the Q2 2018 Spend Analytics SolutionMap benchmark provides evidence of, SpendHQ more than holds its own in a highly competitive market as a stand-alone provider. Its SolutionMap performance provides compelling evidence, based on both analyst ratings and customer reference scoring, that the provider is a “must” shortlist candidate for nearly all spend analytics buying scenarios. Join us in exploring what makes SpendHQ great, based on the latest functional and customer SolutionMap benchmarks from Q2 2018.

“What Makes It Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers. Based on both our rigorous evaluation process and customer reference reviews, each brief explains how the provider excels and where it beats the SolutionMap benchmark, concluding with a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider the vendor.

For many years, best-in-class spend analytics providers would get their technologies and businesses to a certain point and then, on a clockwork basis, decide to sell themselves to broader procurement technology or business intelligence vendors. Sievo was, perhaps, the first provider we know to break the pattern of this trend, building an over $10MM business (and growing) specifically in the spend analytics market. We have the founders of Sievo to thank for staying the course – since they have given us an independent spend analytics solution that is one of the top ranked by both Spend Matters analysts and customers in the latest SolutionMap benchmark.

But Sievo is not like other spend analysis providers that beat the functional and customer satisfaction benchmark – at least not entirely. It has a unique set of capabilities, both functionally and from a broader services perspective, that enable it to serve multiple masters, including finance and supply chain organizations, addressing not only savings tracking that finance is willing to “sign-off” on, but also commodity management and volatility as well (the topic du jour in manufacturing these days, owing to tariffs, trade wars and general market volatility).

Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that Sievo outperforms most other spend analytics providers in the Q2 2018 Spend Analytics SolutionMap benchmark. Sievo’s Q2 2018 SolutionMap performance provides compelling evidence, based on both analyst ratings and customer reference scoring, that the provider is a “must” shortlist candidate for nearly all spend analytics buying scenarios. Join us in exploring what makes Sievo great, based on the latest functional and customer SolutionMap benchmarks from Q2 2018.

“What Makes It Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers. Based on both our rigorous evaluation process and customer reference reviews, each brief explains how the provider excels and where it beats the SolutionMap benchmark, concluding with a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider the vendor.

Two decades ago, Zycus pioneered the original spend classification and spend analytics sector, providing companies with an alternative to Excel and Access for cleansing, classifying, enriching and analyzing spend data. At the time, what Zycus came up with would become a huge step forward not just for procurement technology but for procurement overall.

But since Zycus got its start, dozens of new entrants have pursued the spend analytics market, both independently and as part of broader firms. One of these entrants, SpendHQ, grew out of a consultancy, Insight Sourcing Group. Originally, ISG used SpendHQ as both an internal tool (by the ISG team) and as a leave-behind for procurement organizations. But today, SpendHQ is a stand-alone solution in its own right, with a growth rate significantly outpacing the market that has made it the first or second largest stand-alone spend analytics vendor. (We don’t count Zycus in this area anymore, since it has graduated to a full-fledged source-to-pay suite vendor.)

Both SpendHQ and Zycus beat the average functional benchmark score in Spend Matters Q2 2018 Spend Analytics SolutionMap. But how do they stack up against each other in a head-to-head bout?

Join us in this unfiltered SolutionMap results analysis from our Q2 2018 dataset, along with the commentary of the Spend Matters analyst team. These “Head-to-Head” columns share the insights of each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers, providing unique comparative cuts of SolutionMap benchmark data along with the trademark quips that Spend Matters was better known for in its early years. So buckle your seat belt, prepare for some real data and expect a few sparks to fly as we pit SpendHQ and Zycus against each other in the Spend analysis evaluation ring.

Not yet an Insider member? Here’s a preview: In certain spend analytics categories — which include data layer, process support, technology, configurability and services – SpendHQ comes out on top (sometimes convincingly so). But in others, Zycus delivers a superior performance (both by small and large margins, depending on area).

And overall, the results suggest that the right solution will vary based on different organizational requirements. There’s no debate that spend analytics selection processes will reward procurement organizations that tailor provider selection to their specific needs.

The Q2 2018 Spend and Procurement Analytics SolutionMap benchmark is now based on an underlying dataset featuring 11 separate providers, including nearly all of the must-shortlist invoice-to-pay technology providers procurement organizations can expect to consider in a typical selection process (as well as those they should consider but might overlook). Whether you’re in the market for a new invoice-to-pay product or just want to know if you made the right decision for your organization, our SolutionMap analysis and benchmark data can tell you the answer. Curious to learn more? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

SynerTrade is actively driving awareness of its brand beyond continental Europe, where it has a base of hundreds of customers. Yet the source-to-pay suite provider is already equipped to compete on the world procurement technology stage.

Out of the 45 participants in Spend Matters SolutionMaps for Q2 2018, SynerTrade is one of only five providers that make all 10 recommended personas for strategic procurement technologies and source-to-pay suites. One area in particular where SynerTrade differentiates itself is in the increasingly critical supplier management area, which the provider uses to unite each component of its suite.

“What Makes it Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers. Based on both our rigorous evaluation process and customer reference reviews, each brief explains how the provider excels and where it beats the SolutionMap benchmark, concluding with a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider the vendor.

In its early years, Tradeshift was a thorn in the side of SAP Ariba in a handful of strategic accounts. More recently, as Tradeshift transitioned from operating at least in part (previously) on the PowerPoint platform to its own, the provider has emerged as more than just a credible threat and is now an everyday competitor to SAP Ariba, Basware, Coupa and many others.

Tradeshift has real, proven capability today. Through the Spend Matters SolutionMap process, we’ve benchmarked its solution on a functional and customer satisfaction basis across hundreds of procure-to-pay functional and customer satisfaction areas 20 competitors. And when we talk about functional analysis, we’re talking about actual product demonstrations of real GA product.

SAP Ariba and Tradeshift are among the two strongest invoice-to-pay providers in Spend Matters Q2 2018 Invoice-to-Pay SolutionMap on a functional scoring basis. But how do they stack up against each other in a head-to-head battle, especially when considering core e-invoicing and supplier network capabilities as part of the invoice-to-pay solution area?

Join us in this unfiltered head-to-head SolutionMap results analysis from our Q2 2018 dataset, along with the commentary of the Spend Matters analyst team. We will be writing “Head-to-Head” columns on a regular basis, sharing the insights of each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers and providing unique comparative cuts of SolutionMap benchmark data, along with the trademark quips that have defined Spend Matters since its inception.

Not an Insider member yet? Here’s a preview: In certain invoice-to-pay categories — which include supplier network, configurability, technology (overall), general services, invoicing setup, invoicing creation/capturing/submission, services invoicing and contract invoicing, invoicing collaboration, invoice validations/approvals, invoice integrations, invoicing compliance, invoice mobility, invoicing analytics, payment/financing and overall invoice-to-pay scoring — SAP Ariba comes out on top. In fact, SAP Ariba, on a straight line, “Deep” persona invoice-to-pay functional basis factoring into account all scoring criteria, is the top performing solution on an analyst scoring basis in Q2 2018.

But in specific categories, Tradeshift wins the race. And overall, the results specific to core accounts payable and invoice/document automation might surprise companies that think experience and size triumph over youthful ambition. Perhaps more important, the SAP Ariba vs. Tradeshift head-to-head shows that one size does not fit all for e-invoicing and associated capabilities. There’s no debate that invoice-to-pay selection processes will reward those procurement and finance organizations that tailor provider selection to their specific needs.

The Q2 2018 Invoice-to-Pay SolutionMap benchmark is now based on an underlying dataset featuring 13 separate providers, including nearly all of the must-shortlist invoice-to-pay technology providers procurement organizations can expect to consider in a typical selection process (as well as those they should consider but might overlook). Whether you’re in the market for a new invoice-to-pay product or just want to know if you made the right decision for your organization, our SolutionMap analysis and benchmark data can tell you the answer. Curious to learn more? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We admit it. Despite the cleverness of the brand, Aquiire is a name that none of Spend Matters team members can spell right on the first try (nor on the second or third). But the e-procurement vendor stands out for more than having the only pun within its name and reminding us about how badly we are at spelling. It’s one of the only tech providers in the procurement sector that comes to mind which has successfully graduated from product/process enabler to a core solution in and of itself — one built off the plumbing of a unique, patented extended catalog management capability that addresses many of the real world limitations of managing spend beyond what’s contained within buyer or supplier hosted catalogs.

But this is only one of the things that makes Aquiire stand out from the procure-to-pay pack. Join us in this SolutionMap Insider analysis as we explore and unpack the nuances of what makes Aquiire great.

Nearly all technology providers participating in SolutionMap aren’t perfect (i.e., in analyst speak, “up and to the right”) for every business scenario. Even if a vendor has outstanding capability in certain areas — functionality, services or something else that helps it win business — to perform consistently above the functional and customer benchmark is a rarity. But there are reasons that specialist providers in different markets beat the big names in how they support specific organizational needs.

“What Makes it Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers, exploring what makes these specialized (and in certain cases not-so-specialized) technology providers great for reasons that a simple graphic would fail to capture. Based on the rigorous SolutionMap evaluation process, customer reference reviews and expert eye from looking at products comparatively during demonstrations, the “What Makes it Great” series takes a fact-based approach to surfacing what makes individual vendors great.

In each research brief we translate each provider’s geek-level secret sauce into plain English and show precisely where the provider excels and where it convincingly “beats the benchmark” in SolutionMap. And we offer up a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider the vendor, along with basic facts to size ‘em up quickly.

OpusCapita is somewhat of a novelty in North America — and is only selectively known at the level of SAP Ariba, Coupa or Basware in parts of Europe. That’s a shame, as OpusCapita could very well be the perfect technology fit for many procurement and finance organizations that do not even know about it. Spend Matters comparatively tore into OpusCapita’s e-procurement and procure-to-pay capability as part of our Q2 2018 SolutionMap benchmark and discovered what makes the provider great.

Nearly all technology providers participating in SolutionMap aren’t perfect (i.e., in analyst speak, “up and to the right”) for every business scenario. Even if a vendor has outstanding capability in certain areas — functionality, services or something else that helps it win business — to perform consistently above the functional and customer benchmark is a rarity. But there are reasons that specialist providers in different markets beat the big names in how they support specific organizational needs. 

“What Makes it Great” is a recurring column that shares insights from each quarterly SolutionMap report for SolutionMap Insider Subscribers, exploring what makes these specialized (and in certain cases not-so-specialized) technology providers great for reasons that a simple graphic would fail to capture. Based on the rigorous SolutionMap evaluation process, customer reference reviews and expert eye from looking at products comparatively during demonstrations, the “What Makes it Great” series takes a fact-based approach to surfacing what makes individual vendors great.

In each research brief we translate each provider’s geek-level secret sauce into plain English and show precisely where the provider excels and where it convincingly “beats the benchmark” in SolutionMap. And we offer up a checklist for ideal customer scenarios in which procurement, finance and supply chain organizations should consider the vendor, along with basic facts to size ‘em up quickly.

This SolutionMap analyzes a select group of E-Procurement solution providers. It is part of our Q2 2018 SolutionMap report series, also featuring Spend Analytics, Sourcing, Supplier Management, Contract Management and Invoice-to-Pay providers. Our Q2 release also features SolutionMap for Procure-to-Pay and Strategic Procurement Technology suites.