Many organizations focus heavily on implementing Source-to-Pay (S2P) systems but fall short when it comes to truly enabling their suppliers. The average organization only has 44% of suppliers digitally enabled (Ardent Partners), a clear signal that most are missing a major opportunity to drive efficiency and reduce risk. To address this gap, it's important to understand what mature supplier enablement entails and how it contributes to the overall effectiveness of your S2P program.
It’s common to think of supplier enablement as a one-time event, but this surface-level approach leaves value on the table. Mature supplier enablement means actively managing the supplier’s performance, risk profile, and participation in digital transactions throughout the relationship.
This includes:
Your invoice processing model is a key indicator of the maturity of your supplier enablement, if most invoices still arrive as PDFs or paper, a significant digital gap remains. Truly enabled suppliers should be transacting digitally through channels that support automation, visibility, and control. Consider the following questions to assess where your organization stands:
When these capabilities are in place, organizations benefit from shorter cycle times, fewer errors, and better cash flow management.
Fully enabled suppliers aren’t just easier to manage, they also contribute to stronger performance across the procurement lifecycle. With real-time data and digital engagement, organizations can:
Despite the clear benefits, few organizations have achieved this level of maturity. If your S2P platform is live but supplier participation remains low, now is the time to identify opportunities to drive broader adoption and deepen engagement.
Optis helps organizations close the supplier enablement gap by delivering targeted services across every stage of the process. We offer supplier enablement strategy and execution, hands-on portal configuration, invoice automation design, and change management support to drive adoption.
Whether you’re planning an initial wave of onboarding or looking to expand enablement post go-live, get in touch with our team for the expert guidance needed to help you scale supplier participation and unlock value.
