Sourcing & Supplier Selection · Sourcing Event
RFP Management
Use this template to run structured proposal events with documented scoring and a defensible award without building anything from scratch. Everything a…
Explore templateStrategic Sourcing Project Template
Use this template to run a full category sourcing project from analysis through to contracted savings without building anything from scratch. Everything a chief procurement officer needs is already configured.
- Stages
- 6
- Fields
- 8
- Automations
- 4
- Setup
- 10 minutes
Strategic Sourcing Project Project Template · Sourcing & Supplier Selection
- 1Inputs collected
- 2Draft plan built
- 3Stakeholder review
- 4Adjustment
- 5Approval
- 6Published and tracked
Quick answer
The Strategic Sourcing Project template is a pre-built sourcing & RFx workflow used to run a full category sourcing project from analysis through to contracted savings. It runs across 6 stages, from inputs collected to published and tracked, captures 8 standard fields including category and sourcing strategy, and applies 4 automations so routing, checks and record-keeping happen without manual chasing.
How the Strategic Sourcing Project template works
The template gives the sourcing project process a defined shape. Submission captures 8 fields up front, which removes the back-and-forth that normally follows an incomplete request. From there the record moves through 6 stages, each with its own owner and exit condition, and 4 built-in automations apply checks and routing consistently rather than depending on who is available. It suits procurement teams across industries that need control and an audit trail without adding administrative work, and it syncs with SAP and NetSuite.
The problem it solves. Sourcing projects stall between analysis and execution because ownership and milestones live in a deck nobody updates. This template gives the process a single front door and a trail that holds up in an audit.
How a sourcing project moves through the workflow
Every sourcing project follows the same 6 stages, so anyone can see where a record is without asking. Stages, owners and exit conditions are configurable if your policy differs.
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Inputs collected
Budget, demand, contract expiry and historical spend inputs are collected into one structured intake.
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Draft plan built
The sourcing project is drafted with categories, timing, owners and expected value per initiative.
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Stakeholder review
Budget owners and category leads review the draft in one place instead of in ten separate calls.
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Adjustment
Priorities, sequencing and resourcing are adjusted, and every change keeps its rationale.
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Approval
The plan routes to the category manager for formal sign-off before the cycle starts.
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Published and tracked
The approved plan is published and progress is tracked against the committed dates and values.
The data this template collects up front
These 8 fields are pre-configured on the intake form. Mandatory rules, picklists and validation are already applied, so a sourcing project cannot progress with gaps in it.
- Category
- Baseline spend
- Project owner
- Milestones
- Sourcing strategy
- Target savings
- Actual savings
- Status
The manual steps this template removes
Milestone tracking with owner and due date
Configured once during setup, then enforced consistently on every record without further effort.
Baseline spend pulled from the spend data set
It triggers the moment the condition is met, so nothing waits on someone noticing it first.
Stage-gate approvals at each milestone
This runs as a built-in rule, which removes the follow-up chasing that usually surrounds it.
Savings tracked from target to realized
Zapro applies this to every sourcing project as it enters the workflow, so nobody has to remember to do it.
What teams get out of this template
- All supplier responses sit in one comparable view
- Scoring is documented and defensible after the award
- Award timelines become predictable instead of best-effort
- Category history is reusable for the next sourcing event
- The team can run a full category sourcing project from analysis through to contracted savings from a single record
Manual process versus the Strategic Sourcing Project template
| Aspect | Manual process | With the Zapro template |
|---|---|---|
| Sourcing project handling | Sourcing projects stall between analysis and execution because ownership and milestones live in a deck nobody updates | One workflow that helps you run a full category sourcing project from analysis through to contracted savings |
| Data quality | Re-keyed between spreadsheets and the ERP | Captured once, validated at entry, synced to the ERP |
| Audit readiness | Evidence reassembled from mailboxes at audit time | Complete trail generated as the work happens |
| Cycle time | Depends on who is chasing this week | Predictable, with reminders and escalation built in |
| Status visibility | Chase people on email or Slack to find out where it is | Live status on every record, visible to requester and approver |
Systems this template connects to
Zapro connects to your existing systems so this template becomes part of the process rather than another place to check.
- SAP
- NetSuite
- Microsoft Teams
- Slack
- Zapro Supplier Portal
Guides that go with this template
- Strategic Sourcing
The Zapro product page behind this template and everything it connects to.
- Expert Guide to Strategic Sourcing
A practical walkthrough of the strategic sourcing lifecycle.
- Procurement Strategy
Building a procurement strategy that survives contact with the business.
Strategic Sourcing Project template FAQs
What is the Strategic Sourcing Project template?
It is a pre-built sourcing & RFx workflow in Zapro that lets procurement teams run a full category sourcing project from analysis through to contracted savings. Each sourcing project is captured on an 8-field form, moves through 6 stages with a named owner at each step, and is supported by 4 automations covering routing, validation and record updates.
How long does the Strategic Sourcing Project template take to set up?
Most teams have it running in about 10 minutes. The stages, fields and automations are already configured, so setup is mainly adjusting approval thresholds, field labels and owner assignments to match your own policy.
Who uses the Strategic Sourcing Project template?
Primarily chief procurement officers, working with category managers and sourcing leads. It is most commonly used by procurement teams across industries, though the workflow itself is not sector-specific.
Can suppliers respond without a Zapro login?
Suppliers respond through a secure portal link, so they do not need a paid seat, and every response still lands in the same comparison view.
Is the scoring model configurable?
Yes. Criteria, weightings and evaluator groups are all configurable, and scores lock once the evaluation window closes so the award remains defensible.
Put the Strategic Sourcing Project template to work this week
Zapro ships with this template plus the rest of the procurement and vendor management suite. Start with the sourcing project process and expand into sourcing, contracts, invoices and spend when you are ready.