Free Text Ordering: Procurement’s Silent Saboteur

The shortcut that leads to a standstill. 

In theory, free text ordering is the flexible option. Buyers don’t need to search catalogs, they just enter the details from a supplier quote, and move on.

In practice, it is anything but efficient.

What looks like a quick fix on the surface creates complexity beneath. Vague inputs, manual steps and missing data turn every request into a small project, one procurement has to manage manually.

It is not a shortcut. It is a slow, expensive detour.

The Illusion of Simplicity.

Free Text feels fast for buyers. No search, no filters, just a box to type in.

But without structure, each request becomes a guessing game.

What actually happens:

• Descriptions are vague, with missing specs and unclear intent
• Preferred suppliers are bypassed or unknown
• Procurement chases context through endless back-and-forth emails
• Approvals stall, sourcing drags, and outcomes vary wildly

This isn’t flexibility. It is friction, disguised as freedom.

The buyer moves on. Procurement picks up the pieces.

The Hidden Costs Are Everywhere.

Every free text order triggers a chain reaction of manual work. For procurement, that means:

• Reviewing each request
• Clarifying requirements
• Finding the right supplier
• Running an ad-hoc sourcing event
• Ensuring compliance
• Managing approvals
• Creating and tracking the final order

Multiply that by hundreds of requests across teams and regions, and the operational drag is immense.

It doesn't stop there:

• Off-contract purchases inflate costs
• Fragmented spend weakens supplier leverage
• Maverick buying bypasses negotiated terms
• Visibility disappears, and control goes with it

What should take minutes turns into days. Resources are tied up in admin, not impact.

How Axiom Fixes Free Text Ordering: Structure without sacrificing speed.

At Axiom, we reimagined the free text experience - not by forcing buyers to change, but by making the process intelligent behind the scenes.

Here’s how it works:

• Buyers start with a familiar input: a request in free text form
• Agent AI works instantly to interpret the request and suggest key fields
• The requestor/buyer selects existing suppliers and sends an RFQ directly in-platform
• Suppliers respond in-platform with quotes, including including mandatory data fields
• Buyers then review responses, select the best option, and add it directly to their cart
• Check-out returns complete, compliant and accurate data to the S2P

And the best thing, this item or services can be auto-published into the MarketPlace, allowing it to be easily found by the next buyer - saving time, money and effort all round!

And of course procurement maintains full visibility throughout. No email chains. No trying to decipher gobbledegook. No incomplete spreadsheets. No grey areas.

It’s all in one place. 

Structured, traceable and fast.

From Weeks to Days, From Manual to Managed.

With Axiom, what once took weeks is now resolved in days and sometimes hours.

No more decoding vague requests. No more chasing suppliers for quotes. No more delay for a £300 product or basic service.

Just clear, compliant fulfilment, every time.

Free Text Isn’t the Problem. The Lack of Structure Is.

Buyers want flexibility. That won’t change.

But flexibility should not come at the cost of control.

Axiom turns unstructured input into structured action. It reduces cycle times, improves compliance, and restores visibility across categories and teams.

Procurement gains time. The business saves money. Everyone gets what they need, faster.

This is what better buying looks like.

Ready to learn more about Free Text ordering?