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Welcome to the Graphite Connect Blog. Check in for frequent articles that will help your team operate at the highest possible level.

Building Digital Twins: How AI is Reshaping the Procurement Workforce

Building Digital Twins: How AI is Reshaping the Procurement Workforce

Podcast

In this episode of Proc N Roll, Conrad, Natasha, and Zach debate AI's workforce role, from automated assistants to "digital twins" handling volume. They also explore structuring procurement operating models using various archetypes and service layers. Their golden rule: leaders must align their operating model with broader enterprise goals before ever starting to build the actual org chart.

Top Vendor Management Software for Manufacturing (Features & Comparison)

Top Vendor Management Software for Manufacturing (Features & Comparison)

Supplier Management

Explore top vendor management software for manufacturing. Compare features, tools, and solutions to improve supplier performance and efficiency.

Top Vendor Management Solutions for Telecom (Features & Comparison)

Top Vendor Management Solutions for Telecom (Features & Comparison)

Supplier Management

Compare the top vendor management software for telecom. Learn how to integrate telecom expense management and lifecycle management into a unified vendor strategy.

The Best Supplier Onboarding Platforms for Retail in 2026

The Best Supplier Onboarding Platforms for Retail in 2026

Onboarding

Your spring fashion collection launches in 10 weeks. You need to onboard 15 new apparel suppliers to fill assortment gaps that competitors already covered.

Best Third-Party Risk Management Tools and Software Solutions for 2026

Best Third-Party Risk Management Tools and Software Solutions for 2026

Risk Management

Choosing the right third-party risk management tools can mean the difference between proactive risk prevention and reactive crisis management.

What Are We Trying to Achieve? The Shift to Outcome-Based Procurement

What Are We Trying to Achieve? The Shift to Outcome-Based Procurement

Podcast

Conrad and Omid Ghamami discuss why procurement's fatal flaw is buying "goods and services" instead of "business outcomes". Omid explains excess costs stem from poor end-user demand articulation, not weak negotiation. To deliver value, professionals must stop acting as policy police, become trusted advisors , and quietly solve problems without asking permission.

Top Procurement Software for Consumer Goods Brands

Top Procurement Software for Consumer Goods Brands

Blog

Procurement in consumer goods is rarely simple. Brands manage large supplier networks, fast-moving SKUs, and constant demand shifts, all while protecting margins.

The True Cost of Dirty Data in Procurement

The True Cost of Dirty Data in Procurement

Podcast

Conrad interviews Tealbook founder Stephany Lapierre about procurement data quality. She explains how messy vendor master data costs companies millions in endless manual cleanup. Stephany warns that generic AI cannot magically fix bad data—it just gives confident wrong answers. She advises leaders to pare big visions into actionable steps.

How to Write a Supplier Management RFP That Actually Reveals the Best Platform

How to Write a Supplier Management RFP That Actually Reveals the Best Platform

Supplier Management

Most supplier management RFPs ask the wrong questions. This guide gives you 67 specific questions — drawn from real enterprise RFPs — designed to surface the differences that actually matter.

Be an Intrapreneur: Applying Startup Principles to Procurement

Be an Intrapreneur: Applying Startup Principles to Procurement

Podcast

Conrad interviews Certificial CEO Peter Teresi on innovation and problem-solving. Peter notes true innovation requires moving past simple efficiency to transformative, foundational solutions. He advises leaders to carve out time for creative thinking, hire carefully, and execute their ideas without second-guessing.

How to Optimize Your Manufacturing Procurement Process (Step-by-Step)

How to Optimize Your Manufacturing Procurement Process (Step-by-Step)

Procurement

Manufacturing companies rely on a well-structured procurement process to keep production running smoothly. From sourcing raw materials to managing suppliers and payments, each step directly impacts...

Digital Procurement Tools That Transform Supplier Collaboration

Digital Procurement Tools That Transform Supplier Collaboration

Supplier Management

Discover the digital procurement tools that truly improve supplier collaboration in 2026—features to prioritize, top platforms, and why Graphite stands out.

5 Surprising Benefits of Third-Party Risk Management Automation

5 Surprising Benefits of Third-Party Risk Management Automation

Risk Management

Third party risk management automation delivers more than efficiency. Explore 5 surprising benefits that reduce costs, accelerate decisions, and win deals.

A Complete Guide to Third-Party Vendor Risk Management

A Complete Guide to Third-Party Vendor Risk Management

Risk Management

Understand everything you need to know about third-party vendor risk management: why it matters, lifecycle, challenges, and industry-specific nuances.

How to Compare Vendor Management Systems Beyond Price

How to Compare Vendor Management Systems Beyond Price

Supplier Management

The right vendor management system can shape how your team works with suppliers, manages risk, and meets company requirements.

The Big 50: Practical Steps to Building the Procurement Model of the Future

The Big 50: Practical Steps to Building the Procurement Model of the Future

Podcast

In Ep 50, Conrad, Zach, and Natasha detail practical steps to build a procurement operating model. They argue leaders must first map the enterprise's structure and goals (the "skeleton") before focusing on spend or org charts. They also share personal use cases of AI agents automating admin tasks like org charts and calendars , urging teams to repurpose freed FTEs for strategic value.

Vendor Relationship Management Software for Consumer Goods Procurement Teams

Vendor Relationship Management Software for Consumer Goods Procurement Teams

Supplier Performance Management

In the consumer goods sector, your margins are only as resilient as your relationships. For decades, procurement was viewed as a transactional tug-of-war, but not anymore.

Best Retail Procurement Software in 2026: A Complete Buyer’s Guide for Modern Retailers

Best Retail Procurement Software in 2026: A Complete Buyer’s Guide for Modern Retailers

Procurement

Retail procurement has changed. What was once a back-office function focused on placing orders now plays a central role in how retailers manage suppliers, control risk, and move quickly in an agile world.

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