Orchestration Unplugged: Is Procurement’s New Buzzword Just Hype? (Part 1)

“Orchestration” is showing up everywhere — conference panels, cold pitches, and LinkedIn posts. But what does it actually mean? And more importantly, should your procurement team care?

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Natasha and Conrad unpack the rise of procurement orchestration and why it’s suddenly in the spotlight.

💡 In this episode:
• What orchestration actually is (beyond the buzzword)
• How it compares to intake, workflow, and automation
• Why some see it as a game-changer — and others remain skeptical

We’ll share practical frameworks, examples, and a few strong opinions about what orchestration can (and can’t) do for procurement teams.

📌 Subscribe to catch Part 2 — where we dive into tech stacks, user experience, and whether orchestration is a smart investment or a wait-and-see trend.

Watch now or read the transcript below.

Transcript: Proc-N-Roll 12 | Orchestration Unplugged: Is Procurement’s New Buzzword Just Hype? (Part 1)

Natasha | Good morning, good evening, good afternoon—wherever you are in the world, welcome to another episode of Proc and Roll, your guide to practical procurement. I’m Natasha, celebrating my 26th “procoversary.” With me today is the award-winning Conrad, formerly at Intel and Adobe, now CEO at Graphite Connect. And of course, Zach—our procurement expert with experience across industries and clients.

Today we’re diving into a hot topic: orchestration. Is it the real deal or just the latest buzzword?

🎯 What Is Procurement Orchestration Anyway?

Natasha | A year ago, a sales team from an orchestration company asked me how I define orchestration in procurement. Honestly? I’d never heard the term in this context. The idea of connected, streamlined processes isn’t new—but calling it “orchestration” kind of is. Did I miss something, or is this a recent trend?

Conrad | It’s not just you. Orchestration was a big word in IT circles, like with ServiceNow, back in the early 2000s. But in procurement? It’s really made a comeback in just the past couple years.

Zach | I see orchestration as the evolution of guided buying—streamlining user flows across systems. It helps procurement touch more spend without complicating the user experience.

🧩 How Is It Different From Before?

Natasha |  So what’s the core of orchestration? How is it different from what we already had?

Zach |  It’s like a wrapper that sits across all your internal systems. Instead of users jumping in and out of tools, you create automated workflows to handle the complexity behind the scenes. It makes the entire process feel simpler and more connected.

Conrad | Yeah, I think of it as a synonym for “better user experience.” Users are fed up with slow, complex procurement processes. Orchestration is the response. But don’t mistake it for a silver bullet—you still need solid foundations.

🛠 Preparing for Orchestration

Natasha | If you’re a procurement team preparing to adopt orchestration, what should you do?

Conrad|  Focus on outcomes, people, processes, and technology. Orchestration isn’t magic—it needs clean data, thoughtful processes, and a clear understanding of what you’re solving.

Zach|  You need two lenses:

1. Process Lens: Simplify your core workflows—especially where they touch high-spend areas.

2. Technology Lens: Build a flexible architecture where tools can plug in and out easily.

If you do this, orchestration can connect your entire stack more seamlessly.

💡 Real-World Example: Google’s Buyer Hub

Conrad|  I recently talked to a team at Google. They’ve built their own orchestration platform called Buyer Hub. It creates a smooth front-end interface while triggering all the backend procurement processes—legal, onboarding, contracts, etc. On the surface, it feels seamless. But underneath, a lot of it is still very manual.

❓ How Do You Choose the Right Tool?

Natasha|  With so many options on the market, how do you choose the right orchestration tool?

Conrad|  First, ask: “What actually touches the end user?” Not everything in your tech stack needs to be orchestrated. Focus on a few processes: contracts, purchase requisitions, supplier onboarding. And if your main tool (like Coupa or SAP Ariba) already handles 90% of that, you might not need orchestration yet.

Zach|  Map the customer journey. Understand what internal stakeholders go through. That will tell you where orchestration adds the most value.

🧠 Is It Only for Big Companies?

Natasha|  Can smaller companies benefit too?

Zach|  Absolutely. Even small or mid-sized companies can use orchestration tools to replace or simplify a full source-to-pay suite. But they still need clean data, clear processes, and a solid business case.

Conrad|  In smaller orgs, people often want one flexible tool that does it all—but not at an enterprise price point. If it walks them through the process step-by-step, even better. That’s the orchestration experience in a nutshell.

📈 Selling the Business Case

Natasha|  How do procurement leaders sell the value of orchestration to finance, tech, and legal?

Zach|  Start by showing how painful the current process is. Build your case around speed, visibility, and improved decision-making. Just make sure your data and processes are in order first.

Conrad|  Building a strict ROI might be tough. But if your execs are constantly hearing complaints about procurement? That’s your signal. Just be honest—this is early days, and orchestration can add cost and complexity before it solves problems.

🚀 So… Should You Invest or Wait?

Zach|  Most companies I work with are still in “wait and see” mode—and that’s okay. We’re early in the hype cycle. Your job now is to understand where orchestration fits into your future.

Natasha|  There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Some companies don’t even have a PO system yet. But for those who are ready, orchestration could be the next evolution—if implemented carefully.

🎤 Final Thoughts

Conrad|  Start small. Think about guided intake, then expand. Don’t try to orchestrate everything all at once.

Zach|  Keep your processes simple. Prioritize automation. Invest in your data. That’s how you’ll get real value from orchestration.

Natasha|  No silver bullets—but lots of opportunity if you’re ready. Thanks for joining us. We’ll dive deeper in Part 2 of this discussion next week!

This transcript has been edited for clarity while maintaining all substantive content