Why leading enterprises are choosing Keelvar over Coupa CSO

When it comes to selecting a technology for sourcing, enterprises are often faced with a choice: go with a broad suite provider like Coupa, or choose a best-of-breed platform built for sourcing optimization. More and more global companies are finding that Keelvar delivers faster results, better user experiences, and tangible savings compared to Coupa CSO.

The Problem With Coupa CSO

Coupa positions its CSO tool as a sophisticated optimization platform, but in practice, many enterprises find it difficult to use and slow to implement. Common pain points include:

• Complex setup – Building scenarios often requires custom coding, which means teams need technical specialists or outside consultants.
• Clunky interface – Users face long training cycles and struggle with slow recalculations during live events.
• Supplier frustration – Suppliers must juggle fragmented portals and rarely receive clear real-time feedback.

These issues create bottlenecks, especially when running large, complex sourcing events.

The example of ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil initially relied on Coupa CSO and Excel to run one of their largest logistics tenders, covering over 20,000 line items and 1,000 lanes. The process was slow, error-prone, and left suppliers frustrated.

Midway through the event, the team decided to switch to Keelvar. In just a few hours, they imported their data and relaunched the tender. Keelvar’s platform immediately gave them what Coupa CSO could not:

• A user-friendly interface that didn’t require outside consultants.
• The ability to analyze hundreds of complex scenarios in minutes.
• Real-time, dynamic feedback for suppliers, encouraging more competitive bids.

The Results

The switch to Keelvar delivered results that Coupa CSO couldn’t match:

• 8–16% savings on $600M spend in the first event
• An additional 5% savings through alternate bids
• 583 scenarios executed despite limited training
• Thousands of bids consolidated into one event across North America
• A 40x ROI on the platform within the first year

Suppliers also benefited, gaining more opportunities to differentiate themselves and compete fairly thanks to Keelvar’s transparent, feedback-driven system.

Why Enterprises Choose Keelvar

ExxonMobil is not alone. Many organizations switching from Coupa to Keelvar highlight the same reasons:

• Ease of use – Excel-style interface which is easy to understand, combined with GenAI powered, no-code formulas for ease of use which make adoption quick and simple.
• Automation – Unlike Coupa, Keelvar offers autonomous sourcing, helping teams run more events with less effort.
• Faster implementation – Events can launch in hours or days, not months.
• Better supplier engagement – A single bidder portal and dynamic feedback keep suppliers active and competitive.
• Continuous innovation – While Coupa CSO has seen little product development since 2004, Keelvar’s roadmap is ever-evolving, shaped by ongoing customer input and AI-driven advances.

Final Thoughts

Coupa CSO may look powerful on paper, but real-world results tell a different story. Enterprises like ExxonMobil are discovering that Keelvar combines optimization with automation in a way that’s easy to use, fast to implement, and proven to deliver savings.

For procurement teams facing complex sourcing challenges, Keelvar offers the confidence that they can achieve better outcomes without the headaches.