One platform for direct and indirect
Having both types of spend in one system can reduce the number of tools a large company runs.
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GEP SMART review: one platform for direct and indirect spend
GEP SMART is the source to pay platform from GEP, a company that also sells consulting and managed services. This review looks at what the platform covers, how to read its claims and what to ask in a demo.
By Procurement VMS Editorial TeamLast updated
- Type
- Unified source to pay platform
- Best known for
- Direct and indirect spend on one platform
- Typical buyer
- Large enterprises
- Price
- Quote only, see the pricing section
The short version
Ask what is software and what is services
GEP sells software and also advisory and managed services. That can be a strength, since you can buy help along with the platform. It also means a proposal can mix the two, and it is easy to lose track of what is software and what is people. A good first step in any conversation is to ask for the software price and the services price on separate lines.
What it is
What GEP SMART does
GEP SMART brings sourcing, contracts, procurement, supplier management and spend analysis into one platform, and the vendor describes it as built to handle both direct and indirect spend. It includes AI based features, which you should ask to see working on your own data.
Because the same company can provide consulting and managed services, some buyers use the platform as part of a wider programme. Others buy software only. Both are valid, but price them separately.
As with other large suites, check the module list and the integration approach before you compare cost.
Where it is strong
Strengths buyers mention
Source to pay scope
Sourcing through payment is covered, so fewer hand offs between products.
AI features
The vendor promotes AI assistance. Ask for a live demo on your own data before giving it weight.
Services available
Advisory and managed services are available if you want them.
Where to be careful
Weaker points and trade offs
Software and services can blur
Make sure each is itemised in the quote.
Enterprise weight
Rollout and change management are significant projects.
Claims need testing
Marketing language about AI and unification needs to be shown in a live session.
Quote only pricing
Expect negotiation and compare with two other bids.
Fit
Who should shortlist it, and who should not
A good fit
- Large enterprises that want direct and indirect spend in one system.
- Teams that may want managed services alongside software.
- Buyers consolidating several older tools.
Probably not the right fit
- Small and mid size teams with simple purchasing.
- Buyers who want to run everything in house with no services.
- Anyone who needs a public price.
Pricing
What to expect on price
We do not quote a price for GEP SMART, because we cannot stand behind a number the vendor does not publish. Enterprise software of this kind is normally sold on a multi year contract, priced by modules and user types, with implementation billed on top.
Ask for a written quote that lists every module, the number and type of users, the contract term, the renewal uplift and the one time services. Ask a competitor for the same breakdown so you can compare like with like.
Before you sign
Questions to ask in the demo
- Show it on our dataAsk for a demo using a sample of your suppliers and categories.
- What is software and what is services?Get separate lines for each.
- How does it connect to our ERP?Ask for the integration plan and owner.
- What AI features are live today?Ask which are in production now and which are on the roadmap.
- Who are reference customers?Ask for a similar size and region.
- How do we leave?Ask for the data export and exit terms.
How we wrote this
Sources and limits
This review draws on the vendor's own documentation and public material and on published buyer feedback. It is not a hands on lab test. Features, packaging and prices change, so confirm anything that matters to your decision with the vendor in writing.
If you work at GEP SMART or use it every day and see something wrong or missing, use the contact page and we will check it and correct the page.
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Disclosure: Zapro AI appears on some comparison pages as an editor's pick, and the people behind this site have a professional connection to Zapro AI.
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Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is GEP SMART the same as GEP?
GEP is the company. SMART is its source to pay software platform.
Do I have to buy services?
Not necessarily. Ask for a software only quote and compare.
How does it compare with SAP Ariba?
See our head to head page for the questions that separate them.
Does the vendor publish its price?
Enterprise suites generally do not publish list prices. Ask for a written quote that names the modules, the user types, the term and the implementation fees, and ask two competitors for the same.