In short: The simplest way to pay a one-time supplier without creating a new vendor is to route the purchase through a single creditor. The single creditor orders from the supplier, receives its invoice and pays it, then invoices you. Your ERP never gets a new vendor record, and the supplier is still paid on time.
Why one-time vendors are a problem
A one-off purchase often starts with an urgent need: a spare part, a specialist service, an event venue. The supplier is new and will probably never be used again. Yet before it can be paid, finance usually has to create a vendor: collect company and bank details, check VAT and sanctions lists, approve the record and maintain it afterwards.
The result is predictable. Vendor masters fill up with suppliers used once. Onboarding takes days, so employees work around it. And every dormant vendor record is a small fraud and compliance risk.
Four ways to pay a one-time supplier
- Full vendor onboarding. Create the supplier in the ERP like any other. A vendor record is needed, and the process is slow and costly for a single order.
- A one-time vendor account. A generic "one-time vendor" record in the ERP, with bank details entered per invoice. It saves onboarding time, but control on bank details is weak, which creates audit and fraud risk.
- A purchasing card. The employee pays by card, so no vendor record is needed. But many B2B suppliers do not accept cards, and invoice and VAT detail is limited.
- A single creditor. A partner orders, receives the invoice and pays the supplier; you pay the partner. No vendor record is needed. It works best when it covers all tail spend, not just one purchase.
How the single creditor route works
- The employee enters the request, with or without a known supplier.
- The single creditor checks the supplier, or sources one, and places the order.
- The supplier invoices the single creditor and is paid on agreed terms.
- You receive one digital invoice for the purchase order, with your PO number, through Peppol or the channel you choose.
There is no onboarding step on your side, because the only creditor in your ERP is the single creditor. Supplier checks, bank details and payments are handled by a partner that does this every day.
What to check before choosing a solution
- Speed: can a new supplier be ordered from and paid within days, not weeks?
- Control: who verifies the supplier's identity and bank details?
- Data: do you keep line-level detail per order for reporting and VAT?
- Coverage: does it work for goods and services, in all your countries?
- Supplier experience: is the supplier paid on time, without chasing?
How Spot Buy Center handles one-time vendor payments
Spot Buy Center acts as the single creditor for all purchases outside your strategic contracts. Employees can order from any supplier, including suppliers you have never worked with. We order, receive and check the supplier invoice, pay the supplier, and send you one digital invoice per purchase order. More on our one-time vendor payments page and in procurement outsourcing.
Frequently asked questions
Is a one-time vendor account in the ERP enough?
It saves onboarding time, but bank details change per invoice, which auditors and fraud teams see as a risk.
Who carries the supplier risk?
The single creditor checks and pays the supplier; you deal with one known creditor.
Can we still choose the supplier?
Yes. You can name the supplier, or ask for one to be sourced.
