Top features to look for in a category management platform

In 2025, procurement leaders are facing one of the most complex category management landscapes in decades. Supply markets are more volatile, data volumes are exploding, and expectations of procurement have evolved far beyond cost reduction. 
Today’s category managers must be forecasters, analysts, and strategists – often all at once. 

Amid this constant flux, traditional category management approaches are showing their limits. Annual category plans struggle to keep pace with daily market shifts, and static reports are outdated by the time they reach decision-makers. In response, leading organizations are turning to next-generation category management platforms that not only consolidate data but help category managers interpret, anticipate, and act on it. 

But what truly differentiates a modern category management solution? What features matter most in an environment where markets can turn overnight and procurement needs to deliver competitiveness every day? 

Let’s explore the top capabilities to look for, and how they enable smarter, faster, and more resilient category strategies. 

1. Real-time market intelligence across categories 

Gone are the days when annual category reports were enough. In today’s environment of unpredictable inflation, supply shocks, and geopolitical disruption, category managers need real-time visibility into what’s changing – and what it means. 

The best category management solutions today go beyond dashboards and static metrics. They continuously aggregate and analyze data from thousands of sources, providing live updates on cost drivers, supply-demand trends, and market shifts. 

For instance, Beroe’s Category Watch provides continuous intelligence across 2,500+ direct and indirect categories, blending AI-powered insights with human validation. This helps procurement professionals stay informed and agile, identifying potential disruptions before they escalate and spotting cost-saving or cost-avoidance opportunities early. 

Why it matters now: 
Markets no longer move quarterly – they move hourly. A solution that delivers live, trusted insights allows category managers to anticipate rather than react, protecting margins and ensuring business continuity. 

2. Integration of AI and human intelligence 

Artificial intelligence has become indispensable in category management. But as most procurement leaders know, AI without human judgment can mislead as easily as it can guide. The most effective solutions in 2025 will not rely on AI alone, they will combine automation and analytics with human expertise and contextual interpretation. 

AI can process vast data sets, identify trends, and surface anomalies far faster than humans can. However, procurement still requires nuance – understanding supplier relationships, contract terms, and market context. This is where the integration of AI and human intelligence (HI) becomes essential. 

Beroe’s Category Watch is designed around this philosophy. It combines AI-powered analytics with expert human contextual knowledge, ensuring that every insight is accurate, relevant, and grounded in real-world market context. 

Why it matters now: 
As AI becomes more pervasive, human context remains procurement’s competitive edge. The combination of machine precision and expert interpretation ensures accuracy, credibility, and confidence in every decision. 

3. Proactive alerts and advisories 

In 2025, agility defines category excellence. The best category managers aren’t the ones reacting to news, they’re the ones who see it coming. That’s why modern category management platforms must feature proactive alerts and advisories. 

AI-driven alert systems can now scan global data streams for market, supplier, and geopolitical signals, providing procurement teams with real-time notifications when risks or opportunities emerge. The most effective platforms go one step further, turning these alerts into contextual recommendations – not just informing you that a price is rising, but explaining why and suggesting next actions. 

Within Beroe’s Category Watch, the Alerts and Advisories module powered by Abi, Beroe’s AI assistant, performs exactly this function. It delivers daily updates, proactive supplier alerts, and market advisories that help category managers adjust sourcing locations, renegotiate terms, or secure supply – before issues escalate. In addition, category-specific webinars and podcasts, as well as a clear category health score, allow users a quick overview of overall category performance and emerging priorities, enabling faster, more confident decision-making. 

Why it matters now: 
Speed is value. Pre-emptive alerts transform risk management from a defensive activity into a strategic advantage. Teams can act in hours, not weeks, turning disruption into opportunity. 

Why it matters now: 
Global uncertainty is here to stay. Integrating geopolitical awareness helps procurement teams safeguard continuity, diversify sourcing, and maintain resilience in the face of disruption. 

4. Benchmarking capabilities for continuous improvement 

Category management is no longer about one-time analysis – it’s about continuous competitiveness. To stay ahead, teams need the ability to measure and compare performance dynamically, not just annually. 

Modern category management platforms integrate benchmarking modules that let organizations evaluate sourcing practices against peers, industry leaders, or internal best performers. This helps identify performance gaps, assess efficiency, and set realistic improvement targets. 

Beroe’s Benchmarking sub-module enables procurement teams to evaluate key categories’ performance across 18 key dimensions – from cost competitiveness and lead times to supplier diversity and sustainability. It transforms benchmarking from a static exercise into an actionable process for improvement. 

Why it matters now: 
Procurement excellence is iterative. Benchmarking empowers teams to evolve continuously, aligning category strategies with changing market realities and enterprise goals. 

5. End-to-end category insights and contextual intelligence 

While many solutions offer raw data, few can deliver contextual intelligence – insights that connect the dots between cost trends, supplier behavior, and market drivers. 

In 2025, category managers need tools that don’t just present information but explain it. They need to understand why costs are rising, which suppliers are exposed, and how market shifts impact sourcing strategy. 

Beroe’s Category Watch addresses precisely this need. Covering more than 2,500 categories, it offers in-depth analysis of cost structures, market trends, and negotiation levers. The platform also integrates strategic frameworks like Porter’s Five Forces and category maturity assessments, giving users a holistic understanding of each market’s dynamics. 

Why it matters now: 
In a data-rich world, insight is the true differentiator. Category managers who can quickly translate intelligence into action will consistently outperform those navigating with outdated or fragmented information. 

6. Accessibility and digital-first design 

As remote collaboration becomes standard, category management platforms must be digital-first – accessible, intuitive, and mobile-friendly. Teams need to be able to pull up insights on demand, from anywhere in the world, whether preparing for a supplier negotiation or briefing an internal stakeholder. 

The latest generation of category management tools provides cloud-based access, role-based dashboards, and customizable notifications that fit seamlessly into existing workflows. This level of accessibility ensures category managers always have the intelligence they need, right when they need it. 

Beroe’s digital-first approach ensures that users can access updates and insights easily, whether from a laptop in the office or a mobile device on the go, maintaining decision velocity even in distributed teams. 

Why it matters now: 
Speed and accessibility are now inseparable. Digital-first platforms ensure category managers remain connected, informed, and effective – no matter where or when they work. 

7. Actionable, not just informational, insights 

Procurement teams don’t just need more data, they need actionable guidance. In 2025, the most valuable category management platforms will be those that convert intelligence into clear next steps. 

This means delivering insights that are not only descriptive (what happened) but prescriptive and predictive (what to do and what’s likely next). AI and analytics make this possible by modeling different market scenarios and recommending optimal actions – from renegotiating contracts to shifting sourcing regions. 

Beroe’s Category Watch is built with this outcome-oriented design. Its insights don’t just describe conditions; they guide action. Whether identifying a new sourcing opportunity or flagging a supplier risk, the platform helps category managers act decisively and strategically. 

Why it matters now: 
Procurement’s value is measured not by the data it collects but by the outcomes it delivers. Actionable intelligence bridges the gap between awareness and advantage. 

Category management that keeps up with the market 

The future of category management is not about collecting more data – it’s about making better decisions faster. The right category management platform should act as an always-on intelligence partner, empowering teams to anticipate changes, mitigate risks, and unlock new opportunities. 

Solutions like Beroe’s Category Watch exemplify this evolution. By combining AI with expert insight and offering specialized modules across Category Insights, Geopolitical Alerts, Benchmarking, and Alerts & Advisories, it transforms how category managers plan, decide, and act. 

In a world where procurement must deliver competitiveness every day, not once a year, having a trusted intelligence engine isn’t just helpful – it’s essential.