Direct Spend Vs. Indirect Spend: What’s the Difference and Why it Matters

Every dollar your business spends has a purpose—but not all expenses are created equal. Some directly fuel the products and services you sell, while others keep the lights on and the business running. Understanding the difference between direct spend and indirect spend is essential for controlling costs, improving efficiency, and making smarter financial decisions.

Think of it like this: Direct spend is the fuel in your car—it powers your business forward. Indirect spend is everything else that keeps the vehicle running smoothly, from maintenance to insurance. Both are essential, but they require different management strategies.

Let’s break it down and explore why this distinction matters.

What Is Direct Spend?

Direct spend includes all expenses directly tied to the production of goods or services. Without these costs, your business wouldn’t be able to operate or generate revenue.

Examples of direct spend include:

• Raw materials for manufacturing products
• Equipment and machinery used in production
• Packaging materials for shipping goods
• Freight and logistics to deliver products

Because direct spend directly impacts the cost of goods sold (COGS) and profit margins, businesses closely monitor these costs to maintain efficiency and competitiveness.

What Is Indirect Spend?

Indirect spend covers all the expenses that support business operations but aren’t directly involved in production. While these costs don’t contribute to COGS, they are essential for maintaining a functional business.

Examples of indirect spend include:

• Office supplies and software
• Marketing and advertising
• Employee travel and expenses
• Utilities and facility maintenance
• IT systems and support

Unlike direct spend, indirect spend can be unpredictable, spanning multiple departments with frequent, decentralized purchases. This makes tracking, controlling, and optimizing indirect spend more complex—but also more critical.

Why Is It Important to Differentiate Between Direct and Indirect Spend?

Each category of spend impacts businesses differently, so it’s important to understand the differences for effective financial management.

Financial Impact

Understanding direct vs. indirect spend helps businesses:
✔ Set accurate pricing and production costs
✔ Optimize operational expenses
✔ Improve profitability and cash flow

For companies with multiple product lines or divisions, differentiating these expenses ensures proper cost allocation and helps calculate true profitability.

Resource Allocation

By categorizing spend, businesses can:
✔ Negotiate better supplier contracts for direct spend
✔ Streamline approval processes for indirect spend
✔ Automate workflows for efficiency

Adding the right infrastructure and technology partner can help you with indirect spend. Our research shows that companies adopting an integrated travel and expense (T&E) solution see significant improvements, including:

• 21% savings in travel bookings and expense reporting
• 20% lower processing costs for invoices
• 26% increase in policy compliance

Risk Mitigation & Fraud Prevention

Mismanaged spend—whether direct or indirect—can lead to financial leaks and compliance risks. Implementing automated spend controls helps businesses:

✔ Flag noncompliant or excessive expenses

✔ Reduce fraudulent transactions (and detect fraud more easily)

✔ Improve audit readiness and transparency

More Strategic, Informed Decisions

Ultimately, understanding these fundamental differences between direct and indirect spend can help you optimize your procurement and spending strategies. Categorizing your spend enables you to identify areas where you can reduce costs and understand the impact it will have on your operation — helping you make more informed financial decisions.

Key Metrics for Direct and Indirect Spend

Tracking spend effectively means using the right KPIs and benchmarks. 

Direct spend metrics include:

• Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) as % of Revenue: Directly impacts profit margins and helps track production efficiency.
• Supplier On-Time Delivery Rate: Critical for production planning and maintaining efficient operations
• Quality/Defect Rate: Affects customer satisfaction and rework costs
• Direct Material Cost per Unit: Essential for product pricing and maintaining competitive margins
• Inventory Turnover Ratio: Key indicator of working capital efficiency and supply chain management

Indirect spend metrics include:

• Indirect Spend as % of Revenue: Crucial for understanding overall operational efficiency
• Purchase Order Cycle Time: Key indicator of procurement process efficiency
• Policy Compliance Rate: Important for risk management and cost control
• Cost Savings Achievement Rate: Measures effectiveness of cost reduction initiatives
• Supplier Consolidation Rate: Helps to leverage buying power and reduce administrative costs

The metrics you choose in your business may be different, but these are some of the more common ways companies analyze spend to ensure expenses are in line with financial goals. Benchmarking these metrics against industry standards ensures financial goals stay on track.

How SAP Concur Solutions Optimize Direct and Indirect Spend Management

A smart spend management strategy requires visibility, control, and automation. SAP Concur solutions empower businesses to:

✔ Streamline Expense Management – Automate approvals, reduce errors, and enhance spend visibility.
✔ Integrate Procurement Systems – Track direct spend with real-time supplier data and insights.
✔ Enhance Spend Visibility – Monitor indirect spend, flag policy violations, and improve compliance.

Understanding the difference between direct and indirect spend isn’t just about classification—it’s about making smarter financial decisions that drive profitability.

Ready to take control of your business spend? Request a demo to explore how SAP Concur solutions can help your business run at its best.