3 Ways Coupa’s Development Team Designs Effective Search Functionality
Effective search functionality is critical to enhancing Business Spend Management (BSM), especially during economic downturns when supply chain issues or travel expenses could play major roles in a business’s success. However, not all searches surface the most relevant results or provide a user-centric experience.
For many engineers who want to design effective search, they know that inadequate functionality can lead to frustrating user experiences, poor purchasing decisions, and even compliance issues. So, how can engineers make search functionality more effective for BSM professionals?
Here are three considerations for designing effective search that our development team uses at Coupa.
1. Start with good data
The key to effective search functionality starts with rich, high-quality, current data.
Rich data
When designing search functionality, it’s important to include clean-fielded, basic data, like product names and prices. But more effective search happens when you layer in rich data, such as detailed descriptions, images, part numbers, manufacturer information, and more. For example, if a person wants to search by brand, part number, or use, that information must be part of the data. If it’s not, users may encounter irrelevant search results — or, worse, no search results at all.
High-quality data
Like many things, “garbage in” leads to “garbage out.” It does not help the search experience to add large volumes of poor, irrelevant data. For instance, if you have a list of items with accurate titles but unstructured or unclear descriptions, it might be better to avoid including those descriptions. The information should also be relevant and specific to the data. For example, generic placeholder text — like TBD, N/A, or office supply — in fields rarely adds value.
Current data
When users search, they want current information instead of outdated results. Many search algorithms are even biased toward more recent information. While this is a balance with performance considerations, keeping information curated so it is up to date and actively indexed makes for more effective search.
2. Use best-in-class search technology
After years of continuous improvement, search technology is more robust and effective than ever. Doug Cutting originally wrote Lucene in 1999, which was his fifth search engine. Today, Lucene is the foundation for both Elasticsearch
and SOLR, as well as a wealth of other search engine technologies. At Coupa, we use Elasticsearch as our search technology foundation.
Here are several things search technology does that a traditional relational database does not do.
Tokenize text into words
People rarely know the full title or phrase for what they are searching. Instead, they usually expect to type a few words and find what they need. Tokenization breaks all data into words so that can happen, and it must work with every language. At Coupa, that’s why we use Unicode Text Segmentation
to support global companies.
Understand the language
Modern search technology understands the formal and informal nuances of languages across the world. For example, a person might type a plural or a singular word, even when they likely expect to find both in search results. Similarly, a person might accent a word or not, regardless of whether the formal language says it should be accented. Still, they probably want both versions to appear in search results. At Coupa, our shopping search
supports over 30 different language models.
Technology that handles mistakes
End users make mistakes. They mistype or misspell. Search technology can check near variations to find matches. At Coupa, for instance, we use Elasticsearch to find spelling equivalents of terms that users may spell incorrectly in their search queries.
3. Iterate, iterate, iterate
There is no silver bullet with search. The best search comes from constant improvement. Google, for instance, changes their algorithm over 500 times per year. Similarly, our development team at Coupa finds a balance between algorithm changes being too conservative and slow to change versus making too many changes too quickly, which can disrupt customer satisfaction. Here are a few ways that we iterate on our approach to effective search.
Analyze the data
Search is extremely data-sensitive. An algorithm that works well on some data may work poorly on other data. That’s why it’s so important to analyze the data and understand its nuances. At Coupa, we analyze customer data and community data to do this. That data is then put to use in our AI-based classifiers to make the search results most relevant for a given customer's users and products.
Monitor user behavior
Search is ultimately about connecting a real-life user to search technology. To do that, it’s imperative to fully understand user behavior to achieve the right balance in search functionality. Our method of doing this at Coupa is to use our internally developed customer tool, Content Insights, to understand the searches being run and how effective they are.
Tune for probability, not perfection
There is often no "right" answer in search since the exact same search might mean one thing to one user and something else to another. Ultimately, tuning search for user behavior is a probability game — you have to engineer search functionality to provide the most relevant or likely results that address a user’s search intent.
Effective search is a journey and a never-ending one at that, but if users can quickly and easily find what they are searching for, they will thank you for it.
Innovation doesn’t always start with a job description. In some cases, it starts with curiosity. For Keerthi Raghavendra, now an Associate Product Manager on Coupa’s AI & Analytics team, that curiosity turned into a passion project, and ultimately, a career-defining opportunity.
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AI Helps. People Hire. How Coupa Keeps Recruiting Human. At Coupa, transformation is part of who we are. Whether it’s using our platform to help businesses run smarter or how people build meaningful careers with us, integrity is at our core. We also understand that the job search can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Generative AI (GenAI) has emerged as a helpful tool in the job hunt, but we want candidates to know one thing clearly: every hiring decision at Coupa is made by real people. AI can support your journey. It will never replace real connection, context, or the value of your lived experience. It’s great if AI tools help you feel more prepared. What matters most is you and what you uniquely bring to an opportunity. Here are a few simple guidelines to help you understand our position on the ethical use of AI throughout your application process. Tips for Using AI in Your Application Journey Use AI as a starting point, not the final version. AI can help brainstorm résumé or cover-letter ideas, but your application should reflect your true experience and voice which is what we care about. Lean into what makes you stand apart. AI can refine words, but only you can share the real story behind your work, impact, and growth. Prep with AI, but don’t script interviews. AI-generated mock questions can help you practice, but we want your thinking, not rehearsed answers. Stay truthful. Using AI to organize your ideas is great. Using it to stretch or fabricate experience isn’t. Show us your authentic self.
Talent isn’t something we simply acquire but it’s more about the humanity of each current and future Coupanian to help people grow, feel supported and recognized for their efforts. Over the past year, our Talent Acquisition team has stayed focused on one core belief: when people come first, innovation, impact, and growth follow. This year was shaped by transparency, storytelling, and a renewed commitment to building a hiring experience that reflects who we truly are. Here’s a look at the moments that mattered most and how they helped us shape what’s next. Humanizing the Hiring Experience One of our biggest priorities this year was pulling back the curtain on the real Coupa hiring journey. Through our Shaping What’s Next series , we shared authentic, behind-the-scenes perspectives—from first outreach to first day on the job. Rather than focusing on the process alone, we focused on people. We highlighted: New Coupanians taking their leap Recruiters building genuine relationships Hiring managers seeking curiosity, impact, and values alignment By showing how Coupa’s Core Values come to life at every stage, we strengthened trust with candidates and reinforced transparency as a true differentiator. Talent Brand Shaped by Real People Our talent brand -- Help Shape What’s Next – came alive through the voices of the Coupa Village. This year, we amplified employee stories across regions, roles, and career stages, from campus hires to senior leaders. Through people spotlights and regional storytelling, we showcased what growth, belonging, and purpose look like in practice. These highlighted real career journeys. And that authenticity resonated deeply with both employees and future talent. Innovation, Told Through the People Building It Innovation is core to Coupa, and this year, we made a deliberate shift to tell innovation stories through the people behind the work. From engineering breakthroughs to platform evolution, we spotlighted the builders and problem-solvers shaping what’s next. Stories like Stella Lee’s journey highlighted not just technical excellence, but collaboration, leadership growth, and trust. This was reinforced through Salvatore Lombardo’s Architecting What’s Next with AI perspective , which framed AI not as a replacement for people, but as a powerful force that amplifies human capability. His vision underscored how Coupa is responsibly architecting agentic AI, grounded in real customer needs, trusted data, and human judgment.
In an AI-driven job market, metrics often lead the conversation. At Coupa, we believe the most meaningful story lives beyond the data, in the people building, collaborating, and growing together every day. That’s why being named a 2026 Built In Best Place to Work in both Chicago and Boston is especially meaningful recognition as companies shape the future of work. Built In’s data-driven evaluation, based on compensation, benefits, and culture programs, signals to candidates that Coupa invests meaningfully in its people. To bring this recognition to life, we’re spotlighting two Coupanians, one in Chicago and another in Boston whose career journeys reflect what it truly means to grow, belong, and make an impact at Coupa.
At Coupa, our people make the difference. From optimizing complex systems to driving new ideas that power global innovation, we believe in celebrating those who step up, lean in, and go beyond what’s expected. To recognize those exceptional efforts, the Coupa India Leadership Team introduced the Extra Mile Award, a quarterly honor that highlights individuals who demonstrate ownership, creativity, and impact. These are the Coupanians who set new standards for excellence and inspire others to do the same. This quarter, we’re proud to recognize three exceptional engineers—Gyanendra Ojha, Pritesh Mantri, and Akshay Sable—whose technical brilliance and collaborative spirit are helping us build smarter, more resilient systems to shape the future of spend management.
In the world of engineering here at Coupa, I’m reminded of one of our core beliefs: powerful systems should still feel simple. Yet as organizations grow, even everyday tasks such as requesting equipment, submitting a purchase, or finding the right workflow can become more complex than they should. Tracking back to early 2024, our team asked a simple question with big implications: What if we could make the user experience for these requests effortless? What started as one little idea has grown into Smart Intake & Orchestration (SIO), a reimagined way for people to navigate requests across the Coupa platform. How It All Began Coupa has been scaling fast. With more capabilities and more global customers, complexity naturally grows too. We realized that incremental fixes weren’t going to be enough. We needed to transform the entire end-to-end journey. Our goal was clear: Make every request simple, intuitive, and human, regardless of the user or the workflow behind it. Building Something New Together I joined the project early and quickly saw its potential impact. It became one of the most collaborative efforts of my career with Product, UX, engineering, and cross-functional partners all coming together with a shared purpose. We created a flexible, scalable experience framework that supports users today and grows with them for tomorrow. This wasn’t just innovation to gain business efficiency. It was innovation rooted in empathy for our customers using our platform every day. Facing Challenges and Growing from Them With any ambitious initiative, there were moments where decisions had to be made with limited precedent. We made decisions with limited precedent, tight timelines, and alignment across many teams. Some key challenges included: Balancing speed with thoughtful execution Experimenting while staying grounded Ensuring teams worldwide rallied around a shared vision Prioritizing customer needs with long-term strategy in mind These challenges made us better and reminded us to bring people in early, test ideas quickly, and keep the user experience at the heart of everything. Launching, Learning, and Iterating We officially introduced Smart Intake & Orchestration at our Coupa Inspire customer event in May 2025. Since then, we’ve partnered closely with customers to refine, evolve, and expand the capabilities. Today, many Coupa customers are already using SIO, with more on the horizon. Here is a demo and overview of SIO for those interested in learning more. It’s just the beginning and the momentum is exciting.
Ever wonder what really happens behind the scenes of a Coupa hire? In Episode 4 of our Shaping What’s Next series, we're pulling back the curtain on the full hiring experience, from initial first outreach to first day on the job. In this episode, we give you three perspectives in the process: first a recently hired Coupanian, the recruiter who discovered her, and the hiring manager who made the final call. Together, they share the process from each of their vantage points. You’ll hear how curiosity, collaboration, and Coupa’s Core Values show up in every step, from a warm first conversation to that moment when it just “clicks.” If you’ve ever thought about joining Coupa, or if you're just curious how we approach finding and growing great talent, take a peek at this inside look. Watch Episode 4: The End-to-End Hiring Journey and see how we’re shaping what’s next, one hire at a time.
Recently, Coupa India welcomed Chief Human Resources Officer Susan Tohyama and Chief Product & Technology Officer Salvatore (“Salva”) Lombardo for an unforgettable week of connection, collaboration, and culture in full force. They engaged with teams across offices including over 120 employees who have joined Coupa in the Product and Technology organization. From lively Town Halls in Pune and Hyderabad, to innovation workshops and high-energy demo sessions, the visit celebrated what makes Coupa India a vital part of our global success story: a shared drive to innovate, build, and shape what’s next — together.
Coupanians around the world unite to give back during Global Impact Week 2025. At Coupa, we believe that business is a force for good — and our greatest impact comes from the people behind our technology. During Global Impact Week 2025, employees across the world came together to give back to their local communities, embodying our sustainability and impact commitments and showing what it means to be a purpose-driven, people-first company. A week of purpose in action From river clean-up in Tokyo to blood drives in Pune, food bank volunteering in Denver to animal shelter projects in Boston, supporting cancer patients in Dublin, every act of service reflected the same belief: when we care for our communities, we help create a more sustainable, connected world. Highlights from around the globe:: The Americas Atlanta, GA and Denver, CO: Volunteers cooked breakfasts at the Ronald McDonald House and supported local food banks, bringing warmth and nourishment to families in need. Boston, MA: Teams created care packages for shelter animals, combining creativity and kindness. Minneapolis, MN: Employees volunteered at a women’s shelter, cooking, cleaning, and serving meals to 28 women and children. Philadelphia, PA: More than 50 bins of clothing for children in need were sorted and packaged by Coupanians with Cradles to Crayons. San Diego, CA: Volunteers got their hands dirty at the Solana Environmental Center, weeding gardens, planting lavender, and testing rain barrels in support of sustainability. Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia: Our teams made a powerful impact — from packing essential food kits for local foundations supporting seniors and people with disabilities, to hosting a Life Purpose Talk with Fundación Alma Perruna on compassion and community. APAC Tokyo, Japan: Teams joined the Arakawa River Cleanup, removing hazardous waste and protecting their local environment. Singapore : Volunteers supported Willing Hearts, a soup kitchen, by providing meals to those in need, including the elderly, low-income families, people with disabilities, and migrant workers.