Networked Business with SAP Ariba | Column
This article appeared in the Oct Nov Dec 2016 issue
of SAPinsider (www.SAPinsiderOnline.com) and appears
here with permission from the publisher, WIS Publishing.
The Best of Both Worlds
Integrating SAP Ariba Solutions with Your SAP Infrastructure
Businesses around the world continue to seek ways to
integrations for SAP ERP and SAP S/4HANA. These
streamline sourcing, procurement, and supply chain
standard integrations help ensure a streamlined
processes. Organizations like Kaeser Kompressoren,
end-to-end process, and are available for both master
a manufacturer of compressed air products and ser-
data and transactional data. Integration is offered
vices, are increasingly turning to the scalability and
through direct connectivity or mediated through SAP
flexibility of cloud-based solutions to achieve this
Process Integration.
goal, but still have on-premise infrastructures built
around SAP ERP software to manage their business.
Manoj
Narayan
(manoj.narayan@sap.
com) is Senior Director of
Solutions Management
at SAP Ariba. In this role,
he is responsible for the
strategy, roadmap, and
product management
of the cloud integration
solutions.
The standard integration for SAP ERP and SAP Ariba
sourcing solutions helps ensure smooth, integrated
So how do you protect your existing on-premise
sourcing processes. Sourcing events are initiated from
investments while taking advantage of the innova-
SAP ERP and are negotiated with the Ariba Sourcing
tions offered by the cloud? SAP Ariba solutions are
solution; a follow-up purchase order is then created in
developed with this need in mind, offering flexible
SAP ERP. Similar integrations are available for Ariba
solutions for combining on-premise implementations
Contract Management, and bidirectional vendor
with cloud-based technology while minimizing costs.
master integration is available for Ariba Supplier
Information and Performance Management and SAP
Integration to the Ariba Network
ERP, SAP S/4HANA, or SAP Master Data Governance.
The Ariba Network helps buyers and suppliers con-
Standard integration is also provided between SAP
nect and manage everything from indirect and direct
Ariba procurement solutions and SAP ERP or SAP
expenses to payments and financing, ensuring supply
S/4HANA, allowing for the easy management of all
chain visibility, efficiency, and collaboration. Buyers
procurement processes.
with on-premise SAP ERP implementations have two
options for integrating the Ariba Network with their
The Best of Both Worlds
back-end systems: an add-on to SAP Business Suite that
The ability to combine on-premise systems with SAP
supports integration with the Ariba Network without
Ariba solutions enables you to take advantage of
the need for protocol mapping, and an adapter for
the innovation and agility that come with the cloud
the Ariba Network that can be used with SAP Process
while preserving existing implementations — giving
Integration to connect the Ariba Network and SAP ERP.
you the best of both worlds. For instance, Al-Futtaim
For suppliers, Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway, built
Automotive Group selected SAP Ariba solutions to
on SAP HANA Cloud Platform, enables simple and
transform its procurement process into a more stra-
efficient integration of their SAP ERP systems with the
tegic function. The company deployed the Ariba
Ariba Network. It reduces the deployment and integra-
Sourcing solution to support its cost reduction initia-
tion time needed to connect with multiple buyers by
tives and create a fair marketplace for its suppliers.
leveraging a web application that connects back-end
The company integrated the Ariba Procure-to-Pay
systems to the Ariba Network. This solution is in limited
solution with SAP ERP to create an easy and transpar-
availability, but will soon be generally available.
ent procure-to-pay process as well as drive contract
compliance. This resulted in increased compliance
Integration to SAP Ariba Solutions
for contract buying and accumulated savings of $25
The cloud integration options for SAP Ariba sourc-
million in total indirect spend.
ing and procurement solutions provide standard
To learn more, visit ari.ba/integration.
Subscribe today. Visit SAPinsiderOnline.com.
The ability
to combine
on-premise
systems with
SAP Ariba cloud
solutions gives
you the best of
both worlds.