Reviewing Integrations with other SAP Applications

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to explain the process of integrating SAP Ariba with other SAP applications.

Additional Integrations – SAP Fieldglass

The step-by-step process of integration between SAP Ariba Procurement solutions and SAP Fieldglass solutions is displayed.

Tight workflow integration between SAP Ariba Procurement solutions and SAP Fieldglass solutions enables buyers to handle their workforce management and services procurement processes in SAP Fieldglass solution while the financial approvals occur in the SAP Ariba solution.

Relevant invoicing and payment information flows between the two solutions via Ariba Network.

This feature is available in:

  • SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing
  • SAP Ariba Buying

SAP Fieldglass - Workflow

The step-by-step process displaying SAP Fieldglass workflow.

Services Procurement Flow for contingent labor work orders and SOWs - SAP Fieldglass, SAP Ariba Procurement & Ariba Network

Additional Integrations - Invoice Conversion Services

The process flow of Invoice Conversion Services is displayed.

SAP Ariba Invoice Conversion Services (ICS) solutions facilitate conversion of paper invoices to an electronic format using a process that includes validation. A service provider receives invoices on behalf of the buyer and converts them to an electronic format for posting to Ariba Network.

SAP Ariba ICS solutions:

  • Automate invoice data entry and validation
  • Reduce supplier inquiries
  • Enable paper invoices to be routed, approved, and reconciled in the same way as electronic invoices, streamlining invoice handling.
  • Drive electronic adoption by establishing supplier accounts on Ariba Network

Open ICS is an alternate option available for buyers who wish to work with their own service provider and load invoices from another system into SAP Ariba Procurement for reconciliation or other processing.

ICS Exception Handling

Invoices the buyer must take action on:

Policies and procedures for exception handling are jointly agreed on by the buyer, the service provider, and SAP Ariba. Policies and procedures vary depending on the business rules established.

Service providers may offer an exception report or online document center listing invoices that failed to post to Ariba Network due to an issue that requires the buyer to take action.

Invoices that did not pass the buyer’s invoice transaction rules appear on the Invoices page in the Inbox of the buyer’s Ariba Network account with a status of Failed.

Example: ICS with suppliers who are not registered on the Ariba Network

If a service provider posts an invoice to the Ariba Network from a supplier that is not registered on Ariba Network, a private supplier account is created. A private supplier is a supplier that has not yet registered on Ariba Network and taken ownership of the account. SAP Ariba Procurement supports transactions with private suppliers.

During the ICS process, Ariba Network creates private suppliers as follows:

  • If the service provider cannot find a private ID that matches the invoice, the service provider uses domain="ProviderID" instead of domain="PrivateID" in the identity element of the From credential of the cXML. PrivateID indicates a known supplier whereas ProviderID indicates an unknown supplier.
  • The Ariba Network checks whether the cXML invoice includes a supplier provider ID that already exists on Ariba Network.
  • If the Ariba Network does not find a supplier that matches the one specified in the invoice, a temporary private supplier account is created. The invoice is added to the Unassigned Invoices page for the buyer to resolve.
  • Depending on the resolution of an unassigned invoice, Ariba Network might invite the supplier to register and take ownership of the account.

Supplier matching:

When the Ariba Network receives an ICS invoice, it attempts to match the specified supplier with a supplier on the Ariba Network. The process depends on whether the ICS invoice uses a private ID or a provider ID to specify the supplier.

  • If a service provider posts an invoice to the Ariba Network from a supplier that is not registered on Ariba Network, a temporary private supplier account is created. A private supplier is a supplier that has not yet registered on Ariba Network and taken ownership of the account. SAP Ariba Procurement supports transactions with private suppliers.
  • The invoice is added to the Unassigned Invoices page for the buyer to resolve. Depending on the resolution of an unassigned invoice, Ariba Network might invite the supplier to register and take ownership of the account.

Conversion exceptions:

Buyers using SAP Ariba Procure-to-Pay or SAP Ariba Invoice Professional can process ICS invoice exceptions (called conversion exceptions) directly in their SAP Ariba solution, without having to log in to their SAP Ariba Network account.

Learning

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