Customizing Event Messages

SAP Ariba Sourcing automatically generates notifications to inform users about the state of an event.

Depending on the situation, SAP Ariba Sourcing sends notifications as instant messages, emails, or both.

• The system does not send instant messages, since generally your participants are not logged into the system at that time.
• The system generates different emails depending on whether or not a participant has used the system before.
• The system also logs this action to the Log tab.

1. When you publish an event, the system automatically sends invitation email to invited participants.

2. Suppose an owner cancels an in-progress event.

• SAP Ariba Sourcing notifies participants by automatically sending an instant message, an email, or both, as appropriate.
• SAP Ariba Sourcing archives notifications in the Message Center or My Messages page for a specific event, and in the Notifications page, which stores all notifications for a specific user.

Notification content is determined by atemplate.

You can modify the templates for a single user in an event, for all users in an event, and for all events.

The templates use special capitalized variables enclosed by brackets [ ] to insert contextual information into the notifications.

Subject: Event [EVENT_TITLE] is cancelled.

Content:

On [CANCELLATION_TIME_AND_DATE], the [SPONSOR_CORPORATE_NAME] Event [CBE_NUMBER] [EVENT_TITLE] was cancelled. The event is no longer available.

If you have questions, please contact [SPONSOR_BUYER_NAME] at [SPONSOR_PHONE] or via e-mail at [SPONSOR_EMAIL].

Thank you,

[SPONSOR_CORPORATE_NAME]

The capitalized phrases contained in brackets, for example [EVENT_TITLE], are variables that the system replaces with information specific to the event when generating a notification.

You can edit the template to alter the generated notifications.

• Note: As you edit the text, add or remove the bracketed, capitalized variables, but be sure not to change them, or the system cannot recognize them and will not substitute the desired values.

Users must be a member of the Sourcing Agent group, or above, to edit event and user-level event notification templates.

You can customize notifications for a specific event, and for a specific participant in the event.

A project owner can deviate from the site-wide templates for a single event, or edit inexperienced supplier message templates to make the information more detailed.

While editing or creating an event, go to the Summary page.

ChooseChoose Actions ＞ Customize Messages.

Choose the message you want to customize, and click Customize.

To customize the template for all participants in the event, leave Apply Template to at its default setting of All participants.

To customize the template at user-level, choose that user’s name.

• An asterisk (*) next to a user’s name indicates that their template is already customized.

Optionally, you can click Enable / Disable to enable or disable a message for the event.

The Status column indicates whether a message template is enabled or disabled.

Note

Be sure to choose the Apply Template to setting before editing the template. Changing this field causes any edits you make to be lost.

• Communicate clearly and often with your suppliers

• Always use internal and Supplier Practice Auctions

• Give them plenty of time to prepare

• Tell them they need to know their starting bid and their final bid before the auction begins

• Maximize your data before making a decision

  • Let the market data pinpoint where the competition is strongest

  • Always collect an RFP price or prebid before auction begins

• Maximize the effect of the competition on all bid points

• Review all cost components and variables that impact cost as potential bid points

• Email suppliers 48 hours before either responses due or auction
• Confirm supplier status and follow-up as required
• Verify either intent to bid or intent to respond
• Answer any remaining questions
• Verify contact information with suppliers
• Check voice mail and or regular email for any supplier messages
• Determine if any suppliers need assistance (i.e. surrogate bidders)
• Track bidder activity (bids, responses, etc.)
• Take proactive action with delinquent suppliers
• Contact the SAP Ariba Help Desk with any technical problems (e.g. suppliers unable to log on)
• Remain logged on until completion

• SAP Ariba provides Event Day Management (EDM) services to each SAP Ariba Sourcing customer at no charge. The SAP Ariba Market Coordination team is responsible for delivering EDM services to all customers who do not maintain their own EDM.

• The objective of EDM is to maintain the integrity of the market on each competitive event - ensuring that each participant is held to a fair standard - and to maximize the participation on each event.

• Customers can choose to conduct their own EDM at any time of their contract with SAP Ariba. The request should be made by a Designated Support Contact via a Service Request.

Event Day Management tasks are performed proactively by the SAP Ariba Market Coordination team, who specialize in the SAP Ariba Sourcing product – specifically, sourcing events.

There are 11 EDM functions that can be carried out by a Market Integrity Specialist. Each function is paired with a set of policies and best practices that are outlined by SAP Ariba Support.

1. Remove a bid from an event
2. Lock/Unlock a participant
3. Send messages to the market
4. Extend/Reduce event timing
5. Pause/Resume an event
6. Close/Cancel an event in progress
7. Reopen an event
8. Initiate a critical issue notification
9. Suspend an event
10. Place a surrogate bid
11. Assign a Direct Line for an event