Understanding Event Rule Factors and Event Timing Rules

Not all rules are applicable across all event types, and you may see some rules displayed in one event type but not another.

For example, RFIs are not used to collect pricing information, so the currency rules are not present.

Rules may be preset in the template, and hidden from view in the event.

When creating a template, administrators have the option to withhold control of a rule from the person who is using the template to create an event.

The options are:

• Delegated: The ability to edit this rule is delegated to project owner. Project owners can see this rule and are allowed to change the setting.
• Read only: Project owners can see this rule and setting, but cannot edit it.
• Hidden: Project owners cannot see this rule or how it is set.

The Rules page is dynamic, meaning the value you set for a rule could cause the system to automatically refresh the page and display or hide other related rules.

For example, if you changed the value of the bidding rule above Enable scoring on participant responses to Yes, the system would refresh and show the additional rule Enable blind grading on participant responses.

This guide contains information about SAP Ariba Sourcing event rules for SAP Ariba users and administrators who are creating sourcing event templates, or who are creating events from the templates.

Select the below link to access the guide.

Event Rules Reference Guide | SAP Help Portal

Event timing rules control event timing, bidding periods, preview periods, and review periods.

Below are some usage considerations for timing rules across event types:

Request for Information (RFIs) do not collect pricing information or involve as much time pressure as an auction. You generally set one to open as soon as you publish it.

If an RFI is published to Preview status, participants cannot respond until you open it.

You can leave it open however long you think is necessary for all your suppliers to log in, conduct their own internal research as needed, and submit their responses.

Request for Proposal (RFPs) generally start allowing responses as soon as the event is published, unless you think it likely that you will need to edit the event as a result of supplier feedback.

You can either end the bidding time after some specific duration, or at a specific time.

Auctions involve real-time supplier interaction. For an event to be successful, schedule it when all invited suppliers can log into SAP Ariba Sourcing and bid at the same time.

Suppliers who receive information about competitors during bidding will frequently update their bids in response.

You can create a preview period (or qualifying round) and allow suppliers to submit prebids.

You can configure how overtime works, and set up the amount of time between staggered lot closings.

A prime example of how auction format drives rule options is the rule: Specify how lot timing will begin and end.

In an English style auction, you can select either Parallel, Staggered, or Serial.

However, for Dutch and Japanese auctions, Serial is the only option.

The time between when you publish the event and the bidding start time is called thepreview period .

The preview period starts when the event is published and ends when the bidding starts. It provides time for participants to review the event and decide how to respond.

SAP Ariba recommends providing anywhere from a few days to several weeks for the preview period, depending on how complex the event is. By default, there is no preview period and control is delegated to the project owner.

Follow-on rules:

• Can participants place bids during preview period
• Start Time
• Prebid End Time

A project owner will select the sequence of when bidding opens and closes for different lots:

• Parallel: the bidding start time is the same for all lots and the end time is the same for all lots.
  • This is the only choice available for an RFI.
• Staggered: all lots start bidding at the same time but close sequentially.
  • Staggered is often preferred.
  • It allows participants to concentrate on the item that is closing and also allows participants that are only bidding on a few lots to leave after they are done.
• Serial means that bidding for one lot ends before bidding for the next one begins. Only one line is open for bidding at one time.

• Running time for the first lot
• Time between lot closing
• Bid adjustment interval

The planned start time is when bidding begins. For RFIs and RFPs, it is when participants may begin to respond.

The start time can be set in the template to begin when the event is published. You can enter these values free form, but it is better to select a date from the calendar or time list to ensure that the value is valid, in the future, and in the correct format.

When creating the template, you can set the bidding duration in minutes, hours, or days, but the project owner can change the duration or set the end of the bidding period to a specific date and time.

You can use the event reminder message feature to configure when and how often reminder email notifications and online messages are sent to event participants and internal users.

Event reminder messages remind event participants about the state of an event and remind internal users to respond to surveys.

The lot status changes from Open to Review when the bidding ends when this rule is enabled.

During this period, you can reopen the bidding. A review period enables the project owner to review the bidding results. When the review period ends, the lot status changes to Pending Selection.

SAP Ariba recommends that participants remain logged in, in case you reopen the bidding.

Any bid received too close to the end of the bidding period extends the bidding period.

Overtime gives participants additional time to respond to late bids of other participants.

It benefits the buyer to allow other participants to further improve their bids. The project owner can specify how close the bid has to be to the end and how long the overtime period lasts. When overtime is enabled, there can be an unlimited number of overtime periods.

"I think I will set my reverse auction for office laptop lots as serial, and I will not include a preview period, nor a review period after lots. I do not want tie bids, and I want to include overtime.

Alright, my timing rules are set, so now I need to set the event currency and bidding rules."

Monique