Master Data Integration
Master data consists of general information stored in SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA (on premise) that is used in SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing solutions. This is information is used to construct transaction documents like Request for Quotations (RFQ), Awards, and Contracts.
The SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing solutions provide the integration events for standard data imports from SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA (on premise). Because your implementation probably contains extra data to be included with the SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing solutions for documents like RFQs, Awards, or Contracts, you can modify these data imports to include such data.
When you import large amounts of Master Data from your SAP System, ensure that you run the master data import task in the background. You can also import Master Data by running integration events manually from SAP Ariba Administrator.
When buyers import the master data for the first time, we recommend that you choose the Full Load mode.
Buyers can use the Incremental Load for subsequent runs to import master data records that have been added, modified, or deleted since the last master data import event.
SAP Ariba processes the master data records as follows:
When buyers import the master data using the Full Load option for the first time, SAP Ariba imports all the data from the SAP ERP to the SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing.
On subsequent runs using the Full Load option, SAP Ariba only imports the newly added data and updates the changed values for the existing data.
When buyers run the Incremental Load event, SAP Ariba only imports the newly added data, updates the changed values for the existing data, and deletes the data that is no longer required.
Material Master Data
Material Master Data contains a large volume of information. For best performance, always set filters that specify the criteria based on which you can import smaller subsets.
- When buyers import material master data, the master data includes material master plant-associated data and material master language-associated data.
- When buyers import cross-application master data for Incoterms, the master data includes Incoterms language-associated data.
Required Master Data
| Required Master Data | |
|---|---|
| Organizational Master Data | Plant Plant Purchase Org Company Code Purchase Org Purchase Group |
| Cross-Application Configuration Data | Payment Terms Incoterms |
| Material Master Data | Material Master Item Category ERP Commodity Code Purchase Info Record (PIR) |
Prerequisites
- Ensure that you have maintained the Connection Parameters for the master data. You need to maintain the parameters via the SPRO node of the Managed Gateway Add-On. These entries are added to the ARBCIG_AUTHPARAM table.
Hint
For more information on how to maintain the Connection Parameters for the master data, refer to Unit 2, Lesson 6 of Common Configurations for Master Data Integration in the Learning Journey Exploring the features of SAP Integration Suite, managed gateway for spend management and SAP Business Network here at learning.sap.com. - Ensure that you have maintained the required parameters for Sourcing. You need to maintain the parameters via the SPRO node of the Managed Gateway Add-On. These entries are added to the ARBCIG_TVARV table.
Hint
For more information on how to maintain the parameters for Sourcing, refer to Unit 2, Lesson 2 of this course, Maintaining Parameters for SAP Ariba Sourcing Master Data Integration. - Ensure that you have maintained the mapping of Ariba Condition Types with SAP Condition Types for Purchase Info Records (PIR).
Hint
For more information on how to maintain the parameters for Sourcing, refer to Unit 2, Lesson 4 of this course, Maintaining the Mapping of Ariba Condition Types to SAP Condition Types for Purchase Info Records.
- Configure your SAP system to use either Direct Connectivity integration or Mediated Connectivity integration.
- Ensure that you have maintained the External System Configuration in the Master Data Manager area of the Ariba Administrator.
Hint
For more information on how to configure External System, refer to Unit 2, Lesson 1 of this course, Configuring External System. - Ensure that you import the Plant, Plant-Purchase Org, Purchase Org & Purchase Group master data before you run the master data import for the Material Master.
- To prevent incorrect success messages with a blank Purchaseinforecordnumber when SAP ERP does not create purchase info records, ensure that you apply the SAP note, 2893586 – PIR creation from Ariba fails without error published on the SAP site.
- Apply SAP Note 2811198 information published on the SAP site.
- To set the pricing validity date as December 31, 9999, enable the parameter ENABLE_PIR_END_DATE_MODIFICATION.
Limitations
SAP Integration Suite, managed gateway for spend management and SAP Business Network does not support the following:
Master data integration with SAP Fieldglass.
Using Ariba Integration Tool Kit-based integration for importing master data from SAP system to SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing and SAP Ariba Contracts.
SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing does not support the deletion of material class information.
Deletion of Purchase Info Records (PIRs).
Scale-based conditions
Creation of purchase info records for multiple conditions
Hint
To know more about the limitations in integrating master data from SAP system to SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing, refer to the following section of SAP Integration Suite, Managed Gateway for Spend Management and SAP Business Network Overview Guide:
Working with Master Data > Import Master Data for SAP Ariba Sourcing and SAP Ariba Contracts > Limitations