Understanding Event Rule Factors and Event Timing Rules

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

For example, RFIs aren’t used to collect advanced pricing information, so the bidding and overtime rules aren't present.

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

When administrators create a template, they can 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 the 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 can’t edit it.
• Hidden: Project owners can't see this rule or how it's 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 the bidding rule Allow participants to select bidding currency is selected, the system refreshes and shows the additional, follow-on rules that are associated with bidding currencies:

There are many event rules available in SAP Ariba Guided Sourcing, and you don't need to memorize all event rules to successfully create an event. We recommended that project owners check all the rule settings on their projects and ensure that they’re satisfied with the value if it's something that can be changed.

If the project owners see a rule that they don't understand, they can select the tooltip question mark (?) icons to see more information about the rule.

This guide contains information about SAP Ariba Sourcing event rules for SAP Ariba users and administrators who create sourcing event templates, or who create events from the templates. To find the full details, go to this document and search for event rule.

Event Rules Reference Guide | SAP Help Portal

Timing rules in guided sourcing events are found in the Event duration panel. Timing rules are required to specify how long the event lasts.

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

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

Requests for Information (RFIs) are set to open as soon as it’s published.

If an RFI is published to preview status, participants can’t respond until it’s opened.

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

Requests for Proposal (RFPs) start allowing responses when the event is published, unless you think that you'll need to edit the event because of supplier feedback.

You can 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, frequently update their bids in response.

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

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

An example of how auction format drives rule options is the rule Choose how lots will open and end.

When a template administrator edits an English style auction, they can select either Parallel, Staggered, or Serial.

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

Serial can't be changed in Dutch or Japanese auction type templates because Dutch and Japanese style auction formats have unique lotting rules. Each lot is to be opened only one after the next, and one at a time.

If the project owner sets the initial Start bidding right after event is published checkbox, preview periods are disabled, and selecting a bidding start date isn't required.

Otherwise, Event Bidding Starts is required as it specifies when participants are able to first submit responses.

To begin when the event is published, you can set the start time in the template. Project owners select a date from the calendar and specify a time.

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

The preview period can start 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’s no preview period and control is delegated to the project owner.

Follow-on rules:

• Can participants place bids during preview period? Specify whether participants can place prebids or can only review information during the preview period. Participants can't access the event if they don't place a prebid when prebids are required.
• Start and end time for preview period can either start after publish and end when auction begins or have custom start and end date entries.

A project owner selects 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.
• Staggered: all lots start bidding at the same time but close sequentially in a cascading fashion.
  • Staggered is often preferred for English Reverse Auctions.
  • It allows participants to concentrate on the item that’s closing and also allows participants that are only bidding on a few lots to leave after they’re done.
  • Each line in the Choose Lot list closes a few minutes before the next line, focusing attention sequentially on each line just before it closes.
• 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.

• For Parallel lots,Event bidding ends specifies when the event ends and participants can no longer submit bids.
• For Staggered lots, Staggered end time increments is the amount of time between subsequent line item or lot end times.
• For Serial lots, Running time for each lot is the scheduled running time for all other subsequent line items or lots in the event.
• Set a review period after lot or item closes: After bidding ends, the lot or item status changes from Open to Review. The project owner can review the bidding results, and can reopen bidding if necessary. Participants must remain logged in during the review period.

You can use the event reminder message feature to configure when and how often reminder e-mail 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.

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

Overtime gives participants more 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.