Understanding Supplier Qualification Process

Yes, for new suppliers (with considerations)

• Keep it simple
  • Current state qualification process is not recommended for component suppliers or regulated industries

No, for existing suppliers

• Unnecessary to complete the template-based process
  • Administrators can upload qualification status data

Integrations with other SAP Ariba solutions

• Can use qualification status to limit sourcing event participation and/or award eligibility in SAP Ariba Sourcing
• Qualified suppliers used in guided buying

Supplier qualifications and engagement risk assessments have some similarities, but are used to different purposes. Supplier qualification, a lifecycle process in SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance, is used as a prerequisite to designating a supplier a preferred supplier for a specific commodity, region, and (optionally) department combination. Engagement risk assessment, a process in SAP Ariba Supplier Risk, is used to measure and mitigate the amount of risk of engaging with a supplier on a project for a specific commodity, region, and department combination.

• SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Prformance
  • Used as a prerequisite to designating a supplier as preferred for a specific combination of commodity/region/department

• SAP Ariba Supplier Risk
  • Used to measure and mitigate the risk of engaging with a supplier on a particular project for a commodity/region/department