Ariba 2024 Q1 Release: Our Top Feature Picks
The SAP Ariba 2024 Q1 Release includes over 60 features. Most of the features in this release focus in the Upstream applications – SAP Strategic Sourcing Suite, SAP Ariba Supplier Risk, SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance.
The items listed below are the top features that we have picked with the SAP Ariba upstream and downstream applications.
How to Configure These Updates
As always, there are three configuration categories for SAP’s updates: Automatically On, Customer Configured and Contact SAP Support to Enable. There are no features in this release that require SAP support to enable. You can learn more about these three categories in our article Ariba Quarterly Releases: FAQ.
Ariba 2024 Q1 Release: Upstream Feature Updates
Sourcing and Contracts Improvements
Products: SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing Suite (Guided Sourcing); SAP Ariba Contracts
Integration: Automatically On; Customer Configured
DMS-19304 – Support for Approved Manufacturer Facilities Data in Guided Sourcing
This feature adds support for retrieving the Approved Manufacturer Facilities (AMF) data for suppliers participating in guided sourcing events created to get material quotes from product sourcing. Buyers can use this information to review the factory details of suppliers before publishing the event.
ET-2020 – Additional options for configuring the event date and time settings in guided sourcing templates
This feature introduces additional options to the Due date rule in the Timing Rules section of the guided sourcing event templates to allow template administrators to:
– specify a date and time value for the event end date
– delegate the event end date configuration to the event owners or mark it as hidden or read-only
This requirement will help customers to get better control of configuring the bidding time.
ET-2154 – Ability to Publish Sourcing Events Without Inviting Suppliers
This feature introduces an ICM parameter that enables buyer users to publish sourcing events without inviting suppliers.
SM-42887 – Enhancement to Grade Weight Tables
Buyer or Grader will have the possibility to download an excel, fill the offline grading file and upload back to the application.
SC-19392 and SS-44926 and SS-47048 – Disable User Group Creation in Contract Workspaces and Guided Sourcing Projects
In an RFP template, a (template) admin has the ability to set a user group as not editable by event owner and prevent adding additional members. However, this does not prevent the owner from creating a new user group and adding desired users with privileges. This has been reported as a compliance issue (legal and regulatory) by customers in some countries. The feature will disable the ability to create group in the Teams screen of a sourcing event.
SS-44238 – Support for Custom Filters from SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance in Guided Sourcing
This feature enhances the supplier search and filtering options in guided sourcing instances that are integrated with SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance by integrating custom filters from SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance. The custom filters integrated from SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance are displayed in the Invite Suppliers page of guided sourcing events.
SS-46843 – Ability to Create SAP Business Network Discovery Postings for Guided Sourcing
The feature provides the buyers options to publish private sector and public sector discovery posts in Ariba Business Network. Feature will allow new suppliers in Ariba Business Network or external suppliers to find the posting details and express intent to participate. Also provides for suppliers to bid on the event in case of public sector posting.
SS-46948 – Ability to Create Multi-Currency Events by Using the Event Management API
Many customers transact with suppliers based in global markets and deal with multiple currencies. In events where buyers want to enable multi-currency functionality, this feature will help to submit bids for different suppliers in the currency specified by them.
SSR-5882 – Dynamic Sourcing Library Lot Definition Enhancements
Lot definitions created in the Dynamic Sourcing Library (or on the Category Attribute Hierarchy Category Attribute Management page) are now automatically added to sourcing events when specific rule conditions are met.
Supplier Management Improvements
Products: SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance; SAP Ariba Supplier Risk
Integration: Automatically On; Customer Configured
ARI-20183 – Improved Accessibility in SAP Ariba Supplier Risk
The SAP Ariba Supplier Risk user interface has improved accessibility enhancements including keyboard shortcuts, screen reader functionality, color contrast, and tooltips.
ARI-21867 – Bulk Engagement Request Creation and Corresponding Actions
This feature allows you to create and work with multiple engagement requests. Enter business details once and specify a list of suppliers. The result is a new engagement request created for each supplier with the same set of business details.
You can now speed up the process of creating, approving, and sending engagement requests providing:
– More efficient evaluation of supplier risk
– Faster and simpler approval for multiple requests
– Easier submission of engagement risk questionnaires to multiple suppliers
– Mass send human rights self-assessment questionnaire
NGSM-2959 – New Supplier Profile Summary
This feature introduces a new profile summary for suppliers in SAP Ariba Supplier Management solution. It provides an enhanced user experience that leverages the latest SAP capabilities, including a new Operational Score panel with data from integrated S/4 HANA operational KPIs.
SM-38755 – Updating Process Status to “In Progress” When Process Renewal is Triggered
The supplier qualification status is updated when process qualification project is renewed. Earlier it remained in qualified status when renewal was triggered. Buyers can be prevented from awarding suppliers that do not match the current compliance guidelines and has qualification renewal in progress.
SM-38756 – Prepopulate Matrix Values from Intake Form into Modular Questionnaires
This feature introduces an enhancement that prepopulates matrix values (commodities, regions, departments, and material) in modular questionnaires with entries from the intake form when process initiators create a qualification or miscellaneous process.
NS-23667 – New SAP Business Network Registration Flow for SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance and SAP Ariba Sourcing Suppliers
This feature brings modernized and streamlined user experience to suppliers registering to participate in sourcing events or complete qualification process. Implemented changes will allow for faster registration and reduce the effort on buyer side.
Ariba 2024 Q1 Release: Downstream Feature Updates
Procurement Improvements
Products: SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing; SAP Ariba Category Management; SAP Ariba Catalog
Integration: Automatically On; Customer Configured
ACC-848 – Import Purchase Contracts from SAP S/4HANA 2023 into Suite-Integrated SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing Solution with SAP Ariba Contracts Disabled
With this feature, SAP Ariba certifies the integration between SAP S/4HANA 2023 and suite-integrated SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing solution with SAP Ariba Contracts disabled. Using this feature, you can import purchase contracts from SAP S/4HANA 2023 and create corresponding item-level compliance contracts in the SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing solution. Catalog subscriptions are generated for all the items in these contracts and the items are made available for users to search for them in the catalog and purchase them.
CAT-6718 – Ability to View the Supplier 360° Profile from SAP Ariba Category Management
This feature enables organizations to integrate SAP Ariba Category Management with SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance. The integration allows category managers to navigate to the Supplier 360° profile page in SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance from the Category Suppliers page of SAP Ariba Category Management. The Supplier 360° profile provides a comprehensive view of the supplier information that can help category managers with their strategy decisions.
CM-10012 – Enhancements to SAP Ariba Catalog Content API
The SAP Ariba Catalog Content API can now be used to export the status and comments of a catalog subscription. Also, the catalogs can be filtered based on the subscription name.
GB-8176 – Support for The Japan Subcontract Act in Guided Buying
This feature introduces support for The Japan Subcontract Act in guided buying. This act requires subcontractors in Japan, and in other regions of the world, to be labeled as subcontractors when a purchase request is submitted. If the supplier is a subcontractor but they’re not labeled as such, this results in penalties. Guided buying now offers support for The Japan Subcontract Act by populating subcontractor information based on supplier master data and providing in-app messaging for editing subcontractor information.
GB-24766 – Automated User Experience Survey in Guided Buying
This feature introduces automated surveys on the guided buying home page to collect data about the user experience. A survey automatically appears on the home page if the user is inactive for two minutes, and if a response isn’t recorded the survey keeps appearing until the questions are answered. The questions on the survey change every 90 days, but they only need to be answered once per user. The data gathered from the surveys is used by the SAP Central Design team to make decisions about how guided buying can be improved.
