Introducing SAP Ariba Guided Sourcing capabilities

Getting new, reliable suppliers takes a lot of work, time, and commitment. Negotiating the best deals also requires the right support. The SAP Ariba solution provides tools to help streamline this process. Guided Sourcing functionality gives users access to a simplified and intuitive interface that reduces the time it takes to create and handle sourcing events, resulting in increased organizational savings and improved buyer efficiency.

SAP Ariba Guided Sourcing is a free extension of SAP Ariba Sourcing – all customers using the classic interface so far can switch on Guided Sourcing. Both systems can exist simultaneously – there is no need to move all processes to the new interface right away.

Creating a sourcing event in less time

Guided Sourcing allows users to create electronic purchasing events – there is no need to navigate through different application tabs. Setting up and managing the event is done all the time from the same screen.

Guided Sourcing users get access to a new dashboard – For You. It’s the main place to create, review, monitor and reward sourcing events. This dashboard provides a view of real-time updated event statuses and direct insight into recently created or revised procedures. Buyers also see a summary with the number of events by status and quick links to events, contracts and actions to be performed.

The buyer has several options for setting up a new event. You can prepare an entire event from scratch (from a template), copy an already existing one, or use the smart import feature from Microsoft Excel. The latter option allows users to easily create tenders using a customized pricing document in the form of an Excel sheet, from which SAP Ariba will automatically map the imported data to the correct system conditions. Once an event is created, its status can be easily monitored, the bids received can be reviewed and analyzed, and award scenarios for selected items can be compared.

To make sure suppliers offer the best prices, Guided Sourcing gives you the option of running multiple rounds of the same event. With just a few clicks, you can select or remove suppliers for the next round and then simply launch it. Guided Sourcing also provides access to all the content of the procedures without scrolling through the full-screen feature. It results in less time for analyzing the event content and comparing offers. Moreover, it’s possible to build a report comparing the bids received and adjust it to the organization’s needs.

All these factors will significantly improve the efficiency of buyers, who can spend the acquired time on strategic tasks.

Convenient solution for end-users

To further improve the app’s usability and reduce user training time, buyers can use the Web Assistant to get instant access to helpful tips, as well as event creation process guides that assist in navigating through tasks.

When in doubt, users can simply click the question mark icon in the upper right corner of the page and search for the most relevant keywords or select the guide according to go through the procedure of creating a process. Visible tiles with context-sensitive support provide details about the features available on active screens, so buyers can easily and quickly access the topics they are looking for. The classic SAP help center is also accessible at all times.

More efficient communication

In terms of improving collaboration between internal stakeholders and suppliers, Guided Souring offers a solution familiar to communication apps users. The messaging feature has been moved to the event creation view, so there is no need to switch between tabs and conversations can be monitored in real-time. It gives greater confidence that messages won’t be overlooked, and the exchange itself is faster and more intuitive for buyers handling the procedures. Messages sent via this chat are also forwarded by e-mail to designated users.

Event-level reporting

The aim of SAP Ariba Guided Souring is to assist buyers in making the best choices, so the ability to analyze the bids of participants in the proceedings and compare them in detail for both single-round and multi-round tenders has been introduced. To see how suppliers’ bids have changed during the proceedings, buyers can use the bid history report. This report contains all the bids submitted by participants, along with the date and time they were sent and rankings of the most recent bids.

To compare the value of the proposals submitted, it’s preferable to use the bid comparison report, which can analyze the data by item, supplier or round. What’s more, the buyer may choose the option to configure this report to include only the information that is relevant while deciding whether to award a supplier. There is an option to save a report configuration to reuse previously used settings in future proceedings.

What benefits does SAP Ariba Guided Sourcing offer?

In summary, the main advantage of the new user interface is the ability to create sourcing events quickly and efficiently, as there is no need to switch between pages. It has a direct impact on greater user satisfaction with the system and facilitates a processing of sourcing proceedings. However, Guided Sourcing isn’t just a change in design. It’s also a transparent and detailed way of comparing bids and the ability to create multi-stage events, guaranteeing the acquisition and selection of the best possible offer, so organizations increase their savings and optimize their sourcing processes.

Do you want to implement SAP Ariba Guided Sourcing in your organization? Schedule an appointment with us to analyze your current processes. During the meeting, we’ll will discuss the best plan to implement the solution at your company.