SAP Ariba Connector

Introduction

With new developments in place, the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector is making your procurement journey even simpler. You’ll notice system advances when exporting data to SAP Ariba Sourcing, as well as in data synchronization from SAP Ariba to Keelvar. Also new to this version of the Connector is an error display message, informing you of errors that may occur in your synchronization process.

To enable SAP Ariba and Keelvar Sourcing Optimizer to function with all new features in place, existing customers will need to migrate to the new version of the Connector.

The Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector is a separate product that requires a license; please reach out to your customer success manager and sales team to acquire the license before activating it.

Export data to Ariba Sourcing

Create line-items in Ariba on event close in Keelvar

When Keelvar is the source of truth for the bid-sheet of an event, upon event close in Sourcing Optimizer, the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector will output line-item data directly to SAP Ariba.

In the past, when an event size in Keelvar exceeded the maximum bid-sheet capacity in SAP Ariba, the export of data would fail. You can now apply a configuration in Keelvar to limit certain, less significant columns, in order to create a successful import and facilitate staying within SAP Ariba event size limits.


Figure 1. SAP Ariba with no bidsheet information

Figure 2. SAP Ariba with bidsheet information populated from Keelvar on event close

Populate closing bid data in Ariba on event close in Keelvar

Upon event close in Keelvar, all closing bid data is populated in the SAP Ariba event and represents the final stage of bidding for all bidders.

This applies to standard and large capacity events, subject to SAP Ariba event size limitations. To successfully export data to SAP Ariba sourcing, all suppliers on SAP Ariba must match those in Keelvar. Newly added or updated suppliers in Keelvar will not be included in the populated bid data in the SAP Ariba event. Updates should be in made in SAP Ariba to engage the supplier-sync feature.


Figure 3. Closing bid data

Award event in Ariba based on allocations in Keelvar on event close

Once the closing bid data has been populated in SAP Ariba, a custom scenario is created based on the allocations in Keelvar. 

The Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector assumes suppliers and awarded bids in SAP Ariba match those in Keelvar, before the scenario is awarded. The event is then automatically closed on condition that there is no approval flow in place. However, in the case of lots or line-items that have not been allocated, full coverage is not achieved and the event will not close in SAP Ariba.

If an approval process is in place, the requested approver will need to approve the decision in Ariba before the event will close.


Figure 4. SAP Ariba award scenario
Figure 5. SAP Ariba award details

When line-item data originates in SAP Ariba, the source of truth is SAP Ariba for the bid sheet and should therefore be maintained in SAP Ariba.

  • When removing a bidder, pause an event, remove the bidder and then resume the event. 
  • When adding a bidder, new invitations will need to be managed manually and are not automatically sent out. 
  • Once an event has been updated or changed, a new approval task is raised in SAP Ariba and will require re-approval for the event to be processed by the Connector.

Synchronize suppliers from Ariba to Keelvar

After an event has been created, a user can change supplier information in SAP Ariba which will automatically be updated in the Keelvar Sourcing Optimizer. 

Users can make additional updates, and if applicable, they will be added to the event in Sourcing Optimizer.

Synchronize line-item data from Ariba to Keelvar

To synchronize line-item data from SAP Ariba to Keelvar, updates need to be made in SAP Ariba. In order to make an update, pause the event, make the required changes and then resume. 

Updates and changes made in Keelvar Sourcing Optimizer will not export back to SAP Ariba, unless the source of truth for the bid-sheet structure is in Sourcing Optimizer, in which case changes made will be pushed to SAP Ariba on event close.

Surface connector errors on Keelvar

The Connector will now show the event progress, as well as surface errors in the chatbot displayed on the bottom right of the screen. By displaying the error, users are given insight into what triggered the error, increasing the opportunity to rectify the issue without a need to reach out to support.


Figure 6. SAP Ariba Supplier Update in Keelvar Sourcing Optimizer