Configuration

It is crucial to set up the Connector correctly to enable synchronization between Keelvar and SAP Ariba. The following article details the instructions for configuring the connection, including API setup and template configuration. 

It is standard practice to first carry out this configuration in a testing environment. Only once it has been thoroughly verified should the setup be moved to the production environment.

Please always refer to the SAP Ariba configuration guides when setting up the templates and APIs. Keelvar is not responsible for the configuration of your SAP Ariba instance.

Configuration data form

The information sought in the Configuration Data Form is required to configure the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector. To learn how to obtain this information using SAP Ariba, see API Configuration section.

You can request that the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector be set up for your organization by providing the external configuration information in the Configuration Data Form.

Please include the relevant information for your test and production instance of your SAP Ariba.

Click the link to download the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector — Configuration Data Form

Template configuration

Using project templates in SAP Ariba, you can configure settings and create tasks for each project that is created from the template. Certain tasks must be configured so that the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector can identify the event in SAP Ariba and create the sourcing event in Keelvar Sourcing Optimizer, while specific settings must be configured to ensure the event can be published.

Event owners must possess surrogate bidding permissions. Lack of these permissions may lead to export errors, potentially disrupting your event.

Creating a new project template

To create a new project template, complete the following steps:

1. On the dashboard, click Manage, and then click Templates.
2. On the Documents tab, click the Actions button, then click Create, and then click Template.
3. Select the type of template you want to create, and then click OK.
4. In the Title field, enter a name for the template.
5. Optional: In the Description field, enter a description for the template.
6. From the Base Language dropdown list, select the base language for the template.
7. Click OK.

Configuring the Approval For Publish task

The Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector polls SAP Ariba for Approval For Publish tasks with the External System Approval flag set. When it encounters projects with these types of tasks — that have been approved — it triggers the creation of an event in Keelvar for the associated SAP Ariba sourcing project. Rather than manually creating an Approval For Publish task for each event, it is recommended to configure a template that can be used to create this task automatically when a project is created using the template.

Most Approve For Publish task settings can be configured as required by your organization. For example, you may want to have all events manually approved or you may want events to be automatically created without user intervention. However, for the External System Approval option, ensure you click Yes.

To configure the Approval For Publish task for your template, complete the following steps:

1. On the dashboard, click Manage, and then click Templates.
2. On the Overview tab, in the Documents area, navigate to the project template, and click the dropdown arrow next to the file name.
3. Click Create New Task, and then click Approval For Publish.
4. Configure the Approval For Publish
   Note: To configure the Approval For Publish task to be automatically created and approved, for the Allow auto approval option, click Yes, and from the Approvers dropdown, ensure (no value) is selected.
5. Click OK.

To ensure updates are synced from the event in Ariba to Sourcing Optimizer, Select Yes for Repeat for Each Document Draft.

Configuring supplier notifications

You can configure notification settings for each event that is created from the project template. This can be useful for ensuring suppliers are not notified of events that will be run in Keelvar from SAP Ariba, which could lead to confusion about which platform the supplier should use. It is recommended that all supplier notifications are disabled.

To configure supplier notifications for your template, complete the following steps:

1. On the dashboard, click Manage, and then click Templates.
2. On the Overview tab, in the Documents area, navigate to the project template, and click the dropdown arrow next to the file name.
3. Click Edit.
4. On the left side of the page, click Summary.
5. In the Customized Messages area, click Customize.
6. On the Message Templates page, configure the notification settings as required.
7. When you are finished, click Done.

Configuring placeholder content

If item data is not being sent from Ariba to Keelvar — this is recommended unless the Material Master integration from SAP ERP to SAP Ariba is in use — it is required to add some content to projects created in Ariba so that the event can be published. The content itself is irrelevant to the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector, which only reads in line item data. One option to fulfill this content requirement is to configure a dummy question which is not visible to suppliers.

To configure a question, complete the following steps:

1. On the dashboard, click Manage, and then click Templates.
2. On the Overview tab, in the Documents area, navigate to the project template, and click the dropdown arrow next to the file name.
3. Click Edit.
4. On the left side of the page, click Content, and then click the Content
5. In the All Content area, click Add, and then click Question.
6. Configure the Add Question
   1. In the Name field, enter a meaningful name to communicate the purpose of the question.
   2. From the Response Required dropdown, select Not Required.
   3. From the Visible to Participant dropdown, select
   4. Click Done.

API Configuration

The following SAP Ariba APIs must be configured to use the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector:

• External Approval API for Sourcing and Supplier Management (v2)
• Event Management API (v2)
• Surrogate Bidding API (v1)
• Sourcing Project Management API (v2)

There are three key steps to complete when configuring an API in SAP Ariba: Creating a new application, requesting API access, and generating the API details.

Configuring an API in SAP Ariba

Each of the required APIs is accessed and configured from the SAP Ariba APIs Portal. Complete the following procedure for each of the four APIs, selecting the relevant API on the Request API Access step of the procedure. Note that only someone with the Administrator role can complete this step. For each API, note and save the Application Key, the OAuth Client Id, and the OAuth Secret. This information must be submitted to Keelvar using the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector — Configuration Data Form.

For additional information refer to the Help for SAP Ariba developer portal documentation.

1. Log in to https://developer.ariba.com/
2. Go to Manage > Applications.
3. Create a new application.
   1. In the top-left corner of the page, next to the search bar, click the +
   2. In the Application Name field, enter a name for the application.
   3. In the Description field, enter a description for the application.
   4. Click Submit.
4. Request API access.
   1. In the top-right corner of the page, on the card for the application you just created, click Actions, and then click Request API Access.
   2. From the Select an API dropdown list, select the API you want to access.
   3. Select the Sourcing checkbox, and then, from the dropdown list, select the required sourcing realm.
   4. Click Submit.
      The request is sent to SAP Ariba for approval.
      Note: The approval process usually takes less than 12 hours. After the request is approved, you will receive an email with further instructions.
5. Generate the API details.
   1. In the top-right corner of the page, click the Actions button, and then click Generate OAuth Secret.
   2. Copy or download the information.
      Note: Keelvar Sourcing Optimizer requires the Application Key, the OAuth Client Id, and the OAuth Secret.
   3. Click Close.

SAP Ariba Contracts Web Service Configuration

If you want to output data from the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector to SAP Ariba Contracts, you can configure the SAP Ariba Contracts Web Service.

The following Web Services must be configured to export data to SAP Ariba Contracts:

• Import Procurement Contract Workspace
• Import CLID using XML

There are two key steps to complete when configuring web services in SAP Ariba: Creating an endpoint, and activating the web service task.

Configuring an SAP Ariba Contracts Web Service

Complete the following procedure for each of the two required web services, selecting the relevant web service on the Integration Configuration step of the procedure. For each web service, note and save the endpoint username and password, and the URL from the integration configuration. This information must be submitted to Keelvar using the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector — Configuration Data Form.

For additional information, refer to the SAP CC Web Services documentation.

1. Go to your Ariba realm.
2. Create an endpoint.
   • Go to Administration > Integration Manager > End Point Configuration.
   • Click Create New.
   • In the Name field, enter a name for the endpoint.
   • For Type, click Inbound.
   • At the bottom if the screen, enter the username and password that will be used by the Keelvar SAP Ariba Connector when calling the API.
   • Click Save.
3. Activate the web service task.
   • Go to Administration > Integration Manager > Integration Configuration.
   • Search for the web service you want to activate.
   • In the Configuration area, in the row of the web service you want to activate, click Actions, and then click Edit.
   • In the Edit data import/export task area, for Status, click Enabled.
   • Copy and save the URL.
   • Click Save.

Template Mapping

If the bid sheet structure is defined in SAP Ariba, templates in both apps should be mapped to ensure a smooth flow of data. If Terms/Columns are not mapped correctly, data will not be transferred from one app to another.

Datatype SAP Ariba Terms to Keelvar Column

Table 1. Column datatype

Keelvar Column Types to SAP Ariba Terms

Table 2. Column types

Column Requirement settings

Table 3. Column Requirement settings

Special fields

Some term configurations do not have a direct equivalent in Keelvar.

This is the case for:

Table 4. Special fields

Formula columns can only contain formulas in one of the platforms to allow for the export of the results. A formula column in SAP Ariba will need to be set as a number/currency in Keelvar, and vice versa.

Currency only is a type of column in Keelvar used to select currencies from the available list of secondary currencies in the event. It can be set to allow bidders or purchasers to specify the currency corresponding to one or multiple columns. This field is populated in SAP Ariba as the lot currency.

Currency

Event Currency:

SAP Ariba and Keelvar both allow tenders to be run in multiple currencies. While Keelvar allows multiple currencies to be selected at the lot level, SAP Ariba only accepts 1 currency per lot. If a lot has multiple currency selection fields in Keelvar, the connector will select the first currency of the lane as displayed in the bid sheet and export it to SAP Ariba. It is important to keep this limitation in mind when designing the template in Keelvar to avoid currency discrepancies.

Currency additional information

• Purchaser inputs in secondary currencies are not supported. Purchaser inputs can only be set in the event’s primary currency
• When secondary currencies are set in Keelvar’s template and not in SAP Ariba’s template, data export will fail even if secondary currencies are not selected in any of the fields.
• Exchange rates are not transferred between platforms. They must be configured on both sides. Any changes to the currency rates must be performed on both platforms.