Integration Made Easy with SAP Ariba

As a product manager for SAP Ariba integration solutions, I had the opportunity to validate the latest in Ariba technology solutions with the introduction of the add-on for SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway last week. We had the .  As the growth of business technology continues to accelerate at an exponential rate, it’s critical to ensure your company can keep up. And SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway (CIG) enabled by SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI) makes it easier than ever before.

Whenever a new business software is introduced, a plethora of questions arise: How much will this cost? How difficult will it be to use? Does it add value? With SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway, the answers are simple: it’s fast, it’s free, and it delivers remarkable benefits. For years, integration has been the outcast of enterprise technologies that requires lots of time and money, but not anymore. This powerful solution greatly simplifies the process, not just for initial installation but also with future configurations and additional trading partners.

For buyers, SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway has two components. The first is an add-on available on SAP Service Marketplace, where a customer can download the package to install directly into SAP using the standard SAP add-on installation tool (SAINT) transaction – making it an extension of the ERP system instead of a tedious install process. Downloading and installation take just an hour or two, allowing for basic configuration to begin. This initial configuration establishes connectivity with SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway so setup can commence.

The second component is the portal, which transforms integration into a speedy, self-service process. Through a single gateway in the cloud, you get prepackaged mapping content and wizard-based menus that let you easily set up a specific document for testing in just minutes. And once document setup is complete, the document-specific configuration can be finalized in SAP as well.

All configuration for the SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway add-on has been moved to SAP Project Reference Object (SPRO) and categorized, and can be followed top to bottom from the menu for each document type to be exchanged. Once the necessary information for a specific document is finished, voila, the buyer is ready for testing.

The test central feature lets buyers and suppliers on Ariba Network test and deploy documents at their own pace, without being held up by long wait times to “receive” a test file. Sample test cases from buyers allow suppliers to proceed with confidence to integrate with buyers and streamline business processes by eliminating phone calls, faxes, and e-mails.

Through SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway, buyers and suppliers can grow their businesses together through process improvements and technology efficiencies – making integration Success As Clean as It Gets!