SAP Procurement springs forward with 2105 release

Highlights of the SAP Procurement 2105 Release

Spring leaps forward in the northern hemisphere as SAP Procurement delivers significant new innovations for buyers and suppliers as part of the 2105 (Q2 2021) release scheduled for general availability the weekend of 21 May 2021.  In this post you will discover key highlights that span the entirety of the SAP Procurement portfolio.  Read on to learn more about integration efficiencies provided through our S/4HANA Cloud, Ariba Network and SAP Fieldglass services procurement collaboration as well as significant upgrades to the user experiences with the supplier portal, workbench and registration solutions.

Services Procurement

Delivering support for Services Procurement with Ariba Network and SAP Fieldglass integration scenario utilizing SAP S/4HANA Cloud relies on Cloud Integration Gateway (CIG) to connect the three products, providing a seamless flow from purchase order to service completion.

To gain an appreciation for the efficiencies and accuracy delivered through these integrated processes, click the image below for a complete end-to-end demonstration of these products interacting to deliver Services Procurement value.

Supplier Portal, Workbench and Registration

Following significant effort to update the supplier experience in Ariba Network, we are pleased to be broadly launching a revitalized supplier portal and workbench!  Richard Vermeij and the SAP Business Network team have thoroughly gathered input from our customer stakeholders, acted on that feedback and with 2105 will be delivering to all suppliers a rich and efficiency-focused portal in to the procurement world.  From the buyer perspective, engaged suppliers leveraging an intuitive application along with simplified registration processes are certain to deliver improved efficiencies and reduced supplier engagement costs.

Read more from the buyer and supplier perspectives in Richard’s April 2021 blogs covering each customer viewpoint.  Also register for the special webcast breakout on Trading Relationship Request (TRR) and Supplier Portal and Workbench that Richard will be presenting as part of our 2105 Release Webcast Series in May.

Procure to Pay

Guided buying now allows users to request items from inventory stocked by your organization, such as MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) items or items manufactured internally. Users see the available quantity of each item and may choose specific storage locations when ordering.

This simplified process makes inventory items visible to end users and streamlines the process to reserve these stock items for use.  Learn more about this innovation through the Feature at a Glance presentation available here.

In addition to the inventory reservation innovation, guided buying is also expanding team buying and receiving capabilities in the 2105 release.

This feature enables a user within a team to access the requisitions created by the requester, including requisitions in the Composing state.  The team member may perform any action on the requisition that the requester may execute, inclusive of edit, cancel, submit, delete, or withdraw the requisition.

The approval process for receipts may be configured to include requesters and their team members to allow anyone from the requester’s team to receive goods associated with team requisitions or requisitions flagged for team receiving resulting in added efficiencies and cost reductions associated with executing buying and receiving activities.

Discounting Supplier Experience

Through a modern, clear presentation of information, suppliers now have an enhanced application and process for cash management. It is now easier to accept offers and find early payment opportunities, and to reconcile and review audit trails.  Learn more about the added capabilities for suppliers in the discounting innovation here.

2105 Webcast Series and Release Information

Thirsty for more information on the 2105 release?  Be sure to check out Jim Cameron‘s blog post that provides access to webcast registration, release materials and key communications efforts.