Introduction

In this blog post I like to show, a concrete example based on SAP Ariba at Swisscoms how we implement and operate SAP Ariba by using SAP Cloud ALM.

In short I will describe the following aspects:

• Use the SAP Best Practice Content for SAP Ariba in SAP Cloud ALM
• Scope your Business Processes
• Work with the Best Practice Content and Diagrams in SAP Cloud ALM
• Collect Requirements, User Stories, Tasks or Notes
• Have a clear overview about the project
• Operate and monitor SAP Ariba

Why using SAP Cloud ALM for SAP Ariba?

SAP Cloud ALM supports SAP Ariba in different ways:

• Provides a clear guided methodology based on SAP Activate to adopt and extend new capabilities and processes across your organization
• Includes best practice content for the implementation of your SAP Ariba processes
• Supplies integration and exception monitoring to minimize disruptions
• Orchestrates and automates standard operations and error handling procedures
• SAP Cloud ALM is included with SAP Ariba subscriptions at no additional cost

What is SAP Ariba?

SAP Ariba is a cloud-based solution for purchasing and procurement. It allows suppliers and buyers to connect and do business on a single platform. Therefore, SAP Ariba enables the digital transformation of the complete procurement process.

SAP Ariba functions, Source: www.ariba.com

A very nice blogpost about “Disrupt and Transform your digital Business with the SAP Ariba Network” can be found here: https://blogs.sap.com/2020/11/17/disruption-creates-new-realities-transform-your-digital-business-with-the-sap-ariba-network/

Source: Disruption creates new realities – Transform your digital Business with the SAP Ariba Network

The Swisscom SAP Ariba Kaufhaus

We at Swisscom use SAP Ariba as the so called “Swisscom Kaufhaus”, in English “Swisscom department store”, where also employees can manage Travel/Expense, hire Staff, request Trainings, buy Facilities, request Business Solutions, or buy Consumer Goods.

Swisscom Kaufhaus, Source Swisscom (Schweiz) AG

SAP Ariba Guided Buying for Services, Source Swisscom (Schweiz) AG

SAP Cloud ALM for Implementation

Now let’s have a look how SAP Cloud ALM supports SAP Ariba in the fields of implementation and operation.

I will start with the part “Implementation”. As you can see in the screenshot, there are various tiles with functions that support a project such as Project Management, Process Management, Requirements Management, Features (Deployment, Transports), Test Management, Analytics, etc.

SAP Cloud ALM for Implementation

Define the Scope and select Processes

After creating a project in SAP Cloud ALM we can create a “Scope” and select the relevant solution scenarios, which are in scope. As a result, we can now use the SAP Best Practice Processes for SAP Ariba.

The whole SAP Best Practice Content is always available online and is continuously updated by SAP. This always up-to-date content is a big advantage of a cloud solution.

Define the Scope

During a project, the scope and the selected processes also serves as an overview about of the realization status of the selected processes.

Solution Processes with Status

Solution Value Flow and Process Flow

For each Best Practice Process SAP deliver the “Solution Value Flow” and the “Process Flow” diagramms.

In simple terms, these are on the one hand an overview diagram and on the other hand a detailed BPMN diagram with lanes, pools, activities, roles and systems.

Solution Value Flow

Solution Process Flow

Requirements, User Stories, Tasks and Notes

By using these graphic processes, you can immediately start with the “Fit/Gap” or “Fit to Standard” workshops and collect Requirements, User Stories, Tasks or Notes.

The creation is very easy – simply create them directly from the process diagram.

Creation of Requiremenets, User Stories, Tasks, Notes

The newly created Requirement is shown on the right side of the process diagramm and is automatically linked to the relevant process.

Process with linked Requirement

Solution Process Traceability

My favorite evaluation is the Solution Process Traceability overview. Here you can see at first glance the status of a process, the associated requirements, user stories, tasks and their status, as well as the status of the tests.

Solution Process Traceability

Project Overview

This overview makes the hearts of all project managers beat faster. All information about the project at a glance, based on real-time data from the system by and for all stakeholders involved.This allows to control and monitor a project.

How beautiful is that, I simply love it! 🙂

Project Overview

SAP Cloud ALM for Operations

This area of SAP Cloud ALM focused on Monitoring, Automation and Notification.
Also the whole Landscape Management ist part of the Operations area.

As you probably know, this is more the technical side of SAP Cloud ALM.

SAP Cloud ALM for Operations

Operate and Monitor SAP Ariba with SAP Cloud ALM

For SAP Ariba there is the possibility to build up Integration and Exception Monitoring with SAP Cloud ALM for the following SAP Ariba Products:

• SAP Ariba Sourcing
• SAP Ariba Procurement
• SAP Ariba Network
• SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway (CIG)

In this blogpost the available Monitoring Content is well described:
https://support.sap.com/en/alm/sap-cloud-alm/operations/expert-portal/integration-monitoring/calm-ariba.html

Landscape Management

First you have to make the necessary configuration on SAP Ariba to enable the connection and using the API for sending data from SAP Ariba to SAP Cloud ALM. In SAP Cloud ALM you have to add a new Service for SAP Ariba.

Landscape Management

Starting with Integration and Exception Monitoring

A good starting point for Monitoring is this video about “How to create and Monitor a Scenario in Integration and Exception Monitoring”:

How to Set Up Integration and Exception Monitoring for SAP Ariba

For SAP Ariba there is a step by step video, which explains in detail how to connect SAP Ariba to SAP Cloud ALM:

The monitoring then looks like this:

Monitoring of SAP Ariba

Summary of the Monitoring with SAP Cloud ALM

There are different types of Monitoring in SAP Cloud ALM:

• Business Process Monitoring
• Integration and Exception Monitoring (as shown in the example for SAP Ariba)
• Synthetic and Real User Monitoring
• Job and Automation Monitoring
• Health Monitoring

SAP Cloud ALM for Operations – Functional Overview, Source: SAP

Summary Monitoring for SAP Ariba, Source: SAP

Helpful links and resources

• SAP Cloud ALM for SAP Ariba
• SAP Cloud ALM Overview Page
• SAP Cloud ALM available Monitoring content
• SAP Cloud ALM supported Solutions
• SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass
• SAP Ariba 

Conclusion

As I have pointed out, SAP Cloud ALM already offers a lot of content and various tools that support the implementation and operation of SAP Ariba.

You can start at any time and use SAP Cloud ALM. Of course, it is advisable to consider at the beginning of a project in which areas SAP Cloud ALM can make a useful contribution.

A big advantage of SAP Cloud ALM is the quick availability and the fair usage rights for SAP Enterprise Support customers or customers who use a SAP Cloud solution.

I really looking forward to the future with great confidence that there will be much more content that will support the implementation and operation of SAP Ariba.

I hope I was able to inspire you with this blog post and motivate you to make your own experiences with SAP Cloud ALM and just try something out and share your experiences.

The perfect couple