Article

How to integrate SAP Ariba into your ERP system

In recent years, you have probably asked many of your customers to use their SAP Ariba supplier portal for order processing. The SAP Ariba network is one of the largest B2B networks with a trading volume of over $3.75 trillion and more than 5.3 million companies.

The advantage for you as a supplier is that you can find new customer contacts and manage your ordering process digitally. The disadvantage is that processing your orders via the SAP Ariba network without integration into your ERP system usually leads to an increase in workload and manual data entry. The reason for this is that you have to log in manually to SAP Ariba to submit documents and often have to fill in data fields twice, once in your own ERP system and once in SAP Ariba.

You can integrate SAP Ariba into your ERP system as follows:

cXML (Commerce eXtensible Markup Language): Suppliers can connect via Ariba cXML, a protocol developed by Ariba in 1999 for B2B e-commerce.

Pros:

  • No AS2 infrastructure or VAN (Value-Added Network) required.
  • Integration is possible without SAP service technicians.
  • Enables sending and receiving attachments.

Cons:

  • Requires middleware to translate cXML into a proprietary internal data format.
  • Requires expertise and technical skills to process a completely new format.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): SAP Ariba supports multiple protocols (AS2, VAN via Inovis) and formats (EDIFACT, X12, OAGIS) for connection via EDI.

Pros:

  • As a supplier, you do not need to configure and learn the cXML standard.
  • You do not need to maintain cXML translation middleware.
  • It is not possible to set up punch-out catalogs as with cXML.

Cons:

  • Requires at least an SAP Ariba Premier account.
  • Attachments are not possible when connecting via EDI.
  • You must maintain the AS2 infrastructure or pay for a VAN.

SAP Ariba Cloud-Integrationsgateway (CIG): CIG is the integration add-on from SAP Ariba that runs on the SAP Cloud Integration Platform and enables digital connectivity to SAP Ariba.

Pros:

  • Enables easier integration with SAP Ariba compared to cXML or EDI setups.
  • Enables self-service integration testing.
  • Can be integrated with other SAP products.

Cons:

  • Massively oversized solution if the supplier only uses it for the connection to SAP Ariba.
  • High total cost of ownership, as suppliers must purchase both SAP CIP and SAP Ariba CIG.
  • Currently only usable for suppliers who use SAP as their ERP system.

There is another method you may have heard of:

APIs: APIs can be used to retrieve and enrich/supplement data and workflows as a buyer or third-party provider. They cannot be used for order processing as a supplier.

So is there a simpler solution?

Another solution that allows you to achieve digital integration without having to maintain multiple connections and manage different standards is the Procuros Integration Hub.

The Procuros Integration Hub is a cloud platform that enables digital integrations with the most popular supplier portals such as SAP Ariba, SupplyOn, and JAGGER. It can be integrated directly into your own ERP system and allows you to process documents such as quotes, orders, delivery notes, and invoices digitally without having to leave your own ERP system and manually enter data into your customers' supplier portals.

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How to integrate SAP Ariba with your ERP system

One of the main advantages of the Procuros Integration Hub is that it allows you to connect to all the supplier portals you currently use. Data flow between the portals and your ERP system is optimized, and you only need to establish a single connection to process all documents digitally. Thanks to a transaction-based pricing model, upfront costs are minimal and suppliers only pay for what they actually use.