Frequently Asked Questions – SAP Ariba Implementation
SAP Ariba In A Nutshell
Q. What is SAP Ariba?
A. The SAP Ariba Network is the world’s largest online marketplace where buyers and sellers engage and transact. It provides a world-wide, cloud-based platform for the electronic exchange of Sourcing and Procurement documents between buyers and sellers, enabling total e-sourcing and e-procurement.
SAP Ariba solutions include:
- Supplier Lifecycle and Performance (Supplier management process)
- Sourcing (from Request to Reward)
- Contracts Management (Contracts Management processes end-to-end)
- Buying and Invoicing Management (Source-to-Pay processes)
- Commerce Automation (Electronic exchange of Procurement documents)
The Impact Of SAP Ariba On Debswana Suppliers
Q. What is the impact of the SAP Ariba implementation on Debswana Suppliers and Suppliers in general?
A. The main impact of the SAP Ariba implementation for both Debswana and Suppliers is the migration of the current manual paper-based processes to an automated, paperless and online solution.
The solution will enable the following changes:
- SAP Ariba will be the only gateway to do business with Debswana after its implementation in November 2018.
- Self-registration as a Debswana Supplier, transferring the ownership of the accuracy of the Supplier’s data to the Supplier, subject to approval workflow by Debswana.
- Self-maintenance of any changes to the Supplier’s data by the Supplier.
- Electronic notifications to the Supplier via email e.g. feedback on progress, notification of expiry dates, Requests for Quotation, Purchase Orders etc.
- The Supplier profile amongst Debswana buyers will be positively impacted by the visibility of Suppliers registered for specific commodities, making the Supplier process fairer.
- Network connections and automation will improve the Debswana Source-to-Pay process with positive outcomes to suppliers:
- Faster processing
- Reduced errors
- Minimized exceptions
- Easier collaboration
- Timely and predictable payments
The Cost Of Participation In SAP Ariba
Q. What is the cost for Suppliers to participate in the Ariba solution?
A. Participation in SAP Ariba via Debswana is free of charge.
Stability Of SAP Ariba Solution
Q. What is the connection stability of a cloud solution such as SAP Ariba?
A. SAP Ariba is an Internet-based solution, which should be differentiated from a server solution such as ECC6. Debswana is constantly monitoring their Internet connectivity, thus providing a stable solution.
Audit Trail Of Paperless System
Q. How effective is the audit trail of a paperless solution?
A. SAP Ariba records every transaction, document, action and decision which provides a complete audit trail and is welcomed by auditors.
The Implications Of Not Registering On SAP
Q. What will happen if a Supplier does not register on SAP Ariba?
A. SAP Ariba will be the only gateway to do business with Debswana after its implementation in November 2018. Suppliers that are not registered on the Ariba network will not be visible to Debswana buyers, which will result in no business coming from Debswana in the future.
How To Stay Updated On The Progress Of The SAP Ariba Implementation Project
Q. How will Suppliers be updated of the progress of the SAP Ariba implementation project?
A. The progress of the SAP Ariba implementation project will be communicated on an ongoing basis via several avenues, e.g. email notifications to known addresses, the Debswana website (www.Debswana.com), the Debswana Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/debswanadiamondcompany), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/debswana-diamond-company/), and face-to-face Supplier engagements.
The Registration Process On SAP Ariba As A Debswana Supplier
Q. How will Suppliers be updated on the progress of registration on SAP Ariba?
A. The registration process on SAP Ariba for Debswana will open on 24 September 2018. The detail of the registration process will be communicated via several avenues during August and September 2018, e.g. email notifications to known addresses, Debswana website (www.Debswana.com), the Debswana Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/debswanadiamondcompany), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/debswana-diamond-company/), face-to-face Supplier engagements.
Q. What is the purpose of the five email addresses allowed when registering on SAP Ariba?
A. The first user from a Supplier that registers on SAP Ariba will be registered as the Administrator. Five more users within the specific Supplier will be allowed with their own company email addresses. Two of these email addresses are very important to Debswana: the main email address where the Debswana Buyers can liaise with the Supplier’s Commercial team regarding Purchase Orders etc. and the email address where the Debswana Accounts Payable Officers can liaise with the Debtors department of the Supplier. The other three users and email addresses are for the convenience of the Supplier to register more users from other departments, e.g. Marketing.
Q. Will SAP Ariba accept Yahoo or Gmail addresses as company addresses?
A. SAP Ariba will accept any email address, including Yahoo or Gmail addresses. However, it is very important that it is the official Supplier company email address and not an employee’s personal email address to ensure continuity beyond employee movements.
Q. If I am currently in the process of registering as a Debswana Supplier should I continue with the process?
A. Due to the current Debswana project to migrate to the new SAP Ariba platform in November 2018, all new registrations were ceased unless required by Debswana. You are advised to wait for the SAP Ariba registration process on 24 September 2018, the details of which will be communicated via several avenues during August and September 2018.
Q. If I am currently in the process of registering as a Debswana Supplier, and had a physical assessment done, should I continue with the process?
A. Due to the current Debswana project to migrate to the new SAP Ariba platform in November 2018, all new registrations were ceased unless required by Debswana. You are advised to wait for the SAP Ariba registration process on 24 September 2018, the details of which will be communicated via several avenues during August and September 2018.
Q. What is happening to those Suppliers that have submitted manual questionnaires and who have not received any response, as they will be missing out on information?
A. Due to the current Debswana project to migrate to the new SAP Ariba platform in November 2018, all new registrations were ceased unless required by Debswana. You are advised to wait for the SAP Ariba registration process on 24 September 2018, the details of which will be communicated via several avenues during August and September 2018.
Q. Can anyone register on SAP Ariba as a Debswana Supplier?
A. Any company can register on SAP Ariba as a Debswana Supplier. Registration of your company on SAP Ariba will provide visibility and exposure to the Debswana buyers. Debswana’s normal business principles in selecting successful Suppliers will still be applicable.
Q. Can an individual register more than one company as a Supplier for Debswana on SAP Ariba?
A. More than one Company can be registered by an individual for Debswana on SAP Ariba, provided that they are separate legal entities with different Company registration numbers and VAT numbers to ensure the registrations pass the duplicate check in the system.
Q. If a Supplier is already registered with Debswana under the current manual process, do they have to reregister on SAP Ariba?
A. The master data of active Suppliers i.e. with open transactions, or with transactions in the past 36 months or recently registered (since Dec 2017), will be migrated to SAP Ariba during September 2018. These Suppliers will receive a notification to confirm the migrated information and will have to create a company user name and password on SAP Ariba, verify, update and confirm their migrated data as well as uploaded the required supporting documents.
Inactive Suppliers i.e. a registered Supplier that transacted with Debswana prior to 2015, or a Supplier that has not concluded the Supplier Registration process, will have to follow the full registration process on SAP Ariba once the system is available on 24 September 2018. The details of the registration process on SAP Ariba will be communicated via several avenues during August and September 2018, e.g. email notifications to known addresses, Debswana website (www.Debswana.com), the Debswana Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/debswanadiamondcompany), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/debswana-diamond-company/), face-to-face Supplier engagements.
Q. If a Supplier is already registered on SAP Ariba for other customers, do they have to register again as a Debswana Supplier?
A. Even though a company is already registered on SAP Ariba for other customers, they have to register as a Debswana-specific Supplier on SAP Ariba.
Q. What is the envisaged turnaround time of Supplier registration on SAP Ariba?
A. In the past, De Beers in South Africa was involved in the Supplier Registration process, which, together with the manual nature of the previous Registration process, prolonged the turnaround time. An online platform for the Supplier Registration process will be much faster as it is only the verification and approval that has to be performed by Debswana once the Supplier has completed the online SAP Ariba Supplier Registration process. The Supplier will have full visibility and control over the new Supplier Registration process and maintenance (updates) of their Supplier data via SAP Ariba.
The Supporting Documents Required From A Supplier During The Registration Process
Q. Where can Suppliers find a list of the supporting documents required that have to be attached to the Registration Questionnaire during the SAP Ariba registration process?
A. The list of the supporting documents required that have to be attached to the Registration Questionnaire during the SAP Ariba registration process will be published on the Debswana website (www.debswana.com).
Q. Will SAP Ariba be linked to BRS or the Registrar to verify the Supplier’s details?
A. SAP Ariba will not be linked to BRS or any other external source of information to verify the Supplier’s details; the required supporting documents will contain expiry dates that will be verified by Debswana.
Q. How safe is confidential information supplied by Suppliers during the SAP Ariba registration process?
A. SAP Ariba is as safe as any banking system; security controls were built into the design of SAP Ariba to ensure the safety of any confidential information of Suppliers.
Q. What is Debswana’s viewpoint on CEE Suppliers?
A. Debswana is asking the relevant questions to establish the CEE position of a Supplier in the Registration questionnaire form, which will be considered during the grading process.
The Current Onerous And Extended Registration Process As A Debswana Supplier
Q. The current manual registration process as a Debswana Supplier is very onerous and takes a lot of time; will this be addressed with the SAP Ariba implementation?
A. The registration process on SAP Ariba for Debswana will open on 24 September 2018, allowing three months to complete the process before the migration to the new SAP Ariba platform before 30 November 2018.
Once Suppliers have started the process of registering on SAP Ariba they will have 30 days to complete the registration process. Registrations will also continue post November 2018 for any new or prospective Suppliers. The SAP Ariba registration process will be faster due to the electronic nature of the solution.
Q. What happens if the 30 days to submit the Registration form and complete the SAP Ariba registration process expires without completion?
A. SAP Ariba will discard all the information contained in a partially completed registration questionnaire form that expired after 30 days and the Supplier will have to start the registration process from the beginning.
Q. The current registration process and form are too complex. Will the new SAP Ariba process make the registration process and form any easier?
A. Although the Supplier registration process seems onerous, the Supplier questionnaire is asking clear questions, very similar to other Internet sites where one would like to register. SAP Ariba clinics to be held on 10 to 14 September 2018 will aid in ensuring that Suppliers will be able to carry out the functions on SAP Ariba.
The Number Of Commodities Allowed Per Supplier
Q. If there is a maximum of five commodities of goods/services allowed per Supplier, what is the process to add more commodities to a Supplier’s Debswana profile?
A. Suppliers are welcome to apply for new commodities to be added to their current Supplier profile with Debswana. Suppliers have to follow the same process to add a new Commodity, bearing in mind that the new Commodity might require a physical assessment of the Supplier’s site and will receive its own grading. If a Supplier is already on the maximum of five commodities, the Supplier will have to substitute an existing commodity. The five commodities that will be used in the new solution are on a higher level than the previous seven commodities, in essence allowing more products/services per Supplier in future.
Q. Will a Supplier find the Commodity that they are currently registered for in the new SAP Ariba Commodity codes?
A. All current Commodity coding will be contained in the UNSPC Commodity coding that will be used in SAP Ariba.
The Physical Assessment Of A Supplier's Site
Q. Where can the physical assessment requirements of a Supplier’s site be found?
A. The requirements for the physical assessment of a Supplier’s site will be published on the Debswana website (www.Debswana.com) as well as be contained the Registration questionnaire form.
Q. How much human intervention can be expected from the SAP Ariba solution?
A. The new SAP Ariba system is designed to automate as much as possible, however subjectivity will remain with the physical assessment of a Supplier’s site. However, a standard list of requirements was defined that will be verified during the physical assessment of a Supplier’s site.
Q. Can an independent representative do the physical assessment of a Supplier’s site?
A. The Supply Chain Management department is independent by virtue of the standard checklist built into the system which removes any subjectivity from the assessment process. A Supplier representative will be present during the actual physical assessment with the right to appeal against the outcome.
The Supplier Grading Matrix And Process
Q. What is the Supplier Grading Matrix?
A. The Supplier Grading Matrix is based on the answers provided by the Supplier to the questions contained in the Registration Questionnaire, which will be validated against the supporting company documents uploaded to the SAP Ariba system, as well as the outcome of the physical assessment of a Supplier’s site (when required for certain Commodities). The purpose of the Supplier Grading Matrix is to ascertain the Supplier’s capabilities, e.g. size of the Company, capability etc. The assigned Supplier Grading will determine the value of business granted by Debswana to the Supplier.
Q. Can a Supplier object against the Supplier Grading obtained or request for a downgrade?
A. A Supplier has the right to appeal against the Supplier Grading.
Q. Is it possible for a Supplier’s current grading to change with the migration to SAP Ariba?
A. It is possible for a Supplier’s grading to change with the migration to SAP Ariba, due to the system's interpretation of the information supplied by the Supplier as well as minor changes in the grading criteria.
Assistance To Non-Technical Enabled Suppliers
Q. How will Debswana assist non-technical Suppliers, to whom the migration to an online solution will create a barrier, resulting in those Suppliers being excluded/disadvantaged by the new SAP Ariba process?
A. Debswana will host SAP Ariba Clinics from 10 to 14 September 2018, where the new functionality and specifically the Supplier Registration process will be demonstrated to the Suppliers.
Training/coaching On SAP Ariba Functionality For Suppliers
Q. Will there be any training/coaching opportunities for Suppliers to familiarize themselves with the SAP Ariba functionality?
A. Debswana will host SAP Ariba Clinics from 10 to 14 September 2018, where the new functionality and specifically the Supplier Registration process will be demonstrated to the Suppliers.
Interim Period And Transactions
Q. Will existing transactions with Suppliers be impacted during the interim period until the migration to SAP Ariba in November 2018?
A. Existing transactions with Suppliers will be completed as usual until the migration to SAP Ariba in November 2018, with no impact on these transactions.
Q. Will existing Suppliers still receive purchase orders from Debswana prior to the migration to SAP Ariba in November 2018?
A. The existing process, such as Purchase Orders from the current SAP ECC6 version, will continue as usual until the migration to SAP Ariba in November 2018.
Q. Will there be new Requests for Quotation until the migration to SAP Ariba in November 2018?
A. Current Registered Suppliers will continue to receive Requests for Quotation and Purchase Orders as usual until the migration to SAP Ariba in November 2018, with no impact.
Q. Will existing contracts be loaded on SAP Ariba?
A. The basic header details e.g. expiry dates, value etc. will be loaded on SAP Ariba, but not the full current written contract.