Organizations of all sizes and maturity are still challenged with manual accounts payable processes. Traditional AP processes often involve manual tasks, paper-based documents, and lengthy approval cycles, leading to costly errors and delays. Streamlining AP processes is especially critical in the midst of an ERP transformation. As companies move to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, an automated AP process ensures that data is clean and standardized data for accurate reporting and a faster financial close.
Natively Integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP
SAP Business Network and SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management are solutions that work hand in hand to offer SAP S/4HANA Cloud customers a best-in-class experience for AP automation. Invoices received and validated through SAP Business Network are processed in SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud for exception handling, approval and payment. These solutions provide native integration to SAP S/4HANA Cloud to ensure faster time to value, seamless workflows, and enhanced data accuracy.
Native integration is critical for faster time to value and improved overall total cost of ownership
SAP S/4HANA Cloud customers choose SAP Business Network and SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management not only for the breadth and depth of capabilities that meet their unique business requirements, but also for the ability to seamlessly integrate to their SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP. Some of the key outcomes of native integration include:
- Seamless Workflow: Native integration allows the solutions to communicate directly with each other without the need for middleware or third-party connectors. This seamless integration streamlines workflows by automating data transfer and synchronization between systems, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.
- Synergies from parallel deployment: SAP Business Network can be deployed in parallel with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, optimizing resources and ensuring faster time to value.
- Scalability and Flexibility: Native integration provides the ability scale seamlessly as business needs evolve, whether it's adding new features, integrating with additional systems, or adapting to changing requirements.
- Reduced IT maintenance costs: Organizations can streamline their operations without the cost or complexity of maintaining middleware or third party connectors.
An overview of SAP Business Network
SAP Business Network provides capabilities for near real-time supplier collaboration, it is designed to digitize and automate the invoice creation and validation process. Outcomes include:
- Improved data accuracy: Suppliers can ‘flip’ orders to invoices, capturing complete and accurate order data to the invoice
- Automated invoice validation: Configurable business rules to automate validation of invoices and standardize data, resulting in fewer AP resources needed for manual invoice validation
- Improved compliance: Business rules ensure compliance with negotiated supplier rates executed in ERP-generated purchase orders and catalogs.
- Enhanced visibility: Invoice and status visibility for suppliers to reduce manual AP inquiries
An overview of SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management
SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management on SAP BTP, provides a single point of access and visibility to supplier invoices across multiple SAP connected backend systems. SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management, inbound processing module provides embedded invoice inbound processing including OCR capabilities for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition. Outcomes include:
- Improve on-time payments: With dynamic and flexible workflow approvals and a central workflow approval inbox
- Reduce manual AP tasks: With automatic processing of incoming invoices, including enrichment and validation of G/L account items, as well as automatic tax handling
- Improved visibility: With the single point of view for all invoices across multiple ERPs and invoice receipt channels
Learn more about SAP Central Invoice Management and SAP Business Network. Visit the SAP Roadmap explorer for up-to-date information on releases and innovations.
