From Ariba Network to SAP Business Network - What's In A Name?

It's been a while that we are hearing the term "SAP Business Network" for which is otherwise known as Ariba Network traditionally. Ariba Network is the soul and backbone of SAP's super successful Ariba prortfolio of solutions under Intelligent Spend Management category. So what has changed and what to expect in future? Let's take a look.

The Ariba Network allows buyers and suppliers to collaborate on transactions, facilitates to strengthen their bi-directional relationships, helps Buyers and Suppliers discover new business leads. Buyers can manage the entire procurement process from source to pay, while keeping transparency on their spending, finding new sources to save, and building a strong and compliant supply chain. Suppliers can help buyers achieve their procurement transformation vision, while building on customer satisfaction, with faster time to delivery and improving cash flow.

We know the above values that Ariba Network provides. However, it's been a while that SAP has revamped the vision and mission for this "Supplier" network and have reimagined a far broader and dynamic landscape that goes way beyond the realm of suppliers only when it comes the network of the future, and thus the change of name. Let me elaborate.

Today, SAP has several business transaction networks:

• Ariba Network: For buyers and suppliers, as I have mentioned above. More about this Network in the link below:

• SAP Logistics Business Network: This is a central platform to manage logistics transactions, exchange documents with key business partners, and gain transparency across the end-to-end value chain. Shippers and carriers can jointly manage logistics transactions and gain insights through an open, more secure, multidimensional network. More about this Network in the link below:

• SAP Asset Intelligence Network: This platform helps to maintain a global registry of equipment and assets that can be shared among business partners – such as manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), operators, and service providers – to deliver new collaborative business models. The result is improved operational excellence. More about this network in the link below:

In future, each of these networks will be part of SAP Business Network, as One Unified Network Platform.

Goal of SAP Business Network is to provide business-to-business (B2B) connectivity between trading partners, similar to the way LinkedIn or Facebook offers connectivity between personal relationships. It’s a more simple, frictionless way to connect with trading partners online, using: 

• A common trading partner directory, where organizations can onboard or find existing partners and discover new ones. This means a trading partner needs to be onboarded only once, regardless of the different roles it may play across the network.

• A single data model and user experience to facilitate the information exchange and insight sharing across businesses and geographies, driving greater levels of collaboration and flexibility.

• An open network architecture that connects with existing networks to extend its reach and increase the value to its members. This approach creates extensibility that SAP Business Network needs, enabling companies and partners to build their own capabilities. In addition, it acts as an integration point for third-party content, algorithms, and applications.

And of course, the network is smart and is continuously be getting equipped with the intelligent technologies like AI and ML etc. so as to help uses do the following:

• Learn from past activities by accessing historical data to identify trends, track KPIs, and benchmark against industry peers.

• Act on real-time information and insights, both structured and unstructured, to sense and respond to events as they happen across the network.

• Predict risks and opportunities by using the combined knowledge of the network, by using predictive analytics capabilities to identify risks and opportunities, and by recommending strategies to avoid disruptions and maximize opportunities.

Clearly, exciting times ahead for all trading partners who are collaborating via the SAP's network platforms. Providing an unified experience has been one of the key guiding principles for SAP for its customers and the concept and functioning of SAP Business Network is no different.