SAP Ariba Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Orders that may be affected by the SAP Ariba Shopping transition relate to ones created from e-catalogs only and are either in SAVED status or have not yet processed through Approvers’ inboxes. These e-catalog Shopping Carts were created against the previous SRM e-catalogs, but never converted to purchase orders and placed with the supplier. Since these processed from the older SRM e-catalogs, they may see a disruption if the resultant purchase orders are placed after the go-live date within the new landscape.

This applies only to Shopping Carts against the previous SRM e-catalogs; free text carts are not affected. This type of cart should be re-created post-SAP Ariba Go-Live. Any Shopping Cart that has processed into a purchase order prior to the go-live date is not affected. Contact srmhelp@uky.edu if you need assistance in identifying these types of carts for your area.

(Updated 9/12/21)

Ariba is a market leader in e-procurement transformation solutions creating direct, intelligent connections between businesses and suppliers.

UK will implement two Ariba modules:

• Procurement Catalog: creates consumer-like shopping experiences enabling University shoppers an easier way to get what they need from a greater number of common suppliers.
• Commerce Automation: automates the exchange of purchase orders, invoices, and other procurement documents between UK and our suppliers.

Note: University Shoppers will interact with the Procurement Catalog module only.

(Updated 5/21/21)

This new platform will change the shopping experience for our university community who currently purchase goods/services through SRM and from other selected suppliers. Key benefits for departmental Shoppers are:

• Current punch-out catalogs within SRM will be aggregated into a single catalog environment having multiple suppliers and resulting in a streamlined shopping experience. This includes content from current e-catalogs with additional products from several other suppliers.
• Improvements to invoice discrepancies and resolution.
• Improved automation for Purchase Orders and touchless processing.

(Updated 5/21/21)

While the shopping experience will change, much of what is standard today will remain the same including: 

• Shoppers will access the new, enhanced Catalog environment through the myUK Portal using their existing Shoppers tab and related functionality.
• Shopping Cart creation (including Free Text carts functionality), Goods Confirmations, and approval processes will not change.
• No changes to hospital materials requisition processes.

(Updated 5/21/21)

The launch of our new e-Catalog platform, originally scheduled for Monday, September 13, 2021, is temporarily delayed to complete final testing and validation work. The new date will be communicated to campus departments shortly.

(Updated 9/12/21)

SRM will continue to be used for electronic shopping via digital e-catalogs as well as use of Free Text carts for other buying needs requiring a purchase order. The addition of SAP Ariba simply extends the functionality of SRM allowing staff and faculty to shop from a single environment containing products from multiple suppliers.

Many general steps in creating and processing Shopping Carts, including use of Free Text carts, approval workflows, Goods Confirmations, etc., will remain the same.

(Updated 5/21/21)

There are multiple modalities for training on the new platform currently available, including those below. If your department would like specific training, please reach out to UKpurchasing@uky.edu to discuss.

• On-demand web-based training for current SRM shoppers through myUK Learning titled “SAP Ariba Training for Employees Having Existing SRM Shopper Role”.
• Quick Reference Guides – Available from the Purchasing website, Learning and Training Resources page
• Demo and Question/Answer sessions

(Updated 9/12/21)

Please contact srmhelp@uky.edu to request a list of the current SRM Shoppers in your area. Include in your email the applicable Org Unit Number for the area(s) requested. 

(Updated 7/1/21) 

Departments should utilize products from suppliers found in the Ariba catalog module whenever possible.  This is the same approach as used previously in SRM. The rule is simple - if your needs can be met by an offering in Ariba, use Ariba. With regard to suppliers with exclusive contracts, such as Office Depot and VWR-Avantor, these suppliers must be used for purchases of items respective to their companies. UK has standing contractual commitments with these suppliers that must be adhered to in order to maintain compliance. This strategy will be reviewed as exclusive contracts expire in collaboration with the appropriate Category Advisory Group. 

(Updated 7/1/21) 

During their first time access to Ariba, Shoppers may encounter a pop-up blocker message at the top right of their SRM screen. Click on the pop-up blocker and allow all pop-up options for Ariba. This action may need to be performed twice depending on the browser.

During their first access to Ariba from the SRM Add-Item menu, Shoppers will be presented with a Click-through agreement to accept. It is normal to accept and click through the Ariba agreement. When accessing some Level 1 (L1) e-catalogs on the network, you may also need to accept cookies or agree to individual click-through agreements on your first visit.

A good first step during your initial visit(s) to the Ariba Network is to identify the Level 1 (L1) suppliers whose catalogs you plan to frequently visit and set them as Favorites. Favorites tiles for each supplier will show in the Favorites panel on your landing page for easy future access to their catalogs. A separate Quick Reference Card is available on the Purchasing website Learning Page for current suppliers with steps to create Favorites tiles.

Shoppers commonly need to apply multiple account assignments to a Shopping Cart within the SRM environment. The ability to "Split by Percentage" will continue to be available; Shoppers can assign the cost of an entire SRM Shopping Cart or specific lines across multiple cost objects by percentage. The option to "Split by Quantity" does not work well with Ariba Network shopping and will no longer be available as an option to Shoppers after Ariba go-live. When using Split by Percentage, Shoppers can assign percentages to one decimal point.

If you currently use SRM to shop for goods and services, you will automatically have access to e-catalogs through the SAP Ariba functionality without taking additional action.  You will continue to access e-catalogs through the Shopper tab within myUK. Shoppers will "punch-out" to a single platform (Ariba catalog) from the Add Item menu.  After shopping (within a multiple supplier environment) and adding items to your Ariba cart, Shoppers will checkout and return to SRM similar to current e-catalog processes. Shopping cart approval processes will not be affected by this new solution.

(Updated 5/21/21)

If you currently Approve Shopping Carts, your approval process will not be affected with this implementation, and you will continue to approve as you normally do today.

(Updated 5/21/21)

At this time, access to the Ariba Catalogs platform is limited to those with the designated SRM shopping role.  Purchasing is continually working with SAP Ariba directly to provide non-shopping access.  If you have any questions, please contact UKPurchasing@uky.edu.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

If you already have access to SRM as a Shopper, you will continue to log into the myUK Portal and access e-catalogs through the Shoppers tab. Steps such as setting default values and header notes will remain the same. From the Add Item menu, Shoppers will select only one option for e-catalog shopping: SAP Ariba e-catalog. Once Shoppers punch-out to the new platform, they will find products from current e-catalog suppliers plus those from additional suppliers common to departmental needs. 

Faculty and staff who do not currently hold the SRM Shopper role at the time of go-live should work with their department to determine if they should apply for the Shopper's role through current and standard process by completing the EAG Training Plan Request Form.

(Updated 5/21/21)

At this time, access to the Ariba Catalogs platform is limited to those with the designated SRM shopping role.  Purchasing is continually working with SAP Ariba directly to provide non-shopping role access.  If you have any questions, please contact UKPurchasing@uky.edu.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

At this time, access to the Ariba Catalogs platform is limited to those with the designated SRM shopping role.  Purchasing is continually working with SAP Ariba directly to provide non-shopping role access.  If you have any questions, please contact UKPurchasing@uky.edu.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

The Purchasing Division strives for as many catalogs as possible available at your fingertips through the Ariba platform.  There are 17 catalogs slated for availability in Wave 1 of go-live with additional phases of catalog availability continuing in perpetuity.

Products from current e-catalog suppliers will automatically be available within the Ariba platform allowing for price comparison, shopping convenience, etc. Products from additional suppliers from whom departments commonly make purchases will also be available.

(Updated 9/8/21)

At this time, no changes are planned to approval workflow when purchasing goods/services through Ariba Catalogs.  The content retrieved from Ariba catalogs will be brought back to a Shopping Cart in SRM as users know today and current approval workflows and processes will continue to be used. 

(Updated 5/21/21)

With the implementation of Ariba, the academic campus (excluding UK HealthCare materials/requisitions) will retire its historical invoicing technology for campus PO documents known as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).  With Ariba, the University will leverage its document exchange technology to conduct business with suppliers.  This new platform for purchase orders and invoice transmission will simplify and modernize processes as well as decrease invoice discrepancies. 

(Updated 5/21/21)

No changes to hospital material SAP ZB document requisitioning for hospital purchases are in scope for the Ariba project and hospital Inventory will not be affected.

(Updated 5/21/21)

Using commerce automation mechanisms, the new platform will reduce the possibility of suppliers inappropriately billing for sales tax on purchases.

Additional information will be forthcoming regarding purchases with Amazon Business through the Ariba platform and tax exemption processes.

(Updated 9/8/21)

Departments will continue to use their existing procurement resources and decision-making processes (e.g., Purchasing/AP Quick Reference Guide, Procurement Card policies, etc.) for purchases from suppliers who are not within the SAP Ariba catalog environment. 

(Updated 5/21/21)

There will be no hard stop in Concur that would prevent this type of transaction. Once past Ariba go-live, however, departments should become familiar with suppliers available on the Ariba network and transition any p-card purchases for those suppliers to SRM Shopping Carts going forward. Campus communications will be provided as new suppliers are added to the network and available for Shopping. 

(Updated 7/1/21) 

Shopping lists and current supplier favorites will not transfer to the new platform.  That said, you can easily add suppliers and products as favorites by going to the supplier page, view all suppliers, select your preferred supplier and then “Add to Favorites”.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

You can search for products by using the search tool at the top of the Ariba Catalog site which will show you all Level 2 (L2) suppliers with that product available.  You can also select a specific supplier's catalog to search by accessing the selection from the Supplier panel on the left of the SAP Ariba landing page.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

All suppliers on the SAP Ariba Network are previously vetted and departments can order available items from any suppliers reflected on the network.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

If you believe the items should be available from a given supplier on the SAP Ariba Network and are not showing, you can ask the supplier to write a customized quote for you and load it on their e-catalog. You can then pull the quote to your Shopping Cart on the SAP Ariba Network to order the items. Alternatively, contact srmhelp@uky.edu to inquire if the item(s) can be added on a permanent basis to the respective supplier's e-catalog.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

There are no changes for when departments should obtain a quote. If the purchase involves a given supplier on the SAP Ariba Network, they can load the quote onto their e-catalog and the Shopper can pull it to a cart and order.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

No changes will be made to technology purchases and Shoppers should follow their standard department rules.

(Updated 9/8/2021)

Approval processes are not affected by the implementation of Ariba’s platform.  The Ariba platform is a change in how departmental Shoppers purchase items which will then return to SRM to follow standard workflow approvals.

(Updated 9/8/2021)