Ariba Resource Library

Becoming a Best-in-Class B2B E-Commerce Giant

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

As the use of B2B e-commerce gains traction in the marketplace, more sellers are taking a closer look at whether it makes sense for their business. While the potential for major top- and bottom-line gains provides a compelling argument to adopt e-commerce, misperceptions about who benefits most—and what drives their success—can cause sellers to miss out on the rewards the online channel delivers.

This white paper provides encouraging evidence that the degree and quality of a company's e-commerce efforts, rather than its size or financial resources, are the key determinants in maximizing e-commerce ROI. It also demonstrates how embracing the online channel can help smaller sellers level the playing field to compete effectively even with industry giants.

An examination of the survey findings offers valuable insight into the views and strategies that work best, providing guidelines any business can use to chart a path to e-commerce success.

E-Payables 2012: The State of the AP Market

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ardent Partners surveyed 220 finance executives who overwhelmingly agree: The evolution of AP from a tactical department to a strategic operation is paying off for best-in-class companies around the globe.

Within most enterprises, though, the view of the AP department falls under the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule. But there is a clear difference between working and working well, and respondents agree there’s significant opportunity to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

The question is how to do it. This report presents a proven, effective process to help you build a strong business case for transforming your AP department and achieving best-in-class performance.

Gemeinsam in neue Höhen: Vorteile der Zusammenarbeit im Bereich Finanzen und Beschaffung

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Im Dezember 2011 führte CFO Research Services (ein Unternehmensbereich von CFO Publishing LLC) eine Studie unter leitenden Finanzmanagern aus Nordamerika, Europa und Asien über deren neue Perspektive auf den Einkauf und seine Funktion innerhalb des Unternehmens durch.

Früher wurde der Einkauf nur damit in Verbindung gebracht, Produkte und Dienstleistungen für das Unternehmen einzukaufen. Wenn man es heutzutage richtig macht, ist das Beschaffungswesen viel eher ein strategisches Instrument, das bei der Erzielung von Wettbewerbsvorteilen von Bedeutung ist.“

Was genau bedeutet richtig machen? Hier ein paar wesentliche higlights, die aus der Studie hervorgehen:

Der bedeutsamste Wandel im Beschaffungsbereich hat in den letzten drei Jahren stattgefunden.
Viele Senior Finanzmanager sehen großes Potential darin, wie der Einkauf dazu beitragen kann, das Unternehmen profitabler zu gestalten.
Bestimmte Prozessänderungen sind die Voraussetzungen für eine gesteigerte Produktivität im Einkauf sowie einen positiven Beitrag zum Unternehmenserfolg.
Die jeweilige Unternehmensstrategie, die zu einer engeren Zusammenarbeit von Beschaffung und Finanzen beiträgt, spielt eine entscheidende Rolle.
Was müssen Finanz und Beschaffung leisten, um gemeinsame Ziele wie z.B. die Verwaltung des Warenbestands oder die Optimierung des Unternehmenskapitals zu erreichen.

Wenn Sie Finanzexperte innerhalb ihres Unternehmens sind, dann sollten Sie mehr über die strategischen Möglichkeiten einer Zusammenarbeit mit dem Einkauf erfahren. Und falls Sie im Einkauf beschäftigt sind, dann sollten Sie herausfinden welche Themen für ihre Finanzexperten gerade aktuell sind.

CFO

CFO Research Services ist die von CFO Publishing LLC unterstützte Forschungsgruppe, die das CFO magazine, CFO Conferences und CFO.com produziert

Supplier Networks v.2.0 – A Look At Commerce in the Cloud

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Thinking about finally joining the Ariba Network, or wondering if you’re making the most of it? Take a look at this new report from the Aberdeen Group. They found out how best-in-class companies are maximizing their use of supplier networks, and they explain how you can do the same.

Here’s a sample of what you’ll learn about best-in-class companies:

64 percent have established multiple levels of supplier integration via web-based interfaces, email, fax, or automated online access, compared to 48 percent of industry-average companies and 43 percent of laggard companies
41 percent use benchmarking and reporting tools on their supplier networks compared to 28 percent of industry-average and 19 percent of laggards
60 percent are 106 percent more likely to have their suppliers leverage self-service or collaboration tools on their supplier network than all other organizations

Find out how you can achieve best-in-class results, too. Access your complimentary copy — a $399 value — today.

Reaching New Heights: The Dividends of Collaboration between Finance and Procurement

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Collaboration between finance and procurement is paying huge dividends for organizations around the globe. That’s just one of the takeaways from a recent study conducted by CFO Research Services.*

Senior finance pros from more than 260 companies participated, and they have lots of insights and lessons learned to share with you in this recorded webinar.

Download it now to learn how your organization can strengthen collaboration between these two functions and what benefits you can achieve. It’s really worth a 60-minute investment!

Speakers

Sam Knox, Vice President and Director of Research, CFO Research Services
James Tucker, Director, Solutions Marketing, Ariba

*CFO Research Services is the research group within CFO Publishing, which produces CFO Magazine.

Download the related report.

Reaching New Heights: The Dividends of Collaboration between Finance and Procurement

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In December 2011, CFO Research Services* surveyed 263 senior finance executives in North America, Europe, and Asia about their changing view of procurement and its role in the organization. Their views might be summed up by one respondent:

“In the old days, procurement was really associated with people who were out buying stuff. Today, if you are doing it right, it’s much more of a strategic tool that’s a part of your arsenal of creating competitive advantage.”

So, what does ‘doing it right’ mean? To find out, download this complimentary report. You’ll learn:

The most significant transformation that has occurred in the procurement function over the past three years
The key differentiator that leads many senior finance executive to believe there is great opportunity for Procurement to contribute to high-value activities
The specific process change and key enabler needed to help Procurement do a better job and become a stronger contributor
The specific organization strategy that can weave a tighter working relationship between Procurement and Finance
What Finance and Procurement must do to together to achieve common goals of better management of inventory levels, working capital, and cash flow

If you’re in Finance, you’ll want to read about the strategic opportunities your peers see in Procurement. And if you’re in Procurement, you’ll want to find out what your company’s finance execs are talking about. Take a look.

* CFO Research Services is the sponsored research group within CFO Publishing LLC, which produces CFO magazine, CFO Conferences, and CFO.com.

Listen to the recorded webinar.

The Networked Economy

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Mega-shifts in technology have made us more connected, both in our personal and professional lives. We are now more enabled to share, shop, and make more informed decisions than ever before.

Welcome to the Networked Economy, where businesses and their systems are connected to digital communities of existing and potential partners. A world where:

Sellers can quickly find new business opportunities with a network of purchase-ready prospects.
Buyers can efficiently discover new sources of supply and coordinate orders across their supply chains — all in real-time.
Companies can have transparency into payables and receivables to make better working capital decisions.

The move to this new, inter-enterprise operating model is being accelerated by trends like cloud computing, mobility, and the convergence of enterprise applications and social media.

For deeper insight on the factors driving this business commerce revolution, read and share this new whitepaper.

Because business has officially become networked, and there's no turning back.

Ariba Spend Visibility Success Story: How Bausch & Lomb Maximized Adoption and ROI

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re already a user of Ariba Spend Visibility or just considering it, you can benefit from this recent webinar recording.

Listen in to hear how Bausch & Lomb has successfully deployed and maximized the leading solution for spend analysis and visibility. Their success story illustrates best practices in solution deployment and change management; practices you can employ to:

Develop strategy, process, and key metrics prior to implementation
Rollout your solution in stages
Use solution tools to draw real-time reports
Measure your team’s results
Ensure across-the-board adoption

Speakers

John Holtby, Manager, Global Procurement Processes and Technology, Bausch & Lomb

Dave Kosovec, Solution Manager, Ariba Spend Visibility & Data Enrichment

Dynamic Discount Management: Finding the 'Treasure' in Treasury

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:36:02 GMT

PayStream Advisors has released an updated report on dynamic discounting. From the executive summary:

Recent innovations in trade payables and payments have created a more elastic, powerful mix of working capital tools, allowing innovative organizations to create new profit sources, while maintaining full cash flow control. Dynamic Discount Management (DDM) is an emerging discipline that gives buyers more flexibility to choose how and when to pay suppliers. Suppliers are embracing these new tools as well, finding their own benefit in dynamic working capital management.

Since our last report on DDM, payment and financing vehicles have become more powerful, less expensive and more user friendly. Savvy finance managers need to frequently revisit this rapidly changing landscape to stay abreast of emerging opportunities.

This report includes a link to a complimentary online tutorial on the subject, led by PayStream's lead analyst.

Building Your Business Case for AP Automation

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A successful AP automation initiative is grounded in a solid business case. Listen to this podcast to hear experts from Ardent Partners and Ariba outline:

The importance of your business case process and document
The five key stakeholders you need to involve
The essential information elements you need to include

This brief, information-packed conversation touches on matters pertaining to solution viability, organizational challenges, risk assessment, and key performance indicators. It’s a great starting point for the critical project you’re considering or about to undertake.

This podcast is the first in a series of five, recorded to coincide with the release of Ardent Partners’ ePayables SMARTSet™ — a comprehensive set of research tools and templates designed to guide you through the process of automating your accounts payable processes and selecting the best-fit e-payables solutions given your specific requirements and budgets. To learn more, visit ardentpartners.com.

Speakers:

Vishal Patel; Research Director & VP of Client Services; Ardent Partners
James Tucker; Director Marketing, Invoice and Payment Solutions; Ariba

5 Keys to Unlock E-Procurement ROI

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Having examined hundreds of procure-to-pay operations, The Hackett Group is the industry’s go-to source for benchmarking procurement performance.

We invite you to learn from the best.

Tune into Hackett’s Kurt Albertson in this recorded webinar as he shares practical and effective strategies to help you evaluate the best-fit e-procurement application for your organization and identify ways to drive the most successful deployment. He also shares how to develop a sure-fire business case for your project, analyze ROI, and forecast measureable benefits.

You’ll learn:

How to garner executive support
What bottom line benefits to expect
How to sustain ongoing savings and expand your spend control

Speakers:

Kurt Albertson, Associate Principal – Procurement Advisory, The Hackett Group

John Lark, Director, Product Marketing, Ariba

Rentabiliser au maximum votre investissement ERP SAP^®

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

SAP est un système stratégique conçu pour aider à augmenter la productivité et à améliorer l’accès aux informations au sein de votre entreprise. Vous avez déjà investi énormément d’argent et de ressources pour optimiser vos processus internes. Alors comment dégager davantage de valeur ajoutée de votre système SAP sans engager davantage de dépenses d’investissement ni y consacrer davantage de temps ? Le présent article passe en revue quelques options qui vous permettront d’optimiser votre déploiement SAP de manière à améliorer la collaboration avec vos partenaires externes, l’adoption par les utilisateurs et vos résultats financiers.

Building a Lean but Highly Effective Procurement Organisation

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Storebrand, one of Scandinavia’s leading financial services firms, a CSR pioneer, and two-time winner of the Nordic Swan best-in-class procurement organisation, has an interesting story to share with you.

The transformation of Storebrand’s procurement operation into a high-performing, award-winning organization all started when the firm hired a new CPO, Knut-Olav Irgens Hoeg. Mr. Hoeg describes his team's achievements in this recorded webinar. Take a little time to listen in. You should be able to apply their experiences to your situation, learning specifically:

How to do more with less through the effective, methodical deployment of technology
Which market dynamics are changing the way Procurement operates
How Procurement can greatly increase its effectiveness and stature within an organisation
How to meet aggressive CSR objectives in a lean environment without compromising savings

Speakers:

Knut-Olav Irgens Hoeg, Group CPO, Storebrand

Alex Saric, Director of Marketing -- EMEA, Ariba

Beyond EDI - How a Smart Invoice Network Drives Global E-Invoicing and Collaboration with All Suppliers

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Many attempts to automate invoice processing have met with limited success, automating parts without fixing the whole. Full success is achieved by connecting ERP or back office systems to a smart invoice network, bringing order to a chaotic procure-to-pay process.

Download this one-hour webinar recording to learn how you can improve collaboration with all of your suppliers and gain a business advantage from e-invoicing. You'll learn about:

The limitations of EDI, imaging, and automated workflow
New tools that help AP and Procurement streamline invoice processing
Best-practice approaches to managing PO and non-PO invoices
Expanding early payment discounts and dynamic discounting
Delivering compelling value to suppliers

The smart invoice network is contributing to breakthroughs in invoice processing efficiency while helping organizations optimize working capital and improve financial reporting accuracy. Download this insightful session today.

Speakers:

Judy Bicking, AP & Procure-to-Pay Consultant, The Accounts Payable Network; Former Director, Johnson & Johnson’s AP Shared Services
Chris Rauen, Solutions Marketing Manager, Network and Financial Solutions, Ariba

Dynamic Discounting: Turning Accounts Payable into a Profit Center

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

By automating its invoice process, Republic Services is doing much more than streamlining AP operations, improving productivity, and lowering processing costs. They're also driving a collaborative process for managing cash.

In this recorded webinar Erin Chumbley shares how that's helping her organization realize double-digit annualized returns from early payment discounts.

Listen to learn how you, too, can:

> Save $2 million or more in early payment discounts for every billion dollars of targeted spend

> Capture more discounts while maintaining or extending your DPO

> Drive acceptance of discount programs to more than 15 percent of your suppliers

> Increase discount opportunities from new suppliers

> Capture dynamic, sliding-scale discounts to expand early-pay discount opportunities

> Leverage Ariba’s working capital consulting group to further increase discount program growth

Speakers:

Erin Chumbley, ePro Supervisor, Republic Services

Drew Hofler, Senior Solutions Marketing Manager - Network & Financial Solutions, Ariba

From E-Commerce to E-Excellence

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

E-commerce is more than just a customer mandate. It's an opportunity to increase new account sales by up to 36 percent, increase sales in existing accounts by up to 40 percent, and improve retention rates by up to 48 percent. But how do you determine which tactics can actually move the e-commerce needle?

Whether you're a buyer or seller, register today to hear e-commerce experts Toni McGovern, senior manager from Johnson & Johnson, and Oozy Adziashvili, lead account manager of corporate sales for B&H Photo, in this upcoming live webcast. They'll discuss how you can transform e-commerce into a collaborative channel, dramatically improving your customer relationships and sales volume via catalog management and buyer-seller collaboration.

Specifically, you will learn:

Reasons to build strategic buyer/seller relationships
Ways to foster business collaboration
Tips to successfully evolve and advance your eCommerce strategy
Techniques to leverage PunchOut catalogs for advanced customer integration
Strategies for increased customer retention and satisfaction

Featured Speakers:

Toni McGovern
Senior Manager, Enterprise Process & Technology
Johnson & Johnson

Oozy Adziashvili
Manager, Corporate Sales
B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio

Maximieren Sie Ihre SAP ERP Investitionen

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

SAP ist ein erfolgsentscheidendes System, dass Ihnen hilft, innerhalb Ihres Unternehmens die Effizienz und den Zugriff auf Informationen zu verbessern. Zur Optimierung Ihrer internen Prozesse haben Sie bereits einen erheblichen Geldbetrag und Ressourcen investiert. Wie können Sie also ohne weitere Investitionen von CapEx und Zeit den Mehrwert durch SAP noch steigern? Dieses Informationsblatt zeigt, wie Sie Ihr bestehendes SAP-System nutzen können, um schnell eine bessere Zusammenarbeit mit externen Partnern zu erreichen, die Akzeptanz der Benutzer zu verbessern und Ihren Gewinn zu erhöhen.

Beyond EDI: How a Smart Invoice Network Reorders P2P to Drive Global E-Invoicing and Collaboration with All Suppliers

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

You can bring order to chaotic P2P processes by connecting your ERP or other back-office systems to a smart invoice network, according to this special report by The Accounts Payable Network.

In today’s networked economy, companies that extend their ERP processes to collaborate with their suppliers beyond their four walls are reaping significant benefits, like:

> 98 percent paperless invoice processing

> 70 percent reduction in processing costs

> An end to lost invoices

> Weeks shaved off of invoice cycle time

Your organization can achieve these benefits as well. Download this special report to learn how.

Spend Analysis: The Nexus of Spend Management

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

When spend analysis is done right – that is, when spend data is extracted, cleansed, classified, and analyzed from multiple sources – you can get more visibility into your spending, make more insightful sourcing decisions, and identify more ways to cut costs.

But most organizations struggle to conduct effective spend analyses when their spend data is housed on a number of systems and solutions

For guidance on overcoming this challenge, download this new report from Aberdeen Group. They benchmarked best-in-class organizations noted for their ability to capture spend for analysis and identify opportunities for improvement. In the process, Aberdeen identified actionable strategies you can adopt to achieve the same kind of success.

Plus, the report offers a free self-assessment that can show you – with a free, personal PDF scorecard – how your current performance compares to best-in-class organizations.

E-Payables 2011

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Aberdeen Group Report on How Best-in-Class Organizations Transform AP Into Profit Centers

According to this report from the Aberdeen Group, best-in-class organizations are migrating from manual, paper-based processing to faster, more efficient e-payable solutions.

Download this report to learn how leading organizations are achieving:

Significant reductions in invoice processing costs, payment cycle times, and errors
Increased efficiencies and productivity
Greater visibility and control over spending

You'll read how the best practices of high-performing organizations -- that is, how they handle invoice receipt, approval processing, payment, and audit -- differentiate them from their lower-performing counterparts. And you can take a free assessment to see your own scorecard and how your organization compares.

Ariba Contracts on Force.com: A Brief Demonstration

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Watch this three-minute demo of Ariba Contracts on Force.com (ACF) to learn how:

ACF makes contract management and closing deals faster and easier
Salesforce integration and Chatter save time and effort
Mobility and social tools enhance collaboration and efficiency
Step-by-step you’ll soon be creating, executing, and managing contracts

This is next-generation contract management.

Augmentez la valeur de votre ERP avec les Solutions commerciales collaboratives en mode cloud

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Peu de systèmes sont plus efficaces pour gérer les données internes que les ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). Mais quand il s'agit de gérer transactions et échanges avec vos partenaires commerciaux, les ERP ne sont pas la bonne solution, car tout simplement pas équipés pour gérer les informations externes et les relations commerciales.

Heureusement, il existe un moyen de combler cette lacune. Selon la dernière enquête CIO Market Pulse, « Les solutions commerciales collaboratives en mode cloud», un nombre croissant de sociétés qui exploitent les ERP se tournent vers les plates-formes ouvertes, où les informations peuvent être accessibles et partagées, facilement et en toute sécurité.

En substance, les solutions en mode cloud aident ces entreprises à étendre leur ERP au-delà de leurs quatre murs, afin d’atteindre un plus grand degré de collaboration, et optimiser la transparence et l'efficacité des opérations.

Cette stratégie est « contagieuse ». Cinquante-deux pour cent des répondants au sondage sont ouverts à la poursuite ou déjà en cours de déploiement d’applications en mode cloud, afin d’améliorer leurs investissements actuels dans leurs ERP. La moitié des répondants au sondage étaient basés aux Etats-Unis, tandis que l'autre moitié étaient situés en Europe, au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique.

Pour en savoir plus, téléchargez votre copie du rapport d'enquête réalisé par CIO Market Pulse.

Wertsteigerung von ERP-Systemen durch cloud-basierte Business-Commerce-Lösungen

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nur wenige Systeme sind bei der Verwaltung von internen Daten effizienter als Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Aber wenn es um Business-Commerce-Transaktionen zwischen Ihnen und Ihren Handelspartnern geht, reicht ERP nicht mehr aus.
Geschäftsprozesse, die über das Unternehmen hinaus gehen, können ERP-Systeme schlichtweg nicht abbilden. Informationen und Beziehungen können nicht richtig bewältigt werden.
Glücklicherweise gibt es eine Möglichkeit, diese Lücke zu schließen. Laut der jüngsten Umfrage „Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions“ von CIO Market Pulse, planen immer mehr Unternehmen ihre existierenden ERP-Systeme auszubauen, um in einer offenen Umgebung auf Informationen zuzugreifen und sicher austauschen zu können.

Im Wesentlichen helfen Cloud-basierte Lösungen, Unternehmen ihre ERP-Systeme jenseits der vier Wände auszubauen. Hierdurch erfahren sie eine bessere Zusammenarbeit, höhere Transparenz und mehr Effizienz.

Diese Strategie wird immer beliebter. Die Mehrheit der befragten Unternehmen (52 Prozent) fassen cloud-basierte Anwendungen ins Auge, um ihre derzeitigen ERP-Systeme zu verbessern. Die Teilnehmer der Umfrage stammen zur Hälfte aus den USA, der Rest aus Ländern der Region Europa, Nahost und Afrika.
Möchten Sie mehr erfahren? Laden Sie hier Ihre persönliche Kopie der CIO Markt Pulse Survey herunter.

Winning Onboarding Strategies

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As more buying organizations adopt e-commerce, the need to onboard sellers quickly and effectively ranks among their top priorities—because the faster enablement occurs, the sooner they can realize the benefits of electronic collaboration. Sellers gain distinct advantages as well, since complying with buyers’ electronic sourcing, procurement, and invoicing initiatives increases customer satisfaction, strengthens relationships, and increases sales. So how can you streamline the process to optimize your results?

Download this webcast recording and hear e-commerce experts—Joni Anderson, director of e-commerce contract for Office Max, and Shena Douglas, e-procurement Manager for RockTenn—as they talk about successful onboarding and e-commerce integration strategies.

Specifically, you will learn:

The buyer's perspective about onboarding suppliers
Top reasons to adopt e-commerce
Processes, steps, and infrastructure to enhance e-commerce integration
The do's and don't's of e-commerce onboarding
Tips to drive successful on boarding and e-commerce integration

The Forrester^™ Wave: E-Procurement Solutions, Q1 2011

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Selecting the best e-procurement solution from a crowded field of providers just got a whole lot easier.

Forrester Research evaluated 11 enterprise-class vendors' solutions, including Basware, Oracle, SAP, and of course, Ariba. (Ariba leads the pack, we’re pleased to report.) Acknowledging that staff and supplier resistance is the primary obstacle to adoption, Forrester used a comprehensive set of 70 evaluation criteria to focus on features that will help you maximize adoption of your chosen solution.

This enabled them to identify where clear differentiation exists among the leading solutions, as well as:

The key to getting high adoption
How e-procurement products can reduce maverick spend
The solution functionality that project teams should focus on

What's more, Forrester explains how you can tailor their evaluation to meet your specific needs and create a customized ranking to drive and justify your own decision. Download the report now.

One-on-One Interview: The Forces Affecting E-Invoicing's Future

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

How is your e-invoicing program coming along?

Susie West, CEO of sharedserviceslink.com, said in 2010 that “everyone is waking up to the fact that we have to do e-invoicing.” Well, we’re all certainly wide awake now, and paying close attention to the market and governmental forces that may have significant impact on our e-invoicing and accounts payable plans.

That’s why you should tune in as Susie explores the direction e-invoicing will take over the next five years in this recorded webinar. You’ll learn more about:

The expected role of the banks
The role interoperability will play
Anticipated service provider acquisitions and partnerships
Expectations around mandates and support from European governments
And much more

Susie posed questions to Peter Lugli, Ariba’s senior director of financial solutions. Peter’s global expertise is derived from years of helping companies in Europe, Australasia, and the U.S. with supply chain finance programs. He also served as the chief of staff to Canada’s Minister of International Trade.

To find out how critical external factors may impact your company and your goals, download this webinar today.

Spend Visibility: It's What You Do with It That Matters

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This new Ardent Partners study presents compelling evidence that best-in-class organizations that achieve a comprehensive view into enterprise spend report 36 percent higher levels of annual savings and 35 percent better contract compliance rates than other groups in the market. But having spend visibility and using spend visibility to achieve an advantage are two different things.

To help you achieve best-in-class status, Ardent Partners outlines:

The tools you must automate to drive efficiencies and savings
The steps you must take to realize the ‘true’ value of your spend visibility program
The category of insights you must combine with spend visibility to maximize value while minimizing risk.

To find out what those tools, steps, and insights are, download your complimentary copy today.

Increasing the Value of ERP with Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A critical step in supply chain optimization is extending your ERP's capabilities outside the four walls of your company. Your ERP is great for streamlining internal processes, but it falls short when it comes to helping your company work with its trading partners.

To start fixing that, download this recorded webinar.

You'll hear details from the CIO Market Pulse report, Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions, shared by Richi Jennings, CIO Custom Solutions Group contributor and industry analyst. And discussing his own success at extending his SAP environment with cloud solutions is Anurag Tiwary of ArcelorMittal, the world's leading steel company.

Listening to their discussion, you'll hear how you can:

1. Leverage cloud-based solutions to safely and securely extend the power of your ERP
2. Achieve greater business commerce transparency and efficiency
3. Drive more efficient and effective inter-enterprise collaboration

Panelist(s):

Richi Jennings, CIO Custom Solutions Group Contributor and Industry Analyst
Anurag Tiwary; Global Purchasing, Sourcing, and Back-Office IT Head; ArcelorMittal
Dan Ashton, Sr. Solutions Marketing Manager, Ariba

IDC Perspective of Cloud, Commerce & Community

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This IDC Manufacturing Insights Perspective discusses how cloud computing and community will help influence the supply chain collaboration and commerce market. It goes on to highlight Ariba as an e-business pioneer that uses the Ariba Commerce Cloud to highlight the market opportunity.

Le commerce collaboratif pour Les Nuls

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Rendez votre entreprise plus efficace à moindre coût.

Comment vont vos affaires ? Des améliorations s'imposent-elles ? Les entreprises doivent savoir tirer parti des solutions souples qui leur permettent d'accéder aux ressources dont elles ont besoin, au moment où elles en ont besoin, pour collaborer plus efficacement avec leurs partenaires commerciaux. Ce petit livre permet d'évaluer la santé de votre affaire et propose une nouvelle approche pour améliorer vos activités.

Vendez plus efficacement vos produits ou services :
Multipliez vos prospects, augmentez les taux de réussite et réduisez les coûts du soutien à la clientèle.
Achetez plus efficacement des biens et des services :
Négociez des accords plus profitables afin d'obtenir le meilleur retour sur investissement de chaque centime avec le risque le plus faible.
Gérez plus judicieusement la trésorerie :
Rationalisez et perfectionnez la facturation et les paiements, optimisez le fond de roulement.
Évaluez la situation commerciale de votre entreprise :
Vérifiez-la à l'aide de quiz et de check-lists.

Build Your Business Case for Procure-to-Pay Automation

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You can cut costs, time, and risks by overcoming the barriers between you and your suppliers. Specifically, by automating and connecting your procure-to-pay (P2P) processes to their order-to-cash processes. To learn more, download this recorded webinar.

Procurement and financial management experts from The Hackett Group and Ariba shared strategies and information you can use to:

Set value-driving objectives for your P2P program, and measure results
Benchmark your organization’s performance against industry and peer groups
Ensure compliance with processes, policies, and contracts
Leverage your payables to optimize working capital
Mitigate risk with greater visibility and control
Improve ROI

P2P automation is critical for improving inter-enterprise collaboration. This webinar can help you build your business case to make it a reality. Listen today.

Featured Speakers:

Kurt Albertson, Associate Principal, Procurement Advisory, The Hackett Group
James Tucker, Director, Product Marketing, Network and Finance Solutions, Ariba

Les nouveaux partenariats

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Les nouveaux partenariats: Pourquoi les entreprises renforcent leurs partenariats avec leurs clients, leurs fournisseurs et leurs banquiers dans une économie d'après-récession

Kollaboratives Handeln für DUMMIES

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Unternehmen stehen immer mehr in der Pflicht, nach flexibeleren Lösungen zu suchen, die die Kollaboration mit ihren Handelspartnern einfacher und effizienter macht. Dieses kleine Buch dient Ihnen als ein Gesundheitscheck für Ihre B2B e-Commerce Lösungen und bietet Ihnen konkrete Hilfestellungen.

How E-Invoicing Helped NSG Align Finance & Procurement, Taking PO Compliance from 50% to 90%

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Frustrated by the costs and consequences of poor PO compliance and conversion rates, you’re pretty sure the solution lies in automation and electronic invoicing. But that requires process alignment between Procurement and Finance, not to mention your suppliers. And that just seems too overwhelming a task.

There’s hope. When manufacturer NSG Pilkington decided to focus on improving end-to-end processes, they too recognised that the process to bind all stakeholders would be conversion to e-invoicing. Their strategy worked.

Listen to this recorded webinar to hear how they:

Aligned Finance and Procurement on a common goal
Implemented e-invoicing in the UK, Germany, and Poland
Improved their PO conversion rate from 50 percent to 90 percent
Leveraged high-quality invoice data to drive touchless processing
Encouraged suppliers to use Ariba’s PO Flip service

Speakers:

Jonathan Fallows, NSG Pilkington
James Tucker, Ariba

Dynamic Procurement: The CPO as Collaborator, Innovator, and Strategist

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In a 2011 study from the Aberdeen Group, 120 finance, operations, procurement, and supply chain professionals were surveyed to define best-in-class enterprises based on the percent of total spend under management and the ability to realize negotiated savings.

The study found that best-in-class performers were more likely to:

Track identified savings against implemented and/or booked savings
Actively monitor supplier performance
Have a fully integrated procure-to-pay application

This report also lays out what any company must do to achieve best-in-class performance. This includes:

Improving category expertise for both core and non-core areas
Encouraging cross-functional coordination between procurement and other teams
Strengthening staff training in business areas that are critical to procurement

Find out more. Download your copy today.

Maximizing Your SAP® ERP Investment

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In your drive for higher productivity, your SAP ERP system has been a wise investment, doing a great job improving internal business-process efficiency. But now what?

Enterprises everywhere recognize that the next wave of business-process efficiency will come from more effective collaboration across their supply chains. But SAP has limited capacity in this regard. It’s not very good at safely extending business processes outside your four walls, where inter-enterprise collaboration takes place.

Does that mean you’ve maxed out your return on that investment? Quite the contrary.

But your SAP system is going to need some help. Fortunately, it won’t require additional capital expenditure and development time.

Read this paper to find out how you can enhance SAP to quickly unlock additional savings, collaborate more efficiently with your trading partners, and increase bottom-line profit.

Machtgewinn der Einkäufer

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Wie wird Ihre Arbeit in fünf bis zehn Jahren aussehen? Haben Sie jemals darüber nachgedacht?

Wir schon. Also fragten wir einige erfahrene und visionäre Manager wie sie die Zukunft des Einkaufs in 10 Jahren sehen.

Rund 30 interessante Ideen entstanden. Sie fallen unter diesen Überschriften:

Einkauf delegiert
Das neue Supply Chain Management entsteht (oder Neugestaltung des Supply Chain Management)
Kompetenzen schaffen Veränderungen
Schnelle Auffassungsgabe setzt sich durch (oder Außergewöhnliche Intelligenz setzt sich durch)
Kollaborationen dominieren
Risikomanagement-Kapazitäten und Anforderungen steigen

Nicht alle sind sich darüber einig was als nächstes passiert, und unser Bericht hat nicht das letzte Wort. Es ist ein Ausgangspunkt für Diskussionen. Laden Sie sich hier Ihr Exemplar noch heute runter. Schalten Sie sich in das Gespräch im neuen Wissen und Networking Center von Ariba ein. Die Zukunft des Einkaufs. (Die Zukunft der Beschaffung)

Les acheteurs montent en puissance

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Voicil'une des 30 prédictions d'experts sur l'état de l’art des achats à l’horizon 2020. Parmi les autres constats : les prix vontgagner en transparence, les entreprises vont considérer davantage le concept de risque dans l'approvisionnement, etc

The Collaboration Imperative for Finance: How Deutsche Bank Extended SAP for Global E-Invoicing

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Keeping up with global markets presents your company with some major business commerce challenges. The key to solving them lies in extending your existing ERP's capabilities outside the four walls of your company.

That's what Deutsche Bank did when it implemented e-invoicing throughout its global operations, enabling business commerce collaboration with all targeted suppliers to lower costs and improve compliance. And it was done without any disruptions or changes to its SAP ERP systems.

Download this recorded webinar to hear Will Chen, Deutsche Bank 's global transformation lead, share the results his organization achieved with Ariba’s solution. They include:

Driving 70 percent of invoice transactions off of purchase orders
Converting 60 percent of invoices to e-invoicing
Onboarding 4,000 suppliers

Speakers:

Will Chen, VP, Global Transformation Lead, Deutsche Bank
James Tucker, Director, Solutions Marketing, Ariba

Collaborative Sourcing: The Keys to Unlocking Greater Value

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In a market defined by rapid change and shorter product lifecycles, you have to work harder to sustain a larger, more complex supply chain, and the myriad of business relationships that come with it. Managing supply risk and cost from now on is going to take something more than traditional sourcing strategies.

According to this new paper from Ardent Partners, that something is collaborative sourcing.

Collaborative sourcing can help you blend your traditional sourcing approaches with:

More powerful sourcing strategies
More penetrating views of your supply markets
Deeper collaborative ties with your suppliers

Simpler, more manageable supply markets are a thing of the past. Download this paper for strategies that you can start applying immediately to keep your company moving forward, while preparing yourself to meet tomorrow's top challenges.

Increasing the Value of ERP with Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Keeping up with global markets presents your company with some major business commerce challenges. The key to solving them lies in extending your ERP's capabilities outside the four walls of your company.

See, business commerce happens in the space between companies, where it's notoriously inefficient. Your ERP is great for streamlining internal processes, but it falls short when it comes to helping trading partners work together.

You can fix that. To find out how, download this recorded webinar.

Bob Melk, SVP of IDG Enterprise Group and Group Publisher for CIO Magazine, discusses the CIO Market Pulse survey report, Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions.

Listening in, you'll learn how you can:

• Leverage cloud-based solutions to safely and securely extend the power of your ERP
• Achieve greater business commerce transparency and efficiency
• Drive more efficient and effective inter-enterprise collaboration

Collaboration is today's strategic imperative for better business commerce, and IT has a leading role to play in making it a reality.

Speakers

Bob Melk, SVP & Group Publisher, IDG Enterprise
Dan Ashton, Sr. Solutions Marketing Manager, Ariba

Increasing the Value of ERP with Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Few systems are more efficient at managing internal data than Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). But when it comes to business commerce transactions between you and your trading partners, ERP falls short. It’s just not equipped to manage external information and relationships.

Fortunately, there’s a way to fill this gap. According to the latest CIO Market Pulse survey, "Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions," an increasing number of companies running ERP are turning to open platforms where information can be accessed and shared, easily and safely.

In essence, cloud-based solutions help these companies extend their ERP beyond their four walls. Now they’re driving greater collaboration, transparency, and efficiency.

This strategy is catching on. Fifty-two percent of survey respondents are open to or aggressively pursuing cloud-based applications that can enhance their current ERP investments. Half the survey respondents were based in the United States, while the other half were located in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

To learn more, download your copy of the CIO Market Pulse survey report today.

Fast and Easy Buyer/Supplier Matching Yields Great Returns

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Watch this short video to hear how four Ariba customers are identifying new sources of supply in a way never before possible: with Ariba Discovery.

Each customer shares a unique view about the value that Ariba Discovery adds to their company's sourcing and buying processes.

As one puts it, "The research required to find potential suppliers; to identify and to qualify them; to ensure that they’re capable of delivering the goods and services that you’re looking to buy … it took longer – three, four, six weeks, eight weeks. With Ariba Discovery, you can shorten that cycle time; in some cases down to days, some cases down to hours."

You’ll see the easy, step-by-step process you can employ to save time and money with Ariba Discovery – starting today.

E-Invoicing Adoption Benchmarking Report

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In this report, PayStream Advisors describes how more than 200 U.S.-based enterprises are maximizing their e-invoicing and working capital solutions. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of survey respondents reported that they're moving from paper-pushing to e-invoicing. As a result, they're achieving significant benefits, including:

Payment cycles reduced to five days, from 23
A 39 percent increase in on-time payments
A 63 percent reduction in lost paper invoices

Best Practices for Executing Complex Goods and Services Procurement Online

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you’re looking for real ways to drive sales of complex, highly configured products and services, you need to work more closely with your customers to improve their online procurement, catalog management, and invoicing strategies. Just like strategic seller Robert Calvert from Hewlett-Packard is doing with John Thompson from SunTrust Bank.

To get the inside scoop on the form and function of their successful collaborative relationship, download this webinar recording. You’ll learn how to:

Drive collaboration by creating PunchOut catalog sites and custom configurations
Ensure compliance to complex services procurement contract terms
Gain executive buy-in on goals and objectives
Achieve implementation success with the right business commerce tools
Drive process efficiencies with a flexible and a strategically phased approach

Speakers:

Robert Calvert, B2B Integration Program Manager, Hewlett-Packard
John Thompson, Senior Vice President, Strategic Sourcing, SunTrust Bank

Leah Knight, Product Marketing Director, Sales Acceleration Solutions, Ariba

Supply & Demand Chain Executive Special Edition: Is Social the Future of Business Commerce?

Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Download this special edition of Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine to get the latest insights on how businesses are harnessing the social network effect to become more efficient and effective in their drive for competitive advantage.

Read as industry experts and your peers weigh in on the business and organizational challenges that are being overcome through collaboration; explore how cloud-based technologies are leapfrogging legacy solutions; and offer tips on maximizing the cloud to improve performance and profits.

The seven featured articles include:

Business Gets Social: Collaboration is the New Strategic Capability
By Supply & Demand Chain Executive Editorial Staff
Make the Social Network Work for the Supply Chain
By Andrew K. Reese
Collaboration is Key to Improving Performance and Profits in Recovery
By Supply & Demand Chain Executive Editorial Staff

Put Caterpillar's Global Automation Success to Work for You

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Following a successful roll-out of Ariba Invoice Management in the U.S., Caterpillar went global. Sek Teong Lim, Global Ariba Buyer Deployment Manager for Caterpillar, returns in this second webinar to update you on how they have:

> Reduced global AP headcount by 80 percent

> Achieved 90 percent e-invoicing in the U.S., UK, and Switzerland combined

> Reached 98 percent invoice automation in the U.S. alone

> Expanded global footprint by entering Mexico and China

Listen to this recorded webinar to learn how your organization can:

Establish a common global e-invoicing platform
Implement change management within your organization
Duplicate Caterpillar's outstanding results
Achieve 100 percent supplier adoption

Driving PO Compliance and E-Invoicing at GSK North America

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You’ve heard the buzz: E-invoicing is virtually eliminating the AP challenges you and your colleagues face. Challenges like high processing costs, lost discounts, errors and exceptions, and outdated EDI.

Are you wondering if this is all hype, or the real deal?

We recently caught up with GlaxoSmithKline to see what benefits they’re achieving with Ariba’s e-invoicing solutions. Al Barbee, Director of GSK’s North America Shared Financial Service division, said the benefits are indeed real, and he shares them in this recorded webinar.

Download it now to learn how GSK is reaping numerous benefits through Ariba’s highly efficient and effective procure-to-pay process, including:

Enrolling 1,200 suppliers in just five months, accounting for 85 percent of its paper-invoice volume
Achieving targeted cost savings of 20 percent
Automating invoice processing

The New Deals: Why Companies Are Deepening their Alliances with Customers, Suppliers, and Bankers in a Post-Recession Economy

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

CFO Research discovered that your peers are applying some valuable lessons from the recession as they shift their focus from cost-cutting to top-line growth. These lessons can help you thrive in this stubborn and tentative recovery. Key take-aways include:

The economic downturn prompted companies to pressure their suppliers and alter supply chain activities.
Going forward, collaborative relationships with third parties will be essential to your ability to compete.
Effective collaboration with your trading partners can only happen with automated invoicing solutions, supplier connectivity, and working capital management tools that work.

Read this report to find out what it will take for your company to prosper in the days ahead.

Vision 2020

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

What will your job look like in five or 10 years? Ever wonder?

We do. So we asked some seasoned and visionary leaders for their predictions about the future of procurement, 10 years down the road.

Some 30 interesting ideas emerged. A few of them fall under these headers:

    #7: "Bye, bye procurement"
    #16: "Talent competition heats up"
    #24: "Suppliers gain power"
    #25: "New biz models emerge"
    #27: "Firms wake up to supply risk"

Not everyone agrees on what will come to pass, and our report isn't the final word. It's a starting point for discussion. Download your copy today, then join the conversation on Ariba Exchange.

The State of Sales Contract Management

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

When it comes to creating and executing sales contracts, many organizations struggle because different departments seem to have competing priorities.

To wit, Sales wants to close deals quickly, while Legal wants to close deals safely. The resulting bottlenecks and increased risks that each side experiences in many a sales contracting process can lead to significant frustration among coworkers and colleagues.

This is unnecessary. The solutions are outlined in this new report from the International Association of Commercial and Contract Management (IACCM).

Download it now to learn the best practices for improving contracting cycles and performance, with sufficient speed and security to satisfy everyone in your organization.

E-Invoicing / E-Billing in Europe and Abroad

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The timing of this comprehensive guide couldn't be better, as:

You're still under pressure to reduce costs.
E-invoicing is mandatory for invoices sent from the private to the public sector in many European countries.
Your trading partners increasingly would prefer e-invoices.
E-invoicing is key to automating financial supply chain processes and optimising working capital.

The guide documents the benefits of e-invoicing, benefits that can deliver payback in as few as six months:

60 - 80 percent operational cost savings
Saving 1-2 percent of your turnover
An improvement of up to 0.8 percent to the Kyoto protocol requirements

Download your free copy today.

Supply Chain Finance: Gaining Control in the Face of Uncertainty

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Supply chain finance has implications that extend beyond Finance out to every functional area within your organization. It is immediately tied to your credit decisions, payments, and collection policies. It is impacted by decisions in finance, sales, supply chain, procurement, and more.

This study examines:

How supply chain finance is viewed in the marketplace
What it offers to those seeking to improve their financial performance
What companies are planning in order to improve competencies and expand technology adoption

Aberdeen focuses on the characteristics that define best-in-class organizations. To see how your organization compares, and how to achieve best-in-class yourself, download this report.

How Finance Executives Plan to Thrive in the Post-Recession Economy

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As finance executives shift focus from cost-cutting measures to top line growth strategies, did we learn anything from the recession that can help us thrive in what promises to be a stubborn and tentative recovery?

The short answer is 'yes'.

These lessons have been captured in an Ariba-sponsored study by CFO Research Services. Listen to this recorded webinar to hear how many of your peers are applying their lessons to strengthen their organizations for long-term prosperity. The discussion centers around:

The fundamental business practice that is essential for growth
The differentiating factor that provides some executives with a high degree of confidence in their forecasts, while also equipping them to deal with inevitable volatility
Implementable strategies for improving working capital, mitigating financial supply chain risk, and driving bottom line savings

This webinar features commentary from:

Sam Knox, Vice President & Director of Research, CFO Research Services
James Tucker, Director of Product Marketing, Network and Finance Solutions, Ariba

Effective Sales Contracting: A Business Imperative and Differentiator

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You play for the same team, but sometimes it feels like Sales and Contract Management have competing priorities. While you both care about company revenue, Sales wants to close deals quickly, and Legal wants to close deals safely.

It’s time to put an end to sales contracting processes that frustrate co-workers and colleagues! Download this recorded webinar to find out how easy it is to do.

The International Association of Commercial and Contract Management (IACCM) teamed up with Selling Power to benchmark sales contracting cycles, processes, and performance. Their study included an examination of best practices for driving higher revenues through faster contracting cycle times.

You can use the study results to form a strategy for improving and benchmarking your own contracting cycles and performance.

Speakers:
Tim Cummins, President and Founder, IACCM
Ken Miklos, Ariba

How to Ensure Auditors and Tax Authorities Trust 100% of Your Electronic Invoices

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Electronic invoicing is hard; global e-invoicing is even harder. E-invoicing rules and regulations vary from country to country and you need to understand them. If you don't, you could expose your company to expensive fines and penalties.

Listen to this recorded webinar to learn from global e-invoicing expert Christiaan van der Valk, CEO of TrustWeaver. In addition to discussing how cloud-based, e-invoicing technologies can extend your ERP on a global scale, Christiaan covers:

The areas that you need to understand to be legally compliant
How to make sure auditors trust your electronic invoices
The unique features of an electronic signature
How to understand your acceptable risk level
What compliant end-to-end processes look like

This insightful webinar will impact the direction of your e-invoicing program. Listen today.

You can download the presentation here.

Collaborative Business Commerce and Next-Generation Sourcing: The Business Case for Ariba Discovery

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

With the maturation of online sourcing processes, many professionals are seeking new ways to breathe life into their sourcing strategies and generate additional savings.

Increasingly, they’re adopting automated, intelligent matching tools tied to online supplier networks. These tools help users tap into wider networks of sellers and quickly identify qualified new supply sources, while also facilitating collaboration and dramatically reducing sourcing cycle times.

Join your peers at the forefront of this wave of business innovation and efficiency and read this new whitepaper from Ariba. After a deep dive into these trends, you’ll read how Ariba is once again leading the way in sourcing process transformation.

Beyond Scanning: Moving Toward 100 Percent Paperless Invoice Processing

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

To improve efficiency and dramatically reduce invoice processing costs, best-in-class AP organizations are moving toward paperless invoice processing.

PayStream Advisors calls this zero-touch processing. If that sound like a lofty -- if not impossible -- goal, then you need to read this short report.

You’ll learn about a systematic approach to not only ensuring the lowest cost per invoice, but also to virtually eliminating exception handling.

Download this report today to learn your options, the steps to take, and how to get started.

Trust and the Million Dollar Order

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Listen to this recorded webcast as Cara Balint, e-commerce operations manager at Insight Technology Solutions, shares how she successfully implemented an e-commerce strategy that delivered an online sales order valued at $1 million.

This is the fifth part of our series, Expert Advice for Driving Powerful E-Commerce Results. Through it, you'll learn:

How to boost productivity and shorten your customer’s purchase cycle by 50 percent
Winning strategies to stamp out catalog management costs by up to 75 percent
Techniques for creating a dollars-and-cents business case for your e-commerce strategy
Buyer and supplier tips for implementing a business commerce strategy
The secrets to building customer trust and increasing customer satisfaction

The Secrets to Customer Retention and Growing Revenue from Your Customer Base

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have high customer attrition? Is your team cost-effectively driving the most value from your customer base? What is your strategy to find and retain more high-value customers?

As a B2B marketer, you need to shift your attention from traditional marketing campaigns to activities that foster community interactions. Improving customer relationships is one key aspect to this shift—and e-commerce has a proven track record of success in this area.

In this recorded webinar (the second part of our series, Expert Advice for Driving Powerful E-commerce Results) you'll hear how EBSCO leverages e-commerce to achieve a 99 percent customer retention rate while expanding accounts by 30 percent, increasing revenue and share of wallet. Specifically, you'll learn how to adopt and leverage e-commerce to:

Improve customer retention
Find new, qualified business leads
Lower your cost of sales and marketing
Advance your green initiatives

Presenters:
Chip Graham, Marketing Director, EBSCO
Dave Heflin, Senior Manager - Supplier Solutions, Ariba

Five Real World E-Commerce Tactics for Double Digit Revenue Growth

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In Part III of our series, Expert Advice for Driving Powerful E-Commerce Results, you'll hear Kevin Govin, CEO of MarkMaster – one of Ariba’s most innovative suppliers – delve deeper into the five tips for leveraging e-commerce that he shared in Part I of this series. Listen as he highlights how MarkMaster has used e-commerce as a sales and marketing channel to expand its customer base by 65 percent and increase sales growth by 20 percent. You'll get insights into how you can use e-commerce to:

Gain competitive advantage
Become a trusted partner, not just an interchangeable vendor
Market and cross-market your products and services
Free your sales team to pursue new revenue opportunities

You'll also hear ideas from Ariba's Rob Brooks as he discusses how Ariba's sales and marketing programs can help you achieve:

New customer business through increased awareness
Greater wallet share and customer loyalty
Increased efficiency for greater ROI

Strategies for Simplifying Your E-Commerce Journey

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Part IV of our series, Expert Advice for Driving Powerful E-commerce Results, features Robert Calvert from Hewlett-Packard and Brady Seiberlich from National Business Furniture. Listen in as they share the lessons they learned as they embarked on their e-commerce journeys, which ultimately led them to driving significant value through greater operational efficiencies.

In addition, you'll hear five proven e-commerce tips that you can use to:

Increase wallet share up to 30 percent
More easily connect with multiple customers through the Ariba Network
Achieve technical compliance with customer requirements
Accelerate the order-to-cash cycle by 75 percent
Drum up awareness and drive more volume

Presenters:
Brady Seiberlich, IT eProcurement Manager, National Business Furniture
Robert Calvert, B2B Program Manager, Hewlett-Packard
Dave Heflin, Senior Manager, Supplier Accounts, Ariba

Defining and Expanding the Value Proposition of P2P

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As you'll read in this study from The Hackett Group, world-class organizations have procurement and finance costs that are nearly 25 percent lower than that of their peers. What's more, they enjoy lower supply risks, as well as better collaboration with their trading partners.

To learn the benefits of developing a more broadly scoped P2P process, encompassing the entire source-to-settle continuum, download this report today.

Beyond Scanning and Workflow: Can You Achieve 100% Paperless Processing in Accounts Payable?

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's a common speed bump on the road to AP automation: the high cost for new scanning and OCR (optical character recognition) equipment. Related costs for mailroom and storage support can also present obstacles.

Well, good news: You needn’t incur those high costs. Download this recorded webinar to learn why.

You’ll hear from Chris Cavin of RockTenn as he shares how they went 100 percent paperless by consolidating their paper and electronic invoices processing. You’ll learn how you can:

Convert paper invoice into electronic format, with data validation and process- and exception-based workflow
Extract invoice line-item data with close to 100 percent accuracy
Simplify integration with your existing systems
Transform your AP function with an emphasis on data analysis and reporting

Featuring

Chris Cavin, Director of Purchasing – Shared Services, RockTenn
James Tucker, Director, Product Marketing, Network & Financial Solutions, Ariba

Ready, Set, Go Global with E-Invoicing

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Invoicing is hard. Invoicing globally is even harder. In a global economy, the rules and regulations vary country-by-country. You have to understand them before you can develop a strategy that will drive efficiency and effectiveness in your global invoicing program.

Without that understanding, you could expose your company to expensive fines and penalties.

Download this recorded webinar, featuring Christiaan van der Valk, CEO of TrustWeaver. He's an expert on global e-invoicing, and serves as a trusted advisor to leading companies and international organizations on e-business strategy, as well as legal, policy, best practice, and commercial issues.

Listen as Christiaan discusses how cloud-based technologies can extend your ERP or legacy financial system for e-invoicing on a global scale.

Receivables Financing: A Valuable Financing Tool for Business

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

When your liquidity is threatened by having too much working capital tied up in accounts receivable, you need fast, flexible access to cash at affordable rates.

Ariba Receivables Financing, powered by The Receivables Exchange, is the solution. Download this recorded webinar to learn how you can:

Lower your cost of capital by accessing a global network of capital providers engaged in competitive bidding for your receivables
Shorten your DSO from 30 or more days to one or two
Obtain financing with no personal guarantees, all-asset liens, monthly minimums, or customer notification required
Get the capital you need in as few as 24 hours

Speakers

James Tucker, Ariba Global Director, Product Marketing

Payables Automation: Drive More Cost Savings in Your Procure-to-Pay Cycle

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Your company has a treasure trove of cost savings just waiting to be discovered. You'll find them within the "pay" processes of your procure-to-pay cycle.

Here's why: You're doing a good job of saving money through procurement automation, but you could save a great deal more by extending automation to your invoice management and payment processes. Download this recorded webinar to learn how.

You'll hear about the many cost-saving benefits of implementing 100 percent paperless invoice processing. Saving money every day by:

Improving contract, PO, and vendor compliance
Automating invoice validation upon submission, for 98 percent touchless processing
Maximizing early-payment discounts while maintaining or extending Days Payable Outstanding (DPO)
Simplifying supplier information management

Get the facts you need to close the loop on your P2P cycle. Otherwise, you’re leaving money on the table.

Featuring:

James Tucker, Global Director, Product Marketing, Ariba Collaborative Finance Solutions

The CFO's View of Procurement

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Executive Summary

The go-go 1990s, with its fast money and flush credit seeking rapid and steep returns, created the demand for ”renaissance” Chief Financial Officers (CFO), who could manage (and market) both the strategic and financial operation of the enterprise. The more sobering decades that followed led directly to the creation and subsequent rise of the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), who could reduce costs, build internal relationships and develop strategic suppliers, efficient and effectively. This report looks at the relationship of these two executive through the eyes of the financial and procurement professionals who work for them.

From Preservation to Prosperity: The CPO's Agenda for a New Decade

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

According to this insightful report from Aberdeen Group, 69 percent of procurement executives are under the gun to keep cutting costs. That's hardly surprising. But if you're among them, and open to suggestion as to what you should be doing about it, then you really should read this report.

Aberdeen Group's report segments procurement organizations into three levels of maturity: best-in-class, industry average, and laggard. Then they share the most effective cost-cutting strategies for each.

You'll know best which level describes your organization. And whichever it is, here's the bottom line: The strategies you're employing might indeed provide the optimal results you need. Or, they may not.

Download the report today to find out.

BBVA Compass Shares Tips for Maximizing Ariba Solution Value

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ensuring your company’s ROI from your Ariba solution takes more than just deploying it. You need a well-defined value enablement strategy — an actionable roadmap that helps you to achieve savings goals, process efficiency, and compliance.

For guidance and advice, listen to this recorded webinar, featuring Melodi Morrissette, director of supply chain management for the leading financial holding company BBVA Compass. Melodi outlines how BBVA partnered with Ariba to develop its own value enablement strategy, setting the company on a clear path to best-in-class.

You'll hear how BBVA Compass mastered its:

Business case creation
Procurement business process re-design
Category and supplier enablement
Plan to achieve procurement savings targets
Solution deployment
End user adoption

You can download the accompanying recorded webinar here.

BBVA Compass Shares Tips for Maximizing Ariba Solution Value

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For guidance and advice, download this recorded webinar, featuring Melodi Morrissette, director of supply chain management for the leading financial holding company BBVA Compass. Melodi outlines how BBVA partnered with Ariba to develop its own value enablement strategy, setting the company on a clear path to best-in-class.

You'll hear how BBVA Compass mastered its:

Business case creation
Procurement business process re-design
Category and supplier enablement
Plan to achieve procurement savings targets
Solution deployment
End user adoption

For a copy of the PowerPoint presentation, click here.

Speakers:
Melodi Morrissette, Director of Supply Chain Management, BBVA Compass

Boost Invoice Processing Performance to World-Class Levels, the TNT Express Way

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Do you know the number of invoices each of your FTEs processes per annum?

It’s a key performance indicator of your purchase-to-pay process. Top performers operate at a level of more than 40,000 per FTE.

To help your company get to that level, download this webinar recording featuring TNT Express, the global transportation and distribution company. They describe how they rolled out an e-invoicing programme in France and Holland, and share some lessons for boosting Accounts Payable productivity. Listen in as they share:

How they encouraged supplier participation, and how their suppliers responded
How they managed VAT in two countries with very different legal requirements
Their overarching technology approach, in terms of e-invoicing, PO flip, and e-ERS
The critical success factors to boosting productivity numbers
Where they will channel their finance expertise now that they are no longer keying and crunching

Saugatuck Technology: Procurement in the Cloud Part Two: Executing with Cloud Business Solutions

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In the follow-up to this report, Saugatuck dives into the evolution of Procurement toward an evolved mission focusing on strategic sourcing, as well as the various SaaS solutions that attempt to meet the needs of the procurement executive.

Read this report to learn the top questions you should ask technology vendors when you're evaluating cloud solutions.

Achieve Organizational Alignment on Contract Management: Your Bottom Line Will Thank You

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Who owns your contract management function? Legal? Procurement? Sales? Sometimes it's hard to say. Each area has a stake in making sure contracts are managed with optimal efficiency and effectiveness. And yet, each area's objectives can sometimes appear to be at odds with another's.

For this reason, organizational alignment is critical to make sure contract management processes meet everyone's needs. Download this recorded webinar to hear how leading companies successfully manage it, and how that positively impacts their bottom line.

Tim Cummins, President of IACCM, leads a panel of legal, procurement, and sales practitioners. They discuss their contract management views, missteps, and lessons learned, as well as the role automation plays in achieving their objectives.

This is the PowerPoint presentation used in this recorded webinar.

Speakers:
Tim Cummins, President, IACCM
Chris Davies, VP Commercial, Fujitsu
Debby Leap, Sr. Director of Strategic Sourcing, Havi Global Solutions
Craig Silliman, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Verizon

Extend Your ERP for Stronger Supplier Collaboration

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

While SAP, Oracle, and other ERP systems are great at automating internal business processes, they don't help you collaborate with your suppliers.That's why supply chain and procurement executives are utilizing cloud-based solutions that extend ERP systems for more effective and efficient supply chain collaboration. The prevention of just one lost or delayed order delivers an immediate return on investment.

To drive efficiency and effectiveness within your supply chain, listen to this informative webinar recording. Belinda Cordina of Nalco and Eric Washer of Ariba explain how you can:

Eliminate maverick buying and overspending
Automate the exchange of key supporting documents
Achieve 100% touchless processing
Lower your supplier maintenance costs

Speakers

Belinda Cordina, Procurement: Compliance, Systems, Processes, Nalco

Eric Washer, Solution Consultant Manager, Ariba Finance and Network Solutions

Collaborative Commerce for Dummies

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In the Networked Economy, you must be able to tap flexible solutions that help you access the resources you need -- as you need them -- to collaborate more efficiently and effectively with your trading partners. This little book helps you assess your business commerce capabilities and then introduces a new approach to making things better.

Sell your products or services more efficiently — increase leads, improve win rates, and lower customer support costs
Buy goods and services more effectively — negotiate best-value agreements to get the most return from every penny at the lowest possible risk
Manage cash more strategically — streamline and improve invoicing and payment, and optimize working capital
Assess your business's current commerce state — check out the quizzes and checklists in this book

Saugatuck Technology: Procurement in the Cloud: Increasing Performance and Productivity with Cloud Business Solutions

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Saugatuck's research reveals that procurement executives believe that cloud business solutions (or SaaS) can significantly contribute to their success by helping them better manage their primary responsibilities.

SaaS is viewed as being able to improve the ability for procurement executives to deliver on their key objectives, and in a more efficient way
Current on-premise solutions fall significantly short of the mark for Procurement
SaaS can help procurement executives and departments do their jobs more effectively

Download the report to read Saugatuck Technology's assessment of procurement executives' responses concerning effectiveness and the suitability of current systems and SaaS solutions.

Achieve Organizational Alignment on Contract Management: Your Bottom Line Will Thank You

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For a copy of the PowerPoint presentation, click here.

Speakers:
Tim Cummins, President, IACCM
Chris Davies, VP Commercial, Fujitsu
Debby Leap, Sr. Director of Strategic Sourcing, Havi Global Solutions
Craig Silliman, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Verizon

How to Achieve 100% Paperless Process

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Paper invoices are the scourge of accounts payable, responsible for many invoice exceptions, supplier inquiry calls, processing delays, and compliance problems. While converting suppliers from paper to an electronic process is a proven best practice, some portion of your invoices will remain on paper, particularly those from low-volume or low-spend suppliers.

In this recorded webinar, Jeff Halper, director of procurement for Maxim Healthcare Services, and James Tucker, Ariba global director of product marketing, discuss how you can consolidate the processing of paper and electronic invoices to help you:

Comply with contract and PO-based spend, preferred vendors, and invoice and payment policies
Improve purchasing controls and PO-invoice match rates
Apply the same validation, process, and exception-based workflow for all of your invoice transactions
Simplify the coding of invoices into your general ledger
Develop programs for converting suppliers from paper to an electronic process

Electronic Invoice Management: Getting Rid of Paper from the Source

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In this comprehensive overview of the AP automation/e-invoicing landscape, PayStream Advisors reports that:

Web-based solutions are gaining popularity by offering advanced functionality in supplier on-boarding, working capital management, straight-through-processing, and vendor self-service.
Easy-to-use e-invoicing options are enabling AP and finance departments to take control of supplier invoices and payments.
Suppliers, seeking to streamline and accelerate the order-to-cash process, have adopted e-invoicing and are reaping a number of tangible benefits.

However, PayStream also reveals how all solutions are not created equal. Download this report to understand the differences.

Editor of Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine Shares Perspective

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ever wish you could get inside the heads of other procurement executives and hear what they're thinking? Well, here's a way: Listen to this podcast as we interview Andrew Reese, editor of Supply & Demand Chain Executive. He's interviewed hundreds of procurement execs and written numerous articles on the future of procurement.

This fascinating, freewheeling discussion covers such timely matters as procurement executives' attitudes about cloud-based solutions, trends in procurement automation for mid-market companies, and predictions for procurement over the next five-to-ten years.

CIO Insights: 10 Ways CIOs Can Better Control Costs

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

CIOs need to consider the best ways of controlling costs while simultaneously maintaining, or even increasing, profitability. In our competitive worldwide marketplace, that is no mean feat. To help, CIO Insights has compiled the 10 best techniques to control costs through technology initiatives that can also boost revenues.

E-Invoicing Benchmarking Special

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Shared services organisations (SSOs) are adopting e-invoicing at an impressive pace. SSOs are realising that many of their future strategic and KPI-based goals can only be achieved with the adoption of electronic invoicing, however the potential impact of these projects can be an unknown. Even those who have moved into implementation are unsure how they are performing: are they top-of-the-class or under-performers?

sharedserviceslink.com partnered with Ariba for this unique E-Invoicing Benchmarking Special. Download this recording for insight into:

How your e-invoicing performance fares against your peers'
Where your weaknesses exist in your e-invoicing project
What world class really looks like regarding cost per invoice and invoice processing times
What the single most critical factor is to your project success

This recorded webinar is helpful for any company, no matter the stage of your e-invoicing program.

E-Invoicing: Strategies for PO and Non-PO Invoices

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Matching a purchase order to an invoice is a proven method for improving compliance; however, for many organizations, some portion of corporate spend does not involve POs. In these cases, consolidating PO and non-PO invoices for electronic processing can dramatically reduce errors, exceptions, and processing costs.

In this recorded webinar, Sush Koka, research director at PayStream Advisors, and Don Holm, senior solutions consultant, Ariba Collaborative Finance Management Solutions, discuss how you can transform your accounts payable operations by consolidating the electronic processing of PO and non-PO invoices. Download it to learn how you can:

Compress the processing of valid PO and non-PO invoices from weeks or months to a few days
Drive first-time match rates of PO invoices close to 100 percent
Implement business rules and electronic workflow that eliminate virtually all non-PO invoice exceptions
Expand the capture of early payment discounts for all invoices

Contract Management in the Cloud

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The global downturn fundamentally changed the way companies organize and do business. They're turning to a cloud-based, SaaS delivery model. With it, they enjoy faster time-to-value, lower total cost of ownership, and more frequent innovation updates than previously epxerienced with installed software.

This paper focuses on this shift and the profound effect it's having on contracting professionals; indeed, on anyone involved in the contracting cycle.

StartContracts Demo

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Join Senior Solution Consultant Adam Lustig as he walks you through a guided tour of the Ariba StartContracts solution. As you review the benefits, the business case, and a step-by-step demonstration, you'll see how automating contract lifecycle management can accelerate and improve the process across your organization.

Saugatuck Technology Research: Shifting C-Level Business Priorities as the Recovery Takes Hold

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Since 2006, Saugatuck has annually surveyed senior business, finance, and IT executives from around the world. Their objective is to understand the key investment drivers and evolving business objectives of C-level executives from across the organization, and how these intersect and shape business/IT investment spending.

This report includes market-impact implications for IT providers and business and IT users. Download your copy now.

Nike: Optimizing Working Capital Through AP Automation

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

To optimize cash flow, you need full visibility and control over payables. Otherwise, it's impossible to maintain or extend DPO and maximize discount opportunities. Not to mention maintain strong relationships with your suppliers.

Sure, it take some effort. But it's doable. Tune into this presentation by Nike's Shannon Brown. She explains how they employed an innovative solution to improve control and enhance visibility, enabling the company to:

Establish and enforce best-practice term policies
Maintain and extend days payable outstanding (DPO)
Maximize discount opportunities, including dynamic discounting
Remove risk from their supply chain

If Nike can just do it, so can you. Download this presentation to learn how.

Verbesserung der Nutzerakzeptanz und Vertragscompliance mit Ihrer bestehenden Beschaffungsplattform

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Um im eProcurement erfolgreich zu sein, haben Unternehmen mit dem zweischneidigen Schwert der Nutzerakzeptanz und der technischen Herausforderung rund um die Integration von Inhalten zu kämpfen, denn sie müssen den Kataloginhalt der Lieferanten in ein digitales Format umwandeln.

Amélioration de l'adoption par les utilisateurs et de la conformité au contrat de votre plate-forme d'approvisionnement existante

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Pour garantir le succès de l'approvisionnement en ligne, les entreprises doivent trouver un compromis entre l'adoption par les utilisateurs et les difficultés techniques qu'implique la validation des contenus, notamment l'obtention auprès des fournisseurs de contenus de qualité pour les catalogues au format numérique.

Mejorar la adopción del usuario y la conformidad de los contratos con su actual plataforma de compras

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Para que la compra electrónica funcione y tenga éxito, las empresas deben luchar contra una espada de doble filo: la adopción del usuario y el reto técnico de la habilitación de contenidos —pasar el contenido de un catálogo de calidad de los proveedores a un formato digital.

Best Practices für das e-Katalogmanagement

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Im Mittelpunkt jedes Beschaffungssystems steht der Katalog. Selbst in einer nicht automatisierten Umgebung schaut der Einkäufer s ich die gedruckte Version des Katalogs an oder wendet sich an einen Kundendienstmitarbeiter, der am anderen Ende der Telefonleitung einen Katalog benutzt. Es leuchtet also ein, dass die beim Sourcing und beim Vertragsabschluss ausgehandelten Einsparungen nur dann umgesetzt werden können, wenn jeder den richtigen Katalog des bevorzugten Verkäufers mit den gleichen Preisen. In diesem Dokument werden die Vorteile und Best Practices zu diesem Thema erläutert:

Prozess-Compliance (Annahme des e-Katalog- und Beschaffungssystems
Preis-Compliance
Lieferanten-Compliance

Mejores prácticas en la gestión de catálogos electrónicos

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

En el corazón de todo sistema de compras, está un catálogo.Incluso en un entorno no automatizado, los solicitantes echan un vistazo a las copias en papel o consultan por teléfono a los vendedores del servicio de atención al cliente que utilizan un catálogo. Así pues, es lógico que si todo el mundo utiliza el catálogo correcto, del vendedor preferido y a los precios contratados, se conseguirán los ahorros negociados en las actividades de aprovisionamiento y contratación. Este documento analiza las ventajas y las mejores prácticas en torno a estos elementos clave:

Conformidad del proceso (adopción del catálogo electrónico y sistema de compras)
Conformidad de los precios
Conformidad de los proveedores

Meilleures pratiques de gestion des catalogues en ligne

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Au coeur de chaque système d'approvisionnement se trouve un catalogue. Même dans un environnement non automatisé, les demandeurs consultent une copie papier ou contactent un agent du service clientèle qui, lui, a accès à un catalogue. Par conséquent, en veillant à ce que chacun utilise le catalogue adéquat d'un prestataire préféré, aux prix négociés, vous pourrez sans doute garantir la réalisation des économies négociées dans le cadre des activités de sourcing et de conclusion de contrats. Dans le présent document, nous passerons en revue les avantages et les meilleures pratiques liés aux piliers suivants:

Conformité des processus (adoption du catalogue en ligne et du système d'approvisionnement)
Respect des prix
Conformité des fournisseurs

Building a Successful Supplier Management Program

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This presentation accompanies a recorded webinar you can watch to learn how best-in-class companies leverage collaborative supplier management as a means to mitigate supply chain risk and drive revenue growth and profitability.

With the webinar and presentation, you'll learn how to build a successful supplier management program leveraging the best in web-based technology and tools, as well as structured processes, expertise, and a networked community.

To watch the webinar, click here.

Working Capital Management:
New Strategies for Maintaining Financial Strength through Economic Cycles

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

APQC, the leading source for best practices and performance benchmarks, surveyed more than 350 senior finance executives to examine AP strategies for improving working capital performance. Download this study to learn:

How accounts payable process improvement can strengthen cash flow forecasting
The value of technologies that reduce the amount of paper running through AP and AR processes
Strategies for strengthening your financial health and that of your suppliers
Why more corporate finance professionals are looking to optimize payment timing and early payment discounts

Building a Successful Supplier Management Program

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Watch this recorded webinar to learn how best-in-class companies leverage collaborative supplier management as a means to mitigate supply chain risk and drive revenue growth and profitability.

You'll learn how to build a successful supplier management program leveraging the best in web-based technology and tools, as well as structured processes, expertise, and a networked community.

For a copy of the presentation, click here.

Xtreme Sourcing: AXA Group CPO Shares Top Success Secrets

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In this recorded webinar, Heinz Schäffer, CPO of the multi-billion dollar AXA Group, reveals his journey of elevating AXA to the next level of sourcing and procurement success.

Heinz shares his vision and proven strategies for leveraging organizations and breaking down traditional barriers to:

Deliver millions in sourcing savings
Provide measurable efficiency improvements
Reduce supplier risk
Engage active Finance and AP support

Speakers:
Heinz Schäffer, CPO, AXA NORCEE
John Lark, Senior Solution Manager, Ariba

Securing 94 Percent On-Time Payments While Optimizing Working Capital

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The economic downturn taught us that enterprises have a vested interest in helping their suppliers maintain liquidity. Thus, the payment-on-time metric has grown in importance. It's become an indicator of the efficiency and health of your purchase-to-pay process.

In this recorded webinar, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca shares how they achieved on-time payment in 94 percent of their transactions -- gains that did not come at the expense of working capital optimization. Listen today to find out how AstraZeneca:

Improved payment-on-time from 74 percent to 94 percent
Ensured process users followed rules and changed behavior
Improved their working capital position
Achieved 60 percent touchless invoice processing
Significantly reduced their processing cost per invoice

Five Practical Ideas to Maximize Revenues through Ariba

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In this presentation, the Ariba Network’s most innovative participating suppliers share their tips for leveraging the B2B channel to increase revenues and drive efficiency across their organizations. They explain how cutting-edge companies of all sizes are generating leads, increasing revenues, and improving sales growth and efficiency by utilizing online marketing and catalogs and sharing their commerce expertise with their customers. And they provide five practical ideas on how you—or your suppliers—can maximize revenue from the B2B channel.

Presenters:

Chip Graham, Director Marketing, EBSCO
Kevin Govin, Chief Executive Officer, MarkMaster

Global E-invoicing

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Electronic invoicing has emerged as a key initiative for finance organizations seeking to be more efficient in addressing regional VAT/tax compliance regulations with cross-border trading partners. Listen to this recorded audio from an Ariba LIVE 2010 breakout session, during which companies who have successfully built global e-invoicing initiatives shared their insights and experiences.

Speakers:

Boris Böckem, C.P.M., Procurement – Business Development and Support, AXA
Christiaan Van Der Valk, CEO, TrustWeaver

Five Practical Ideas to Maximize Revenues through Ariba

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The first in our five-part webcast series, Expert Advice for Driving Powerful E-commerce Results, this session presents Ariba’s most innovative suppliers as they share tips for leveraging the B2B channel to increase revenues and drive efficiency. You'll learn how cutting-edge companies are generating leads and improving sales growth by not only utilizing online marketing and catalogs, but also by sharing their e-commerce expertise with their customers. This session delivers five practical ideas for maximizing B2B revenue for you, and your own suppliers.

Speakers:

Chip Graham, Director Marketing, EBSCO
Kevin Govin, Chief Executive Officer, MarkMaster

Streamlining Contracting Policy and Process

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Over the past 10+ years, Procurement has provided tremendous rigor and attention to automating business processes—bringing the spend management discipline to many. As Procurement continued this transformation into the contracting realm, a similar approach followed, But relationships with Legal and trading partners continued to be an afterthought.

In this recorded webinar with IACCM and Ariba, the next stage in contracting efficiency was discussed. Download it now to learn how you can streamline your contract management policy and process, and the role automation plays in this effort.

Speakers:

Tim Cummins, President, IACCM
John Busch, Sr. Director of Contract Management, Health Care Services Corporation
Ken Miklos, Sr. Solutions Marketing Manager, Ariba

Supply&Demand Chain Executive Special Edition: Beyond the Cloud

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As business leaders on both sides of commerce are on the hook to cut costs, increase revenue and mitigate risk, they're looking for the tools to help drive results. A new breed of cloud-based applications aims to simplify business commerce and drive new levels of productivity to help address the challenges of today's marketplace. This Special Edition of Supply&Demand Chain Executive explores the projected growth in worldwide IT Cloud services revenue, the business benefits of the Cloud, analysts' take on cloud-based solutions, and Ariba's push to lead the transformation.

Ariba Customer Success Story Book

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If there is one thing that we're most proud of, it's the role our solutions and services play in the success of our customers. Read more about why top organizations of every size, across industries and in every region around the globe use Ariba Solutions and Services to control costs and improve performance.

This book contains a collection of success stories from Ariba customers.

Driving Enhanced Value and Operational Savings through a Tax-Advantaged Supply Chain (Europe)

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Learn how to maximise operational savings by strategically integrating tax strategy and supply chain management. In this recorded webinar, Ryan and Ariba, two industry leaders in the areas of tax and spend management, present a tax-advantaged supply chain strategy for improving efficiency and profitability. You'll hear from Ryan professionals who have partnered with Ariba to implement tax-advantaged spend management solutions that deliver greater operational savings and value, minimise tax liabilities, and mitigate tax risks.

Speakers:

Michael Camburn, Managing Director, Ryan

Robert Van Brederode, Principal, Ryan

Scott Blatnica, Director, Ariba Global Services

Driving Enhanced Value and Operational Savings through a Tax-Advantaged Supply Chain (N. America)

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Learn how to maximize operational savings by strategically integrating tax strategy and supply chain management. In this recorded webinar, Ryan and Ariba, present a tax-advantaged supply chain strategy for improving efficiency and profitability. You'll hear from Ryan professionals who have partnered with Ariba to implement tax-advantaged spend management solutions that deliver greater operational savings and value, minimize tax liabilities, and mitigate tax risks.

Speakers:

Douglas DeRito, Principal, Ryan

Robert Van Brederode, Principal, Ryan

Michael Camburn, Managing Director, Ryan

Scott Blatnica, Director, Ariba Global Services

Seit wann sind Auktionen Tabu?

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Auktionen scheinen im Einkauf ihren Zenit überschritten zu haben. Dies gilt vor allem für den öffentlichen Sektor. Patrick Furey, Senior Manager im Ariba Category Management ist der Meinung, Einkäufer verlieren durch diese Einstellung wesentliche Einsparpotenziale.

Laden Sie den Artikel aus dem SupplayChain Europe Magazin herunter. Sind Auktionen das richtige Mittel für sie? Lernen Sie hier mehr darüber.

Quand le mot « enchères » est-il devenu un terme à proscrire ?

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Les enchères semblent perdre les faveurs de certaines organisations achats, et plus particulierement dans le secteur public. Mais, selon Patrick Furey, Senior Manager du Category Management pour Ariba Inc, les professionnels ne doivent pas manquer ces importantes opportunités d'économies. Téléchargez cet article de SupplyChain Europe Magazine pour en apprendre davantage sur les enchères et savoir si celles-ci peuvent s'avérer bénéfiques pour vous.

Best Practices in E-Catalog Management

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

At the heart of every procurement system is a catalog. Even in an environment lacking automation, requisitioners consult a hard copy or customer service reps use a catalog at the other end of a phone line. So it stands to reason that getting everyone to use the correct catalog from a preferred vendor at the contracted price will ensure that negotiated savings from sourcing and contracting activities are actually realized. This paper will explore benefits and best practices around these core elements:

• Process compliance (Adoption of the e-catalog and procurement system)
• Price compliance
• Supplier compliance

This includes specifics around unlocking the value of existing e-procurement systems through improved e-catalog management. At the conclusion, there is a buyer’s checklist to aid you in selecting an e-catalog vendor should you choose to take this path.

When Did Auction Become a Bad Word?

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Auctions seem to be falling out of favor with some procurement organizations, especially in the public sector. But according to Patrick Furey, senior manager of Category Management for Ariba, sourcing professionals might be missing out on a tremendous savings opportunity.

Download this article featured in SupplyChain Europe Magazine to learn more about auctions, and find out if auctions are right for you.

Selecting the Right E-Procurement Solution

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Selecting an e-procurement solution can be difficult, and a wrong decision can have immeasurable costs. There is no one organization best suited to this decision since Procurement, Finance, and IT all play key roles in the affected business processes.

This paper provides a specific framework and tools that any organization can use to minimize the decision time, optimize cross-functional buy-in, and maximize the likelihood of making the right e-procurement solution decision.

How Caterpillar is Driving a Successful Global Procure-to-Pay Process

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

How do you best deploy e-invoicing, and what really are the secrets to success? In this recorded webinar we examine the Caterpillar story, looking at how they rolled out their successful invoice-and-payment process across key global territories. After 60 short minutes you'll have a clearer understanding of:

How such a solution works with VAT and suppliers
How a solution like this can help you standardise and improve your process
How to ensure that e-invoicing supports your key countries
What you need to do to secure success within your own project

Ensuring a Smooth Migration to Ariba Spend Management 9r1

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The 9r1 release of Ariba Spend Management ushers in a new era for Ariba customers who have long benefited from the leading spend management platform, either installed on-premise or hosted by Ariba.

Download this white paper to learn how to leverage the latest advancements in functionality and technology to capture more spend under management and to continue to reduce costs.

Sourcing Pipeline Building: Driving Effectiveness and Sustainability

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If highly favorable sourcing market conditions are indeed waning, how can strategic sourcing sustain high levels of productivity in an unpredictable global economy? To be more direct, how can your strategic sourcing organization bring more spend under management and, in turn, increase savings for your company?

The simple answer is knowing what to source when—sustainable, effective sourcing pipeline building. This paper examines five areas of focus that every procurement organization should consider with regard to their sourcing pipeline building:

Consider Organizational Barriers
Operationalize Your Approach
Leverage Best-of-Breed Technology
Partner with Key Suppliers
Re-examine Outsourcing Options

At the conclusion of each section is a table providing indicators summarizing whether your strategic sourcing organization is a leader or a laggard in the sustainability of your approach.

Working Capital 20/20 with NIKE

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Optimizing cash flow is essential during good times and bad. Organizations need full visibility and control over payables in order to maintain or extend DPO, manage cash, and maximize discount opportunities – all while maintaining strong relationships with suppliers. This is no small task, but innovative solutions are providing new and better ways to manage cash and improve control and visibility:

Watch this recorded webinar to learn how to achieve working capital 20/20 by:

> Establishing and enforcing best practice term policies

> Maintaining or extending days payable outstanding (DPO) with P-card and supply chain finance

> Maximizing discount opportunities with improved spend segmentation and advanced discount programs

> Removing risk from your supply chain with dynamic discounting and receivables financing

Speakers
Drew Hofler, Senior Manager, Financial Solutions, Ariba, Inc.
Shannon Brown, Project Manager, Nike, Inc.

Procurement in the New Normal

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This paper discusses the three key abilities defining companies that emerge successfully from the Great Recession:

Reduce costs
Increase agility
Complete commerce management

As you read more about these abilities, you'll also learn the specific procurement steps you need to take to develop your strategy for maximizing corporate health in this, the New Normal.

Lessons Learned from the Recession: Strategic Sourcing

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Based on external research and discussions with Ariba's customers, there are 10 key lessons that every strategic sourcing organization should have learned from the Great Recession. Read about them here. You can identify any areas that may need improvement, and solidify your organization's capacity to succeed in the New Normal.

Improving User Adoption and Contract Compliance with Your Existing Procurement Platform

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Purchasing is one of the most basic business commerce processes. Yet, many organizations have not succeeded in making supplier catalogs easily available and accessible.

Find out how Ariba Procurement Content, a hosted catalog management solution that easily integrates with your existing ERP or procurement system, can provide you with a single content source for both goods and services, thus ensuring contract compliance and realized savings.

Preparing for the New State of Normal - A ProcureCon CPO Clinic

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In this ProcureCon CPO Clinic, hosted in Brussels by Ariba in November 2009, procurement leaders from more than a dozen global companies engaged in a lively and frank discussion about the challenges they faced as they prepared for the new state of normal. Download this article to learn the strategies and tools they employed to:

Develop staff and skill sets within their procurement departments and across their organizations
Manage the evolution of procurement and its increasing importance to improving organizational flexibility
Measure and benchmark their procurement processes and performance to ensure results
And much more

Best Practices in Contingent Labor Acquisition

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

From 1989 to 2009, the percentage of U.S. labor classified as contingent grew from 6 percent to more than 27 percent. Best practices emerged, which can deliver significant cost savings, streamlined processes, reduced risk, and increased spend under management. Read this report to learn:

The business practices that distinguish top performers from the rest of the pack
How negotiated savings are typically lost, and what you can do to prevent it
The advantages that automated systems can bring to best-practice implementation
The 10 Steps to best-in-class performance results

OfficeMax Reveals How Smart E-Invoicing is Changing Results Fast

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Multinationals, drowning in as many as 100K to 5M paper invoices per year, are making the move to e-invoicing. But e-invoicing in Europe presents different challenges than e-invoicing in North America. In this recorded webinar, we showcase one global corporation that has efficiently and effectively accommodated its massive supplier database -- especially within the demanding territory of Europe -- with Ariba's Smart E-invoicing system.

Watch this 60-minute session now to better understand Smart E-invoicing and how you can emulate OfficeMax's success to:

Benefit all types of suppliers in your large supplier base
Drive out cost with every transaction
Significantly reduce exception handling
Leverage the investment made into your ERP

Speakers
Joni Anderson, Director of eCommerce Multichannel Business Relations, OfficeMax
James Tucker, Director of Product Marketing – Financial and Network Solutions, Ariba

Spend Visibility: Do You Have the Correct Lenses?

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

AMR Research said in late 2009 that achieving cost reductions and working capital improvements would be critical to Procurement's success in 2010. Additionally, gaining a competitive advantage would require procurement and sourcing organizations to utilize spend visibility and analytics tools to find more cost savings opportunities.

Download this report to learn more. Its messages are relevant still.

Why Contract Lifecycle Management Technologies Need To Be Part of Your Supply Chain

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Your company grapples with a high volume of contracts and the challenges inherent in contract lifecycle management (CLM). Risks abound. For example, if a seller misses a contract renewal date, they’re likely to lose some revenue. For buyers, underutilization of all contracted items can lead to automated price increases.

Technology exists that can achieve automatic execution of contract pricing, terms, and compliance, but its full potential has yet to be realized by most companies.

Read this report as a first step forward. Take a close look at the capabilities of the software vendors. The report addresses the different kinds of trading partner contracts, summarizing their functionality and ability to solve the problems you're facing.

European CPOs: Capitalising on the Best Opportunities

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

According to this 2010 report by the Aberdeen Group, the pressing needs of today's economy have given the average CPO an extraordinary opportunity to make friends -- within the enterprise -- and influence spend. These tough times demand smart strategies. Read this report to learn the four required actions that Aberdeen recommends for CPOs and other procurement leaders who want to capitalise on the opportunities before them.

Responsables européens du service des achats : tirer parti des meilleures opportunités

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

La tourmente économique qui a causé des dommages sans précédent aux marchés mondiaux au cours des 12 derniers mois a eu un bon côté pour de nombreux responsables européens du service des achats : 75 % d'entre eux pensent que la récession mondiale a amélioré l'image de leur fonction (et de leur service) au sein de l'entreprise. Dans la mesure où nombre des meilleures opportunités et des principales priorités d'une entreprise dans ce cycle économique ont dépendu des points forts et de l'expertise de son service des achats, cella n'a rien d'étonnant. Mais, alors que le marasme actuel s'amplifie et que l'économie ne parvient pas à se rétablir rapidement, la capacité du service des achats à atteindre encore les objectifs ambitieux de l'entreprise faiblira, à moins que les responsables du service des achats puissent maintenir l'attention de leur entreprise axée sur les meilleures opportunités disponibles. La cinquième édition annuelle du rapport d'Aberdeen sur l'agenda du responsable du service des achats (The CPO's Agenda: Smart Strategies for Tough Times [Agenda du responsable du service des achats : des stratégies astucieuses pour les temps difficiles] publié en avril 2009) examine les priorités, intentions et performances des responsables des achats et autres chefs des achats dans plus de 220 entreprises. Cette analyse du secteur cible les participants européens qui constituent 27 % de l'échantillon total de l'étude.

CPOs in Europa: Kapitalisierung der besten Ansatzpunkte

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In dem wirtschaftlichen Sturm, der in den vergangenen 12 Monaten in noch nie dagewesenem Ausmaß über die europäischen Märkte fegte, sehen viele europäische Verantwortliche im Beschaffungsbereich (CPOs) einen Silberstreifen am Horizont: 75% dieser Berufsgruppe sind der Meinung, dass die globale Rezession den Blick auf ihre Rolle (und ihre Abteilung) innerhalb der Unternehmen gestärkt hat. Dies ist nicht verwunderlich, wenn man bedenkt, dass viele der besten Ansatzpunkte von Unternehmen und deren wichtigste Prioritäten in diesem Geschäftszyklus auf den Stärken und Erfahrungen der Beschaffungsabteilung basieren. Ein Ende des momentanen Abschwungs ist jedoch noch nicht in Sicht und es kann auch nicht davon ausgegangen werden, dass die Wirtschaft sich kurzfristig erholen wird. Die Möglichkeit der Beschaffungsabteilungen, weiterhin die aggressiven Unternehmensziele zu erreichen, kann nur wirksam werden, wenn die CPOs ihre Unternehmen davon überzeugen können, die besten Ansatzpunkte wachsam zu verfolgen und auszuführen. Die bereits fünfte Ausgabe der jährlichen Veröffentlichung des CPO-Berichts (Die CPOAgenda: Clevere Strategien für schwierige Zeiten, veröffentlicht im April 2009) untersuchte die Prioritäten, Absichten, und Leistungen der CPOs und sonstiger Verantwortlicher im Beschaffungswesen in mehr als 220 Unternehmen. Der vorliegende Brancheneinblick konzentriert sich auf befragte Unternehmen in Europa, die 27% der gesamten Befragten darstellen.

Coping with the New Normal: How the Changed Economy is Shaping IT Practices

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This IDC study examines the changes affecting IT equipment; software and services management; and acquisition practices. This includes matters of longer life cycles, rising interest in open source software, and services trends such as outsourcing.

"Changes resulting from the recent economic turbulence are resulting in substantial changes to business and technology management models that will echo for several years, creating a "new normal" for IT budgets, capital availability, and technology adoption models," says Joseph Pucciarelli, program director, Technology Financial and Executive Strategies.

Download this report to learn more.

Lessons Learned from the Recession: Contract Management

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The global downturn had a profound effect on the ways companies do business with their trading partners. This has been particularly evident in the contract management function, given that contracts are fundamental to buyer and seller agreements.

The recession convinced many companies to turn to automated, collaborative contract management solutions, due to the improved efficiency, mitigated risks, lower costs, and greater compliance they can deliver.

For these organizations, contract management will grow into competitive advantage. Those who do not pursue more efficiency and effectiveness in this area will have a more difficult time rebounding when the recovery takes hold.

The Five Steps to Making a Difference in your Marketing Print Spend

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One silver lining in the current economic climate is that many categories previously off the table for spend management have come in scope.

One of the largest is marketing print. In this paper, we describe the five key techniques necessary for making successful change in your organization's marketing print spend.

Die 50 Besten Spend Management Tipps aller Zeiten!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sie müssen kein Superheld sein, um Spend Management Excellence zu erreichen. Manche der effektivsten Spend Management Taktiken sind so nahe liegend und können schnell und kostenlos genutzt werden. Dieses Buch ist voller Tipps, die sich in der Praxis bewährt haben, und von Spend Management Professionals - wie Sie es sind - bereits erfolgreich angewendet wurden.

Les 50 Meilleures Astuces du Spend Management

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Approches pratiques pour un Spend Management réussi

Certaines des tactiques les plus efficaces pour l'amélioration de la gestion des achats sont à portée de quiconque. Et elles peuvent être mises en place rapidement et à coût faible ou nul. Ce livre est une collection de conseils pratiques et de tactiques assemblée par des professionnels de la gestion comme vous que vous pouvez utiliser dès aujourd'hui pour améliorer vos opérations des achats.

Contract Management: Challenges and Strategies for Success in the New World

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Globalization and changes within your supply base have dramatically increased the number of business relationships you manage. While you're working hard on sourcing projects with current and potential suppliers, who's making sure the resulting relationships are contractually recorded and enforced?

Supply and Demand Chain Executive views contract management as a critical supply chain capability, one that helps to ensure that negotiated savings are fully realized and reach the bottom line.

This research-based white paper focuses on the contract management challenges facing companies in the global marketplace. It identifies the functionality needed to overcome these challenges, and outlines how contract management strategies can be turned into competitive advantage.

Lessons Learned from the Recession: Supply Risk

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This paper delves into the top 10 lessons learned from the recession about supply risk. They are:

Supply risk is not going away just because the economy is getting better.
Learn to operate in the New Normal.
The old way of managing risk won’t cut it anymore.
Agility and information are the keys to success in the New Normal.
Suppliers in all industries and geographies are in a very different position than they were just two years ago.
There are multiple risks that need to be managed.
Successfully tackling risk requires a structured and sustained approach.
No silver bullet exists to “solve” supply risk.
The value to be gained from tackling risk is substantial and comes in multiple forms.
Multiple other functions need to be engaged early and often.

To learn more about each lesson, download this still-timely paper.

Procurement After the Recession: Are You Emerging Truly Stronger - or Just Leaner?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How effectively did you take advantage of the Recession?

According to this research from The Hackett Group, those organizations that used the downturn to do four specific things could expect to emerge not just organizationally stronger, but also more agile and better able to help their organizations through a stronger value proposition. Those four things were:

Deepen their relationships with internal customers and suppliers
Start measuring themselves on how well they perform high-value activities
Introduce more variability into their cost structure
Build a portfolio of more strategic services and capabilities through a well-crafted procurement model

How did you do on these four counts? Given the glacial pace of this recovery in some sectors, this report's insights can still be of benefit. Check it out.

Finding Suppliers with Ariba Discovery

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Stage Stores, facing the bankruptcy of a key vendor, decided to try Ariba Discovery to find new suppliers. By quickly connecting with alternate sources of supply, they successfully avoided business disruption. And they soon made Ariba Discovery a standard part of their sourcing events.

In this paper, you'll read how this US-based retailer with more than 700 retail stores across 38 states used Ariba Discovery to achieve 10-15 percent additional savings per sourcing event. You'll also enjoy reading their eight Tips to Maximize Results.

Tyco Int'l & the 2009 Medal of Professional Excellence Award

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tyco International has given Purchasing a seat at the table of every business unit, blending decentralized and center-led purchasing practices that actually boost earnings per share. For its achievements, the company wins the 2009 Purchasing Medal of Professional Excellence.

The company's processes and systems produced close to $2 billion dollars in savings from 2003 - 2009, in a company where only the $3.5 billion indirect portion of the $13 billion total spend is centrally managed within Purchasing.

Download this e-copy of Purchasing's special award issue to learn more about Tyco's processes, and how the company beat the Street's expectations.

Executive Roundtable: Risk -- How to Anticipate and Mitigate

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In 2009, in association with CPO Agenda, Ariba hosted an executive roundtable discussion about the economic crisis and the storm that was brewing on the horizon: heightened supply risk.

Volatile commodity prices, credit shortages, consolidations, and bankruptcies were combining so that companies -- regardless of their size or industries -- would most likely face some form of supply disruption in the days ahead.

A panel of procurement leaders weighed in, and shared their views, experiences, and concerns.

How accurate were they? What did they predict that is still playing out? What lessons can we still learn from their discussion? Download this transcript of their discussion to find out.

Supplier Nominated Savings: Accelerating Savings through Strategic Partnerships

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A supplier nominated savings program is a broad initiative focused on driving cost savings with the current supply base. By tapping the current supply base, buyers are able to contract savings immediately and avoid supply risk interruption. The program involves segmenting the supply base into high-level spend categories, researching market trends in these categories, and sending specific fact-based savings requests to the supply base.

The keys to success are:

A structured process
Executive support
Clear communication with your supply base

From mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, many organizations have successfully used this approach to drive near-term savings. Given the pressure to identify savings in any manner possible -- and as quickly as possible -- you owe it to your company to determine if supplier nominated savings is a worthwhile tool for you.

Découvrez comment détecter et vous protéger contre le risque fournisseur

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Les économies de coûts peuvent bien être le travail le plus prisé aujourd’hui, mais la crise économique actuelle annonce une tempête tout aussi inquiétante, qui couve à l’horizon...

Rückkehr zu Rentabilität

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Spend Management-Prioritäten
weisen den Weg zu zeitnahen
Einsparungen und langfristigem
Wachstum

Zusammenfassung
EINFÜHRUNG IN DIE UMFRAGE
Im Frühjahr 2009 hat Ariba Unternehmen danach befragt, welche Strategien und
Konzepte des Spend Managements sie in erster Linie zur Bewältigung der weltweiten
Wirtschaftskrise einsetzen. An der Umfrage haben über 225 Führungskräfte aus dem
Beschaffungs- und Finanzwesen und anderen Unternehmensbereichen teilgenommen,
die die verschiedensten Branchen, Unternehmensgrößen und Regionen repräsentierten.

Das Umfrageergebnis zeigt deutlich, dass die Unternehmen die Prioritäten des Spend
Managements zur Chefsache gemacht haben. Dabei stehen raschere Einsparungen
und die Einbeziehung weiterer Ausgaben in das Spend Management im Mittelpunkt. Bei
den Unternehmen wächst die Erkenntnis, dass sie Kosteneinsparungen und langfristige
Stabilität der Lieferkette gegeneinander abwägen müssen. Führende Spend
Management-Organisationen nutzen die gegenwärtige Wirtschaftskrise, um die
strategische Rolle des Spend Managements innerhalb des Unternehmens zu stärken
und sich die Finanzmittel und Ressourcen sowie die strategische Unterstützung zu
sichern, die für kurz- und langfristige Verbesserungen in diesem Bereich erforderlich sind.

Procurement Executive Roundtable: Seismic Developments

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Companies of all sizes must make themselves as lean as possible, with procurement playing a critical role. But, in order to be successful, procurement functions themselves must be similarly lean -- they must have the best talent and operate at the cutting edge of the profession.

In a 2009 executive roundtable discussion among procurement leaders, the theme of procurement transformation -- the path to building a world-class function -- got right to the heart of the economy-rattling issues facing procurement leaders everywhere.

Download this article to read these leaders' views and insights about Procurement's ability to accelerate performance results, and thereby expand coverage, risk management, value, and innovation.

Reaching Sourcing Excellence: How To Keep 30 Cents of Every Dollar Spent

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

According to an AMR Research study, 40 percent of sourcing organizations are giving away 30 cents for every dollar of spend because their business strategies are misaligned—10 percent organization, 40 percent reactionary disparate business processes, and 50 percent enabling technology. In fact, AMR found that misaligned sourcing organizations believe technology is the primary tool to reduce costs.

In reality, leading companies achieve business results by delivering top- and bottom-line value, including margin improvement, cost savings, working capital, and productivity efficiencies. The foundation for this success is a well-implemented and aligned strategy, which requires 50 percent organization, 40 percent business process, and 10 percent enabling technology.

Download this interesting paper to learn more.

Retour à la rentabilité

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Donner priorité à la gestion des dépenses pour générer des économies et une croissance durables Mai 2009

Au printemps 2009, Ariba a mené une enquête visant à définir les stratégies et les approches prioritaires des entreprises en matière de maîtrise es dépenses pour faire face à la récession économique mondiale. Plus de 225 cadres des services Achats, Finance et autres, représentant toute une palette de secteurs industriels, tailles d'entreprises et régions, ont ainsi été interrogés.

Il est ressorti très clairement de l'étude que les actions relatives à la maîtrise des dépenses sont hiérarchisées aux plus hauts niveaux. L'accent est mis sur l'accélération des économies de coûts et l'élargissement de la couverture des dépenses. Il est également admis, de plus en plus, que les entreprises doivent trouver le juste équilibre entre les économies de coûts et la stabilité à long terme de la chaîne d'approvisionnement. Les sociétés leaders dans le domaine de la maîtrise des dépenses capitalisent sur la crise économique actuelle pour renforcer le rôle stratégique des achats au sein de l'entreprise et s'assurer un budget, des ressources et un soutien propres à garantir des améliorations à court et long terme dans ce domaine.

Electronic Signature Demo

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A brief recorded presentation to familiarize you with the details of Ariba's partnership with Docusign to provide state-of-the-art contract execution to Ariba's contract management customers.

Speaker:

Dan Reid, Sr Product Manager, Ariba Contract Management

Electronic Invoice Management: Your Passport to Paperfree Accounts Payable

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Report Highights

Key issues addressed in this report:

Why organizations care about e-invoicing solutions
What your peers are doing to optimize their AP operations
The different forms of e-invoicing and what benefits they deliver
Who the key players are in this market and what solutions they offer
How your organization can go about selecting the solution that best fits your needs

Next-Generation Spend Analysis: Beyond Commodity Classifications

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tasked with reaching ever-increasing savings goals while operating with limited resources, more procurement organizations are turning to spend analysis programs as an important tool for strategically managing more spend.

However, even though most deliver on the promises, there has been a key shortcoming with traditional spend analysis solutions. Until now.

Read this white paper to learn how your organization can benefit from Ariba's innovative three-dimensional visibility approach, and develop a one-stop information repository for making strategic sourcing decisions.

The Return to Profitability: Spend Management Priorities to Accelerate Savings and Drive Long-Term Growth

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In Spring 2009, Ariba surveyed more than 225 procurement, finance, and other executives from a variety of companies and regions to find out what strategies they were using to cope with the global recession.

They were accelerating cost savings and expanding spend coverage, while also balancing cost savings with long-term supply chain stability.

Lessons from the recession, if you will, that wise companies will apply even now.

Download this report to learn more.

Ariba Resource Library

Becoming a Best-in-Class B2B E-Commerce Giant

E-Payables 2012: The State of the AP Market

Gemeinsam in neue Höhen: Vorteile der Zusammenarbeit im Bereich Finanzen und Beschaffung

Supplier Networks v.2.0 – A Look At Commerce in the Cloud

Reaching New Heights: The Dividends of Collaboration between Finance and Procurement

Reaching New Heights: The Dividends of Collaboration between Finance and Procurement

The Networked Economy

Ariba Spend Visibility Success Story: How Bausch & Lomb Maximized Adoption and ROI

Dynamic Discount Management: Finding the 'Treasure' in Treasury

Building Your Business Case for AP Automation

5 Keys to Unlock E-Procurement ROI

Rentabiliser au maximum votre investissement ERP SAP®

Building a Lean but Highly Effective Procurement Organisation

Beyond EDI - How a Smart Invoice Network Drives Global E-Invoicing and Collaboration with All Suppliers

Dynamic Discounting: Turning Accounts Payable into a Profit Center

From E-Commerce to E-Excellence

Maximieren Sie Ihre SAP ERP Investitionen

Beyond EDI: How a Smart Invoice Network Reorders P2P to Drive Global E-Invoicing and Collaboration with All Suppliers

Spend Analysis: The Nexus of Spend Management

E-Payables 2011

Ariba Contracts on Force.com: A Brief Demonstration

Augmentez la valeur de votre ERP avec les Solutions commerciales collaboratives en mode cloud

Wertsteigerung von ERP-Systemen durch cloud-basierte Business-Commerce-Lösungen

Winning Onboarding Strategies

The Forrester™ Wave: E-Procurement Solutions, Q1 2011

Selecting the best e-procurement solution from a crowded field of providers just got a whole lot easier.

One-on-One Interview: The Forces Affecting E-Invoicing's Future

Spend Visibility: It's What You Do with It That Matters

Increasing the Value of ERP with Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions

IDC Perspective of Cloud, Commerce & Community

Le commerce collaboratif pour Les Nuls

Build Your Business Case for Procure-to-Pay Automation

Les nouveaux partenariats

Kollaboratives Handeln für DUMMIES

How E-Invoicing Helped NSG Align Finance & Procurement, Taking PO Compliance from 50% to 90%

Dynamic Procurement: The CPO as Collaborator, Innovator, and Strategist

Maximizing Your SAP® ERP Investment

Machtgewinn der Einkäufer

Les acheteurs montent en puissance

The Collaboration Imperative for Finance: How Deutsche Bank Extended SAP for Global E-Invoicing

Collaborative Sourcing: The Keys to Unlocking Greater Value

Increasing the Value of ERP with Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions

Increasing the Value of ERP with Cloud-Based Business Commerce Solutions

Fast and Easy Buyer/Supplier Matching Yields Great Returns

E-Invoicing Adoption Benchmarking Report

Best Practices for Executing Complex Goods and Services Procurement Online

Supply & Demand Chain Executive Special Edition: Is Social the Future of Business Commerce?

Put Caterpillar's Global Automation Success to Work for You

Driving PO Compliance and E-Invoicing at GSK North America

The New Deals: Why Companies Are Deepening their Alliances with Customers, Suppliers, and Bankers in a Post-Recession Economy

Vision 2020

The State of Sales Contract Management

E-Invoicing / E-Billing in Europe and Abroad

Supply Chain Finance: Gaining Control in the Face of Uncertainty

How Finance Executives Plan to Thrive in the Post-Recession Economy

Effective Sales Contracting: A Business Imperative and Differentiator

How to Ensure Auditors and Tax Authorities Trust 100% of Your Electronic Invoices

Collaborative Business Commerce and Next-Generation Sourcing: The Business Case for Ariba Discovery

Beyond Scanning: Moving Toward 100 Percent Paperless Invoice Processing

Trust and the Million Dollar Order

The Secrets to Customer Retention and Growing Revenue from Your Customer Base

Five Real World E-Commerce Tactics for Double Digit Revenue Growth

Strategies for Simplifying Your E-Commerce Journey

Defining and Expanding the Value Proposition of P2P

Beyond Scanning and Workflow: Can You Achieve 100% Paperless Processing in Accounts Payable?

Ready, Set, Go Global with E-Invoicing

Receivables Financing: A Valuable Financing Tool for Business

Speakers

Payables Automation: Drive More Cost Savings in Your Procure-to-Pay Cycle

Featuring:

The CFO's View of Procurement

From Preservation to Prosperity: The CPO's Agenda for a New Decade

BBVA Compass Shares Tips for Maximizing Ariba Solution Value

BBVA Compass Shares Tips for Maximizing Ariba Solution Value

Boost Invoice Processing Performance to World-Class Levels, the TNT Express Way

Saugatuck Technology: Procurement in the Cloud Part Two: Executing with Cloud Business Solutions

Achieve Organizational Alignment on Contract Management: Your Bottom Line Will Thank You

Extend Your ERP for Stronger Supplier Collaboration

Speakers

Rentabiliser au maximum votre investissement ERP SAP^®

The Forrester^™ Wave: E-Procurement Solutions, Q1 2011

Working Capital Management:
New Strategies for Maintaining Financial Strength through Economic Cycles