What is Source-to-Pay?

Integrate complex, often cumbersome, processes for buying goods and services into a unified platform that efficiently handles sourcing, payment, and everything in between.

A smiling executive explains the source to pay process from SAP Ariba

Source-to-pay process overview

Source-to-pay (S2P) is a process that starts with finding, negotiating with, and contracting the supplier of goods, and culminates in final payment for those goods.

S2P software relies on technology, big data, and digital networks to create procurement efficiency. Rather than treat procurement as a series of disparate tasks, best-in-class organizations aggregate purchases across business units to improve performance, provide better spend analysis, and drive business value. Those who adopt a source-to-pay platform:

See higher sourcing savings through increased visibility into procurement
Integrate key processes into a single platform to get to signed-contracts faster
Strengthen procedural, regulatory, and contractual compliance
Improve collaboration, trust, and spend among trading partners
Negotiate better pricing and have more accurate forecasting

Digitalization of core source-to-pay processes and documents simplifies the procurement process and fuels collaboration.

Image used on ariba.com page about source to pay process

Improve access to intelligence, manage spend, and maintain compliance

Source-to-pay software turns what is traditionally a complex and inefficient procurement process into a source of productivity, cost savings, transparency, and value creation. With embedded source-to-pay best practices, collaboration among buyers and suppliers improves, deals get done faster, and human errors are reduced or eliminated altogether.

Transform the source-to-pay process for procurement and finance teams

Fully digitalize, integrate, and automate the entire source-to-pay process into a single platform – from sourcing and contracting to buying and paying.

Vet suppliers quickly and more accurately

Eliminate time-consuming, error-prone manual processes

Place and receive orders faster

Check budgets and approvals with dynamic purchasing units

Manage suppliers, processes, and budgets from anywhere in the world

Free up staff to focus on more strategic activities

SAP Ariba Source-to-Pay Solutions

Strategic Sourcing

Discover qualified suppliers, speed up your sourcing cycles, and create the most competitive, best-value agreements for sustainable savings with all your sourcing needs.

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Procurement

With the control that SAP Ariba guided buying and spot buy capabilities provide, you can cut supply costs by as much as 10% and lower processing costs by 25% to 60%.

See portfolio

Financial Supply Chain

Transform your payables from liabilities into strategic assets to boost free cash flow, free up working capital, and deliver more bottom-line value.

Learn more