SAP Guided Buying revolutionizes the procurement process

In the past, a job advertisement in procurement was relatively straightforward. The decisive factor was the logistics rule of the “five Rs”:

Procurement of the product in the correct quality,
required quantity,
suitable location,
at the right time
and at a reasonable cost.

But times have changed. In today’s world, buyers not only have to deal with these basic principles, but also with complex questions about how and with whom their company does business and what impact their purchasing decisions have on the environment and society.

The “five R rule” may still hold true, but it is no longer sufficient to meet modern requirements. The shopping experience has evolved and requires personalized solutions tailored to individual roles and needs. Shoppers want intelligent recommendations to weigh up the environmental impact and make informed decisions.

SAP Guided Buying: The new measure of the shopping experience

The “Guided Buying” assistance function in SAP Ariba solutions has established itself as the gold standard for purchasing goods and services. At the SAP Sapphire conference, SAP presented the latest innovation in this area: “Buying 360”. This new function offers buyers a forward-looking, personal and sustainable purchasing experience.

Buying 360 presents buyers with customized recommendations for goods and services based on their roles and company policies, allowing them to make their procurement strategies more targeted and efficient. In addition, there is seamless integration with SAP S/4HANA in the SAP Ariba solutions to ensure a smooth process. Purchase requisitions are automatically converted into purchase orders, allowing the entire process to be tracked seamlessly.

The “Buying 360” function is available in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Public Edition, and is available to existing SAP Ariba Buying customers via the standard cloud upgrade process.

More flexibility and smooth implementation

Buying 360″ was developed with the help of SAP Business Technology Platform services to ensure maximum flexibility. SAP is also planning further innovations to make the introduction as smooth as possible for existing customers.

Thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, procurement managers receive a holistic view of all purchases and can check whether they meet the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives.

A personalized shopping experience

With “Buying 360”, buyers experience a customized buying journey that adapts precisely to their individual roles and needs. Immediately after logging in, users can expect a user-friendly interface that is tailored precisely to their role and company guidelines.

Forward-looking recommendations

The use of AI and machine learning enables intelligent recommendations that make it easier for users to make informed decisions according to their role. These recommendations are displayed at the right time and in the right place, be it in catalogs, contracts, on the marketplace or as current offers. This is done automatically to minimize manual effort. More features will be added in the future to enable purchases in line with the company’s procurement and sustainability policies.

Sustainable purchasing decisions and the coming evolution in procurement

The requirements for purchasing decisions are changing and the “Guided Buying” function is constantly evolving. Companies are faced with the challenge of reconciling cost savings and environmental impact. With the new enhancements, it is planned to also provide sustainability information such as the CO2 footprint, the environmental footprint of packaging and energy consumption.

In today’s era, a personalized buying experience is of paramount importance. “Buying 360 marks the next evolutionary step in SAP’s guided buying services, which have the primary goal of focusing on the individual needs of the user and the ESG goals of the company. However, this journey does not stop there: Existing SAP Ariba Buying customers already have access to a wealth of innovations accessible through the cloud upgrade process. “Buying 360 is available in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Public Edition.

Would you like to optimize your purchasing process and aim to increase efficiency? Then contact us now – we are your reliable partner for procurement consulting!