Do you already have plans of moving to the Ariba cloud and do you scan your invoices currently by SAP Invoice Management by OpenText? Then you are aware of the multiple advantages of digitally receiving invoices and probably ask yourself how this can be integrated into the Ariba cloud.

One of disadvantages of the standard adapter between Ariba and SAP ECC regarding invoice receipt is that it only tracks invoices after posting. Through the integration of SAP Invoice Management by OpenText (VIM) with Ariba, also documents are processed which are still processed inside VIM Document Processing or are parked.

VIM 7.0 can be integrated with the Ariba Network on the buyer side. In this scenario suppliers create their invoices within the Ariba Network. The invoices are sent to the SAP ERP system of the buyer and the buyer processes all incoming invoices within VIM.  So besides local invoice channels (email, scan or OCR), the buyer is connected with the Ariba Network and receives invoices of his suppliers from this channel.

VIM is able to add specific status information to the status retrieval of the Ariba Network Adapter. This includes a configuration to map the process status of a VIM invoice to the status codes that are known in the Ariba Network. This enables vendors to see the real-time processing status of their invoices on the Ariba Network. Integration is possible through two different ways:

  • SAP NetWeaver Process Integration (PI) in combination with the Ariba PI adapter;
  • The add-on Ariba Network Integration for SAP Business Suite.

The difference between these two options is the invoice format. If the PI adapter is used, then invoices are sent as an IDoc (INVOICE02). If the Add-On is used, the invoice can be sent in cXML, mediated via PI or other middleware.

SAP NetWeaver PI in combination with the Ariba PI adapter (available from SP2)

Ariba delivers an adapter based on the SAP NetWeaver Process Integration (PI) to integrate Ariba within the SAP Business Suite. The adapter supports various integration scenarios.


Ariba Network Integration for SAP Business Suite Add-On (available from VIM 7.0 SP3)

SAP delivers the new add-on “Ariba Network Integration for SAP Business Suite” to integrate Ariba with different scenarios in the SAP Business Suite.

VIM introduces a new input channel for the Ariba Network Integration for SAP Business Suite and provides integration scenarios for invoice processing.

Are you using SAP Invoice Management by OpenText (VIM) and are you processing invoices from suppliers that are on the Ariba Network, than these integration possibilities between VIM and Ariba give you new opportunities to optimize your procure-to-pay process.