Spend management solutions provider Ariba Inc. yesterday announced the release of Supplier Network 46, the latest version of its Web-based business commerce and collaboration platform. The release features new capabilities designed to fuel greater collaboration among buyers and suppliers globally, including a supplier discovery service, transaction dashboard and invoice quick enablement.
Globalization creates unprecedented opportunities for buyers and suppliers to connect and transact business, said Bob Solomon, senior vice president and general manager for Ariba Supplier Network. To maximize these opportunities, companies must have access to leading-edge tools that enable them to optimize and manage trading relationships across multiple geographies using a common platform.
Delivered on-demand, the new platform features new capabilities designed to further streamline key business processes such as supplier discovery and enablement, invoicing and payment. Through a new supplier discovery service, buyers can identify world-class partners to support their business strategies. Suppliers can tap new, qualified business opportunities using expanded supplier profile attributes that enable them to outline their capabilities in greater detail.
Invoice quick enablement features have been added to allow buyers to quickly on-board suppliers who invoice them, but do not typically receive a purchase order by automatically enabling them as soon as they are ready to generate an invoice. And companies using ERP systems to manage invoices can seamlessly connect to the Ariba Network.
Leveraging a new dashboard that provides a view into transaction activities, suppliers can more effectively manage the lifecycle of orders and invoices and respond more quickly to customer needs. Using a single interface, suppliers can easily find purchase orders that have not been fully invoiced, create invoices, search for new orders, find changed orders, handle rejected invoices, and correct invoice errors. With increased visibility, suppliers can drive better usage and greater value from the system.
In a global economy, collaboration isnt just prudent, its critical to success, Solomon said. Through its Supplier Network, Ariba will continue to deliver the features and functionality that companies need to connect with key trading partners, enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations and ultimately, capitalize on opportunities for growth.
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