SAP Procurement


Supply Chain Management: SAP Procurement

Strategic and innovative procurement is at the forefront of the supply chain today. While the root of procurement is all about connections and relationships, digitalization has now streamlined the experience and visibility. There are new opportunities to master the ability to maintain the right balance between the intersections of quantity, price, and time.

Procurement Simply Defined

Procurement is a process of acquiring goods or services in the right quantity, at the right price, and at the right time. Understanding supply chains is an important step because it helps to find reliable suppliers that best fit the business requirements. Minimizing cost is a crucial aspect but it should be combined with capacity planning, quality, and delivery reliability. Some organizations are using SAP Procurement, which is one aspect of supply chain management. It involves all activities in daily business operations for obtaining goods and services. There are generally three stages in the procurement process: sourcing, purchasing, and payment.

Supply Chain Management: SAP Procurement

Strategic and innovative procurement is at the forefront of the supply chain today. While the root of procurement is all about connections and relationships, digitalization has now streamlined the experience and visibility. There are new opportunities to master the ability to maintain the right balance between the intersections of quantity, price, and time.

Procurement Simply Defined

Procurement is a process of acquiring goods or services in the right quantity, at the right price, and at the right time. Understanding supply chains is an important step because it helps to find reliable suppliers that best fit the business requirements. Minimizing cost is a crucial aspect but it should be combined with capacity planning, quality, and delivery reliability. Some organizations are using SAP Procurement, which is one aspect of supply chain management. It involves all activities in daily business operations for obtaining goods and services. There are generally three stages in the procurement process: sourcing, purchasing, and payment.

9 Steps in the Procurement Process are:

  1. Identify the goods and services needed
  2. Submit a purchase request
  3. Review and select vendors
  4. Negotiate terms and pricing
  5. Create a purchase order
  6. Receive and inspect the quality of goods
  7. Conduct three-way matching in accounts payable
  8. Approve the invoice and make payment
  9. Record keeping.

Key components work together to make the procurement process happen. They include people, process, and paperwork. Building and maintaining relationships should be a top focus for procurement professionals to gain a competitive edge. By monitoring procurement KPI’s, businesses can empower teams to analyze savings and track supplier performance in a more simplified way.

Benefits of Procurement are:

  • Higher productivity
  • Lower management expenses
  • Trusted supplier relationships.

Using intelligent technology to harmonize processes and approvals will lead to cutting costs, driving compliance, and gaining visibility for an organization. Vendor partners that can offer solutions and services for software or strengthen process efficiencies include – SAP, Reveal or Gib.

Further insights for SAPinsiders are:

  • The Future of Enterprise Procurement: Saravanan Narasimhan outlines the benefits of a digital landscape for procurement. Stressing that a successful means of digital procurement in the corporate world is through early involvement. Redefine procurement from a tactical expense to a strategic investment.
  • Streamline Procurement Processes with the Raw Material Procurement Cockpit. Kaushik Choudhury explains the raw material procurement cockpit features, which can be used by small or large businesses. It supports planners working with multiple suppliers for the same material or several materials.
  • Sneak Peak: Sustainable Procurement as an Embedded Process in Supplier Management Activities. William Newman shares how to stay ahead of the curve on sustainability by previewing these conceptual roadmaps and the expected releases of related SAP functionality.

947 results

  1. The Future of Enterprise Procurement

    Published: 17/March/2021

    Reading time: 5 mins

    The future of procurement lies within the digital landscape. Not only do the benefits of its implementation greatly outweigh the costs, but they also result in very profitable returns. Digital procurement clearly demonstrates that it is far superior to manual procurement methods within the context of efficiency alone. Despite the rising popularity of digital procurement,…

  2. Optimize the Procurement Process by Automatically Generating Vendor Delivery Schedule Lines

    Published: 01/November/2011

    Reading time: 13 mins

    The ability to take advantage of automatic generation of delivery schedule lines for vendors adds value to the procurement process by eliminating the need to create and maintain them manually. Find out how you can easily put this into action with a practical example. Key Concept The procurement process can be enhanced by taking advantage...…

  3. National Grid Transmits Procurement to the Cloud with SAP Ariba Solutions

    Published: 28/June/2016

    Reading time: 9 mins

    In keeping with its commitment to efficiency, National Grid needed to simplify its procurement process for its customers and internal users. After a move to SAP ERP and SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SAP SRM), the business decided a move to the cloud would improve its system scalability as well as the supplier experience. Learn how…

  4. Optimize Electronic Signatures in Your Company’s Procurement Process

    Published: 10/January/2013

    Reading time: 6 mins

    Discover how to implement electronic signatures into purchasing documents. Learn the steps involved in implementing e-signatures into SAP purchasing documents. Learn how to store signatures in Business Document Server graphics and then append signatures into forms. Key Concept Electronic signatures are about capturing images of buyers’ signatures, storing them in a repository, and appending them...…

  5. Sneak Peek: Sustainable Procurement as an Embedded Process in Supplier Management Activities

    Published: 01/December/2010

    Reading time: 8 mins

    The Sustainability Executive Advisory Committee (EAC) of SAP is developing several roadmaps to enable functions and processes to address corporate sustainability reporting (CSR), planning, and monitoring activities. Stay ahead of the curve on sustainability by previewing these conceptual roadmaps and the expected releases of related SAP functionality. Key Concept Sustainable procurement processes can be embedded...…

  6. Effective Management of Project-Based Procurement Using ProMan

    Published: 23/September/2014

    Reading time: 11 mins

    Learn about the key elements of the Project-Oriented Procurement (ProMan) application component available in Project System. Discover how it can help you manage project-based procurement in a single, centralized area rather than having to complete multiple transactions in an SAP ERP system. Key Concept Project System is an SAP ERP module that helps manage the...…

  7. Technical Considerations for Executing an SAPUI5 Project

    Published: 05/April/2016

    Reading time: 22 mins

    Follow these best practices and tips outlined by Ameya Pimpalgaonkar if you are planning to execute an SAPUI5 project. See how an SAPUI5 project differs from a traditional project and why the design process is essential if you want to avoid technical errors. Key Concept It is essential that all SAPUI5 projects begin with a...…

  8. Achieve Budgetary Control of Unplanned Service Procurement and Projects Using Value Limit Strategies

    Published: 30/October/2017

    Reading time: 21 mins

    Learn how to use different value limit strategies to control spending on unplanned service procurement and budgetary allocation for projects. Key Concept Value limit is a functionality within purchase requisition and purchase order (PO) documents that can be applied to set a benchmark value for a project or service procurement if the cost and possibly...…

  9. Configure SAPSprint for Secure Server-Based Printing on Windows

    Published: 17/June/2009

    Reading time: 146 mins

    You can have as wide and varied a range of printing needs as you have business needs. Learn about the available SAPSprint options — what they are and what they do — so you can help your organization meet its specific printing needs. Key Concept Secure Network Communications (SNC) integrates an external security product with...…

  10. Mastering SAP Connect 2025 in June, now in conjunction with SAP Spend Connect

    Published: 09/April/2025

    Reading time: 1 mins

    Mastering SAP Connect 2025, scheduled for June 5–6 in Gold Coast, Australia, will introduce a new dedicated Procurement Track alongside existing sessions on Enterprise Asset Management and Supply Chain Management, aiming to enhance collaborative learning and resilience in SAP solutions.