Hello, welcome to my blog post! I’m super excited to say that this blog is going to help Ariba consultants, enablement managers, customers and suppliers to accelerate their punchout catalog enablement project and complete it successfully within the targeted time.

Introduction

The punchout catalog is a supplier hosted catalog. Supplier manages the content of their catalog according to the agreed terms with customer. In Ariba buying solution or Ariba guided buying, when buyers click on “hyperlink” or “Buy from Supplier” browser directs them to supplier’s web-site to search a desired item, choose an item, add an item to the cart, check out from catalog and create a purchase requisition.

What happens when user clicks on punchout link?

PunchOutSetupRequest:

• Ariba buying solution sends PunchOutSetupRequest in cXML document to Ariba Network through HTTPS post
• Ariba network authenticates buyer’s identity and forwards it to punchout site by including identity of Ariba network and supplier’s shared secret through HTTPS post
• Supplier punchout site receives the PunchOutSetupRequest and authenticates Ariba network and shared secrets and then opens a shopping page for the Punchout session.

PunchOutSetupResponse:

• Punchout site sends response with URL to Ariba network and Ariba network forwards response to Ariba buying solution through HTTPS post
• PunchOutSetupResponse document must contain valid status code and start page URL to avoid invalid cXML response
• In Ariba buying solution, user accesses the punchout catalog

PunchOutOrderMessage:

• User selects an item, adds it to cart, clicks check out and then supplier site sends the item in cXML to Ariba buying solution through HTML BrowserForm post

Note:

• User must log in to Ariba buying solution to get authenticated by the buying organization as Ariba network authenticates buying organization and not the user
• Supplier can restrict the access to the catalog for certain users based on customer requirement
• IT team at customer and supplier can find users through address, contact or extrinsic elements such as cost center, ship to address and userID/name available in cXML document

Punchout Catalog Enablement Project

In the enablement stage, customer collaborates with supplier to achieve the below requirements

• Customer should prepare a list of categories along with supplier to make available on the catalog
• Once the punchout site is developed, supplier must share the list of items in excel or .csv file with customer for review
• Supplier should notify customer when they change price of any items, add or delete items in the catalog –> THE BEST PRACTICE
• Customer should confirm whether non-sourced items need to be displayed on the catalog or not
• Customer should share a list of items with supplier which need to be restricted to certain users
• Supplier must assign valid commodity codes in punchout catalog as per the requirements of customer
• Punchout website must be secured and compatible with Ariba network
• Users should access Punchout catalog without entering their userID and password on it and there should not be login page error during punchout session
• When user clicks on Check Out, punchout site should transfer items to Ariba buying solution
• The catalog should allow user to continue to add items to the crat during the punchout session
• Users should be able to edit the punchout session to add items, delete items and change quantity of items
• Users can create multiple punchout session until the order is successfully created in Ariba buying solution
• Buyers – preparer, requisitioners and approvers should not be able to edit the line item details such as description, quantity, price, UoM of line items directly on requisition page in Ariba
• Customer and supplier have to ensure that there should not be price round off issues. This issue needs to be fixed before that item is available for purchasing
• Customer need to ensure that the supplier should not create items without a valid commodity code in the catalog to avoid validation error in Ariba buying solution
• Supplier need to ensure that UoM is updated correctly against items in the catalog as per the requirement or else customer must create new UoM in Ariba and map it to the valid ERP UoM
• Make sure all the required elements must be updated correctly in cXML as per cXML guidelines to avoid errors during punchout session
• Supplier should refer the cXML reference guide to fill the knowledge gap
• The format of attributes must be correct. For example: format of time stamp in cXML
• Make sure that user enables cookies on browser Google Chrome and MS edge to view the items on Punchout site.
• Customer should update supplier’s ANID in Ariba buying solution
• Supplier need to maintain latest privacy policy and required certificate to avoid issues related to cookies and punchout set up request
• Either customer or Ariba consultant should send Trading Relationship Request to supplier
• Supplier must accept TRR and register themselves on Ariba Network to create an account instantly. If supplier already has an account on AN, then they can just accept the TRR to build connection with customer and to avoid errors during implementation of punchout catalog
• There should be a dedicated IT team at supplier place to develop, maintain and trouble shoot issues of a punchout web-site
• Ariba administrator at customer place can update master data such as supplier data, supplier groups, commodity code, unit of measure and currency according to requirement of punchout catalog enablement project
• Supplier must configure valid punchout URL with Shared secret and password in cXML set up page
• Supplier need to create CIF catalog with punchout URL and upload/publish it on their AN account
• Customer need to approve and activate the catalog in Ariba buying solution
• Customer should test the functionality of punchout catalog in the following ways –
• Ariba administrator creates test users with requisitioner role to test the catalog functionality in Ariba buying solution
• Authentication process: User should not receive login page error in punchout site. Ensure that users have direct access to punchout catalog
• Open a punchout session: click on punchout ‘Hyperlink or Buy from Supplier’ and ensure the punchout site comes up and is shoppable. User adds items to the cart, clicks checkout and returns to Ariba buyer requisition
• Edit/reopen punchout session: ensure that items appear in the cart upon return to your PunchOut site and user can edit, add, delete and change quantity of an item in the cart and return to the Ariba Buyer requisition. Also, make sure that when user deletes items from cart, those items should not appear in requisition.
• Non editable fields: ensure that preparer, requestor and approver cannot edit the line item details in requisition.
• Close the punchout session: user opens a punchout session, adds an item to cart, closes the punchout session before checkout, returns to Ariba buying solution, user again opens a punchout session and sees the empty cart

Customer Actions in Ariba Buyer Network

Trading Relationship Request:

A trading relationship builds a connection between Ariba buyer network and Ariba supplier network to transfer orders, order confirmation, ship notice, invoice, service entry sheet, credit note, request for quote, contracts, questionnaires etc

Configure quick enablement:

• Log in to Ariba buyer account
• Click on Administration tab
• Click configuration
• Click Default Transaction Rules
• In the Quick Enablement Rules section, select Allow Quick Enablement
• Click SAVE

Supplier invitation letter:

Customer can create a customised supplier invitation letter or can use standard letter to initiate a trading relationship request with suppliers

• Log in to Ariba buyer account
• Click on Supplier Enablement
• Click configuration
• Click Letter Content tab
• In Letter Content tab, select the letter template to edit, dropdown Actions and click Create/Edit Custom Content
• Select Language
• Select country/region
• Enter the content in the text editor.
• Click SAVE

Unregistered or existing suppliers:

• Once quick enablement is enabled in Ariba buyer account
• Buyer sends purchase order to unregistered suppliers
• The supplier receives an email invitation with purchase order from Ariba Network and clicks the link provided in the email to start the registration process
• Supplier accepts the invitation by completing the registration process
• Once registered, the supplier gets immediate access to the account

Registered Suppliers:

If supplier is already registered on Ariba network, customer can submit TRR via Ariba buyer account.

• Log in to Ariba Buyer Account
• Click on Supplier Enablement tab
• Click Active relationships
• Click on Search suppliers
• In Basic Profile page, search vendor by the supplier’s name, D-U-N-S number, country/region, industry, or commodity
• Click Search
• Click a supplier to see the supplier’s account information
• Check the information for accuracy as Ariba doesn’t check the validity of the information provided by suppliers
• Click Request Relationship
• Read the responsibility statement and, if you agree, select the check box
• Click Request a relationship to finish the review and send the supplier a relationship request
• Click Done

New Supplier Registration:

Administrators creates supplier record in SAP or Oracle test system, links it to supplier’s Ariba profile as a partition supplier, creates a purchase order to send TRR to suppliers

Note: Administrator updates email address of supplier contact who is responsible to accept the invite and register on Ariba network.

Update Master Data

Commodity Codes:

If there are any new categories found in the punchout catalog, administrator need to create and classify them in Ariba parent realm and update commodity to ERP commodity file in Ariba child realm

To create and classify commodity codes in parent realm, follow the below steps

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to parent realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Click on Site Manager/Data import and export
• Search CSV files related to commodity code
• Export system commodity code file, update new commodity codes under correct hierarchy and import it
• Export classification code relationship file, update new commodity codes and import it

To map commodity to ERP commodity codes in child realm, follow the below steps

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to child realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Click on Site Manager/Data import and export
• Search CSV file related to commodity code
• Export commodity to ERP commodity code mapping file, update new commodity codes with Account type, material group, company code, purchasing org, account category, general ledger and import it

Unit of measure:

If there are any new unit of measure found in the punchout catalog, administrator need to create them UOM in Ariba parent realm and let them replicate to child realm where administrator map them with ERP UOM’s.

To create UOM in Parent realm, follow the below steps

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to parent realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Click on Site Manager/Data import and export
• Search CSV file related to UOM
• Export the file, update new UOM’s in it and import it

To map UOM with ERP UOM in child realm, follow the below steps

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to child realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Click on Site Manager/Data import and export
• Search CSV file related to UOM mapping
• Export it, map new UOM to ERP UOM and import it

Supplier Master Data:

Administrator need to update supplier’s Ariba Network ID on the Supplier record in Ariba parent realm and it will be replicated to child realm in 10 minutes.

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to parent realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Dropdown Supplier Manager
• Click Supplier
• Search active supplier by name or system ID
• Click Action and Edit
• Click Organisational ID’s
• Update ANID with suffix-t
• Click SAVE

Catalog Activation:

Supplier uploads .cif file in their AN account. Ariba network publishes the catalog if there are no errors in it, sends it to Ariba buying solution, changes the status to “Pending Buyer Validation”, the catalog will be validated in Ariba buying solution, Administrator sends catalog for approval, approves it in catalog manager workspace

To activate catalog in parent realm, follow the below step

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to parent realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Dropdown Catalog manager
• Click Catalogs
• Search catalog subscription, it should be in validated status
• Select it and click on Activate
• Once catalog is activated, Go to catalog replication
• Click on Configuration tab
• Select catalog subscription
• Click Action and click subscribe

Once punchout catalog is activated in parent realm, Administrator can also replicate it in in child realm to display hyperlink of punchout site

To replicate punchout catalog in child realm, follow the below steps

• Log in to Ariba Buying solution
• Go to child realm
• Dropdown Manage on the dashboard
• Click on Core Administration
• Dropdown Catalog manager
• Click Catalog Replication
• Select catalog subscription
• Click Action and click subscribe

Supplier Actions in Ariba Supplier Network 

• Log in to Supplier AN account
• Click Electronic Order Routing at Administration Navigator
• Under External System Integration click on configure cXML integration
• In cXML set up page, select an authentication method as shared secret, enter a Shared Secret to authenticate cXML documents.
• In PunchOut Request URL, update punchout URL beginning with https://…
• Click on Save

CIF Catalog Template

In CIF catalog template, supplier need to update their ANID with suffix -t, supplier part ID, item description, commodity, UoM, Lead time and punchout link and upload it on Ariba Network to send catalog to customer’s Ariba buying solution.

Note: Punchout Enabled Field: It should always be TRUE

Publish Catalog:

• Log into to supplier Ariba network account
• Click Catalogs tab
• Click Create Standard
• In Details tab, Enter the Catalog Name
• Click next
• In Subscription tab, select Visibility option “Private”

Note: Private: Only the selected customers that have a trading relationship with you can view and receive catalog

• In subscription tab, select customer from the list

Note: If there is no customer in the list, it indicates that supplier has still not accepted the TRR sent by the customer

• Click on Next
• In Content tab, click Browse to. cif catalog file

Note: The combined size of Excel file and image folder should not exceed the limit of 1 MB. If the file size is more than 1MB then convert it into .cif file

• Click on Validate and Publish
• Click on “Refresh” to see the catalog status
• Ariba network publishes the catalog, If there are no errors in the file and sends it to Ariba buying solution and changes the status from ‘publish’ to “Pending Buyer Validation”.
• In Ariba buying solution, if the catalog passes against content rules. The status changes to “Validated by Customer”
• Once the catalog is approved by the customer, the status changes to “Approved”
• When catalog is activated by the customer, the status changes to “Activated”

Sample cXML Codes

• From Credential code shows buyer Network ID

<From>
<Credential domain="NetworkID">
<Identity>AN0012345678-t</Identity>
</Credential>
</From>

• To Credential code shows supplier network ID or DUNS value

<To>
<Credential domain="DUNS">
<Identity>123457768</Identity>
</Credential>
</To>

• Sender Credential code shows identity of Ariba network and supplier’s shared secret

<Sender>
<Credential domain="AribaNetworkUserId">
<Identity>systemadministrator@ariba.com</Identity>
<SharedSecret>goodmorning</SharedSecret>
</Credential>
<UserAgent>Ariba Buyer 7.1</User Agent>
</Sender>

• Response code shows a valid status code and punchout URL

  <Response>
  <Status code="200" text="success"></Status>
  <PunchOutSetupResponse>
  <StartPage>
  <URL>https://punchout.goodday.com/Servlet/sessionid=7768</URL>
  </StartPage>
  </PunchOutSetupResponse>
  </Response

• Order message code shows buyer cookie, total value, quantity, part ID, unit price, currency, item description, commodity code and supplier ID

<Message>
<PunchOutOrderMessage>
<BuyerCookie>7Q3ABCD1XYZDC</BuyerCookie>
<PunchOutOrderMessageHeader operationAllowed="edit">
<Total>
<Money currency="USD">100.86</Money>
</Total>
</PunchOutOrderMessageHeader>
<ItemIn quantity="1">
<ItemID>
<SupplierPartID>7768</SupplierPartID>
</ItemID>
<ItemDetail>
<UnitPrice>
<Money currency="USD">100.86</Money>
</UnitPrice>
<Description xml:lang="en">iPhone; Charger
</Description>
<UnitOfMeasure>EA</UnitOfMeasure>
<Classification domain="UNSPSC">12345678</Classification>
</ItemDetail>
<SupplierID domain="DUNS">123457768</SupplierID>
</ItemIn>
</PunchOutOrderMessage>
</Message>

Conclusion

This blog explains the requirements of punchout catalog, customer’s action in Ariba buyer network, supplier’s action in Ariba supplier network which would certainly help all the parties involved in the enablement project.

Thank you so much for reading my blog post. I hope you liked it. Please do like, comment, share, ask questions and follow my profile for similar content.

I encourage you to post and answer questions (https://answers.sap.com/tags/7ce99287-bea7-4831-ba0d-97be77b20574), and read other posts on the topic (https://blogs.sap.com/tags/7ce99287-bea7-4831-ba0d-97be77b20574/)

Please refer to cXML guide which is available in Ariba network for more details.