Catalog management in SAP Ariba

Suppliers use SAP Ariba Catalog functionality to list and describe the products and services they offer to their customers. Buying organizations can provide the employees with the suppliers' catalogs through their procurement solutions.

July 1, 2021

Catalogs are text files that describe the products and services with their prices and pictures. Simplified and centralized procurement catalog brings companies greater compliance and control of transactions. SAP Ariba Catalog gives employees a user-friendly environment and shopping cart functionality so they can easily buy what is needed.

Catalog types in SAP Ariba

Static catalogs:
- Supplier's administrator uploads the catalog files in SAP Business Network using catalog wizard creation and available templates. The administrator designates a catalog as either private for a customer that has an active trading relationship on SAP Business Network or public for all buyers.
- Buyers upload catalog files received from suppliers to their procurement applications.
- Supported catalog formats:
  - CIF (Catalog Interchange Format),
  - cXML (Commerce eXtensible Markup Language) format,
  - BMECat (Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik e. V. catalog),
  - XSLS (Microsoft Excel).

PunchOut catalogs are interactive catalogs that reside on supplier's website and customers are provided with a URL to access it. Users can search for, compare, and select what they want to buy, then return shopping cart items to their procurement application for approval and purchase. PunchOut catalogs are better choice for complex, service-oriented or highly configurable products, large catalogs with many SKUs and line items, goods that require constant content and prices updates.

Benefits of catalogs in SAP Ariba Network

Storing catalogs on SAP Business Network provides suppliers the following benefits:

Security – SAP Business Network uses Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) so catalogs are encrypted across the Internet. HTTPS is also used when customers download catalogs content.
Versioning – the application stores all versions of catalogs, so administrators do not have to maintain local copies on the computer.
Lower costs and a shorter order-to-cash cycle – by making detailed product information readily accessible, e-catalogs help users quickly find the right items and eliminate the need for lengthy back-and-forth exchanges about specifications, availability, or other details.
Broader access to new customers – buying organizations seeking new suppliers are more likely to prioritize those who already have an e-catalog on SAP Business Network, since they know these suppliers are easier to do business with.

Catalog functionality is now available for both standard and enterprise Supplier accounts on SAP Business Network.