posted on 12/8/2011 10:11:09 AM
Following the acquisition of electronic invoice service provider b-process, Ariba has updated its collaborative commerce platform for supplier relationship management. A revved-up version of its Invoice Management suite streamlines global processing and supports complex compliance requirements.
Ariba, a provider of supplier relationship management commerce technology, is said to have enhanced its Invoice Management suite by streamlining global processing, providing support for complex compliance requirements, and improving finance collaboration.
Delivered on-demand from Ariba’s cloud-based network, the digitized “smart invoicing” capability enhances SRM by including a validation process for supplier invoices. According to the company, this eliminates errors and rework so that only accurate and approved invoices reach the accounts payable department. Those validated invoices are then automatically directed to the company’s ERP system for on-time payment and discount capture.
The new functionality also supports the ability to accept invoices in any type of structured format, including positional, EDI, XML, and PDF files. This allows buyers and suppliers to quickly and easily connect to the network and process invoices, the company said. That capability is a result of Ariba’s recent acquisition of privately held b-process, which has established one of the largest e-invoicing networks in Europe.
According to the company, combining b-process’s capabilities with Ariba’s collaborate commerce platform has resulted in an e-invoicing strategy that enables organizations to effectively execute global invoicing based on country-specific requirements.
For example, an expanded set of business rules and templates will allow companies to configure up to 40 business rules at the country level and apply them to e-invoice templates. The application also captures withholding tax support that is critical in certain countries for specific suppliers, prevents header-level taxes and discounts when lines on an invoice are subject to different tax rates, and automatically selects titles for invoices and credit memos that follow country-specific guidelines, the company said.
In addition, by combining Ariba Invoice Management with Ariba Discount Professional, a collaborative finance management solution, buyers and sellers can automate the process of offering, negotiating, and agreeing on early payment terms. Or, buyers can accelerate payments for approved invoices to key suppliers in return for discounts, while sellers can gain increased visibility into future cash flows.
A key element in enabling the collaboration of multiple supply chain and SRM capabilities is Ariba’s cloud-based network, say industry experts.
“A unique strength of on-demand and cloud solutions is the integration and validation at the business process level, of pulling together many disparate elements of a process—but with the proper governance along the way,” said Dana Gardner, principal analyst at consulting firm Interarbor Solutions, in a statement. “Managed automation across all the elements of the process makes invoicing work far better. And it leads to even further benefits up and down the supply chain and procurement lifecycles.”