SAP Ariba announces Spot Buy solution

With Ariba Spot Buy, SAP Ariba goes beyond catalogs to deliver the technology, content and expertise organisations need to gain visibility into their tail spend and fuel the compliance needed to get unplanned buys under control. Also, it provides a marketplace through which suppliers can deal directly with customers.

Pairing SAP Ariba’s global network and cloud-based procurement applications with expansive catalogs for indirect goods from the likes of eBay, Ariba Spot Buy combines consumer-like shopping experience with business controls, enabling users to find and immediately buy contracted and non-contracted items in accordance with their company’s procurement policies and procedures.

Here’s how it works: when an item cannot be found in the company catalog, users can search the Ariba Spot Buy catalog and filter results by category, brand, and price. Then configurable business rules and spot buy-specific workflow automatically align purchases with corporate policies and route through necessary approvals. Approved purchases trigger checkout and shipment of goods.