Procurement is more complex than ever. Supply chains stretch around the globe. Regulation is on the rise. And risk is heightened across all fronts. But innovative companies have figured out how to overcome these challenges. And SAP Ariba reveals their secrets in a new podcast published on The Briefings Direct Network.

“Procurement today is a different game,” said Dana Gardner, Principal Analyst with Interarbor Solutions and host of the Briefings Direct series. “Once viewed as a back-office task, it has emerged as a key differentiator and driver of business value. And to execute it well requires totally new ways of thinking and acting.”

Best-in-class organizations understand this. And according to the results of a survey conducted by SAP Ariba, they are tapping technology, big data and digital networks to fuel a simple, more collaborative source-to-pay process that is changing the game.

Done as part of SAP Ariba’s Benchmark Program, the measure analyzed more than $350 billion in spend data across 3,500 categories for companies connected to the Ariba® Network and found that top performers:

  • Manage source-to-pay as an end-to-end process, not a series of discreet tasks
  • Have an integrated platform from which they manage all of their spend, not disparate point solutions
  • Leverage technology to fuel greater collaboration, not just automate tasks
  • Connect to networks to access intelligence, not just transact

And they are delivering for their organizations. “As a result of their willingness to think outside the box and enable a technology-enabled, data-driven approach to procurement, these best-in-class outfits have more spend under management, drive greater savings and efficiencies and are transforming their operations,” said Kay Ree Lee, Director, Value Realization, SAP Ariba.

To hear more about the best practices that define source-to-pay excellence, tune in to The Secrets of Highly Effective Procurement. To dive deeper into the results of the SAP Ariba Benchmark Survey and learn how to drive procurement excellence across your organization, click here.

About SAP Ariba

SAP Ariba is how companies connect to get business done. On the Ariba Network, buyers and suppliers from more than two million companies and 190 countries discover new opportunities, collaborate on transactions and grow their relationships. Buyers can manage the entire purchasing process, while controlling spending, finding new sources of savings and building a healthy supply chain. And suppliers can connect with profitable customers and efficiently scale existing relationships – simplifying sales cycles and improving cash control along the way. The result is a dynamic, digital marketplace, where more than $1 trillion in commerce gets done every year. To learn more about SAP Ariba, visit www.ariba.com

About SAP

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable approximately 320,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

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