Creating SC by external vendors

[Former Member]

My customer has asked me a question if we can setup up SRM in such way that external vendor

will be able to create SC (instead of employee).

Business case:

Vendors are obliged with contract to prepare certain work.

They now what is needed to deliver their job.

They creates requirements using own or competition catalouges

SRM users approve it and then follow on docs are created.

Nowadays they use own application (some kind of vendor portal and electronic catalogue)

where vendors create SC which are transferred to our old EBP system for approval...

What is your opinion?

Is that logical requirement?

I would propose

Access to MDM by external vendor. Vendor will create a shopping list. That list can be take over by employee and normal SC will be created.

What do you think?

[jason_boggans]

Hi,

The most SAP would ahve to offer is probably a combination of the processes avaialble to the Vendor under the Supplier Collaboration Business Package and the Supplier Self Service fucntions, SRM-SUS.

There is lots of available information in help.sap.com and service.sap.com/srm

Regards,

Jason

[Former Member]

Hi,

Neither SRM-SUS nor Business Package for Supplier Collaboration do have requested functionality.

Requirement is that external partner or even regural vendor is allowed to create draft or ready for approval shopping cart...

Do we have any SAP solution that engages suppliers in purchase request (SC) collaboration?

Kind regards,

Marcin

[jason_boggans]

Hi,

No - SRM would not provide such functionality unless you provided an open portal available from outside your intranet and provided the suppliers with user id's with some for of Employee role. You could tinker the roles to only allow the user access a certain amount of functionality but thats aout the best SRM could provide.

Regards,

Jason

[Former Member]

Hi Jason,

I was afraid of such answer...

However it's good to know that we've got same understanding about SRM capabilities to fulfil such requirement.

I'll offer to our customer solution where external vendors will be treated as 'normal' SRM users restricted by needed authorizations. I wonder how we can ensure security in such situation...

Do we need to have separate external portal for such access?

Kind regards,

Marcin

[jason_boggans]

Hi Marcin,

I'm afraid I do not have much knowledge in the security field as far as outside access goes - so in this case I would not like to offer any further suggestions as I really would not know what I am talking about

I am sure the companies Basis/ICM administrator would be able to propose a safe means by which an outside user could access the SRM system.

Regards,

Jason