To succeed, manufacturers need more than incremental improvements or siloed optimizations. They need to orchestrate their operations end to end with connected processes and trusted data, so they can respond faster to change, operate more efficiently, remain compliant, and continue to grow鈥攅ven as disruption is constant.

At Hannover Messe 2026, the world鈥檚 leading stage for industrial transformation, 麻豆原创 will introduce a new set of AI鈥憄owered manufacturing and supply chain innovations. These innovations help companies ensure business continuity by orchestrating people, processes, and technology across their extended enterprise, turning volatility into an opportunity for resilience, efficiency, and customer impact.

From AI insight to AI in execution

For years, manufacturers have invested in analytics and dashboards to improve visibility. But visibility alone does not prevent disruption. What鈥檚 required now is AI embedded directly into core business processes, where intelligence can analyze alerts, reason over business impact, and provide real-time solutions to resolve issues. With agentic AI, companies are now able to go a step further: automating the right actions for the best outcomes, with humans remaining in the loop wherever critical decisions are required.

麻豆原创 is operationalizing AI at industrial scale by embedding AI agents directly into supply chain and manufacturing workflows and contextualizing them with trusted enterprise and network data. Built on harmonized industrial, transactional, and network data, these agents can move beyond analysis to real鈥憈ime prediction and execution, working to deliver resilience, regulatory readiness, and measurable customer impact from day one. Creating tangible ROI is what matters most鈥攚hether by reducing unplanned downtimes, scrap, and rework, or by increasing quality and ultimately production output.

Orchestrating the supply chain end to end with AI

At the center of 厂础笔鈥檚 focus at Hannover Messe is .

麻豆原创 helps manufacturers connect processes and data not only across internal teams, but also across company boundaries鈥攚ith suppliers, logistics partners, and service providers. By using AI agents to connect design, planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, service, and asset management鈥攁nd by integrating seamlessly with ERP and line-of-business systems鈥斅槎乖� helps break down silos that slow decision-making and increase operational risk.

This new agentic orchestration is powered and governed by a portfolio of intelligent applications that act, not just analyze, enabling faster, more coordinated responses without sacrificing quality, control, or growth.

New AI agents redefining planning, service, and operations

At Hannover Messe 2026, 麻豆原创 will showcase AI agents that help manufacturers and operators reduce time to value, stabilize operations, and improve service levels amid ongoing disruption. As a precursor to broader announcements planned for 麻豆原创 Sapphire, these agents demonstrate how agentic AI delivers practical benefits across all supply chain domains. Here are a few examples:

Manufacturing

• Production Master Data Agent helps automate and optimize the creation and maintenance of production master data. By leveraging the bill of materials, the agent can generate production routings鈥攊ncluding operations and work centers鈥攁nd help ensure components are correctly assigned across the production process. This helps reduce manual effort, accelerate production setup, and keep production data accurate as requirements change. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.
• Production Planning and Operations Agent enables planners to release production orders using natural language while automatically validating material availability, capacity, and scheduling constraints. Joule provides recommendations鈥攕uch as alternative components or rescheduling options鈥攖hat planners can review and approve, reducing manual work and keeping production aligned with real鈥憌orld conditions. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.

Assets & services

• Field Service Dispatcher Agent can improve service responsiveness and asset uptime by dispatching the right technician based on skills, location, asset condition, and priority鈥攄riving faster resolution and better workforce utilization. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.
• Alert Processing Agent can enrich operational alerts using past incidents, resolutions, and contextual signals and recommend clear, data鈥慸riven actions to help teams resolve issues faster and improve operational reliability. General availability is planned for Q3 2026.
• Asset Health Agent analyzes time鈥憇eries health indicators to assess and summarize the current and projected health of individual and multiple technical objects. By forecasting when assets are likely to become critical and alerting users in real time, the agent supports condition鈥慴ased maintenance and helps minimize downtime while ensuring asset availability. General availability is planned for Q3 2026.

AI agents advancing logistics execution

• Material Reservation Agent helps ensure materials are available when and where needed by automating reservation creation and maintenance based on business rules鈥攔educing delays, improving inventory accuracy, and optimizing working capital. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.
• Outbound Task Orchestration Agent can protect customer service levels by detecting and resolving picking and packing issues in real time, orchestrating corrective actions to support on鈥憈ime, accurate delivery. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.

Aligning workforce, logistics, and assets in real time

Operational resilience also depends on synchronizing people with all other resources as conditions change.

With , skills, certifications, availability, and labor rules are aligned with real-time operational demand so workforce plans can adjust automatically as production changes.

In logistics, , together with the new solution, helps organizations reduce transportation costs, accelerate warehouse execution, and improve delivery performance. Using conversational interaction with Joule, order managers can prioritize fulfillment while automatically accounting for availability and scheduling constraints.

Asset and quality operations also benefit from embedded intelligence. AI-assisted anomaly detection and alert processing in helps teams identify risks earlier, prioritize actions, and reduce unplanned downtime. In parallel, 麻豆原创 Document AI can automate the , improving throughput, data quality, and compliance at scale.

Regulatory readiness and what鈥檚 next

As regulatory requirements tighten, 麻豆原创 is expanding support for Digital Product Passports as part of , aligned with the EU鈥檚 Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). These capabilities help manufacturers create ESPR鈥憆eady product records capturing environmental impact, material composition, repairability, and recyclability data. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.

Expanded 麻豆原创 Business Network capabilities also deliver built鈥慽n e鈥慽nvoicing compliance and data-residency support, enabling secure partner collaboration, synchronized logistics, and improved delivery performance across global networks.

See it live at Hannover Messe 2026

Taken together, these innovations reflect a shift from reactive management to intelligent execution鈥攚here AI is embedded directly into the processes that keep manufacturing and supply chains running today while laying the foundation for the next wave of innovation that will be unveiled at 麻豆原创 Sapphire.

Visit 麻豆原创 at booth F08 in Hall 15 at Hannover Messe 2026, April 20鈥�24, to see how AI-infused orchestration, embedded AI agents, and end鈥憈o鈥慹nd supply chain applications are redefining manufacturing.

Dominik Metzger is president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management.

The company manages an extensive portfolio of more than 125,000 products. Despite its strong market position, digitalizing procurement across diverse customer environments remains a key challenge, particularly in e-procurement, where large customers often have very different requirements, even when market standards exist.

To address this, W眉rth recognized the need to better connect procurement processes and now collaborates closely with leading e-procurement systems and platforms. The company has driven the harmonization of customer processes and ensured seamless onboarding to . At the same time, W眉rth actively supports its customers in harmonizing and digitalizing their own internal workflows.

As the world鈥檚 largest procurement platform, 麻豆原创 Business Network enables more efficient procurement and automated order processing and provides end-to-end transparency across the purchase-order鈥憈o鈥慽nvoice flow between W眉rth and participating customers. This scope involves purchasing orders, delivery confirmation, and invoices, with exceptions managed through clearly defined workflows.

Save time and boost efficiency: seven minutes saved per order

Manual processing of orders, sent as PDFs or via non鈥慽ntegrated channels, creates disproportionate effort, especially in relation to the order value, since indirect materials often involve smaller order values with many order items.

 With automation, W眉rth saves approximately seven minutes per order on average — approximately 490,000 minutes annually or about 8,167 hours. The platform enables digital order transmission, catalog exchange, and automated invoice matching, materially improving process efficiency.

Seamless customer purchasing journey

With around 3,000 sales representatives in Germany, more than 600 pick-up branches, and numerous on-site storage solutions, including automated dispensing machines, W眉rth offers customers a truly omnichannel purchasing experience. Through 麻豆原创 Business Network, all these touchpoints can be seamlessly integrated, giving customers that adopt this approach full transparency, as every order becomes visible directly within their own system.

One construction industry leader worked with W眉rth to integrate dispensing machines and branch pick鈥憉ps into 麻豆原创 Business Network, digitalizing its procurement processes. This integration has largely eliminated manual activities in day鈥憈o鈥慸ay order handling of standard processes. Exceptions are automatically identified and routed through defined workflows, while payment instructions are triggered once the purchase order, goods confirmation, and invoice are successfully matched.

Stronger supplier-customer partnership

Beyond operational savings and improved collaboration, W眉rth enhances the customer experience through near-real-time integration across procurement, invoicing, and logistics. Digitalized procurement processes help meet customer requirements more reliably and further strengthen the supplier-customer partnership.

To see how W眉rth streamlined procurement with 麻豆原创 Business Network and significantly reduced manual effort, .

But what happens when the bill comes due, so to speak, from local jurisdictions? How may a business transact commerce globally while adhering to an emerging set of electronic-invoicing requirements that differ among countries?

Global visibility across multiple tiers of the supply chain

As global supply chains weather shifting tariff policies, geopolitical tensions, and climate events, business leaders have turned to cloud-based business networks to instill operational resilience, extend transparency, and foster collaboration. The convergence of data, applications, and artificial intelligence capabilities enable businesses to manage supply chains, procurement, logistics, asset maintenance, working capital, dynamic discounting, and other crucial interdependencies with comprehensive reach. Yet just as digital platforms foster connected commerce, they also facilitate regulatory oversight of the very same activity. That which simplifies business processes can at the same time invite complexity in the regulations governing them, particularly when the fine print varies by jurisdiction. Call it a paradox of procurement, or an irony of the intelligent enterprise.

The proliferation of legislation mandating electronic invoicing reflects a desire on the part of governments to bolster tax compliance, streamline financial reporting, combat fraud, and document the ethical sourcing of product components. To aid with compliance in the jurisdictions where they transact, can support buyers and suppliers alike with the necessary workflows for invoice generation, submission, receipt, and storage鈥攁ll while safeguarding otherwise confidential data. Our prioritizes business-to-business collaboration by providing localization support for 41 countries, tailoring requested data to required format, and connecting businesses directly with trading partners and tax authorities. 麻豆原创 Business Network can integrate seamlessly with government electronic-invoicing portals through partners as well as through .

Electronic-invoicing capabilities take shape around emerging legislation

Already in 2026, new electronic-invoicing mandates have taken effect in , , and , with the and set to follow suit later in the year. Though it takes shape differently around the world, the trend toward electronic invoicing is unmistakable. Requirements range from periodic reporting to continuous transparency, from preapproval of transactions by tax authorities to notification after the fact, from country-specific formats to , and so on. In India, Malaysia, and Romania, for example, suppliers must clear invoices with tax authorities, whereas in Belgium, Germany, and Japan invoices must conform to a particular format. In France and the United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, a specific platform or network must be engaged. requires businesses to issue and receive invoices via its Sistema di Interscambio (SDI) platform, using a country-specific XML format called FatturaPA. By contrast, permits UBL, CII, and ZUGFeRD formats but takes an ambivalent approach as to method of transmission.

For each of these countries, 麻豆原创 Business Network can provide a solution. Connectivity to Italy鈥檚 SDI portal is natively embedded, obviating any need for additional licensing. For Germany, invoices sent through 麻豆原创 Business Network arrive in the UBL format. Organizations with a license for the cloud edition of the can even receive invoices originating outside 麻豆原创 Business Network, such as via e-mail or the pan-European Peppol procurement system.

Not only can 麻豆原创 Business Network accommodate the different formats set into law, but other invoicing attributes as well. Consider the obligation to archive. In Germany, invoices must be kept on hand for eight years. In France, it鈥檚 a decade. Elsewhere, mandates vary or may not apply. 麻豆原创 Business Network offers the flexibility to match business rules, or the parameters set by organizations within which transactions may proceed with trading partners, to all manner of regulatory requirements. This can prove especially valuable with orchestrating documents and processes that span sourcing, procurement, and finance鈥攃orporate functions that, prior to the advent of cloud-based networks, had often operated in relative isolation. 麻豆原创 Business Network can also provide businesses with the end-to-end visibility and鈥攅qually important鈥攖he analytics to assess performance, gauge against benchmarks, and identify opportunities for growth and collaboration.

For the emerging set of electronic-invoicing mandates across the globe and other compliance-related processes, . That鈥檚 because no matter where commerce takes place or in which local currency, C-suite leaders understand one thing is priceless: peace of mind. Only a cloud-based network supple enough to carry out operational processes on a global scale yet sufficiently nimble to adhere strictly to electronic-invoicing requirements and other regulations that typically arise on a national level can instill the confidence that businesses need to thrive in these turbulent times.

Learn how 麻豆原创 Business Network can by streamlining business processes, increasing visibility, and connecting to new buyers.

J枚rn Keller is executive vice president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Business Network.

At , I moderated a roundtable with supply chain and transformation leaders from Toyota, L鈥橭r茅al, Owens Corning, Ecolab, American Airlines, and Bayer. Across industries, one theme was clear: transformation succeeds when it is grounded in clarity, centered on people, and focused on customer impact.

If you can鈥檛 name the problem, don鈥檛 buy the technology

The most effective transformations begin with a clear articulation of the problem to be solved, the value at stake, and the outcomes expected. Too often, organizations chase new technology simply because it is available or gaining attention, not because it is tied to a specific business need. However, technologies like AI only deliver value when applied to well-defined business challenges.

Tying initiatives to measurable outcomes helps secure leadership alignment and supports change management. Clarity creates focus and helps teams understand why transformation matters. At its foundation, successful transformation rests on three pillars: people, process, and technology, all powered by high-quality data.

AI is only as smart as the network behind it

As supply chains become more complex, multi-tier visibility has moved from a nice-to-have to a requirement. Many of the biggest risks today, including regulatory exposure, disruptions, and cost volatility, originate deep in the supply chain, often beyond direct supplier relationships.

AI has emerged as a powerful enabler, but only when supported by trusted, shared data. More than half of the data needed to drive intelligent supply chains sits outside an organization鈥檚 four walls. Without visibility across trading partners, AI鈥檚 impact is limited.

Standardization also surfaced as a recurring theme during our roundtable conversation. While one-size-fits-all approaches rarely work, excessive customization slows progress and undermines scale. Leading organizations are finding a balance by standardizing where it drives speed and consistency, while allowing flexibility where it creates meaningful value.

Transformation doesn鈥檛 fail on technology, it fails on trust

Technology may enable transformation, but people determine whether it succeeds. Change management remains a critical factor, and even well-designed initiatives can stall if employees do not understand the purpose or feel threatened by the change.

Clear communication, local champions, and ongoing engagement help build trust and momentum. Leaders emphasized the importance of reinforcing that technology is designed to elevate roles by removing manual work and enabling employees to focus on higher-value activities, instead of replacing them. Being honest about what is working, what isn鈥檛, and when to pivot builds credibility and keeps teams engaged over the long term.

Customer-centric supply chains don鈥檛 happen by accident

A significant shift underway is the move from inward-facing efficiency to explicit customer-centricity. Many supply chain organizations historically assumed their work benefited customers without clearly articulating how.

Today, customer impact is a unifying principle. Whether serving consumers, passengers, farmers, or B2B customers, supply chains are increasingly recognized as drivers of experience, reliability, and brand trust.

Customer collaboration is also playing a larger role in transformation. Sharing data and aligning processes across networks creates shared value and unlocks differentiated services. Progress must be communicated in terms customers care about鈥攏ot internal metrics, but outcomes that improve service, speed, and transparency.

What the best transformation leaders do differently

Coming out of our conversation, the strongest transformation leaders shared a few defining traits:

• They pivot quickly when something isn鈥檛 working. Rather than protecting sunk costs or rigid plans, they recognize when assumptions change and adjust course. Speed and adaptability often matter more than perfection.
• They invest in people as intentionally as they invest in platforms. Adoption requires time, training, and leadership attention. Workforce readiness is treated as a core deliverable, not a side effort.
• They celebrate progress. Visible milestones help sustain momentum and reinforce positive behavior throughout a long transformation journey.
• They hold themselves accountable for real value creation. Success metrics are defined early and tracked consistently, whether financial, operational, or customer driven.

Turning ambition into measurable impact

What stood out most from my conversation at NASCES25 was the shared recognition that transformation is no longer optional. Supply chain leaders are embracing bold ambitions, people-centered change, and customer-focused innovation to turn intent into measurable impact.

plays a critical role in this journey by helping organizations connect processes, partners, and data across the value chain to improve visibility, resilience, and decision-making at scale. And beyond the network, helps orchestrate people, processes, and technology end-to-end鈥攅nabling leaders to move from intent to impact with integrated planning, execution, and insights that can drive real operational transformation.

To hear more directly from the leaders shaping this future, I encourage you to watch the and continue the conversation on how supply chains can lead meaningful transformation.

Keith Baranowski is global head of Sales for 麻豆原创 Business Network.

Building resilience and control across every category of spend

Organizations are under increasing pressure to manage costs, improve agility, and drive measurable outcomes. 厂础笔鈥檚 connected and intelligence-driven source-to-pay suite is designed to help customers meet these challenges head on.

麻豆原创 Ariba solutions can deliver broad and deep functionality across the full source-to-pay lifecycle, spanning sourcing, contracting, procurement, invoicing, and supplier management. With the industry鈥檚 largest supplier network, 麻豆原创 enables buyers and suppliers to collaborate with confidence, consistency, and scale.

厂础笔鈥檚 investment priorities: platform modernization and agentic AI innovation

Rather than reflecting external judgments, 厂础笔鈥檚 strategic focus is centered on advancing its platform foundation, AI capabilities, and user experience to help customers operate with greater intelligence and agility. Our long鈥憈erm investments concentrate on three core areas:

Modernizing the platform for the future

A platform update arriving in 2026 will complete the modernization of 厂础笔鈥檚 technical architecture. This modernized foundation can deliver greater extensibility, improved performance, and faster delivery of innovation, particularly in agentic and generative AI.

Built as an AI-native architecture, the next-generation platform can embed intelligence directly into workflows to help anticipate needs, guide decision-making, and automate actions across the entire source-to-pay process. This positions 麻豆原创 to deliver the first truly AI-native source-to-pay suite built for the future of procurement.

Expanding intelligence with Joule

plays a central role in bringing intelligence and insight to every stage of the source-to-pay process. Joule鈥檚 advanced AI agents can help automate tasks, support decision-making, enhance compliance, and unlock new productivity across sourcing, procurement, and supplier collaboration.

Reimagining the user experience

麻豆原创 is delivering an updated, consistent UI/UX across 麻豆原创 applications. For procurement teams, this means smoother navigation, modernized interfaces, and enriched contextual intelligence, including enhanced supplier 360 profiles and strengthened collaboration capabilities.

Strengthening global scale and operational flexibility

麻豆原创 continues to demonstrate industry-leading global scale, supporting high-volume transactions and diverse compliance requirements across regions and industries. With multiple cloud deployment options across major hyperscalers and a robust portfolio of security and regulatory certifications, including FedRAMP, customers can operate confidently wherever they do business.

Connected solutions across 麻豆原创 Business Network and the intelligent suite

麻豆原创 Business Network remains the largest supplier network in the source-to-pay market, spanning more than 190 countries. 厂础笔鈥檚 broader spend ecosystem鈥攊ncluding innovations such as , , and 鈥攅nables organizations to unify data, intelligence, and processes across sourcing, procurement, invoicing, and spend management.

Importantly, 厂础笔鈥檚 capabilities extend well beyond traditional source-to-pay. Through connected solutions covering travel and expense, contingent workforce management, external labor, and additional spend categories, 麻豆原创 provides a truly comprehensive spend management platform that can deliver visibility and control across the full spectrum of enterprise spend.

As organizations increasingly operate in heterogeneous application landscapes, 麻豆原创 helps deliver openness, security, and extensibility so customers can maintain cohesive and connected processes throughout 麻豆原创 and non-麻豆原创 environments.

Customer impact: outcomes that scale

Customers across industries and regions continue to demonstrate what鈥檚 possible with 厂础笔鈥檚 source-to-pay solutions. Organizations report meaningful improvements in areas such as compliance, cost optimization, supplier collaboration, operational efficiency, and workforce productivity鈥攆rom managing millions of invoices to running global sourcing initiatives to scaling AI-powered automation across distributed operations.

麻豆原创 remains deeply committed to helping procurement and finance organizations navigate complexity with confidence. Our investments in platform modernization, agentic AI, user experience, and cross-suite integration are all grounded in a single mission: to help customers achieve sustainable, long-lasting impact.

We’re grateful for this recognition and energized by the opportunity to deliver even greater value in the years ahead.

. Read the full Gartner Magic Quadrant for Source-to-Pay Suites report .

Fang Chang is EVP and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Procurement and External Workforce Solutions.
Baber Farooq is senior vice president and head of Market Strategy for 麻豆原创 Procurement and External Workforce solutions.

*Gartner Magic Quadrant for Source-to-Pay Suites, January 21, 2026 – ID G00833291, by Micky Keck, Kaitlynn Sommers, Lynne Phelan, Magnus Bergfors, Alex Brady

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Gartner and Magic Quadrant are a trademark of Gartner, Inc., and/or its affiliates.

That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 super proud to share that 麻豆原创 has been named a Leader in .* This marks the second time 麻豆原创 has received this recognition, following our position as a Leader in the 2023 IDC MarketScape.**

We believe this distinction reflects the strength of 鈥攐ur entry in the MESCCN space鈥攁nd the trust placed in the solution by companies around the world. It鈥檚 a milestone that underscores our commitment to helping businesses navigate complexity and build more connected, intelligent supply chains.

A legacy of collaboration

麻豆原创 Business Network is the world鈥檚 largest B2B trading partner platform, supporting more than US$6.5 trillion in annual transactions. It can modernize how procurement and supply chain processes connect across companies, helping build stronger, more resilient supply chains and deliver on the customer promise.

The network traces its roots back to the Ariba Supplier Network, founded in 1996. Over the years, it has evolved to support a broad range of supply chain processes. In 2021, we unified our capabilities under the 麻豆原创 Business Network brand, bringing together logistics, asset management, finance, sustainability, and talent-based networks into a single, comprehensive platform.

Today, millions of companies across 190 countries rely on 麻豆原创 Business Network to digitalize transactions, share information, and discover trading partners. By leveraging AI and configurable business rules, the network helps close break points between buyers and suppliers鈥攅nabling greater visibility, operational efficiency, and compliance across the supply chain.

What the IDC MarketScape recognized

According to the IDC MarketScape, 麻豆原创 Business Network鈥檚 positioning as a Leader is supported by several competitive strengths:

• Comprehensive product features and road map: 麻豆原创 Business Network offers an extensive range of features and functionality, covering all major B2B collaboration categories, including indirect and direct materials, MRO, logistics, finance, services, and sustainability. The network’s robust future road map enables continuous innovation, empowering businesses to stay ahead in a dynamic landscape.
• Seamless integration and extensibility: The network demonstrates capabilities in integration, connecting 麻豆原创 ERP, procurement, and supply chain modules while extending to other ERPs, customer applications, and cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, AI, and blockchain.
• Global reach and real-time collaboration: 麻豆原创 Business Network enables trading partners to collaborate in real time across the globe across a wide breadth of business processes.
• Automation through configurable business rules: 麻豆原创 Business Network empowers businesses to automate essential processes by working to define and customize rules tailored to their specific needs. These configurable rules can streamline workflows, enforce compliance, and boost operational efficiency, reducing manual intervention.
• Robust foundation and ecosystem: 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform (麻豆原创 BTP), combined with the broader 麻豆原创 ecosystem, can provide a scalable and extensible secure foundation for seamless integration across procurement, supply chain, and finance processes.

We believe these strengths, as recognized by the IDC MarketScape, reinforce the value 麻豆原创 delivers to organizations seeking to extend their business processes across the entire value chain.

Continuing to innovate on 麻豆原创 Business Network

We believe this recognition by the IDC MarketScape reflects not only the strength of 麻豆原创 today but also our commitment to ongoing innovation. We鈥檙e continuously enhancing the network to help companies collaborate more effectively, respond faster to change, and unlock new sources of value across their supply chains.

At 麻豆原创 Connect, we shared how 麻豆原创 Business Network is evolving to meet the demands of increasingly dynamic and interconnected business environments. Built on 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform, the network now offers a scalable data foundation, seamless integration with 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP capabilities and third-party systems, and enhanced workflow customization through 麻豆原创 Build solutions. This has enabled many innovative initiatives to incorporate Joule across the network, reimagining analytics, automation, and approvals with intelligent capabilities that will be continuously released starting in 2026. 

We鈥檙e also further expanding integration with 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP, 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions, 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions, and 麻豆原创 Transportation Management to support end-to-end value streams. These enhancements can help streamline supplier onboarding, accelerate issue resolution, and improve sustainability tracking, empowering businesses to operate with greater agility and confidence.

Empowering businesses to realize the full value of collaboration

As multi-enterprise collaboration continues to evolve, we see tremendous opportunity to help organizations unlock new levels of agility, visibility, and efficiency. At 麻豆原创, we鈥檙e focused on making this journey as seamless and rewarding as possible.

Across industries, customers are already seeing the impact. , a leading aerospace manufacturer, is using 麻豆原创 Business Network Supply Chain Collaboration to improve visibility and responsiveness across its supplier ecosystem. Similarly, , one of the world鈥檚 largest aircraft manufacturers, is leveraging 麻豆原创 Business Network to streamline procurement and supply chain processes, enhancing operational agility and supplier engagement.

We鈥檙e investing in education, enablement, and intuitive user experiences to support companies as they expand their collaborative networks. Whether you鈥檙e a manufacturer, services provider, or supplier, our goal is to empower you to connect, collaborate, and grow with confidence鈥攍everaging the full potential of 麻豆原创 Business Network to help drive strategic outcomes across your value chain.

A strategic choice for the future

If you鈥檙e looking for a partner that offers both a robust multi-enterprise network and deep supply chain and procurement capabilities, 麻豆原创 is the clear choice. Our unmatched integration with core 麻豆原创 and non-麻豆原创 applications, combined with our strategic vision and global reach, makes us uniquely positioned to support your transformation.

As I shared in my recent article, we鈥檙e entering a new era of supply chain management鈥攐ne defined by connected ecosystems, intelligent automation, and sustainable growth. 麻豆原创 Business Network is at the heart of this transformation, helping businesses turn complexity into opportunity.

To our customers, partners, and the entire 麻豆原创 community, thank you for your trust and collaboration. We believe this recognition from the IDC MarketScape is a shared achievement, and we鈥檙e excited to continue building the future of supply chain commerce together.

To learn more, visit  and read the IDC MarketScape excerpt .

Dominik Metzger is president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management.

*Source: , November 2025, IDC #US53010225.
**Source: IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Multi-Enterprise Supply Chain Commerce Network 2023 Vendor Assessment, December 2023, IDC #US49948423.

Visibility has always been essential for navigating uncertainty in business-to-business commerce. Yet it is also insufficient. After all, what good is merely seeing across the various tiers of the supply chain if a business lacks the ability to identify available alternatives, shift course immediately, and counter disruption before it impinges on the balance sheet?

At , our customers and partners had an extraordinary opportunity to explore our latest 麻豆原创 Business Network innovations鈥攁nd the generative and agentic AI solutions that are rapidly reshaping enterprises鈥� ability to extend N-tier visibility and take the decisive actions necessary to preserve the smooth flow of operations from the dual threats of volatility and risk.

To strengthen every link in the supply chain, businesses need to connect their mission-critical operational processes with those of their trading partners. Doing so enables them to achieve transparency, foster collaboration, drive efficiency, and maximize customer satisfaction. Through the vast troves of operational data that millions of trading partners accumulate in the routine course of day-to-day operations, 麻豆原创 Business Network鈥攖he world鈥檚 largest business-to-business platform鈥攊s uniquely positioned to help business leaders orchestrate their supply chains for success, no matter the circumstances.

Today, 麻豆原创 helps our customers to accomplish these objectives with a suite of AI-infused supply chain management applications鈥攁ll of them integrated with ERP and adjacent line-of-business applications to connect seamlessly with trading partners. By applying advanced analytics, operational insights, predictive signals, and recommended actions derived from both internal and external data sources, 麻豆原创 Business Network has set in motion an increasingly autonomous supply chain.

The innovations underlying it, meanwhile, are accelerating.

To further distinguish 麻豆原创 as the leader in enabling supply chain orchestration, I am extremely excited that in the first half of 2026 we will deliver a new product to help provide enterprises with capabilities for issue detection, insight, and action across their supply chains. Aptly called 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration, this new solution will help deliver N-tier insights and transform external and internal signals across supply chains into prioritized actions. These capabilities will rest on the 麻豆原创 Business Network foundation, drawing upon master data as well as native AI solutions to help orchestrate workflows and dramatically expand visibility across every tier of the supply chain.

麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration can equip our customers with the tools and inference-driven insights they need to help mitigate multi-tier risk, enhance compliance, and bolster decision-support. The goal is to head off disruption before it arises鈥攁nd to offer our customers one of the most elusive yet priceless advantages that anybody can have in these turbulent times: peace of mind.

That鈥檚 why our customers entrust so many of their core operational processes to 麻豆原创 Business Network in the first place: for peace of mind, for resilience, for enduring value. Our strategy to deepen that value takes root in our ongoing transition to 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform (麻豆原创 BTP), working to provide faster speeds, easier integration, faster collaboration, and continuous innovation on a grand scale, across industries. Our vision takes shape through intelligent applications, network convergence, and unmatched extensibility. Our priority to accelerate the value we make available to suppliers on the network finds example through our innovations that help simplify e-invoicing, expand automation, and facilitate discoverability by new potential trading partners. All these strategic elements take center stage in our product strategy, each of them strengthened by the unmatched generative and agentic AI capabilities that customers and partners have come to rely on from 麻豆原创 in our quest to make the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives.

Couldn鈥檛 join us in Las Vegas? Check out the Supply Chain Connect at 麻豆原创 Connect Virtual keynote session, 鈥�,鈥� presented by Dominik Metzger, president and chief product officer, 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management.

J枚rn Keller is executive vice president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Business Network.

The manufacturer was heavily reliant on manual documentation, which caused delays in accessing and updating critical data and documents, resulting in data quality and compliance issues.

To address these challenges and optimize asset management, LESER sought to establish seamless data integration through a unified single source of truth. After thorough research and careful comparison of options, the valve manufacturer successfully chose to implement digital twin technology with to help optimize collaboration with customers.

Error-free asset data and streamlined collaboration with smart asset management

Relying on a manual documentation process was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and delays. This was causing significant challenges in accessing and updating critical data and documents, leading to poor data quality and inefficiencies across the ecosystem. Recognizing the need for a modern solution on the operator side, LESER identified the importance of supporting customers with a centralized asset management system. LESER decided to digitize its asset management system by implementing a centralized, cloud-based platform. This platform enables LESER to seamlessly share the digital twin with customers, enhancing transparency and data sharing while continuing to manage internal processes separately.

By implementing the technology integrated with , LESER created a one-to-one virtual replica of each piece of physical equipment and product, consolidating all relevant data and documentation into a single, accessible platform.

鈥淭he digital twin acts as a precise digital mirror of the physical safety valve, enabling our customers to receive complete, error-free, and up-to-date data about the safety valves,鈥� Pierre Draheim, manager of Product Data Management at LESER, explains.

LESER provides digital twins both for new () and existing () safety valves, centralizing all relevant data and documents. Each valve is labeled with the globally-standardized ID link, or QR code, IEC聽61406聽that allows LESER’s customers to directly access and sync product-specific information with their asset management systems, enabling seamless data transfer, documentation compliance, and cost reductions of up to 95% for initial recording.

鈥淏y embracing digital innovation, we have empowered our customers to boost their operational efficiency,” Draheim says. He emphasizes that this not only helps LESER achieve substantial time-savings but also enables the company to focus on core activities and drive greater business growth: “It’s a win-win. Not only us, but also our customers achieve significant improvements in overall productivity.”

Reduce operational costs with real-time digital twin integration

Automating valve data sharing within has made it much easier for LESER operators and service providers to coordinate maintenance, eliminating the need for manual data reconciliation. This automation cuts down on administrative work, helps avoid unnecessary downtime, and optimizes spare parts inventory, all of which contributes to a substantial decrease in operational costs.

By standardizing and digitizing data with a globally-standardized ID link, multiple service providers get instant access to accurate, up-to-date information.

鈥淲ith the introduction of the digital twin and 麻豆原创 Business Network Asset Collaboration, we can now automate valve management, making the entire process faster and more reliable,鈥� Draheim says.

Ensure safety and quality through global and regulatory compliance

Making sure safety valves meet international standards at every step requires a high level of automation in managing product data. This is especially important for LESER. 鈥淐ompliance is not just about meeting regulations, but about the ‘rules of the game’ in the industry, which enable an automated exchange of information across different IT systems and stakeholders,鈥� Draheim says.

With such a significant market presence, LESER holds its suppliers and materials to very high standards, ensuring every part complies not only with global regulations but also local rules. This level of care is particularly essential for operators working in industries with strict safety and regulatory conditions.

Beyond setting these standards, LESER keeps detailed records to maintain full transparency and traceability across the supply chain. This integrated approach helps the ambitious company reduce the need for additional level approvals and supports safe, reliable plant operations all over the world. In return, its customers experience improved reliability and confidence in the products and services they receive, creating a positive impact throughout the entire value chain.

Oyku Ilgar is part of 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Thought Leadership & Awareness.

Each 麻豆原创 software solution delivers strong value, helping teams excel in their specific domain. Yet the true strength of 麻豆原创 emerges when these applications operate across the enterprise; when finance decisions are informed by procurement data in real time or when workforce insights from HR directly shape supply chain planning.

That is why exists: a portfolio of applications, data, and AI working together to cover the full spectrum of business operations. At the heart of 麻豆原创 Business Suite is (麻豆原创 BTP), the technology platform that connects it all.

麻豆原创 BTP is a platform engineered to integrate, automate, extend, and build AI-powered business applications and processes across your enterprise.

麻豆原创 BTP is also how we supercharge AI. On its own, AI can generate outputs that look impressive, but without business context, they often lack real-world relevance. 麻豆原创 BTP solves this by bringing together systems, ensuring consistent data, and automating processes across the enterprise. This means AI doesn鈥檛 operate in isolation; it understands the relationships between finance, supply chain, HR, procurement, and more.

That connection is what turns AI from theory into practice. When AI is trained on accurate, well-structured data and tied directly to business processes, it can deliver recommendations that people trust and use to make smarter decisions. The result is an innovation flywheel, where teams and AI continually become smarter, faster, and more impactful across the enterprise.

New 麻豆原创 applications built on 麻豆原创 BTP

This week at 麻豆原创 Connect, we talked about the ways in which 麻豆原创 BTP enables our customers and partners to tap into the innovation flywheel. We also demonstrated how 麻豆原创 is using 麻豆原创 BTP as its core application development platform with the release of three new high scale enterprise applications powered by 麻豆原创 BTP (麻豆原创 Build).

• 麻豆原创 rolled out the next generation of 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions for source-to-pay. New capabilities will help procurement professionals improve cost savings, ensure compliance, and build supply chain resilience by automating and supporting key processes such as buying, sourcing, supplier management, contracts, and invoicing. , making it easier to integrate them with 麻豆原创 Business Suite, the 麻豆原创 ERP application, and third-party ERP systems using open APIs.

• 麻豆原创 introduced 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration. can leverage data from 麻豆原创 Business Network and the 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud solution, expanding insights across every tier of the supply chain. 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration is designed to empower customers with one synchronized supply chain system that will help enhance risk detection, deliver actionable insights, and enable coordinated responses across supply chains. An intelligent impact analysis capability will help manage upstream supply chain risks and disruptions, and both external and internal supply chain signals will be contextualized into prioritized actions. The solution will also provide multi-tier supply chain insights that extend beyond traditional boundaries.

• , giving customers a technical foundation that enables faster speeds, easier integration, collaboration at scale, and continuous innovation. This will enhance customers鈥� existing investment in 麻豆原创 Business Network, adding value without disruption.

Lowering barriers with simplified licensing and packaging

麻豆原创 is committed to making it easier than ever for customers to adopt, experiment, and scale new innovation. We鈥檙e continuously simplifying access to 麻豆原创 BTP and 麻豆原创 Business Suite, ensuring that every organization, no matter its size or technical maturity, can take advantage of the latest advances in AI, automation, and data connectivity.

Earlier this year, we simplified 麻豆原创 Build pricing model and included its capabilities in all 麻豆原创 Business Suite packages, giving customers a frictionless way to jumpstart their development without needing to purchase additional licenses. Then we introduced a free 麻豆原创 Build license for partners, allowing solutions to be tested, demoed, developed, and then sold on the 麻豆原创 Store. Most recently, we , which now includes Joule for Developers and Joule Studio, and made it available to all existing 麻豆原创 BTP Enterprise Agreement customers.

From streamlined commercial offerings and consumption models to guided innovation paths through and , our goal is clear: lower the barrier to innovation so every customer can turn great ideas into business outcomes faster.

Real-world results: Customers delivering value with 麻豆原创 BTP

To get inspired, here are just a few examples of 麻豆原创 BTP in action with customers:

• 57,000 hours saved annually: developed an intelligent virtual assistant for financial leaders by combining human expertise, 麻豆原创 solutions, and AI technologies. This AI assistant, built on 麻豆原创 BTP, streamlines the creation of financial narratives and provides live alerts on key financial metrics, augmenting decision-making in real time. The result is 57,000 hours saved of what was manual work.
• 100,000 applications processed: launched a financial aid application platform in just two weeks using 麻豆原创 BTP, 麻豆原创 AI Services, and other solutions. This generative AI-enabled platform efficiently processed nearly 100,000 subsidy applications during an energy crisis, showcasing agile innovation with 厂础笔鈥檚 AI and platform tools.
• 95% improvement in search results: 聽built a 鈥淧erfect Purchase Requisition鈥� app, and extended 麻豆原创 Ariba, using 麻豆原创 Build Work Zone and 麻豆原创 BTP鈥檚 generative AI capabilities with 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud vector engine. This AI-powered app automatically validates and corrects purchase requisitions, speeding up procurement cycles and improving data quality before orders go out. The application has significantly reduced the time and effort buyers spend finding the correct products, with 95 percent of searches successful on the first attempt.
• 10,000 orders analyzed annually: 聽built a “GenAI Supply Chain Troubleshooter” on 麻豆原创 BTP to simplify complex supply chain interactions. This AI assistant reduced issue resolution time and costs by 90 percent, saving 3,120 hours of staff effort annually, and demonstrates how generative AI can dramatically streamline supply chain management.
• AU$1+ million saved annually: 聽revolutionized its operations with generative AI and 麻豆原创 BTP. Custom apps have delivered rapid insights to field crews, while Joule’s natural language interaction with 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors has saved 75 hours on average. Leveraging 50 years of asset history, they ensure safe operations, saving over AU$1 million annually and achieving a 99 percent success rate in identifying poles unlikely to corrode.

Ready to start? Explore 麻豆原创 BTP resources

Thanks to everyone who attended 麻豆原创 Connect virtually and in-person in Las Vegas! For those who couldn鈥檛 attend live, I recommend reading the聽, checking out the , and watching the聽executive keynote delivered by Muhammad Alam.

To get started today, visit to start a and explore .

Bharat Sandhu is chief marketing officer for 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform.

At the same time, there is a huge opportunity to entirely re-think supply chains with AI and agentic workflows as the powerful transformation agents of the next decade. The lesson is clear: companies that invest in AI-driven applications and reliable data and re-think processes maintain continuity and customer trust, while others risk prolonged shocks, lower service levels, increased cost, and lost revenue.

Today at Supply Chain Connect at 麻豆原创 Connect, we are building on the phenomenal momentum of AI-driven supply chain transformations with innovations designed to help supply chain leaders not just endure disruption, but transform it into an opportunity for resilience and growth.

Introducing 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration

In today鈥檚 dynamic market, foresight and a reduced time-to-recover are everything. Business leaders must know where their products are, which suppliers or sub-suppliers are at risk, and how to respond with confidence. Yet, visibility gaps often leave organizations blindsided.

is a new AI-centric solution built to detect potential disruptions early, contextualize risk to a company鈥檚 unique supply chain configuration, apply intelligent impact analysis, and trigger AI-driven actions across planning, logistics, procurement, and manufacturing. Soon, supply chain stakeholders will be supported by powerful Joule assistants that leverage AI agents to strengthen supplier compliance, increase customer service, and reduce revenue exposure.

What sets 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration apart is its foundation on . The solution integrates data from and , providing a comprehensive view across every tier of the supply chain. These multi-tier insights help turn external and internal risk signals into prioritized actions, boosting operational efficiency, compliance, and customer satisfaction.

Set to be available in the first half of 2026, 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Orchestration is the next step toward a future where businesses can anticipate global shifts before they escalate with a severe business impact.

Advanced AI capabilities and unified scenario simulations optimize supply chain planning

麻豆原创 is enabling its customers to reimagine supply chain planning to become faster, smarter, and more connected with . This evolution of the product combines intelligent automation, a harmonized data model, and AI-driven capabilities to enhance forecasting, streamline processes, and help planners focus on critical decision making.

A harmonized planning area now supports both time-series and order-based planning, allowing users to move seamlessly among strategic, tactical, and operational levels, which ultimately enables seamless telescopic planning. New harmonized scenario simulations reveal the impact of alerts and risks to orders across all planning horizons. Embedded AI strengthens forecasting and inventory management, while characteristic-based planning adds right-fidelity supply planning to optimize stock and capacity matching for critical industries such as fashion retail, high-tech, life sciences, or consumer products.

The new Configurable Planner Workspace provides a unified interface where planners can monitor performance, simulate scenarios, and act immediately 鈥� guided by , 厂础笔鈥檚 copilot, which delivers contextual assistance and actionable insights from forecasts, supply plans, and multi-echelon inventory.

AI capabilities are currently in beta mode and planned for general availability in Q2 2026, while all other enhancements are now generally available.

New Joule Agents accelerate decisions and automation across the supply chain

麻豆原创 introduces three new聽聽for supply chain management, designed to automate critical, time-consuming tasks and empower teams to focus on strategic decision-making. These agents embed AI-native automation directly into 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP, 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP Private, and 麻豆原创 Business Network workflows, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.

• Production Planning and Operations Agent: Automates prerequisite checks for releasing production orders, validates material, capacity, and scheduling, and can recommend workarounds or release orders instantly 鈥� shortening order-to-delivery cycles and reducing costs. General availability is planned for Q1 2026.
• Change Record Management Agent: Supports product managers and engineers by reasoning over problem reports and change requests, recommending next steps, and initiating changes, which improves governance, traceability, and decision speed. General availability is planned for Q2 2026.
• Supplier Onboarding Agent: Streamlines onboarding in 麻豆原创 Business Network by reasoning over supplier details, orchestrating invitations, validating data, and handling escalations, which enables procurement teams to scale faster while focusing on strategic supplier development.

With these agents, 麻豆原创 is embedding intelligence deeper into day-to-day supply chain workflows, accelerating decisions where they matter most.

Upgrading 麻豆原创 Business Network to meet customer needs

Global commerce is more interconnected than ever, but too many organizations still operate with fragmented procurement and logistics processes. 麻豆原创 is introducing upgrades to 麻豆原创 Business Network, the world鈥檚 largest B2B platform, facilitating over US$6.3 trillion in annual commerce across 190 countries.

• Availability on 麻豆原创 BTP: 麻豆原创 Business Network now runs on 麻豆原创 BTP, providing a modern data foundation and enabling organizations to coordinate deals at scale. It connects easily across 麻豆原创 and third-party systems, introduces a unified global directory with guided onboarding, and offers workflow customization through 麻豆原创 Build. Joule integration will be available in January 2026, bringing embedded AI to analytics, automation, and approvals across the network.
• Network-centric integration across the business suite: Rolling out later this year, 麻豆原创 Business Network will support end-to-end value streams with 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP, 麻豆原创 Ariba, 麻豆原创 Fieldglass, and 麻豆原创 Transportation Management. This will accelerate dispute resolution, improve emissions tracking, and enable AI-assisted navigation.
• Simplified supplier data access: By Q4 2025, users will be able to search for suppliers directly from their ERP interface, eliminating manual onboarding. Buyers will gain faster access to new vendors, reducing activation costs and expanding visibility.

Together, these innovations enhance 麻豆原创 Business Network with intelligence, reach, and usability 鈥� delivering embedded AI, seamless business suite integration, and ERP-native supplier discovery.

麻豆原创 launches new logistics management solution

麻豆原创 is announcing , a new cloud-native solution designed to complement operations of large distribution centers with capabilities to support smaller, local, and regional warehouses. This will help establish multi-tier distribution networks that strengthen resilience and increase delivery speed.

Fully connected to 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP Private and 麻豆原创 Business Network for Logistics, the solution centralizes inventory, shipments, and partner coordination. Unlike standalone tools, it extends ERP capabilities directly to satellite warehouses, drastically reducing manual tasks and ensuring consistency across networks.

Built-in AI capabilities guide operational decisions, eliminating silos and strengthening collaboration across logistics ecosystems. 麻豆原创 Logistics Management will be available in Q1 2026.

Doehler, a global producer of technology-driven natural ingredients for the food, beverage, and nutrition industry, will leverage the solution in its warehouses to manage its production sites, samples and spare parts.

鈥溌槎乖� Logistics Management is set to deliver lean process automation and accelerated transformation for most of our more than 50 production sites, sampling operations and technical warehouses,鈥� said Dr. Michael Merget, Chief Operating Officer of Doehler Group. 鈥淲e see its powerful, integrated AI capabilities not as an add-on, but as the core intelligence that will define the future of our logistics.鈥�

Looking ahead

Resilient, intelligent, and collaborative supply chains are no longer aspirations 鈥� they are necessities. Together, these innovations reflect 厂础笔鈥檚 vision for a fully orchestrated supply chain. The next generation of supply chain technology will empower businesses to detect disruptions early, harness data at scale, and consistently exceed customer expectations. By leading with intelligence and foresight, companies can transform crises into opportunities and position themselves to thrive in a world defined by uncertainty.

For more details on all announcements made this week, please refer to the .

Dominik Metzger is president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management.

The challenge is clear: without a plan to adapt and evolve, organizations expose themselves to rising logistics costs and limited scalability. To remain agile and deliver on rising customer expectations, companies must move along the logistics maturity curve鈥攖ransitioning from manual, fragmented practices to agile, automated operations.

With four key techniques outlined in our , organizations can accelerate their maturity journey and build supply chain logistics operations that are efficient, resilient, and orchestrated.

Driving efficiency: From manual tasks to intelligent automation

At the initial stages of maturity, logistics operations often rely on siloed and manual processes, such as contracting carriers via e-mail and managing data in spreadsheets. This fragmented approach creates inefficiencies, increases the risk of errors, and limits the scalability of operations.

Improving efficiency starts with the process of digitalization. By integrating enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms with transportation and warehouse management systems, companies can streamline routine tasks like data entry, eliminate redundant communications, and better utilize resources. For example, intelligent operations can optimize transportation costs through load consolidation and mode shifting; enable better planning by reducing reliance on spot shipments; improve mileage and fuel consumption through route optimization; and prevent overpayments with invoice validation.

Automating these processes breaks down the first barrier to decision-making by handing valuable time back to logistics teams. And as organizations mature, these efficiencies become embedded into daily workflows that span the organizational gap across carriers and trading partners. Resource allocation becomes data-driven and adaptive, setting the stage for more advanced capabilities and collaboration.

Enhancing visibility to turn data into actionable insights

Limited visibility is a common pain point for lower-maturity organizations, where shipment status is either unknown until final delivery or only accessible by leaving the core fulfillment process. Without timely and integrated insights, it’s difficult to adjust to disruptions or meet rising customer expectations.

To move forward, businesses must turn insight into action, eliminating data silos to integrate real-time visibility into core order fulfillment processes. This technology enables proactive decision-making, powered by predictive analytics and automation.

Companies can further enhance agility and visibility by optimizing executable transportation plans that align with fulfillment needs. With these capabilities, customer service teams can forecast potential delays or disruptions and create automated customer notifications for exceptions or changes. Improved visibility ultimately leads to insights that can help companies commit to and then deliver on customer promises.

For businesses that need help turning data into action, can unify information from multiple sources to help align transportation management with broader supply chain operations.

Building resilience for the unexpected

In today鈥檚 volatile landscape, resilience puts leaders ahead of the pack. It鈥檚 a prerequisite for success. Mature organizations are built to absorb shocks and continue delivering, while less mature systems are often left scrambling to respond with costly, reactive measures.

Resilient logistics operations are flexible, sustainable, and data-driven. They make quick but methodical decisions when disruptions arise based on embedded analytics and intelligent optimization.

In the face of disruption, mature organizations look for ways to make marginal gains throughout planning, contracting, and execution. They understand that constant incremental improvement creates broader success. This can take the form of optimizing routes to minimize miles or shifting to lower-emission modes or equipment to reduce carbon footprints. These organizations may also examine their load configurations to fit more cases or pallets into a trailer or container, stacking efficiencies across their operation.

With the right tools and processes in place, businesses can transform potential disruptions into opportunities for competitive advantage.

Enabling orchestration by coordinating people, processes, and partners

Automated orchestration is the final step of the supply chain maturity model. Seamless, harmonized coordination of systems, people, and partners is the apex of supply chain logistics maturity. Here, every component of the logistics ecosystem operates in sync, guided by autonomous, AI-based technologies across a unified strategy. Such a high level of ecosystem integration allows organizations to anticipate risk, respond dynamically, and collaborate across their ecosystem.

Achieving orchestration demands connected systems across a unifying platform, real-time collaboration, and adaptive execution across the supply chain. Key elements to enable orchestration include access to predictive, real-time data on shipments, demand, capacity, weather, traffic, and port congestion that enable synchronized optimization, spanning a unified platform for digital transactions extended to a multi-modal carrier network.

In an era defined by an abundance of data yet a perpetual risk of disruption, standing still is not an option. Connecting the dots between people, processes, and partners will help companies stay ahead of potential disruptions and build the foundation for a collaborative, data-driven, and optimized supply chain.

Advancing with the right capabilities

No matter where an organization stands on the logistics maturity curve, the techniques outlined above can drive tangible progress鈥攑rovided the right plan is in place.

can empower organizations to optimize and automate execution and achieve real-time visibility to respond effectively to changing market conditions. Solutions like can further enhance collaboration between shippers and carriers, helping to reduce cost, improve on-time delivery rates, and eliminate friction across logistics processes.

To remain competitive, businesses must chart a clear path toward orchestrated logistics operations or risk being left behind by those that do.

Doug DeLuca is an 麻豆原创 Business Network product marketing manager.

In a previous article, I explored how 麻豆原创 Business Network can deliver measurable value for buyer organizations by accelerating order cycles, improving efficiency, and generating significant ROI. Now, I’m turning my attention to the other side of the equation: the suppliers.

A recent IDC white paper sponsored by 麻豆原创, , sheds light on how business networks can help organizations meet key goals by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and driving innovation. Let鈥檚 delve into the findings and explore how 麻豆原创 Business Network can transform the supplier experience.

Cutting costs through visibility and information sharing

Technology plays a critical role in the buyer-supplier relationship. Traditional collaboration tools, designed to bring buyers and sellers together, are increasingly limited in today鈥檚 rapidly evolving technological landscape. To meet new demands, organizations are turning to modern business networks that enable more efficient ways to collaborate with partners.

These networks offer greater convenience, speed, and a broad selection of products and services, transforming how businesses sell products and manage their end-to-end supply chain. To succeed, teams need meaningful visibility into supply chain activity. Discovering opportunities to improve operational efficiencies and deliver business value requires access to real insights across key metrics. Business networks make this possible by enabling end-to-end tracking of orders, shipments, and inventory. This transparency also contributes to stronger collaboration with customers, allowing teams to respond quickly to changes in demand, optimize inventory levels, and maintain more reliable and accurate forecasts.

These benefits can be realized through automation capabilities contained within the platform, bringing further cost savings. For one customer using 麻豆原创 Business Network, automated order processing eliminated manual checks and data entry, significantly reducing costs. While manually processed orders cost around $30 each, automated orders cost them less than a dollar.

Beyond order processing, automation and data visibility also improved demand forecasting. Users reported a 19% increase in forecast accuracy, which helped reduce stockouts, overproduction, and production waste. These improvements not only delivered operational efficiencies but also contributed to higher renewal rates and new business opportunities.

Driving value while staying efficient

Automation through 麻豆原创 Business Network helps companies reduce manual tasks, saving employees鈥� time and resources while improving accuracy, efficiency, and compliance. These process improvements can also enhance employee performance, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks that drive better business outcomes.

Tasks like customer support see major benefits from efficiency gains through business network automation. Structured data ensures deeper integration with other systems, allowing employees to quickly access complete storefront and portfolio data to respond to customer inquiries faster. Business networks can also provide better visibility and near-real-time data, leading to faster, more accurate responses to customer needs and boosting customer satisfaction by nearly 37%. These improvements help reduce product turn-times and allow companies to deliver products promptly, benefiting both employees and customers.

麻豆原创 Business Network customers also saw invoice approvals and shipping notices processed 50% and 48% faster with automation compared to manual methods. This also led to a 21% increase in on-time document delivery, reaching 91% overall, highlighting the significant impact of 麻豆原创 Business Network on operational efficiency.

With fewer errors, faster payments, and enhanced visibility into financial data, automation through 麻豆原创 Business Network helps procurement teams do more than streamline operations. It can empower them to deliver the added value that companies have been searching for.

Strengthening and streamlining business development efforts

Strong visibility helps teams understand customer needs and use a data-driven approach to identify new opportunities more quickly. Business networks can even help boost a supplier鈥檚 profile as well, with certification and trust ratings that help bring in more business. These metrics can help translate new opportunities into bigger picture products and solutions.

Process automation and accelerated payments inherently increase customer value by responding to their needs faster. At the same time, they give organizations additional time to reach and maintain more customers to drive growth through new agreements that could allow them to scale further. 麻豆原创 Business Network helped customers accelerate their go-to-market speed by 20%, reducing the time from product development to market launch.

Businesses using 麻豆原创 Business Network also report that the effects of speeding up and simplifying the selling processes were crucial to overall business success, showing a 36.8% increase in customer satisfaction and a 53.8% improvement in sales administration efficiency. The total annual revenue gain through these means added up to $2 million per organization.

Leveraging 麻豆原创 Business Network as a supplier

As companies search for solutions that enable them to build resilient, agile, and sustainable supply chains, business networks have emerged as a powerful tool to meet performance goals, improve efficiency, and comply with regulatory requirements.

麻豆原创 Business Network takes this a step further by integrating with both traditional and emerging supply chain management applications. By enabling suppliers to grow their customer base and build stronger relationships through increased visibility and trust, 麻豆原创 Business Network helps empower suppliers to operate more strategically and competitively in today鈥檚 digital economy.

The benefits highlighted in this research complement the buyer-side advantages explored in my previous article, underscoring the holistic value that 麻豆原创 Business Network can bring to the entire supply chain ecosystem. As we continue to navigate the complexities of modern procurement and supply chain management, platforms like 麻豆原创 Business Network will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of business collaboration and efficiency.

Tony Harris is SVP and chief marketing and solutions officer of 麻豆原创 Business Network.

Amid the ongoing stresses to global supply chains exerted by tariffs, geopolitical tensions and the proliferation of mandates in many countries regarding electronic invoicing and materials traceability, how can organizations best deploy cloud-based business networks and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to extend visibility, steady the flow of commerce, and mitigate third-party risk?

To instill resilience throughout mission-critical operations and those of their trading partners, businesses are turning increasingly to AI-powered cloud solutions to orchestrate complex, often volatile, supply chains. But the sheer volume of transactions and rigor of processing across vast troves of underlying data require that digital commerce be anchored within an infrastructure durable enough to withstand today鈥檚 pace of change yet supple enough to sustain tomorrow鈥檚 scope of innovation.

That is why some of the most significant innovation underway for , the world鈥檚 largest business-to-business platform, involves its ongoing move to (麻豆原创 BTP), a shift with profound implications for 麻豆原创 customers and their ability to counter disruption.

The cloud-native architecture of 麻豆原创 BTP optimizes collaboration and innovation capabilities for organizations large and small, and the platform offers the scalability that 麻豆原创 Business Network customers and their trading partners require to perform at their peak as business needs evolve. With its high-performing infrastructure, 麻豆原创 BTP ensures seamless connectivity not only between 麻豆原创 Business Network and other 麻豆原创 solutions but across third-party systems as well.

Meanwhile, as differing regulatory regimes for electronic invoicing and materials traceability take effect in various countries, the built-in security and compliance features of 麻豆原创 BTP ensure that businesses can manage multi-tier supply chains while adhering strictly to regional requirements. In addition, ongoing innovation to 麻豆原创 Business Network takes full advantage of extensive AI capabilities in 麻豆原创 BTP to automate complex workflows and securely augment applications with agentic capabilities.

Facilitating carries the obligation that a business network continually earn anew the trust of the enterprises that rely on it for operational continuity, data security, decision-support quality, and regulatory compliance.

For 麻豆原创 Business Network, this means reinvesting on a regular basis in the architecture and infrastructure necessary to accelerate the speed of transactions, responsiveness to up-to-the-minute fluctuations in supply and demand, scalability to support business growth, streamlined integration across 麻豆原创 and non-麻豆原创 systems, greater extensibility and deeper functionality, an intuitive user interface that reduces complexity and friction, and the most advanced, AI-augmented analytics capabilities available anywhere.

The ongoing transition for 麻豆原创 Business Network to 麻豆原创 BTP accomplishes all of the above. Over the long run, however, the change that customers are likely to appreciate most is the ease with which they can innovate alongside their trading partners and shape new business models through the insights harnessed by AI applications drawing upon sprawling repositories of accumulated day-to-day operational data.

While 麻豆原创 Business Network upgrades its platform, it continues to innovate with several new capabilities announced at 麻豆原创 Sapphire. To provide additional support for product compliance and quality control, is introducing these features:

• Mass upload of certificate documents: Suppliers can now bulk upload quality and compliance certificates directly within the advance shipping notification (ASN) upload template at the line-item level, significantly reducing manual effort and improving data accuracy
• Buyer-controlled document mandates: Buyers can specify which type of certifications are required for each purchase order, automatically enforcing compliance and quality standards while streamlining the process

These capabilities simplify the tracking of critical certifications, including sustainability credentials, carbon footprint documentation, and industry-specific certifications. Benefits include improved compliance, reduced delays, enhanced process adoption, and improved traceability, thus supporting regulatory compliance and sustainability goals throughout the supply chain.

To enhance supply chain efficiency and sustainability, is introducing these features:

• Enhanced greenhouse gas emissions tracking: Integration of actual emissions data from carriers and logistics service providers into , enabling planned versus actual analysis, marks a crucial step toward capturing and analyzing data from external sources
• Extended ocean freight support: New ocean tendering and dispute handling functionalities within 麻豆原创 Transportation Management are essential as the global container shipping market is to around US$15.87 billion in 2028

To strengthen the ability of operators, manufacturers, and service providers to manage equipment and other physical assets via a digital network for resiliency and transparency, is introducing these features:

• Cloud-based ERP integration: Users can now initiate and manage ERP integration directly from the cloud, offering greater control over data synchronization
• Enhanced material and model integration: Bi-directional integration of materials and models between 麻豆原创 Business Network Asset Collaboration and ERP systems
• Inbound integration for shared functional locations: Synchronizing shared functional locations to improve collaboration between operators and service providers
• Asset administration shell (AAS) file upload for equipment creation: Automate equipment creation and associated document management through AAS file uploads, reducing manual data entry
• Quality inspection checklists: By the integration of checklists into 麻豆原创 Business Network Asset Collaboration, operators can share their inspection checklists and characteristics with service providers, who can in turn record the results for the operator

All of these enhancements are scheduled to be available by the end of 2025, offering businesses across industries the opportunity to transform their supply chain operations, drive sustainability initiatives, and attain new heights in efficiency, visibility, and competitive advantage.

J枚rn Keller is executive vice president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Business Network.

The innovations we unveiled represent a fundamental shift in how businesses can approach their operations in an increasingly complex global landscape. The positive energy from our customers and partners reinforces my belief that we鈥檙e on the right path with our AI-first, suite-first, network-centric strategy.

Unifying the supply chain ecosystem

The cornerstone of 厂础笔鈥檚 latest offerings is the significant enhancement to the and solutions. These improvements create a more unified and intelligent ecosystem for supply chain management, addressing the multifaceted challenges businesses face today.

Key innovations strengthen end-to-end business processes in . The simple handover of complex product data — such as bill of materials, recipes, or material price estimations — streamline the transition from product development to production with . Additionally, the integration of service orders into enables advanced manufacturing processes for service and repair processes. Changes in production orders are seamlessly synchronized with the shop-floor execution for highly adaptive processes.

Launched in February, 麻豆原创 Business Suite is a comprehensive set of integrated solutions, combining cloud ERP, business applications, , and 鈥� powered by the . At Sapphire, 麻豆原创 introduced cloud suite packages designed to align with specific line-of-business needs. The 麻豆原创 Business Suite package for 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management offers a comprehensive, AI-driven, and network-enabled solution to help customers integrate data, operational processes, and supply chain functions, delivering greater flexibility, transparency, and responsiveness while supporting sustainability initiatives and metrics.

The introduction of smart guided execution in 麻豆原创 Digital Manufacturing supports compliant manufacturing in life sciences, chemicals, and regulated fast-moving consumer goods businesses, through intelligent process guidance and a new electronic batch record system. This helps ensure traceability and compliance while reducing errors and improving overall production quality.

Customers in asset-intensive industries, such as utilities, travel and transportation, and energy and/or natural resources, benefit from advanced asset health monitoring capabilities in . 聽An enhanced management of time series data 聽and Internet of Things (IoT) device integration is enabled based on . This allows businesses to leverage real-time data for predictive maintenance and asset optimization, potentially reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

By introducing connected supply chain processes that bridge various 麻豆原创 applications and cloud ERP, 麻豆原创 is offering improved data flow, AI-driven insights, and end-to-end process optimization across supply chain and core business functions. This integration is not just about connecting the dots, but creating a seamless flow of information and actions that can transform business operations.

How Joule and agentic AI are revolutionizing supply chain management

Our commitment to AI-driven solutions was evident in several key innovations. 厂础笔鈥檚 AI copilot, , is poised to transform supply chain operations. By the end of the year, Joule will enable supply chain planners — for example, demand or supply planners — to quickly and easily interpret supply planning results through intelligent analysis of demand, inventory, and supply planning in 麻豆原创 Integrated Business Planning. This capability will significantly enhance decision-making processes in supply chain planning.

Simultaneously, 厂础笔鈥檚 expansion of agentic AI across 麻豆原创 Business Suite marks a significant leap toward autonomous supply chain operations.

Key agents announced include:

• Maintenance Planner Agent: Streamlines maintenance planning and coordination
• Shopfloor Supervisor Agent: Proactively manages shop-floor disruptions, such as machine failures, and performs necessary rescheduling to maintain productivity
• Field Service Dispatcher Agent: Autonomously schedules and optimizes service orders in 麻豆原创 Field Service Management

These agents, set for general availability in the fourth quarter of 2025, promise to transform planning into a proactive, continuous process by monitoring various data sources, surfacing relevant context, and recommending actions.

Enhanced 麻豆原创 Business Network capabilities for supply chain orchestration and sustainability

麻豆原创 announced significant enhancements to , the world鈥檚 largest B2B platform facilitating over US$6.3 trillion in annual commerce across 190 countries. These new capabilities are designed to revolutionize supply chain orchestration by providing unprecedented visibility, efficiency, and compliance in supply chain processes.

New improvements include more streamlined compliance and quality control for mass upload of certificate documents for suppliers and buyer-controlled document mandates for specific certifications.

To enhance supply chain efficiency and sustainability, new advanced logistics collaboration features offer enhanced greenhouse gas emissions tracking with actual transportation data integration and extended ocean freight support with new tendering and dispute handling functionalities.

Another key improvement focuses on enhanced asset management, with cloud-based ERP integration for better synchronization control, bi-directional integration of materials and models, and automated equipment creation through AAS file uploads and integration of quality inspection checklists.

All enhancements are scheduled to be available by the end of 2025, offering businesses across industries the opportunity to simplify tracking of critical certifications, improve compliance, reduce delays, and support regulatory adherence and sustainability goals across the supply chain.

By integrating actual transportation emissions data, businesses gain more accurate carbon footprint analysis, empowering them to better balance operational efficiency with environmental responsibility.

, with data federation, is planned to be available in Europe and KSA by the end of the third quarter of 2025. Additionally, , with data federation, is scheduled to be available in Europe and KSA by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.

The road ahead

As we continue to roll out these new capabilities throughout 2025, I鈥檓 more convinced than ever of 厂础笔鈥檚 commitment to ongoing innovation to drive value for our customers. In a world where global uncertainties, risks, and disruptions require a delicate balancing act between adaptability and productivity, 麻豆原创 Business Suite for supply chain management stands out. It leverages intelligence and all relevant internal and external data to provide the insights needed to make the right decisions, enabling business to adapt and thrive.

Our vision is clear: a future where supply chains are not just reactive systems but proactive, intelligent networks that can anticipate disruptions, optimize operations, and drive business growth.

I鈥檓 excited about the journey ahead and look forward to seeing how these innovations will transform businesses across industries.

For those who couldn鈥檛 join us at 麻豆原创 Sapphire, I encourage you to join us at , where we鈥檒l dive deeper into these innovations and showcase even more exciting developments in our innovation road map.

Dominik Metzger is president and chief product officer of 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management.

厂础笔鈥檚 game-changing solution, , is now available globally to help suppliers overcome these hurdles.

This innovative commercial offering is designed to amplify a supplier鈥檚 discoverability and provide a comprehensive suite of value-added features. The promote subscription empowers suppliers to differentiate themselves on 麻豆原创 Business Network, attract new customers, and ultimately grow their business in ways previously unimaginable.

Building trust, streamlining procurement

At the heart of this new offering is the understanding that trust is paramount in any new business relationship. Suppliers that opt for the promote subscription can verify their company details, establishing a solid foundation of trust for buyers seeking new sources of supply. This verification process not only enhances credibility, but also sets the stage for more meaningful and productive business interactions.

The promote subscription goes beyond traditional supplier discovery methods by seamlessly integrating with buyers鈥� 麻豆原创 procurement applications. This integration enhances and simplifies the entire procurement process, creating a more streamlined and efficient experience for all parties involved. Moreover, the subscription leverages leading technology, including two generative AI features, to take supplier visibility and effectiveness to new heights.

Key features

Let鈥檚 delve into some of the features that make the promote subscription standout in the world of B2B commerce.

• Verified status and profile badge: Subscribers gain a competitive edge by showcasing a verified badge on their company profile within 麻豆原创 Business Network. This badge appears in search results and 麻豆原创 procurement applications, such as 麻豆原创 Ariba Sourcing and 麻豆原创 Ariba Supplier Management, instantly boosting credibility and attractiveness to potential buyers.
• Dedicated insights and analytics: The subscription provides suppliers with powerful tools to enhance their catalog performance. Through contextual calls to action, suppliers can leverage keyword recommendations, track profile traffic, and gain insights into the types of buyers viewing their company. This data-driven approach allows suppliers to increase their visibility in search results by taking actions, such as verifying their profile with targeted keywords and sustainability ratings.
• Enhanced network catalog tools: Promote subscribers can effortlessly respond to inquiries, receive new orders, and upload their full suite of products and services onto the 麻豆原创 Business Network catalog. This comprehensive catalog becomes searchable by 麻豆原创 buyers, dramatically increasing exposure. Additionally, subscribers gain access to generative AI for enhancing product descriptions and summaries, as well as open APIs for automatic loading and maintenance of network catalogs.
• Match and respond to qualified leads: The subscription enables suppliers to match with leads from 麻豆原创 Business Network Discovery, 厂础笔鈥檚 intelligent matchmaking solution. Suppliers can swiftly respond to requests for information by using generative AI to create their responses. They can also track performance with new discovery insights and take advantage of contextual calls to action, such as updating recommended keywords for better matching.

Revolutionizing supplier-buyer connections

The global availability of the promote subscription represents a significant leap forward in 厂础笔鈥檚 commitment to fostering meaningful connections between suppliers and buyers. With this offering, 麻豆原创 is improving the procurement process by leveraging generative AI to enhance supplier responses, leads, and product descriptions. This provides valuable insights and analytics while creating a trusted environment where verified suppliers can showcase their offerings to potential buyers.

With millions of companies conducting more than $6.3 trillion in commerce annually on 麻豆原创 Business Network, the promote subscription presents a substantial opportunity for suppliers worldwide to accelerate growth and expand their reach. As of now, all suppliers can easily access the new network storefront and add the promote subscription to their account with the simple click of a button. This annual subscription empowers suppliers with enhanced visibility and tools to boost their presence on 麻豆原创 Business Network, regardless of their geographical location.

By simplifying complex processes, leveraging AI technology, and providing crucial insights, we鈥檙e not just facilitating transactions — we鈥檙e fostering lasting business relationships on a global scale. As we continue to fuel the largest B2B network in the world, we invite suppliers to join us in this exciting new chapter of digital commerce, where opportunities are boundless and success is within reach for businesses of all sizes.

Val Blatt is chief revenue officer for 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management.

New research from IDC shows how 麻豆原创 Business Network can speed up product and order delivery, accelerate go-to-market speed, and deliver significant ROI to drive procurement success.

In today鈥檚 interconnected business landscape, procurement and supply chain management have evolved from back-office functions to strategic drivers of success. As organizations seek to build resilient, efficient, customer-centric supply chains, the adoption of innovative technologies becomes crucial. Enter 麻豆原创 Business Network鈥攁 game-changing platform that鈥檚 revolutionizing how companies procure products and services and manage their end-to-end supply chains.

A recent IDC white paper, sponsored by 麻豆原创, titled 鈥�,鈥� reveals the remarkable impact of 麻豆原创 Business Network on buyer organizations. The findings, based on in-depth interviews with existing customers across various industries, showcase the impressive improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and revenue growth. Let鈥檚 delve into the transformative power of this technology and how it鈥檚 reshaping the procurement landscape.

Accelerating revenue growth through agility and transparency

When organizations can better monitor and share global trend data across teams, they can respond to market demands quicker and accelerate their go-to-market strategy. According to the research, 麻豆原创 Business Network empowered these organizations to:

• Launch products and services 30% faster than before
• Monitor global trends and redirect stock to high-demand areas with agility
• Share real-time data and analytics across teams for quicker market responses

The result? An average annual revenue gain of $66 million, or $1.2 million per 100 trading partners. This impressive growth contributes to an average three-year ROI of 404% for organizations using 麻豆原创 Business Network, with a payback period of just 14 months.

Maximizing efficiency from partner onboarding to order processing

Global supply chain success relies on making repetitive, but essential, tasks as efficient as possible. The respondents indicated that 麻豆原创 Business Network delivered substantial improvements in this area:

• Partner onboarding time reduced by 70% (from 54 days to 16 days)
• Invoice processing time cut by 59% (from 16.3 days to 6.7 days)
• Percentage of invoices processed without exception increased from 64% to 89%
• 60% reduction in full-time equivalents (FTEs) responsible for invoice-related processes

These efficiency gains were particularly significant given that procurement team sizes have remained steady despite increased focus on business strategy and execution. By automating repetitive tasks and providing real-time data for informed decision-making, 麻豆原创 Business Network freed up team members to focus on strategic initiatives.

Similar effects were felt in procurement and supply chain planning, where respondents reported the number of FTEs necessary for these activities decreased by 19% and 47%, respectively.

Realizing millions in total cost savings

麻豆原创 Business Network provides capabilities to help streamline operations, reduce manual interventions, and optimize resource allocation across various functions. The result, as found through the research, was significant cost savings across departments for interviewed companies.

• IT maintenance: Average annual savings of $6.59 million
• Warehouse and logistics: Cost reductions totaling approximately $6.5 million annually
• Inventory management: Optimized stock levels, with one pharmaceutical respondent reducing on-hand safety stock by 50%

In total, respondents experienced average annual cost savings of $13.58 million through reduced operational costs and improved efficiency.

Streamlining operations for enhanced performance

The impact of 麻豆原创 Business Network on operational efficiency was truly impressive:

• Unified IT infrastructure: Elimination of multiple systems, leading to streamlined operations
• Enhanced supplier collaboration: Freeing up team members for strategic tasks
• Improved order tracking and shipment utilization
• Better demand forecasting and stock management

Real-world success

The transformative power of 麻豆原创 Business Network is best illustrated through the experiences of its users. One pharmaceutical company reduced its on-hand safety stock by half, while others reported significant improvements in transportation processes and demand forecasting.

These success stories underscore the network鈥檚 ability to deliver tangible benefits across various industries and business functions. Real-time data and analytics helped companies respond to shifting market demands and capitalize on new opportunities, allowing organizations to launch products and services and get to market on average 30% faster than they did previously.

The findings from the IDC white paper paint a compelling picture of the potential of 麻豆原创 Business Network to revolutionize procurement and supply chain management. By enabling faster go-to-market strategies, improving operational efficiency, and delivering substantial cost savings, the network is helping organizations thrive in an increasingly complex business environment.

As we look to the future, it鈥檚 clear that platforms like 麻豆原创 Business Network will play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of procurement and supply chain excellence. Organizations that embrace this technology stand to gain a significant competitive advantage, driving growth and innovation in ways previously unimaginable.

Next steps

Ready to explore the potential impact of 麻豆原创 Business Network on your organization? Here are some resources to help you get started:

• for an in-depth look at the findings.
• featuring representatives from 麻豆原创 and IDC discussing key findings from the business value study. 
• Try out developed by IDC for a personalized organizational assessment of the ROI 麻豆原创 Business Network could deliver for your company.

Stay tuned for upcoming insights that will highlight the benefits of 麻豆原创 Business Network specifically for suppliers, complementing the buyer-focused insights presented here. The future of procurement is bright, and 麻豆原创 Business Network is leading the way in unlocking procurement and supply chain management potential and driving business success.

Tony Harris is SVP and head of Marketing & Solutions for 麻豆原创 Business Network.

At 麻豆原创, we believe in empowering manufacturers to bring out their best. By connecting processes beyond the silos of individual functions and by converging and contextualizing critical data, we are laying the foundation to leverage cutting-edge technologies like generative and agentic AI. This strategy helps businesses build more sustainable, resilient networks that are adaptive to overcome unforeseen risks and seize bold new opportunities.

This vision will be on full display at , the world鈥檚 leading trade fair for industry, where we will showcase how 麻豆原创 is revolutionizing manufacturing through the following key areas.

New paths with 麻豆原创 Business Suite

offers a comprehensive solution that transcends traditional ERP systems. By leveraging seamlessly integrated, end-to-end supply chain processes in the cloud, supported by context-rich business data and real-time analysis, artificial intelligence and predictive algorithms, we help companies manage their supply chains efficiently while responding to new requirements with agility.

In an era of mass customization, this agility is crucial for maintaining competitiveness. Transparent access to manufacturing data allows companies to manage their production capacities more flexibly and recover from short-term supply disruptions better. We empower companies to meet new customer requirements promptly and efficiently, reducing costs and shortening time-to-market for new products.

One example is digitalizing service operations with . This optimization of the entire service order process — from customer demand to spare parts planning and finally technician and tool planning, dispatching, and execution — allows manufacturers to streamline their operations and enhance overall efficiency in a single, unified experience.

Applications that drive excellence

In manufacturing, downtime is costly. That鈥檚 why our digital applications play a key role in vertically connecting machines and devices through critical manufacturing data with enterprise processes. By optimizing production processes, reducing downtime, and increasing transparency, we鈥檙e turning reactive maintenance into a predictive strategy.

provides manufacturers with the ability to coordinate complex and short-term changes to customer orders on the shop floor across multiple functions, ensuring smooth operations. Our new embedded IoT technology based on our partnership with in allows operators to monitor asset health with plug-and-play simplicity. Meanwhile, the integration of for product design and sourcing and for collaborative product data management is enhancing collaboration with direct material suppliers, orchestrated through the 麻豆原创 business network.

Real-world success stories, like , demonstrate the tangible benefits of our solutions. SMA Solar achieved a 15 percent increase in supply chain workforce productivity, 10 percent improvement in overall supply chain planning costs, and 10 percent lower inventory carrying costs and stock turnover rate using 麻豆原创 Digital Manufacturing for electronics manufacturing.

The power of data

To enable automation in mass production with individualized requests, companies need real-time integration of operational, sustainability, and business data. 麻豆原创 provides real-time access to data-driven insights, eliminating delays and silos with instant access to unified data across 麻豆原创 and non-麻豆原创 systems. This enterprise-wide operational alignment connects supply chain data with finance, human resources, and other business areas, streamlining processes and reducing costs.

further enhances this capability by providing a comprehensive platform for data management and analytics. Moreover, our AI-powered predictions and insights help improve sustainability by optimizing energy consumption, eliminating waste, and minimizing environmental impact.

Integrating AI for greater efficiency

Companies today need to redefine their business management by integrating automation and AI-driven decision intelligence into their business processes. 麻豆原创 solutions enhance productivity and efficiency across all business processes, from product development to execution and continuous process improvement.

offers planning analytics, what-if simulations, and real-time information for sustainable and risk-resilient decision-making. The new AI-assisted planning capabilities with allow supply chain planners to customize Excel add-in planning views using natural language commands, streamlining daily tasks and strategic decisions.

Joule revolutionizes 麻豆原创 IBP by introducing intuitive conversational search, navigation, and transactional capabilities. By harnessing natural language processing, it effortlessly interprets user queries and instantly retrieves relevant information, significantly enhancing overall user productivity. This ability allows even highly experienced planners to understand the outcome of complex optimization and machine learning-based planning algorithms revolutionizing their user experience and ultimately increasing user adoption of these advanced AI-based technologies.

In 麻豆原创 Digital Manufacturing and 麻豆原创 Asset Performance Management, machine learning-guided visual inspection enables the execution of multiple inspection tasks such as for production and maintenance quality or even automates the process entirely, reducing human errors, improving product quality, and lowering operational costs.

Joule in 麻豆原创 Integrated Product Development facilitates help-content discovery with conversational access to development documentation, covering idea-to-market processes such as collaboration, formulation, and handover. Users can inquire naturally, access relevant documentation, and receive concise summaries, enhancing efficiency and decision-making.

For the manufacturing industry, 麻豆原创 Field Service Management with AI provides technicians quick access to equipment service history and key job details, improving diagnostics and first-time fix rates. This increases operational efficiency, reduces downtime, and enhances customer satisfaction.

Lastly, the integration of Joule with allows transportation planners to use simple natural language searches to find order details and reduce manual errors by autonomously cross-referencing multiple data sources.

Join 麻豆原创 at Hannover Messe 2025

Visit 麻豆原创 in t Hannover Messe 2025 to discover how our modern manufacturing, supply chain, and cloud ERP solutions can help your business, regardless of its size. Experience firsthand how we鈥檙e maximizing the impact of technology, running resilient and sustainable supply chains, and unlocking the power of business networks.

Meet our experts and industry-leading partners to learn how manufacturing and supply chain processes in the cloud can help you succeed in an AI-enabled world. Together, let鈥檚 bring out your best and shape the future of intelligent, sustainable manufacturing.

Dominik Metzger is president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Supply Chain Management at 麻豆原创.

This recognition, we believe, is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering innovative, comprehensive solutions that empower businesses to optimize procurement processes and enhance bottom-line results.

We feel it serves as validation for the strength of , and our continued focus on delivering experiences premised on data, intelligence, and suite.  We believe that in a dynamic and unpredictable world, a partner with the breadth and depth of 麻豆原创 is uniquely positioned to unleash success on these principles across your business, and we are humbled by this recognition.

厂础笔鈥檚 source-to-pay offerings and investment focus areas

麻豆原创 Ariba has been a leader in the development of cloud-based technologies that help buyers and suppliers collaborate to unleash the power of procurement. As the first product to offer these services in a multitenant cloud framework, 麻豆原创 Ariba has developed deep functionality to handle complexity, while its focus on user experience has enabled simplicity.  This has allowed an offering that can span all industries, all geographies, and all spend types. Our global customer base is proof of this achievement.

Our future focus is on ongoing innovation and improvement across our portfolio. Building use cases for intelligence is at the heart of our product strategy and defines the next generation of user experience for our products. Unparalleled applications in spend management have enabled our globally diverse customers to bring all spend under management: direct, indirect, MRO, and services.  This provides the world鈥檚 largest, unmatched dataset for procurement and is the fuel for the delivery of an unrivaled AI roadmap.

simplifies complex tasks across the source-to-pay process. Each use case has been built to enhance productivity, allowing procurement organizations to achieve more with less. Joule鈥檚 agentic AI framework will be directly applicable and available for spend applications from 麻豆原创, allowing customers to build agents that can operate on data from across their business landscape.

While companies today are sometimes told to mind their business, 麻豆原创 realizes that no business does business alone. Our product road map is predicated on collaborative trading partner experiences through 麻豆原创 Business Network, the largest supplier network in the industry, operational in 190 countries. This is exemplified by , a new product built with an AI-first mindset. Its category agents have value because they are business network-aware and process-aware; the product is integrated across the network and source-to-pay suite, as it helps develop a category strategy and then monitors execution.

offers comprehensive visibility across all spend systems, with zero integration effort for data originating from 麻豆原创 cloud ERP solutions, 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions, 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions, or 麻豆原创 Concur solutions. Broadly speaking, this is fundamental to the overall strategy for 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud, ensuring all business applications speak the same language and enabling an unrivaled AI roadmap for the 麻豆原创 Business Suite.

At the same time, 麻豆原创 recognizes that the world of software applications is heterogenous. Our own application partner network is continuously expanding. And while 麻豆原创 won鈥檛 develop capabilities to solve every problem, our customers still want an orchestrated suite experience, even when non-麻豆原创 products are involved in the workflow. That is why we have invested in the development of . Businesses need to automate procurement requests with one common workflow, regardless of how many applications are involved. And where 麻豆原创 applications are involved, this suite experience is increasingly in-built, again with zero effort required for integration. Capabilities from 麻豆原创 Fieldglass and 麻豆原创 Taulia are being directly embedded into 麻豆原创 Ariba to provide a unified experience.

Real-world impact

The power of source-to-pay solutions from 麻豆原创 is best illustrated through the experiences of our customers. (AEO), a global specialty retailer, faced challenges in managing its high volume of suppliers and invoices. By implementing 麻豆原创 Business Network and 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions, AEO achieved 85 percent purchase order compliance (five percent above target), 75 percent invoice-count compliance for 48,000 annual invoices, and over $780 million in spend transacting on 麻豆原创 Business Network.

Nick Bonacci, senior manager of Procure-to-Pay Services at AEO, noted, 鈥溌槎乖� Ariba solutions and 麻豆原创 Business Network help AEO simplify our procure-to-pay processes in several key ways. Through the use of 厂础笔鈥檚 intuitive applications, compliant purchasing protocols are now embedded into our broader organization, helping us maximize cost savings, optimize working capital, and strengthen vendor relationships.鈥�

Similarly, , implemented 麻豆原创 Business Network and 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions, achieving 94 percent first-time-right invoices in digital channels, 4,000 hours saved in one year in processing invoices, and over 8.5 million pieces of paper saved in one year with supplier digitalization.

Mukesh Ralhan, group head of Business Excellence and Strategic Initiatives at Adani, commented, 鈥淲e process close to 100,000 purchase orders every year, with more than US$20 billion of spend. That鈥檚 huge for a company. Without 麻豆原创 software such as 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions supporting a single platform, that would not be possible.鈥�

Looking ahead

麻豆原创 remains dedicated to delivering solutions that help businesses navigate the complexities of modern procurement. Our focus on customer success, coupled with our deep industry expertise and innovative technology, positions us to continue leading the way in source-to-pay solutions.

Learn more about source-to-pay solutions from 麻豆原创 .

.

Manoj Swaminathan is president and chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Intelligent Spend Management and Application Foundation Services at 麻豆原创.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner鈥檚 research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
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In this era of constant disruption, 麻豆原创 stands at the forefront of supply chain transformation. Our vision is clear: to empower our customers with transparent, resilient, and sustainable supply chains. We鈥檙e committed to delivering innovative cloud solutions and collaborative business networks that enable autonomous supply chains seamlessly integrated with .

To spearhead this critical business, 麻豆原创 recently appointed Dominik Metzger as the new president and chief product officer of Supply Chain Management at 麻豆原创. Metzger brings a wealth of experience and deep-rooted passion for tackling supply chain complexities. His years of hands-on work with customers navigating disruptions and driving transformation make him uniquely qualified to lead 厂础笔鈥檚 new unit. This team combines , , and solutions, positioning the company to address the multifaceted challenges of modern supply chain management.

Nearly three months into this role, I caught up with Metzger to hear about how he鈥檚 adapting and his vision for the future of supply chain management at 麻豆原创.

Q: Having spent the last five years working in a variety of roles at 麻豆原创, what are your priorities for the new role?

A: During my time at 麻豆原创, I鈥檝e seen how supply chain management has transitioned into a dynamic and connected ecosystem that demands constant collaboration, end-to-end data integration, and agile processes to keep pace with constant disruptions. My chief priority is to ensure that we help customers not only respond to disruptions but also proactively prepare and act. We can do so by leveraging AI, generative AI, real-time data, and predictive analytics with the power of 厂础笔鈥檚 technology. Our vision is to build an autonomous supply chain, enabling customers to have highly efficient processes and personalized, context-rich insights that incorporate data from across the enterprise. This approach allows their teams to focus on truly complex decisions.

With 麻豆原创 Business Suite, we offer our customers deeply connected, end-to-end supply chain processes鈥攆rom product data management for discrete and formulated products to planning the demand, supply, production, and inventory levels to purchasing parts and materials to manufacturing execution, logistics, and finally asset and service operations. These processes are turbocharged with a wealth of AI capabilities to help truly bring the experience to a business user.

Yet, AI is only as good as the data it runs on, so we are committed to ensuring all processes are relevant and responsible. Our recent launch of 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud (麻豆原创 BDC) is a cornerstone of helping our customers fix their data at its very core, within the context of their business process. This makes any ontology or data semantic discussion obsolete: 麻豆原创 can provide out-of-the-box, semantically aligned data products, spanning end-to-end supply chain functions, enriched with unstructured data through our partnership with Databricks.

Our AI-first strategy will help enable companies to leverage the wealth of structured and unstructured data to become highly adaptive and, ultimately, autonomously act on even the most complex disruptions. This holistic approach helps guarantee that customers will shape their supply chain strategies with real-time intelligence. By embedding this technology deep into 厂础笔鈥檚 supply chain management applications, we can drive greater productivity, improve operational efficiency, and create more resilient, agile networks that can adapt to shifting market conditions. We are now conquering the next frontier of truly autonomous supply chain agents, contextually rich and deeply anchored in customers鈥� business processes.

Now, one of the most valuable sources of data we have not yet discussed: data out of your n-tier supply chain. In the highly interconnected environments companies are operating in, the supply chain business is a network business. My top priority is to enable our customers to benefit from the immense value of 麻豆原创 Business Network. Our emphasis lies on increasing operational visibility and efficiency. Deep collaboration can enable buyers to identify new sources of supply, even during times of disruption. With market conditions constantly shifting, we are helping businesses to identify risks in the depth of their upstream supply chains to keep operations running and significantly reduce time to recovery.

How has your previous experience helped shape you for this position?

My career has taken me around the world鈥攆rom Southeast Asia to Europe to the Northeast United States鈥攁nd through various roles. In my early days, I served as a supply chain application consultant, learning the nuances of 麻豆原创 technology, the intricacies of industry processes, and the challenges that go along with technology transformations for 麻豆原创 customers. This helped shape my approach, as I aim to deliver real value by ensuring our solutions are adaptable and capable of driving meaningful business outcomes.

Additionally, while I鈥檓 now based in Munich, Germany, I spent years of my adult life in Singapore and New York City. I was exposed to different business cultures, market dynamics, regulatory environments, and languages. This reinforced the importance of flexibility, creativity, and inclusivity, as 麻豆原创 supply chain management strives to build globally scalable solutions. In this new role, I鈥檓 combining those insights and experiences to guide supply chain management at 麻豆原创. I want our offerings to align with the real-world challenges our customers face daily, regardless of whether they鈥檙e a retailer in Asia or a manufacturer in North America. Ultimately, my experience has driven my commitment to ensuring our solutions are relevant, adaptable, and impactful.

Can you share some insight into what we can expect from 厂础笔鈥檚 supply chain management team over the coming months?

We will focus on integrating 厂础笔鈥檚 broader AI-first, suite-first strategy that enables customers to seamlessly implement advanced technologies into their daily operations. Our focus will be on expanding automation, improving supply chain orchestration, and bolstering business network collaboration鈥攁ll critical steps to maintaining resilience in an ever-evolving market.

Another priority is reducing emissions and helping customers meet sustainability goals. Through , customers can integrate carbon emissions data into existing digital supply chain technology, aligning sustainability with sourcing and supply chain management strategies.

My team is also working on several exciting product launches, including announcements at 麻豆原创 Sapphire in May and 麻豆原创 Connect in October. Be sure to tune into both events for more information.

A strong, diverse, and collaborative team is essential in addressing any client challenge. By uniting diverse perspectives and expertise under one vision, we can develop platforms that deliver meaningful, long-term business outcomes for 麻豆原创 customers around the world.

Cindy McKendry is director of Corporate Communications for Intelligent Spend and Supply Chain at 麻豆原创.

But what exactly is data federation? And why does it hold so much promise for customers in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere?

To counter the ever-present threat to global supply chains posed by disruption鈥攚hether arising from geopolitical conflict, labor unrest, financial crisis, natural disaster, or other upheaval鈥攂usinesses are turning increasingly to cloud-based solutions to extend visibility and instill resilience across their operations and those of their trading partners, particularly when managing supply chains, logistics, and dispersed capital equipment or other mission-critical assets. Yet just as businesses must assess risk on an international scale to stay competitive, they also must comply with a burgeoning set of regulations around the world requiring operational data to reside physically within a nation鈥檚 borders. By applying cloud-based solutions, businesses can transact commerce through global digital networks while adhering strictly to regional data residency requirements through an approach known as data federation.

Data federation permits operational information from disparate sources to be accessed and updated as though it resided in a single, unified location. Instead of moving or copying data from one system to another, federation provides users with real-time access unburdened by duplication.

Federation becomes crucial when an organization must unify its data across different storage platforms while ensuring the integrity and security of the underlying operational sources. This becomes particularly vital for companies with complex data architectures, whose data may reside in 麻豆原创 systems, cloud data lakes, or third-party applications. Data federation brings multiple advantages, especially in hybrid or multi-cloud environments, including global access, cost efficiency, unified governance and security, and faster time to insights.

But the advantages extend still further. With the launch of our KSA data center, 麻豆原创 Business Network core services have been deployed. This includes multilingual support, such as proficiency with languages read right-to-left like Arabic, and a Federated Trading Partner Index Service for routing transactions between different data centers. Saudi customers can thus adhere to local data privacy regulations while retaining the ability to collaborate and transact with trading partners around the world.

Why Is This Important?

With the deployment of 麻豆原创 Business Network in the KSA data center, public sector or critical national infrastructure (CNI) customers and prospects in KSA can rest assured that regulations have been followed strictly, allowing these organizations to transact on 麻豆原创 Business Network for Logistics and 麻豆原创 Business Network Asset Collaboration. Data federation helps ensure that trading partners can find each other, regardless of where they may be registered.

What鈥檚 Next?

The deployment of 麻豆原创 Business Network for Logistics and 麻豆原创 Business Network Asset Collaboration for Saudi customers in the public and critical national infrastructure sectors, for whom data federation is crucial, marks only the initial step. Later this year, both products will become available for private-sector customers in KSA as well. and will also be deployed in the KSA data center in coming quarters. Meanwhile, 麻豆原创 will continue to expand its data center footprint and data federation program across the globe, with the expansion of 麻豆原创 Business Network capabilities throughout 2025 and beyond.

For information on 麻豆原创 Business Network and how we are equipping enterprises with business AI and related capabilities needed to instill resilience, counter disruption, and foster collaboration, visit and .

J枚rn Keller is chief product officer for 麻豆原创 Business Network.

As we dive into 2025, 麻豆原创 is already making waves in the spend management arena. Building on last year’s momentum, we are constantly innovating our market-leading solutions so you can reduce costs, mitigate risks, improve collaboration, and make sure every spend decision is aligned with your business strategy to help drive your business forward.

Q4 Breakthroughs: Highlighting Our Latest Innovations

It was an honor to collaborate with so many of you last year. When your business is at its best, so is ours, and this mutual partnership is what fuels our commitment to innovation. In Q4, our solutions鈥斅槎乖� Ariba, 麻豆原创 Business Network, 麻豆原创 Concur, and 麻豆原创 Fieldglass鈥攎ade significant strides, particularly in 麻豆原创 Business AI. Here are just a few highlights:

• : Now generally available, this solution can provide a single source of truth for all payment and supplier data, enhanced with AI-enabled spend classifications and supplier insights. It helps streamline spend processes, cut procurement costs, manage supplier risks, and track sustainability goals.
• Generative AI in 麻豆原创 Business Network Discovery: We鈥檝e introduced generative AI capabilities to help accelerate supplier search and improve network catalog product descriptions and summaries with .
• AI flight recommendations in Concur Travel: This new feature can suggest policy-compliant flight options based on user preferences, loyalty programs, available inventory, and other factors.
• Joule, 厂础笔鈥檚 AI copilot, got cozy in 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions this past quarter with the introduction of , including:
  • Interactive guidance for creating and scheduling new reports through natural conversation, helping to navigate report creation, searches, and data insights
  • Quick answers to issues or questions with concise and easy-to-digest summaries of relevant information and helpful links to learn more
  • AI-assisted job posting and statement of work template selection, recommending the most relevant one and pre-filling data fields to save you time

These innovations align perfectly with the findings. The study highlights data and analytics reporting as the top priority for procurement transformation, a need we鈥檙e addressing head-on with our AI-enhanced solutions.

New Customer Stories and Honors

We built our solutions to elevate spend management from the most mundane part of your day to the most strategic. But don鈥檛 just take my word for it. Discover how companies like , , , and leverage 麻豆原创 solutions for better control and business resilience.

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And if customer stories aren鈥檛 enough, how about customer reviews?

Every quarter, G2 publishes Grid^庐 and Index Reports that rate products based on feedback collected from the user community, along with data compiled from various online platforms and social media networks. In December, G2 announced its Winter 2025 Reports, with 麻豆原创 spend management solutions topping the leaderboards:

• : Leader in Procure to Pay, Strategic Sourcing, and Supplier Relationship Management
• : Supply Chain Business Networks
• : Leader in Expense, Travel & Expense, and Invoicing
• : Leader in Vendor Management

In the , 麻豆原创 moved up to sixth place on G2鈥檚 top 10 companies list. In the Winter 2025 G2 Reports alone, 麻豆原创 Ariba, 麻豆原创 Business Network, 麻豆原创 Concur, and 麻豆原创 Fieldglass won 107 awards across multiple categories. Only 4% of software and services on G2 receive a Leader badge, making this recognition truly special!

Media and Analyst Accolades

Our innovations continue to garner industry recognition. Here are a few key highlights:

• won the  in the Procurement/ERP Software category from Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
• 麻豆原创 Ariba was inducted into Spend Matters鈥� for being listed on its “50 Providers to Know” list for 10 years or more.
• Over the holidays, 麻豆原创 was named a Leader in the .* The report is based on IDC MarketScape鈥檚 comprehensive assessment of 麻豆原创 and feedback from our customers. Explore the findings and why 麻豆原创 was recognized in this article from my colleague Baber Farooq.
• 麻豆原创 Concur received the , which bases its Top Rated awards solely on customer feedback. Over 1,500 verified praised 麻豆原创 Concur for its positive user experience, clear budget visibility, mobile receipt capture, time-saving features during usage and reimbursement processes, seamless integration with productivity tools, and the convenience of its mobile app.

See you at 麻豆原创 Concur Fusion

We鈥檙e thrilled to announce that the 麻豆原创 Concur Fusion event is back in 2025 and will be held in beautiful Seattle, Washington. As the premier travel and expense event, 麻豆原创 Concur Fusion offers over 200 learning opportunities, access to experts and consultants, and hands-on training to help you unlock the full potential of your 麻豆原创 Concur solutions. It鈥檚 an experience you can鈥檛 miss.

Looking Ahead

As we move further into 2025, we remain committed to delivering innovation that addresses your most pressing business needs. We鈥檙e excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and look forward to partnering with you to drive your business forward. Whether it鈥檚 through our AI-enhanced solutions, our comprehensive spend management suite, or events like 麻豆原创 Concur Fusion, we鈥檙e here to support your success every step of the way.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. Here鈥檚 to a transformative and successful 2025!

*IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Direct Spend 2024 Vendor Assessment, #US52734424e, December 2024

Jeff Collier is chief revenue officer for 麻豆原创 Intelligent Spend and Business Network.

This was the key insight gleaned from the (NASCES) last fall, 鈥淎 NASCES24 Speaker Roundtable – A Supply Chain Discussion.鈥�

Unlike musicians, supply chain professionals work with stakeholders who span roles and organizations, each with differing objectives. While finance pushes for cost reductions, sales and marketing may demand speed, and operations might prioritize risk mitigation. It is up to supply chain leaders to carefully balance these competing goals, ensuring efficiency without compromising other interests.

Here are my key takeaways from the panel, which featured supply chain leaders from prominent companies in the high-tech, retail, and consumer products industries.

Leverage Innovative Procurement and Multi-Sourcing Strategies

In today鈥檚 dynamic global landscape, change can happen instantly. Businesses must navigate an array of factors, including geopolitical conflicts, natural disasters, shifting consumer preferences, intricate regulations, and more. A common theme among the panelists involved leveraging multi-sourcing and digital procurement tools to empower supply chain managers to be flexible when addressing unexpected disruptions.

Multi-sourcing strategies involve diversifying the supplier base to mitigate the risks associated with relying on a single provider. By adopting this approach, businesses can ensure continuous supply and maintain operational resilience. For example, if one supplier faces a disruption, a manufacturing company can quickly shift to another supplier, minimizing downtime and meeting production timelines.

Dynamic sourcing, a strategy that involves the continuous evaluation and adjustment of supplier relationships, enhances agility by allowing companies to adapt to market fluctuations and stay competitive. For instance, a company can procure raw materials from the most cost-effective supplier based on real-time market conditions, driving down costs without impacting product quality or production schedules.

Enhanced supply chain visibility is another crucial benefit. With real-time insights into supplier performance, managers can pinpoint inefficiencies and optimize costs. Additionally, increased transparency improves compliance with regulatory and environmental standards, helping meet ethical sourcing practices and sustainability goals.

Invest in Digital Transformation and AI

Panelists emphasized how supply chain leaders are leveraging AI, using it as a tool to respond quickly to emerging trends. Technology is a superpower when it comes to balancing different priorities — digital platforms, generative AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics provide supply chain teams with centralized visibility. This empowers them to be more agile, strategic, and efficient.

Additionally, advanced platforms that leverage AI can provide real-time data about inventory, shipment, and delivery statuses, which help reduce silos between various stakeholders. This transparency minimizes conflicts and aligns efforts across departments, ensuring cohesive decision-making and a collaborative work environment.

Level Up Your Demand Forecasting

When dealing with an unpredictable business environment, panelists shared how they are increasingly relying on accurate demand forecasting for stakeholder alignment. Leveraging AI-powered predictive analytics enables them to anticipate demand fluctuations and adjust their strategies accordingly. This foresight fosters trust and ensures that all internal stakeholders are working together toward collective objectives.

Panelists highlighted that this can also ensure that each team is supported in their daily tasks. For instance, manufacturing teams can receive adequate stock, finance teams can avoid excess inventory costs, and operations can maintain smooth workflows. Predictive analytics turns forecasting into a strategic advantage, enabling companies to address potential issues proactively and reduce risks.

Achieving Supply Chain Harmony

Competing stakeholder priorities don鈥檛 have to create friction. By investing in AI, implementing dynamic sourcing, and adopting cloud-based procurement platforms, supply chain professionals can turn these challenges into opportunities for innovation and collaboration. The result is a supply chain that is not only efficient and productive, but also resilient and adaptable — a true asset to every stakeholder involved.

The key to harmonizing stakeholder priorities lies in leveraging advanced technologies and adopting innovative strategies. With the right tools and mindset, supply chain leaders can transform challenges into opportunities, creating a supply chain that is agile, efficient, and able to meet stakeholder needs.

is specifically designed to address many of the issues and challenges discussed. It provides the necessary tools to seamlessly connect buyers and suppliers, streamline procurement and supply chain processes, and ensure that every stakeholder thrives in rapidly changing markets. By investing in such technology, businesses can build a future-ready supply chain that drives resilience and long-term value.

To learn more about these insights and hear the full discussion from supply chain executives at leading companies, I encourage you to from the North American Supply Chain Executive Summit. You’ll gain valuable perspectives on how industry leaders are navigating complex supply chain challenges and balancing diverse stakeholder priorities in today鈥檚 dynamic business environment.

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Val Blatt is chief revenue officer for 麻豆原创 Business Network at 麻豆原创.

Looking ahead to 2025, several key trends are poised to reshape the landscape, promising both challenges and opportunities for forward-thinking organizations. To gain insight into what lies ahead, we鈥檝e reached out to Intelligent Spend and Business Network executives at 麻豆原创 for their predictions.

The AI-Powered Procurement Revolution

Etosha Thurman, chief marketing officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创, envisions a future where artificial intelligence (AI) takes center stage in procurement:

鈥淚n 2025, AI and cloud-based solutions will position procurement at the heart of data-driven decision-making, enabling real-time insights and freeing teams to focus on high-impact initiatives. The future belongs to procurement professionals who blend strategic thinking with relationship management and a combination of functional and technological expertise. These skills will be crucial in fostering cross-functional collaboration and advancing corporate goals, from supply assurance to compliance to sustainability. In the digital age, spend management expertise extends to not just supporting, but also steering the business.鈥�

This prediction underscores the critical role that AI will play in transforming procurement from a support function to a strategic driver of business value.

Streamlining Processes Through Orchestration

Manoj Swaminathan, president and chief product officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创, highlights the growing importance of process orchestration:

鈥淭he technology landscape is rapidly evolving, and organizations are grappling with a heterogeneous mix of solutions. Many companies now employ multiple systems to meet their end-to-end business needs, leading to siloed processes and confused employees. Procurement, in particular, often suffers from fragmented systems handling everything from purchase requests to supplier onboarding, creating inefficiencies and frustration.

To address this challenge, we鈥檙e seeing a shift toward process orchestration 鈥� a centralized approach that connects disparate systems, streamlining procurement inquiries and status updates. Our newest solution, 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management, can tackle this head-on by automating request creation and providing a single point of entry so that organizations can empower employees to adhere to policies and regulations without the burden of manual corrections. This approach can not only save valuable time and resources but also drive user adoption and increase compliance and efficiency, positioning companies to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.鈥�

The Rise of a New Generation of Procurement Leaders

Jeff Collier, chief revenue officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创, predicts a significant shift in procurement leadership:

鈥淚n 2025, a shift will occur in the procurement landscape as a wave of fresh faces step into the chief procurement officer role. AI-driven procurement strategies, ever-evolving requirements, and changing demographics have created the perfect storm for new leaders to emerge. As the industry stands on the precipice of transformation, organizations must prioritize nurturing existing talent, upskilling their workforce, and attracting bright young professionals to the procurement function. The stage is set for junior procurement leaders, who have proven their mettle during the challenging COVID-19 years, to rise to the occasion, particularly those who can showcase tangible achievements in sustainability, AI integration, or risk management. Brace yourselves for a year marked by new names, fresh perspectives, and a reshaped procurement industry in 2025.鈥�

The Power of AI Across Business Networks

Val Blatt, chief revenue officer for 麻豆原创 Business Network, offers insights into how AI will transform business networks:

鈥淚n the near term, AI is already making waves by optimizing process efficiency and information sharing within and across companies in a supply chain. As we move into 2025 and beyond, we鈥檒l see AI do more to synthesize intelligence and efficiency across areas like risk, demand, and inventory planning, as well as manufacturing and delivery. This evolution becomes even more relevant because no business does business alone, and AI can synthesize and be predictive across company boundaries. We鈥檒l see AI decision support evolve into decision-making 鈥� and, ultimately, automated process execution. These advancements will occur as the need for AI to sense and predict situations with proposed planning recommendations grows, spanning across related functional areas and processes that involve trading partners in a supply chain.

In its Network Adoption Research Study* sponsored by 麻豆原创, IDC found that 鈥淒igital Champions鈥� who use modern, cloud-based tools like AI, analytics, and business networks have grown over 140% in revenue and profit performance indices from 2016 to 2021. As AI capabilities expand to sense, predict, and execute across organizational boundaries, businesses will gain next-level efficiency, visibility, and compliance. This will enable them to maintain a resilient supply chain that delivers on customer promises, especially in times of disruption, by leveraging the collective intelligence of their entire business network.鈥�

The Evolution of Travel and Expense Management

Christopher Juneau, SVP and head of 麻豆原创 Concur Product Marketing, Intelligent Spend and Business Network Marketing & Solutions, (T&E):

鈥淎s leaders strive to position their company for growth in 2025, they will still attempt to maintain employee spending at 2024 levels. Inflation drove higher spending beginning in 2023, resulting in fewer trips in 2024. As inflation slows, many leaders are likely to expect that their T&E budget 鈥� even if flat year over year 鈥� will go further in 2025.

Meanwhile, finance teams and travel managers will adjust their T&E policies to account for AI as more tasks and processes become automated. Will managers need to approve every expense report? Will they need to review them at all? How can policies and rules be modified so that travelers spend as little time in T&E tools as possible? These are some of the questions they will start to ask in 2025.

Investments in technology innovation and security infrastructure will be top priorities. The risks associated with security and privacy incidents will only continue to grow, which means companies are looking for technologies that deliver greater value to customers with lower risk. It is really a balancing act to move fast without disregarding the very important aspects of security and privacy when architecting solutions 鈥� internally and for customers.鈥�

Looking Ahead

As we look to 2025, it鈥檚 clear that the world of spend management and supply chain is on the brink of transformative change. The convergence of AI, sustainability imperatives, and interconnected business ecosystems will reshape how organizations operate and compete.

At 麻豆原创, we鈥檙e not just observing these trends 鈥� we鈥檙e actively shaping them, working to ensure our customers are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of tomorrow鈥檚 business landscape.

For a deeper dive into the future of procurement, be sure to check out . We will also be hosting a global webinar on these findings on February 4, 2025 titled 鈥�.鈥� This is an excellent opportunity to gain comprehensive insights and stay ahead of the curve. We encourage you to read the report and sign up for the webinar to learn more about the exciting developments shaping the industry.

The future may be uncertain, but one thing is clear: those who embrace these emerging trends and technologies will be best positioned to thrive in the dynamic world of 2025 and beyond. As we continue to design and deliver spend management and business network solutions that drive efficiency, leverage AI responsibly, and create greater visibility for businesses of all sizes, we look forward to partnering with our customers on this exciting journey of transformation and growth.

Cindy McKendry is a director for Intelligent Spend and Business Network Corporate Communications at 麻豆原创.

*Source: 鈥淚DC Network Adoption Research Study eBook: Driving Best-in-Class Supply Chain Collaboration with a Business Network,鈥� #US5084723, August 2023, page 18

With more change on the horizon, it is vital to keep these bets in mind to prepare for potential challenges head-on. Over the past year, we鈥檝e witnessed how spend management professionals who stay confident and bet big achieve remarkable results. In fact, according to the , C-suite confidence in the procurement function has increased by 14% in just one year, with 84% of executives now agreeing that procurement is essential for organizational strategy.

As we gear up for 2025 and beyond, let鈥檚 explore these five bets that will solidify spend management’s role as an indispensable part of an organization.

Bet #1: Strategic Collaboration

The first bet that spend management professionals should place is on strategic collaboration. As procurement becomes increasingly integrated with other critical business functions, it is up to procurement professionals to lead these collaborative efforts. Your colleagues are looking to you to take the initiative and ensure that procurement is involved in strategic initiatives that keep your organization agile in the face of uncertainty.

Whether you are partnering with HR to or implementing a in partnership with supply chain, 麻豆原创 is here to support you. Our solutions are designed with collaboration at the forefront, working to minimize miscommunication and simplify business processes so you can focus on what truly matters.

Bet #2: Effortless Compliance

The mere mention of compliance can evoke stress and worry in anyone who has ever worked in spend management. Ensuring every detail is accounted for can be nerve-racking, especially when considering local regulations and sustainability goals. At 麻豆原创, we believe that compliance should not just be simple; it should be truly effortless.

For example, can enable employees to select in-policy vendors from the start. with 麻豆原创 Business Network helps you understand and comply with evolving tax regulations. From complex tax requirements to travel policies, 麻豆原创 can help you eliminate these points of concern before they cause issues.

Bet #3: Seamless Integration

While intraorganizational strategic collaboration is key for an efficient operating model, your software must also be seamlessly integrated to make the most of our connected solutions. Fragmented processes and tools won鈥檛 get you where you need to go, which is why 麻豆原创 is committed to a suite-first strategy that aims to reduce the number of systems used to manage spend.

Whether you are an all-麻豆原创 customer or use third-party technology, we can offer a seamless experience regardless of where you are in your 麻豆原创 journey. From , your single source of truth for all spend data, to that can streamline all your procurement processes, our out-of-the-box solutions help deliver powerful business outcomes across the entire spend management process.

Bet #4: Increased Productivity

The next bet to place is on increased productivity. In recent years, we have seen firsthand how productivity gaps can be detrimental to an organization. Add in unexpected geopolitical and economic events, and you have a recipe for disaster. As the procurement landscape evolves, it is imperative to upskill your workforce to meet evolving demands.

厂础笔鈥檚 newest innovations, like , can help automate mundane tasks, freeing up bandwidth for making strategic decisions that really count. And increased productivity is not just reserved for key decision-makers 鈥� it benefits every employee at every level.

Bet #5: Informed Decision-Making

Finally, spend management professionals should bet big on informed decision-making. More than ever, it is essential to make choices quickly and confidently, knowing that your decisions are supported by data. That鈥檚 where 麻豆原创 comes in 鈥� solutions like and can deliver the best recommendations for you, helping to take the guesswork out of decisions amid timeline pressure.

With data-informed reports and suggestions, you can be confident that your choices are backed by best-in-class insights. 麻豆原创 helps reduce complexity and can deliver only the insights needed to make the best choices for your business.

New Ways to Streamline Critical Business Processes

To learn more about the innovations shared at 麻豆原创 Spend Connect Live in 2024, I encourage you to read this article by my colleague Manoj Swaminathan, president and chief product officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创.

I say it every year, but there is something truly special about spending time with our incredible customers, hearing transformation stories and tales of success across so many organizations. The 麻豆原创 community鈥檚 resilience, drive, and commitment to excellence inspire me greatly.

When it comes to the right tools, best integrations, and data-driven insights, 麻豆原创 is your go-to partner. Our solutions, informed by your feedback, are here to help you win big. As you close out this year and head into a new one, remember that 麻豆原创 is here for you. When you rely on 麻豆原创, you secure the future success of not just your business function, but your entire organization.

Etosha Thurman is chief marketing officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创. 

If you missed out on the action, we unveiled the following cutting-edge innovations in our market-leading solutions:

• is our newest solution that helps automate procurement request creation and orchestrate routing and support across diverse procurement landscapes and complex workflows. It can connect different systems into one central location for procurement inquiries and status updates, so employees can adhere to your organization鈥檚 policies and comply with necessary regulations.
• 厂础笔鈥檚 generative AI copilot  will be seamlessly integrated across 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions, 麻豆原创 Business Network, and 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions. Joule can enable users to manage their most important tasks quickly and accurately across all areas of 厂础笔鈥檚 spend management portfolio.  
• The can empower suppliers to find new business, improve match potential, and build relationships with buyers using the network catalog. Available early next year, it includes聽generative AI tools to help suppliers load their full suite of offerings into the network catalog faster and with enhanced product descriptions and summaries.聽
• New can deliver next-level insights into your external workforce for reporting, analytics, and market insights all within 麻豆原创 Fieldglass.

Read this article from my colleague Manoj Swaminathan to learn more about our latest spend management and business network enhancements.

Leading brands such as Goldman Sachs, Kraft-Heinz, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uber, and Warner Music Group joined us at the event to share how they revolutionized their spend management processes with our solutions. Check out to hear these stories and view breakout sessions, strategy talks, and solution deep dives. This free, virtual event is your opportunity to learn from 麻豆原创 experts, customers, and partners.

Thank You, IDC

As a leader in spend management software, 麻豆原创 is dedicated to helping our customers increase control and business resilience by comprehensively managing all sources of spend. Hard work pays off, as 麻豆原创 has retained the No.1 position for market share with 49.6% of 2023 market share for Travel and Expense Management Software, according to the . This is growth from our 2022 market share of 49.4%. 

Also exciting, 麻豆原创 has retained the No.1 position for market share for Procurement Applications according to the . IDC estimates that 麻豆原创 holds a 27.3% market share for 2023, maintaining the top spot ahead of the next six vendors combined.

Additionally, we鈥檙e honored to win two IDC SaaS CSAT awards for Accounts Payable and Contract Lifecycle Management. These awards recognize the leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendors in each application market, across 23 markets, that receive the highest customer satisfaction scores based on IDC’s SaaSPath Survey.

Our Customer Awards Reach New Heights

Every quarter, G2 highlights the top-rated solutions in the industry, chosen by the source that matters most: our customers. Q3 was our most successful quarter yet regarding G2 honors, with 麻豆原创 Ariba, 麻豆原创 Business Network, 麻豆原创 Concur, and 麻豆原创 Fieldglass bringing in a whopping 93 awards across multiple categories at the Fall 2024 G2 awards!

麻豆原创 was named a Leader in the following categories:

• is a G2 Fall 2024 Leader in Procure to Pay, Strategic Sourcing, and Supplier Relationship Management.
• is a G2 Fall 2024 Leader in Supply Chain Business Networks.
• is a G2 Fall 2024 Leader in Expense, Travel & Expense, and Invoicing.
• is a G2 Fall 2024 Leader in Vendor Management.

What鈥檚 more, 麻豆原创 Ariba, 麻豆原创 Concur, and 麻豆原创 Fieldglass have also won Buyer鈥檚 Choice awards from TrustRadius. Winners of a Buyer鈥檚 Choice award are determined by 75% of reviewers selecting a solution for best capabilities, best value for price, and best customer relationship.

We couldn鈥檛 be more grateful to our customers for partnering with us on their spend management transformation journeys, and we鈥檙e honored that the feeling is mutual!

Winning awards from our customers is awesome, but winning with customers is extra special. Last month, customer and 麻豆原创 Spend Connect Live in 2024 speaker Daniel Chapman of Warner Music won a in the Innovation in Sourcing category: 鈥淐reating Harmony in Music Procurement: Warner Music Group and 麻豆原创.鈥� This award recognizes organizations and individuals that show innovation, leadership, and transformation in categories critical to the sourcing industry, and we couldn鈥檛 be happier about this win.

Last but definitely not least, I want to congratulate our customer Capgemini for winning a prestigious from  in the Future of Work: Human Capital Management category. The award recognizes Capgemini鈥檚 innovative use of 麻豆原创 Fieldglass Contingent Workforce Management to optimize its global external workforce, resulting in improved efficiency, cost savings, and quality standards.

New Developments on the Horizon

With 2025 just around the corner, I want to thank our customers for betting big on themselves by investing in our cutting-edge spend management and business network solutions. In a time marked by supply chain disruptions and ongoing economic uncertainty, it’s all too easy for businesses to stick with the status quo. However, 麻豆原创 customers are different. They tackle obstacles head-on, transforming them into opportunities. And their foresight to plan for the future is why they will continue to be successful.

Thank you for choosing 麻豆原创 to help solve your biggest challenges. I enjoyed seeing so many of you at 麻豆原创 Spend Connect Live and I can鈥檛 wait to catch up with the rest of you on the road.

Jeff Collier is chief revenue officer for 麻豆原创 Intelligent Spend and Business Network.

While it鈥檚 relatively straightforward to control and reduce a company’s direct emissions, mitigating those that arise along the whole supply chain requires a lot of time, collaboration, and data sharing. One major challenge companies face is outdated tools, such as spreadsheets or questionnaires, and disconnected processes to collaborate with their network. Furthermore, the lack of standardized carbon footprint calculations and exchange methods has led to a variety of different approaches to collect and report on data, resulting in many organizations relying only on industry averages rather than actual numbers.

Managing carbon to accelerate a net-zero future makes measurability critically important. That is where technology and innovation can make a real difference. With 麻豆原创 Sustainability solutions and our ERP-centric, cloud-based, AI-enabled approach, we support our customers to use integrated sustainability data and embed it holistically into their core business processes.

What Is 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange?

麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange helps facilitate standardized carbon data exchange between partners along the supply chain, supporting organizations to move from estimates to actuals in their upstream emission data. The application allows users to share emissions data to help implement their net-zero strategy and take climate action by identifying products or processes with high potential for CO2 reduction, avoiding double emissions counting, and optimizing footprints with actual supplier data. It helps drive scalability, standardization, and trust in carbon data exchange across the supply chain.

麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange is seamlessly embedded into the 麻豆原创 landscape, connecting to for master data replication and integrating with to help enable accurate product carbon footprint calculations on a large scale.

To Harness the Power of Networks, Standardization Is Key

To be able to exchange carbon footprint values, standardization and interoperability with industry networks and frameworks are key, as they foster co-innovation and collaboration without a loss of data sovereignty. 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange is interoperable and compliant with the new standards set by the automotive network and the Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT) by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development ().

PACT, for example, developed the global standard for calculating and exchanging consistent, comparable, and credible emission data that occurs along a company鈥檚 value chain and is outside its direct control, known as scope 3 emissions. Catena-X works closely with PACT to establish a joint standardization foundation on carbon accounting and sharing while adding industry-specific extensions.

Catena-X has certified 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange for its sustainability use case. , a tier 1 automotive supplier, was one of the first customers to harness the application when it faced challenges in calculating its product carbon footprint in a standardized way to exchange product carbon footprint values with both customers and suppliers. With 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange, WITTE Automotive can integrate the supplier footprints it receives through the Catena-X network, precisely calculate the product carbon footprint of parts and components, and publish the calculated values of its finished products within the network.

鈥淭his open and collaborative data ecosystem perfectly reflects 厂础笔鈥檚 vision to enable every organization to become a network of intelligent, sustainable enterprises and gives the companies leveraging the Catena-X automotive network access to a broad portfolio of 麻豆原创 solutions, from enabling the traceability of products across multiple parties in the supply chain to tracking and calculating the scope 3 emissions.鈥�

– Christian Klein, CEO, 麻豆原创 SE

In addition, 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange embraces the power of , leveraging the depth and breadth of a global network trusted by millions of businesses, through which nearly US$6 trillion of annual commerce is executed via over 750 million transactions.

A Core Pillar of the Green Ledger

Having an accurate view of carbon emissions across the entire supply chain not only enables data exchange but can have a real impact on the bottom line. Many companies want to make carbon an integral part of the corporate balance sheet, measuring and managing it with the same precision as cash 鈥� therefore treating carbon like money. The use of 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange and 麻豆原创 Green Ledger, which will be generally available at the end of 2024, can provide a strong basis for making financial decisions.

Start the 麻豆原创 Sustainability Data Exchange product tour to learn more.

麻豆原创 Sustainability solutions can support even more than carbon management and environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related disclosures. Check out our to learn more about support for operational compliance and material transition and subscribe to the to stay up-to-date.

Gunther Rothermel is chief product officer and co-GM for 麻豆原创 Sustainability.

The announcements were made at , the industry鈥檚 premier spend management conference, held October 14-16 in Las Vegas.

麻豆原创 Embeds Generative AI Across Spend Management and Business Network Solutions

麻豆原创 is embedding its generative AI copilot Joule across the 麻豆原创 Ariba source-to-pay solution portfolio to make it easier for customers to manage routine inquiries, such as status updates, summarization and frequently asked questions. Generative AI will be further infused in 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions to recommend buying bundles and provide comprehensive supplier summaries.

Joule will help 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions customers perform time-consuming hiring tasks and service requests with speed and accuracy. Joule can recommend best-fit templates to generate job postings and statements of work (SOWs) with prefilled information such as start date and the number of skilled workers needed.

Joule embedded across 麻豆原创 Business Network will facilitate tasks in logistics and asset management. Generative AI will analyze, categorize and transform unstructured invoice rejection errors into structured, actionable insights to reduce the cost of resolving exceptions. Generative AI capabilities within the 麻豆原创 Business Network Discovery solution will help match suppliers with new business opportunities.

Joule is currently available within 麻豆原创 Ariba solutions and will debut in 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions and 麻豆原创 Business Network in the fourth quarter 2024. Joule will manage 80% of the most frequently performed tasks in the portfolio of intelligent spend management and business network solutions from 麻豆原创 starting in the fourth quarter 2024 with a phased approach.

New 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management Solution Delivers Simplicity in Procurement

麻豆原创 introduces the 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management solution to help transform how businesses handle employee requests and process orchestration, starting with procurement.

With 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management, employees have one place to go for procurement inquiries and visibility on status. The solution collects employee requests, orchestrates processes across heterogenous landscapes and applications, including all necessary stakeholders, and provides visibility on status while shielding employees from process complexity yet keeping them informed. This simpler, more intuitive user experience is designed to help drive adoption and improve compliance.

麻豆原创 plans to make 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management available in the first quarter 2025.

New 麻豆原创 Business Network, Promote Subscription to Help Suppliers Grow their Businesses

麻豆原创 Business Network in the first quarter 2025 will launch a new promote subscription with value-added features to help suppliers differentiate themselves, attract new buyers and grow their businesses. With millions of companies conducting nearly $6 trillion in commerce annually on the 麻豆原创 Business Network, promote presents a sizable opportunity for suppliers to accelerate growth.

麻豆原创 Unveils Analytics Add-On for External Workforce Management

The new analytics add-on with AI capabilities for 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions helps procurement, vendor management and HR professionals to quickly implement more agile multi-channel talent strategies. This add-on enables business users to benchmark and predict external talent scenarios.

The analytics add-on for 麻豆原创 Fieldglass solutions lets users:

• Review performance against over 50 external workforce key performance indicators.
• Access global market intelligence including rates, talent supply and demand, and time-to-hire trends.
• Track sustainability initiatives such as spend with diverse suppliers and worker health and safety, while observing cost overruns, worker fatigue, and on- and offboarding compliance.

鈥淲ith 麻豆原创 Business AI as the foundation of our intelligent products, customers can improve productivity and gain insights from their spend data no matter where it sits,鈥� said Manoj Swaminathan, President and Chief Product Officer, Intelligent Spend and Business Network, 麻豆原创. 鈥淲hether it is managing cost, mitigating risk or supporting scope three emission reduction, 麻豆原创 empowers companies with the right solutions for agile and effective spend management and supply chain functions.鈥�

Visit the . Follow 麻豆原创 at .

Media Contact:
Kelly Sheldon Murray, +1 (978) 708-6821, kelly.murray@sap.com, ET
麻豆原创 麻豆原创 Room; press@sap.com

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ.  Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of 厂础笔鈥檚 2023 Annual Report on Form 20-F.
漏 2024 麻豆原创 SE. All rights reserved.
麻豆原创 and other 麻豆原创 products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of 麻豆原创 SE in Germany and other countries. Please see for additional trademark information and notices.

Once again, we are prepared to showcase groundbreaking innovations that will revolutionize the landscape of spend management. As I continue to engage with our customers, their enthusiasm for our latest offerings helps validate our commitment to delivering solutions that streamline processes and empower businesses to achieve their full potential.  

At 麻豆原创 our focus is on automating tedious, time-consuming tasks, allowing you to concentrate on the strategic decisions that drive your organization forward. 麻豆原创 continues to invest heavily in innovations across the spend management and business network portfolio, including new artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and seamless integrations, enabling users to navigate uncertainty, seize optimization opportunities, and simplify processes. Our goal is to give you the freedom to shape your business鈥檚 future without the distraction of day-to-day operational noise. 

Betting Big on Your Success with 麻豆原创 

During my keynote, I outlined our product strategy for the coming year, emphasizing three key pillars: Data, Intelligence, and Suite. These focus areas are a direct response to the valuable input we鈥檝e received from customers. I am confident that our continuing investments in these areas will provide them with the insights needed to make informed, strategic decisions that propel their organization to new heights.  

Our newest capabilities across our intelligent spend management solutions enable customers to gain visibility across all of their processes, eliminating fragmented touchpoints that hinder progress.

As Mickey North Rizza, group vice-president of Enterprise Software at IDC, recently shared, 鈥溌槎乖� continues to dominate the procurement applications space as measured by market share because customers want a seamless user experience with which to conduct the full spectrum of their spend management/procurement activity. When layering in the breadth of 麻豆原创’s industry experience, the expansive business network, and direct sourcing capabilities, 麻豆原创 has clearly earned its place.鈥� 

I couldn鈥檛 agree more.  Our commitment to maintaining our position as the industry standard in spend management is unwavering, and we will continue to set the benchmark for providing a smooth, efficient user interface while delivering unparalleled visibility into every aspect of spend.

Now, let鈥檚 dive into this year鈥檚 announcements.  

Generative AI Transforms the Source-to-Pay Process 

麻豆原创 is dedicated to delivering best-in-class solutions infused with AI, empowering you to prioritize strategic initiatives over mundane tasks. We understand and hear the concerns surrounding data security when implementing AI, which is why we have made no compromises in ensuring our AI capabilities set the standard for compliance. From third-party advisory boards to adhering to the UNESCO 10 Guiding Principles for Ethical AI and singing the , we enable customers to harness the power of AI without sacrificing control over their data.  

厂础笔鈥檚 generative AI copilot will be seamlessly integrated across 麻豆原创 Ariba, 麻豆原创 Business Network, and 麻豆原创 Fieldglass starting in Q4 of 2024. Joule will enable users to manage their most important tasks quickly and accurately across all areas of our spend management portfolio.  

In , users will be able to use generative AI-infused capabilities to create RFPs and request help with routine inquiries and surface risks. These capabilities will also provide buying recommendations along with comprehensive supplier summaries from different data sources. In addition, sustainability scorecard from 麻豆原创 Ariba ensures that customers can make informed decisions that align with their organizations鈥� environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives.  

With Joule, 麻豆原创 Fieldglass users can take advantage of template recommendations to generate job postings and SOWs with pre-filled information, saving precious time. Users can now request assistance and insights in natural language, and immediately receive responses from Joule directly from the 麻豆原创 Help Portal. It is now possible to ask Joule how to create a job posting and receiving accurate, step-by-step instructions complete with links and resources.  

will use Joule to help with logistics and asset management tasks. Joule provides 麻豆原创 Business Network users a natural language interface and navigation for scenarios such as status requests and queries, supporting freight orders, freight bookings, invoice disputes, equipment, notifications, and work orders. It will also provide insights into rejected invoices to reduce manual intervention for errors. Suppliers can dive into potential business opportunities based on keyword matching that selects best-fit profiles for RFIs. 

Streamlining Procurement with 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management  

Most companies have a complex landscape of disparate and siloed solutions for handling procurement needs such as purchase requests, contract processing, or helping onboard a new services provider. Typically, employees don鈥檛 know which platform, portal, or system will handle their request because it isn’t a task they perform regularly. Hours of time may be wasted trying to figure out how to make the request in the first place and track down subsequent status updates. 

But no more: 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management, a brand-new solution built on 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform, will automate procurement request creation and provide process orchestration, including routing and support across diverse procurement landscapes and complex workflows. By connecting different systems into one central location for procurement inquiries and status updates, employees can adhere to your organization’s policies and comply with necessary regulations without the need for time consuming manual corrections. 麻豆原创 Ariba Intake Management will offer one pane of glass for status updates and requests, making procurement orchestration simpler and more intuitive. Scheduled to be available in Q1 of 2025, the solution will offer out-of-the-box integration with other 麻豆原创 solutions and a robust set of connectors for third-party integration.  

Empowering Suppliers with 麻豆原创 Business Network, Promote Subscription  

We announced a new promote subscription for the 麻豆原创 Business Network, designed to deliver immediate value to suppliers, helping them to find new business, improve match potential, and build relationships with buyers using the network catalog. Through the promote subscription, suppliers will receive recommendations to improve discoverability, advanced search results, supplier profile verification, and network catalog APIs. With the help of generative AI tools, suppliers can now load their full suite of offerings into the network catalog faster and with enhanced product descriptions and summaries. The new promote subscription will also help suppliers identify sales opportunities based on regional search data and use advanced insights to track business growth on the network.  

Elevating External Workforce Management with 麻豆原创 Fieldglass Analytics Add-On 

麻豆原创 Fieldglass delivers a new, enhanced analytics capability with next-level insights into your external workforce. The analytics add-on with AI capabilities will help businesses meet sustainability and human rights goals, acquire talent quickly, and implement multi-channel talent acquisition strategies. Users can benchmark and predict external talent scenarios, review performance against KPIs, track trends against industry averages, and monitor sustainability and compliance initiatives.  

As we continue to listen to our customers and invest in our spend management and business network solution offerings, our commitment to setting the standard for spend management software remains steadfast. We are committed to providing innovative solutions that help our customers collaborate strategically with their business partners, enhance productivity, and improve compliance.  

To learn more about these new innovations, read 鈥�Innovations in Spend Management from 麻豆原创 Help Customers Improve Productivity, Gain Insights and Boost Growth.鈥�

If you couldn鈥檛 attend 麻豆原创 Spend Connect Live in Las Vegas, sign up here for the to access live and on-demand content from across content tracks. Join us as we continue to shape the future of spend management together.聽

Manoj Swaminathan is president and chief product officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创.

It’s easy to pour funds into the next big idea, but without a robust ecosystem to support these innovations even the most groundbreaking social enterprises struggle to scale their impact. That’s why at 麻豆原创 we’re putting our money where others won’t 鈥� into unrestricted funding for organizations such as the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, Catalyst2030, or the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF). These organizations are the backbone of social innovation yet often operate on shoestring budgets and tight resources. It’s high time we all recognize that building ecosystems isn’t an overhead, but essential infrastructure.

Ecosystem development isn鈥檛 just another way of funding organizations. Think of it as creating interconnected pathways that enable social enterprises to thrive. Over the years, we’ve discovered three critical areas where focused efforts can make a transformative difference: integrating social enterprises into supply chains, fostering radical collaboration, and empowering social entrepreneurs worldwide, especially the next generation.

Integration into Supply Chains: A Game Changer and the Biggest Lever

Integrating social enterprises into mainstream supply chains is our biggest lever. Through 麻豆原创 Business Network, 麻豆原创 runs the world’s largest B2B marketplace, where more than US$5.3 trillion in annual commerce is transacted across 190 countries. If 麻豆原创 can help its customers shift a small percentage of that spending to impact business suppliers, we can create a significant financial investment in sustainable development.

As of November 2023, 麻豆原创 Business Network recognizes verified social enterprises, and in less than a year the number of verified social enterprises on 麻豆原创 Business Network has surged from 1,200 to over 4,400. Beyond the numbers, this growth is about creating real opportunities for businesses that prioritize social and environmental impact. By enabling these enterprises to identify themselves as potential sellers, we provide them with access to B2B opportunities, allowing them to scale their operations and increase their influence on global supply chains. In addition, we support a unified standard for social enterprises called the 鈥淧eople and Planet First Verification鈥� in partnership with the Social Enterprise World Forum, which reaches social enterprise suppliers in more than 120 countries.

Frankly, this is not an altruistic move, but fulfills the clich茅 of a win-win situation. We鈥檝e learned that by opening doors for impact-driven businesses to compete on a level playing field, we’re enriching the entire supply chain with innovation, sustainability, and social value. To help prepare markets for these kinds of trading relationships, we are hosting social procurement roundtables in multi-stakeholder settings and are also integrating social procurement into more customer-facing events and campaigns, helping to ensure our customers have the tools and resources to prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions.

Ultimately, when social enterprises succeed, we all win. Integrating them into supply chains transforms their businesses and ours, fundamentally changing the procurement system.

The Urgent Need for Radical Collaboration

Integrating social enterprises into supply chains is just one piece of the puzzle. Today, offerings to social enterprises are too fragmented. Non-profits, private sector initiatives, and governmental programs often operate in silos, duplicating efforts and diluting impact. Radical collaboration is something that鈥檚 needed on all ends.

That’s why, for example, we collaborate with Unilever, EY, and MovingWorlds to run the TRANSFORM Support Hub 鈥� an on-demand acceleration platform that provides personalized guidance, access to consultants, mentors, and coaches, and introductions to sales and partnership opportunities. We’re collecting and summarizing the offerings, breaking down barriers, and creating a location for unified support.

Just last year, 120 麻豆原创 employees completed 51 projects via the TRANSFORM Support Hub, providing pro-bono consulting to social enterprises and generating an in-kind contribution of $458,835. One of these employees was David Elliott, a senior user assistance developer who collaborated with Faces Up Uganda, a youth development NGO that uses arts and crafts education to help young people overcome psychosocial challenges and develop essential personal and professional skills. He leveraged his expertise to review the organization鈥檚 website and strategic plan, enhancing the communication of its vision, mission, and values, and wrote grant applications to help secure funding.

But collaboration must go beyond platforms. It requires a collective shift in mindset. It’s time we stop asking, “What new thing can I create?” and start asking “What can we achieve together?” and 鈥淲hat is already out there?”

To sum it up with a fact: 70.6% of young social entrepreneurs believe access to relevant global connections is critical to their work while 94.1% believe increasing collaboration with other organizations is important. So, corporations should start to open their networks and resources to connect industry experts with social entrepreneurs to foster the entire social innovation ecosystem.

Empowering the Next Generation of Social Entrepreneurs

While we are already talking about young social entrepreneurs, let鈥檚 not overlook them, as they are the future of this movement. They face unique barriers 鈥� limited access to funding, mentorship, and networks 鈥� that can stifle their potential before it even takes root.

We’re investing in programs that provide tailored support to young innovators. Through mentorship opportunities, capacity-building workshops, and access to our global networks, we’re leveling the playing field. Collaborations with organizations like Social Impact Award, We Are Family Foundation, and initiatives like Africa Forward can ensure that the next generation doesn’t just have a seat at the table, but is helping to set the agenda.

Let’s talk about Africa Forward, a critical step in our strategy to empower the next generation of African social entrepreneurs. Co-created by African members of Catalyst2030, this initiative is designed to advance progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and address the continent’s most pressing challenges through a partnership-driven approach.

This is about investing in long-term solutions by building a Pan-African data platform, promoting policy reform, and facilitating leadership training. Africa Forward is helping to create an ecosystem where social businesses can thrive. The goal is to enable a new wave of innovators, giving them the tools and opportunities they need to scale their impact. By focusing on capacity-building, youth training, and financial development, we’re laying a foundation for lasting change in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A Call to Action

So, after 14 years, what’s our biggest takeaway? Real change doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when we invest in the connective tissue 鈥� the ecosystems 鈥� that empower social enterprises to scale and succeed. I鈥檓 challenging corporations, investors, and policymakers to rethink their approach. Don’t just fund the next shiny project; invest in the infrastructure that supports them all.

Why are so few willing to invest in ecosystem development? Perhaps it’s not as immediately gratifying as funding a new app or launching a big campaign to reach a big number of people. But if we truly want to tackle systemic issues 鈥� poverty, inequality, climate change 鈥� we need to dig deeper. We need to build the foundations that allow solutions to grow sustainably.

We鈥檇 like to invite you to join us. Let’s pool our resources, break down the silos, and build an ecosystem that accelerates social impact on a global scale. Together, we can transform not just businesses but entire industries.

So, here’s the question: Are you ready to invest where it counts? Are you ready to invest in social entrepreneurship ecosystems?

Beneath the glow of its famed neon lights, the city is set to play host to the world鈥檚 premier spend management conference, where 麻豆原创 will showcase the increasingly vital role played by AI-enabled cloud solutions in shaping the flow of business-to-business commerce 鈥� and in ensuring the transparency needed for trading partners to foster collaboration, gauge sustainability, and bolster resilience throughout global supply chains.

To carry out business processes with confidence and continuity amid uncertain market conditions 鈥� from procurement and supply chain to logistics and asset management 鈥� organizations rely on an unending stream of data amassed through the routine course of operations. A firm鈥檚 growth prospects typically correlate with its access to such data, both its own and that of its trading partners. The higher the quality of that data, the more valuable the insights it contains, particularly when analyzed by emerging AI capabilities. At a time when operational data increasingly determines competitive advantage, businesses have turned to cloud-based networks to harness its potential. Operational data has thus become one of the most precious resources in any organization.

Of course, successful businesses have always set themselves apart by access to scarce resources. But did you know the same holds true for world-class cities as well?

Settled in 1905 as a rail link between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, the sleepy stopover known as Las Vegas was an unlikely candidate to become a century hence. Limited in arable land, much of the region lay fallow in the early twentieth century. But with the opening in 1936 of the Hoover Dam only 50 kilometers to the southeast, a city was born and a spectacular growth story begun. The world鈥檚 largest public works project of its day, construction of the dam required 21,000 workers to excavate 4.2 million cubic meters of rock, lay 937 kilometers of pipe, and pour 3.5 million cubic meters of concrete 鈥� enough to pave a highway stretching from Lisbon to Lapland.

Completed more than two years ahead of schedule in the depths of the Great Depression, the Hoover Dam soars 221 meters over the Colorado River, irrigating 1 million hectares of farmland in California, Arizona, and Nevada. It provides drinking water for urban centers including Phoenix, Tucson, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas and produces 4 billion kilowatt-hours of sustainable hydroelectric power annually for millions of homes and businesses across the southwestern U.S.

For nearly nine decades, the Hoover Dam has served as a conduit through which water and electricity flow in abundance, giving rise to a thriving city synonymous with legendary entertainment, a resplendent skyline, and limitless opportunity. For its part, too is a conduit for exponential growth. But the precious resource it distributes is operational data, and its beneficiaries are the millions of trading partners that conduct business through its enterprise applications augmented by .

Powerful business networks, not unlike mighty hydroelectric dams, represent marvels of engineering, feats of architecture, and transformative solutions to formidable operational challenges. With this in mind, I鈥檓 hard pressed to think of a more fitting backdrop to spotlight our latest 麻豆原创 Business Network innovations than the gleaming city of Las Vegas and the vivid growth story it embodies. Please join us there for , where we鈥檒l explore how customers are countering disruption, extending visibility, reducing costs, infusing sustainability, and strengthening resilience throughout their interconnected operations and those of their trading partners. We鈥檒l devote extensive discussion to the broadening set of capabilities within 麻豆原创 Business Network鈥檚 trading partner experience, aimed at optimizing value for all of the disparate parties engaged in business-to-business transactions. You can bet on an engaging, enlightening set of sessions led by peers; and I hope to see you there.

J枚rn Keller is executive vice president and chief product officer of 麻豆原创 Business Network.