Supply on Demand: Faster Access to Supplier Data with it.vendor portal

When a world leader in engineering for the automotive industry began to implement SAP ERP at its international facilities, it approached NTT DATA Business Solutions for support. NTT DATA Business Solutions assessed each subsidiary of the company and identified a need for a universal vendor portal for its large supplier database and non-EDI (electronic data interchange) clients. Learn how we worked with the client to find a solution that would help optimize supplier management.

A huge, long-established name in automotive engineering, this customer serves the industry with drivetrain systems, service parts, and innovative solutions for vehicles of just about any size. Since starting out with just one man and an invention, the company has grown to over 30,000 employees with facilities in 33 countries.

For a company of this size, an ERP system greatly simplifies and accelerates core business processes. The customer had implemented SAP ECC (now SAP ERP) for this, a software solution that provides support in supplier management, sales and distribution, and tracking purchases to a wide range of industries. When the company approached NTT DATA Business Solutions with the desire to roll out the solution to its international locations, we began a scoping session to prepare the client for integration. When assessing its international facilities, it became clear that the company would benefit from a universal vendor portal for its large number of non-EDI clients.

Bringing All Suppliers into One Vendor Portal

Working out of numerous global offices, the client had multiple vendor portals, four of which did not interact with SAP ERP. This hindered data transparency and impeded transaction processes between departments and international offices. What’s more, with over 5,000 non-EDI vendors across its international locations, having to convert documents such as purchase orders and delivery confirmations into digital format slowed turnaround.

As a strategic partner, we worked closely with the company to find a solution that would overcome these challenges while also fitting its budget and timeline. Our team recommended the it.vendor portal AddOn to the company, as it is an SAP native application and can therefore be integrated without extensive IT overhaul.

Simple Tools for a Simple IT Landscape

it.vendor portal is a self-service web application that companies can use to easily manage suppliers, obtain real-time data on shipments and purchase orders, and maintain supplier relationships – even when dealing with non-EDI clients. The AddOn was ideal for international rollout as we would additionally be able to offer local translations in each country. Since it.vendor portal is based on SAP software, the company would benefit from a much simpler IT landscape to enable easier collaboration and data transfer as well as reduce third-party costs. Introducing the SAP Fiori user experience into its IT landscape meant that employees could easily operate it.vendor portal with little training.

With NTT DATA Business Solutions as an integration partner, employing a model based on SAP Best Practices across the globe and streamlining its ERP systems was simple and pain free. We worked closely with the client to offer a comprehensive, intuitive solution that met their budget, timeline, and scope. You can discover more about the it.vendor portal AddOn in the itelligence AddStore.