Data shared across systems seamlessly to create supplier agreements is at the heart of efficient source-to-pay processes. Organizations harness the power of SAP Ariba to fulfil this goal, but often also want to use specialized capabilities of a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system.  How can organizations best synchronize SAP Ariba with a CLM? This is where Docusign enters the picture. The Docusign CLM/CLM+ Connector for SAP Ariba enhances procurement workflows with embedded agreement management that automates data sharing and streamlines workflows in tandem with SAP Ariba. Without it, teams can introduce unnecessary risks and inefficiency into source-to-pay activities due to excessive manual data entry, lost time moving between systems, and costly mistakes across the process lifecycle. In fact, according to Docusign, procurement teams lose more than $1 million in savings per year on average due to missed contractual incentives Docusign states. By contrast, alignment made possible by the Docusign CLM Connector for SAP Ariba minimizes errors and maximizes efficiencies. Manually synchronizing agreement data is not needed any more, while work teams are empowered to tackle critical tasks with confidence. The connector makes it easier to:

• Create new supplier agreements
• Ingest third-party documents
• Manage agreement task
• Maintain audit history from both CLM and Ariba
• Collaborate between legal and procurement teams

Docusign CLM in action As an end-to-end procurement process, the source-to-pay framework contains many moving pieces such as strategic sourcing, supplier selection, contract management, and purchasing, ending with payment to suppliers. The agreements needed throughout the process (e.g., sales contracts, offer letters, account openings, and invoices) contain some of the most valuable information an organization possesses: customer contact information, signatures, product and solution pricing, payment terms, and confidentiality clauses are just a few examples. Moreover, effective contract management through Docusign CLM can boost overall speed and efficiency by more than 80% according to Docusign statistics, while making source-to-pay processes less risky. It’s here that the connector balances the complexities of source-to-pay with effortless use within SAP Ariba. Users of the Docusign CLM, report a 449% ROI and 90% reduction in time spent generating new sales contracts, Docusign reports. The Docusign CLM+ Connector for SAP Ariba is easy to implement and maintain; enterprises can quickly establish a connection with SAP Ariba via the Docusign App Center. From there, an intuitive user interface sets up simple workflow steps to support sourcing and purchasing needs, with live status updates in SAP Ariba. SAP Ariba Contract Workspace fields are mapped to values in Docusign CLM, and data pulled from an SAP Ariba Contract Workspace can be used to populate forms and drive contracting workflows. One simple yet critical function here centers on contract metadata. When updating it in a manual or disconnected process, companies run the risk of errors with financial and even legal consequences. With the Docusign CLM+ Connector for SAP Ariba, metadata updates are swift. When start dates, end dates, and payment terms are updated in Docusign CLM, the existing Contract Workspace in SAP Ariba follows suit. Manual synchronization becomes a thing of the past. So does friction. Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar “Digitizing Source-to-Pay: How SAP and Docusign Accelerate Procurement Transformation.” What This Means for SAPinsiders Setting up the Docusign CLM connector for SAP Ariba is easy. Once the connector is set up, teams initiating or part of workflows in SAP Ariba can generate, review, negotiate, approve, and automate electronic signatures on supplier contracts. The integrated user experience between Docusign CLM and SAP Ariba allows legal and procurement teams to collaborate more efficiently, streamline data entry and reduce errors with automated data sharing.. SAPinsiders focused on making the most of their SAP Ariba investment and maximizing its role in source-to-pay processes must consider ease of use and implementation. The Docusign CLM+ Connector for SAP Ariba speeds source-to-pay activities and strengthens collaboration between teams.