Ariba Web Services - Configuring NetWeaver PI

[Former Member]

To all Ariba with SAP experts out there: I desperately need help with configuring the Web Services communication between Ariba and SAP using Sap PI. I struggle to find a meaningful document which can be used as a step-by-step guide to configure SAP PI . I have created the end points in Ariba and generated the WSDL but this is where I got stuck as I don’t seem to find any documentation to guide a “novice” through the steps to configure the functionality on the PI side – the Ariba documentation is very “frugal” when it describes the steps to be completed in PI. Any help like pointing to useful documentation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you E

[former_member220103]

Ariba Buyer pushes the message to the endpoint configured in the Integration configuration. In your case, the endpoint should be pointed to SAP PI.

Download the latest version of 12s2 repository objects from connect.ariba.com (Login required) and import into PI-ESR.

You can refer Chapter 8 (p79) in the integration guide here.

Please let me know if you still need any info.

Thanks,

Kanda

[Former Member]

Hi Kanda! thank you for your answer. However, I am asking about Integrating Transactional Data using Web Services. You are pointing to Chapter 5 (page 79) which is about Integrating Master Data. I know the guide you are referring to, it has lots of information about Ariba but what we need is a detailed step-by-step guidance on how to configure the PI so that we can create requisitions in Ariba and Purchase Orders are created in SAP - I have create the Outbound point to Create Purchase Orders but I get an error about communication failure. Similarly I have created an Inbound end point to bring Cost Centres from SAP but we don't seem to know how to configure PI using the WSDL generated in Ariba and this is the sort of documentation I was looking for if you could help. Thanks, E

[former_member220103]

Hi Elisa, Have you downloaded and imported ESR object XI7_1_ARIBA_ONDEMAND_PURCHASEORDER_12s2_of_ariba.com.tpz  into SAP PI?

Once you imported, perform the steps mentioned in chapter 4 in the below mentioned guide.

I think you are referring different version of the guide. Please refer the guide available here

1) Go to https://connect.ariba.com/AC_Home_Page/

2) In the home page, Product Summary menu, choose On-Demand solution, there you can find Ariba Procure to Pay. Click on "Ariba Procure to Pay".

3)In the opened page, there is a chapter called Product documentation. Click on the topic "Ariba Procure-To-Pay User and Administration Documentation"

4)You can find 3 tabs: Go to Administration tab. In that, you find the chapter ERP Integration.

5)Refer the document "Ariba Procurement Solution Integration Guide for SAP" under the chapter "Integration with SAP".

Thanks,

Kanda

[Former Member]

Thanks Kanda! I appreciate your help. Unfortunately I don't have the answer regarding the tpz file and this is where the confusion is. I am not sure whether the tpz files have been imported in PI or not, I will need to ask the PI consultant but the Procurement Solution Integration Guide for SAP document is a bit confusing: page 82 - Configuring WSDL in SAP NetWeaver PI it says: download the WSDL from Ariba Prod and import it in your SAP NetWeaver PI Development system. Then transport the TPZ file to your SAP NetWeaver PI system in production. - what does it mean: import WSDL into PI and import the tpz file? Fact that Production system is mentioned doesn't help either. So, do I understand correctly: first you need to import all the tpz files from Ariba into PI, then for each end point created a WSDL is created and imported into PI? Many thanks, E

[Former Member]

Are you planning to use the Ariba Adapter as a buyer? In our case I don't recall ever setting up end points with a WSDL. As mentioned already it is a push scenario for purchase orders, and for flipped invoices we have a polling interval to pull them.

My advice is get the content imported and get the adapter installed.

Then you (or your PI consultant) can go through the configuration steps to connect them. The relevant message types were included in the content so no need for WSDL there. The production Ariba URL gets loaded into the Ariba Adapter configuration. The way they keep test and production separate is by your Ariba network ID. They should give you a test account which still points at their production URL.

In my experience Ariba had much documentation but it was really sparse around the basic steps to set things up the first time. Good luck.

[former_member220103]

Hi, are you using Ariba P2P solution?

Thanks,

Kanda

[Former Member]

Thank you for your reply!

Yes, we are implementing the Buyer functionality.

thanks,
E