ESourcing 5.1 completed a successful Ramp-up program and is now Generally Available (GA).  This release of the SAP E-Sourcing application delivers new functionality to expand spend management, drive organizational visibility, efficiency, and compliance, and extend deployment flexibility to further deliver sustainable savings.  The following are some highlights of the new functionality:

• Simplified process for creating projects for new sourcing opportunities - User-Defined Objects (UDOs) are often created to capture sourcing requests and opportunities. A sourcing professional can initiate a project from these requests.
• Integration with SAP Spend Analytics - Rapid conversion of identified savings opportunities to new sourcing projects.
• Enhanced user experience - More intuitive user interface and streamlined processes.
• Full or partial quantity bidding - Increased control and flexibility for supplier responses.
• Expanded platform support - E-Sourcing not only supports rapid deployment as a service, but also can now be deployed in-house on a number of platforms.
• New Language Support
• New Project Fields
• Auction Enhancements - Auction Notification Attachments, Streamlined Auction Change Process, Full Bid Report maintains anonymity, Configure Auction Display, Bidding Page contents updated dynamically, and Part Number field in the line item information.

Supported Business Processes and Software Functions

• Cross-enterprise collaboration - Work jointly with all departments to define requirements, evaluate supplier proposals, and reach key sourcing decisions
• Enhanced project management - Link all sourcing activities to specific projects so you can track results and monitor project status for savings opportunities
• Cycle-time reduction - Create templates of every key sourcing process to save time and ensure best practices are being followed
• Supplier selection - Ensure that the right suppliers are competing for your business
• Automation and analysis - Manage requests for information, proposals, and quotations by creating requests automatically and analyzing bids
• Reverse auctions - Create tailored bidding events in which suppliers can interact in real time
• Contract creation, management, and compliance - Create supplier agreements from approved template content, streamline reviews and approvals, and integrate with backend systems for compliance management

For More Information

We will be publishing more blogs in the Business Process Experts Community.  Please use the comments to make suggestions for future topics.  In addition, more information will be available on the Service Marketplace at http://service.sap.com/srm.