Many large organisations use Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) software. It is increasingly a requirement of these companies that their suppliers must provide an eCatalog that is able to connect to their purchasing software using the Ariba Supplier Network, SAP Open catalog Interface (OCI).
SiteSphere® Supplier is a proven ready-to-go PunchOut e-commerce solution, which enables suppliers to connect their store directly to the buying software used by purchasing departments of large organisations. This allows suppliers to access this large market sector, and so greatly increase their customer base.
SAP Open catalog Interface (OCI) is a method of connecting a supplier's online store directly to the special purchasing software used by many large buying organisations. Buyers are able to punch out from the SAP purchasing software into a supplier's online store, and details of items selected are returned to the purchasing software in a purchase order.
This has advantages to the buying organisation, in being able to control spending patterns and costs, and also limit purchases to approved suppliers.
It also has advantages for the supplier, in being able to get preferential access to large buying organisations, in addition to cutting error rates, reduce invoice queries and increase sales.
An Efficient Order Process for You & Your Key Customers
- Reduces Ordering Errors
- 100% Accurate Contract Pricing
- Saves Order Processing Costs
- Eliminates Invoice Queries for Faster Settlement
- Improves Key Customer Retention
SiteSphere Supplier: Ready-to-go PunchOut solution
- Proven eCommerce platform - since 2000
- Cloud-based Product Information Manager
- Customer-specific Products & Pricing
- Easy-to-use Buyer catalog
- Low Setup Costs and Subscription
- Zero Transaction Fees
- PCI-DSS Compliant Security
- UK Support Team
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PunchOut?
Why can't I use any online shopping system?
SiteSphere is an eCommerce platform. However, PunchOut is a specific method of shopping requiring customisations available only in a few online shopping solutions. A PunchOut catalog is about buying at customer-specific prices not selling to the general public. PunchOut catalogs for SAP need to be able to handle hidden requests which may come in from the buyer's system.
What does SiteSphere Supplier cost?
What will my PunchOut catalog look like?
Here are some examples of the standard catalog.
There's a lot more we can show you when you start your free trial!
Can it be customised? Yes! We have a variety of colour schemes to choose from. Also, the header and footer content can be managed by you. The design and style of the standard catalog can be further customised (at additional cost) for the closest match to your brand. For more details, please send your requirements to sales@sitesphere.com.
Will my PunchOut catalog be visible to the public?
SiteSphere Supplier PunchOut catalogs are secured by a login process and are not available to the public. PunchOut handles the login for your customer's buyers when they choose your catalog, but the public cannot access your catalog.
How long does it take to setup?
That depends on you! From receipt of your product information in the Starter Spreadsheet we can activate a trial within 48 hours by using our standard professional catalog template featuring your own logo and colour scheme. Testing usually takes 1-2 weeks depending on the workload at customers's IT department. If you want a custom catalog template, we provide a cost and timescale given details of your requirements.
What happens during testing? Do I need to be involved?
With our experienced team managing the entire test process for you, once you are happy that the right products are loaded into the catalog and the pricing is correct, then you can leave the rest to us. We provide regular progress updates to you during the testing phase.
How do I sign up with SiteSphere after the trial?
Our sales team will send you a contract to check and e-sign. That's it.
Do I need training?
We provide telephone and email support to assist you with any queries you may have however, we have made every effort to ensure SiteSphere is easy to use. As a result, many of our customers do not require a training session at all but we do offer remote web-based training (using WebEx) if you need a more structured approach. Please ask us for more details.
How do I keep my products and pricing up-to-date?
We offer three methods. Firstly, the SiteSphere admin website allows you update your catalog items. Secondly, we include SiteSphere Excel Manager, a bulk import/export method using your installed Microsoft Office Excel software. Finally, we offer integration through the SiteSphere APIs, which you can use to connect directly to your systems to update the catalog, retrieve orders, etc.
Which browsers are supported? Is shopping secure (using SSL)?
The SiteSphere Supplier PunchOut catalog is tested on all mainstream browsers such as
Internet Explorer (IE) 6 to 10, FireFox 3 to 6 and Chrome 12 onwards.
Cookies are only maintained during the buyer's session, and no browser plug-ins (such as Flash) are used. SiteSphere catalogs support P3P privacy policies
to ensure maximum compatibility in secure corporate environments.
SiteSphere Supplier PunchOut catalogs are secured using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) which displays the padlock symbol in the browser. The SiteSphere platform operates within a PCI-DSS compliant hosting environment and is regularly scanned to maintain our approval to securely store credit card data.
How do I prepare my product images?
SiteSphere supports GIF, JPG (JPEG) & PNG image formats. Please note that JPEG images containing CMYK colours must be converted to RGB for use in web browsers. Images are automatically resized by SiteSphere to generate any thumbnails required.
Recommended maximum size for product images: 600 x 600 pixels (graphs, tables of specifications: 1000 x 1000 pixels).
Each product can feature up to 10 different images.
Can SiteSphere be used for multiple customers?
Yes. SiteSphere Supplier Standard Edition supports use for one punchout customer. However, you can easily upgrade to the Professional or Enterprise editions to meet your needs for any number of customers. SiteSphere supports all of the leading eProcurement protocols such as Ariba cXML, Oracle iProcurement cXML and Native XML and SAP OCI. Using our technology avoids lock-in to any single eProcurement method.
Can we integrate SiteSphere into our systems? (APIs)
Yes. SiteSphere has APIs using the latest Web Services and REST-based interface technologies. Tell us about your specific needs and we'll provide the details.
How do I contact SiteSphere Sales?
Call Sales on UK: 08006 1234 06 or International: +44 8006 1234 06 Email: sales@sitesphere.com