SAP OpenCatalogue Interface (OCI) is a method of connecting a supplier’s online storedirectly to the special purchasing software used by many large buying organisations.Buyers are able to “punch out” from the SAP purchasing software into asupplier’s online store, and details of items selected are returned to thepurchasing 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 largebuying organisations, and so increasing sales.

Many largeorganisations use SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. It isincreasingly a requirement of large organisations that suppliers’ online storesmust be able to connect to their SAP purchasing software using the SAP OpenCatalogue Interface (OCI).

SiteSphereoffers suppliers SAP OCI integration with its SiteSphere Store e-commerce solution,which enables suppliers with a SiteSphere online store to connect the storedirectly to the buying software used by purchasing departments of largeorganisations. This allows suppliers to access this large market sector, and sogreatly increase their customer base.

The process ofpurchasing using a supplier’s SAP OCI enabled SiteSphere online store is asfollows:

1. The Customer puts in the Hook URL & logindetails into SAP SRM

The customer’s buying software is set up with the information necessary to contact and loginto the supplier’s online store, and to allow the online store to return data toSAP.

2. The Customer creates a Purchase Order in SAP

The stage is setfor items to be purchased from the supplier’s SAP OCI enabled web store.

3. The Customer “punches out” to the supplier’sonline store

The SAP purchasing software calls up the supplier’s online store through a web browser,and sends login details.

4. The customer is logged in automatically to theSAP OCI enabled online store

The customer is encouraged by the online shopping experience to purchase items for theorganisation.

5. The customer selects items for purchase, whichare placed in the shopping basket

The customer is loggedin as a SAP OCI customer, and items are displayed in a special shopping basketpage.

6. When the customer has finished selecting items,they select the shopping basket page in order to check out

The itemsselected are displayed, with a button to return the selected items to SAP.

7. The customer clicks the “Return to SAP” button

At this point details of the basket items are converted into hidden form fields in the finalweb page, which are then posted back to the customers purchasing software inthe SAP Open Catalogue Interface format. Alternatively, the data may bereturned in XML format.

8. The SAP purchasing software receives theshopping basket information from the online store and places it in thecustomer’s Purchase Order

The customer continues the purchasing process, and more purchase orders are created.

9. Purchase Orders held in SAP, when approved bythe organisation, become orders sent to the supplier

The supplier benefits from a steady stream of orders from large purchasing organisations.