FAQ

    FAQ

    1. Introduction to the electronic order and invoice management system at Swiss Post

    1.1 What are Swiss Post’s goals?

    Swiss Post consistently pursues the goal of driving ahead its digitization. Within this scope, it also seeks to make its procurement processes simpler and more efficient. Swiss Post has therefore decided to use a new and innovative solution for collaborating with its suppliers.

    From mid-2019 onwards, Swiss Post will be introducing SAP Ariba Network for exchanging orders and invoices. 

    1.2 What are the benefits for the suppliers?

    Using SAP Ariba Network will also generate added value for our suppliers. These are the benefits:

    • Lower administrative costs for postage, printing and dispatch

    • Order status overview online

    • Traceability of the book entry and payment date of the invoices

    • Increased invoicing accuracy and fewer deviations

    • Access to the world’s largest business commerce network

    1.3 What is the Ariba Network?

    1.4 Will I have to pay for SAP Ariba?

    Suppliers have a choice of two options for using Ariba Network:

    • Standard account (free of charge)
    • Enterprise account (charges apply)
    Features Standard Account Enterprise Account
    Costs Free of charge Charges apply
    Reporting options None Available
    Order acceptance and processing Only via e-mail and the link contained in it. Manual processing only. Directly in the Ariba Network portal
    Invoice creation Only via e-mail and the link contained in it. Manual processing only. Directly in the Ariba Network portal
    Catalogue viewing for customers Not possible Possible
    Detailed receipt display No, receipts must always be reopened for viewing via the e-mail link. Separate tabs for viewing purchase orders, invoices and service records in SAP Ariba
    Automated receipt exchange Not possible Possible
    Contact for queries Online Help Center Dedicated Ariba support team

    A Standard or Enterprise account can be used for receipt and information exchange with the Swiss Post. When registering, you as a supplier will automatically receive a free Standard account. If you would like to upgrade to a paid Enterprise account, you can do so on the Ariba Network. The choice of whether to use a Standard or an Enterprise account for receipt exchange is at the sole discretion of the supplier.

    1.4.1 Standard account (free of charge) - functionalities

    Using the Standard account is free of charge for suppliers, regardless of transaction volumes and the number of documents exchanged via the Ariba Network.

    Access to the orders and the creation of invoices are always carried out for the suppliers via a link, which they receive by e-mail.

    1.4.2 Enterprise account (charges apply) – functionalities

    The Enterprise account comes with advanced features It is available as a “Premium”, “Bronze”, “Silver”, “Gold” or “Platinum” version.  Depending on the transaction volume and the number of documents sent, different charges may apply.

    As a supplier, you can use the Enterprise account free of charge if you: 1. do not exchange more than four documents (orders, invoices, service sheets and replies to service sheets) via the network and 2. do not exceed the yearly threshold value for the transaction volume per customer relationship.

    For more detailed information about the various subscription levels and threshold values, please visit: https://www.ariba.com/ariba-network/ariba-network-for-suppliers/subscriptions-and-pricing[Media | Not Accessible]Target not accessible. Please scroll to the bottom of the page to download the fee schedules or the subscription overview for your region. 

    1.5 How secure is Ariba Network (data protection & confidentiality)?

    Data protection is guaranteed, inter alia, by the encryption of uploaded documents or sensitive information before they are saved on the database and transmitted. The Ariba servers are located in the Netherlands and the back-up servers in Germany.

    1.6 What are the technical requirements for using Ariba Network?

    The Ariba portal can be used with the following certified Internet browsers:

    • Apple Safari 9+ (64 Bit). The new Ariba design is not supported by Safari on mobile devices.
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 (32 Bit). The compatibility mode is not supported.
    • Microsoft Edge 25
    • Google Chrome 53 - 55 (64 Bit)
    • Mozilla Firefox 48 - 50 (64 Bit)

    2. How do I open an Ariba Network account?

    2.1 How do I create a new Ariba account with an invitation?

    Accept a customer relationship (film)Target not accessible

    As soon as Swiss Post has created the first order for your company on Ariba Network, the contact person you have nominated will receive an e-mail.

    Once the supplier has entered their contact address at https://lieferanten.post.ch/en/angaben-ergaenzen the registered contact person receives an e-mail: 

    Sample e-mail:

    Dear supplier XY,

    First name last name would like to invite you to register as a potential supplier with Post CH Ltd.

    This involves a two-stage test procedure. In the first step, potential suppliers to Post CH Ltd are asked to register with SAP Ariba. Once successfully registered, an invitation will be sent at a later point in time to qualify for the role of supplier (unlikely to take place prior to Q1 2020).

    An Ariba account is required for registration with Post CH Ltd.  Please check first whether you already have an Ariba account.

    Click hereTarget not accessible on the “Login” button, if you already have an Ariba account, or click on the “Register” button if you do not yet have an Ariba account.

    If you would like to log in to Ariba Network at a later point, please click on the following link: https://supplier.ariba.comTarget not accessible

    Note:

    Orders are now only transmitted to XY in electronic form via SAP Ariba Network. The same applies to invoices we receive from you. We can only receive these electronically via SAP Ariba Network. This means you need to register on the Ariba Network.

    More information can be found at https://lieferanten.post.ch/en/faq-and-instructions

    The SLP team will be happy to answer any further questions you may have at SLPEinfuehrung@swisspost.ch

    Best wishes

    Post CH Ltd – TEST

    1. Click on the link: “Please click here”
    2. Click on “Register” if you do not have an Ariba account yet.
    3. Enter your “Company information”. Please bear in mind that required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*).
    4. Enter the “User account information”. Please bear in mind that required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*).
    5. Tell us more about your business” is irrelevant for registering with Swiss Post. However, this information can be useful for Ariba Discovery[Media | Not Accessible][Media | Not Accessible][Media | Not Accessible][Media | Not Accessible]Target not accessible 
    6. Read the information on the page and activate the checkbox I have read and agree to the SAP Ariba Privacy Statement at the bottom of the page. Then click on Register.

    Once you have successfully registered the account, you will automatically be redirected to the Swiss Post supplier registration page. Please also read section 3.

    2.2 How do I create a new Ariba account without an invitation?

    You can register an account for your company with the Ariba Network without having received an invitation from Swiss Post. If you would like to contact Swiss Post, however, we recommend you wait for an e-mail invitation and follow the instructions in section 1.2.

    Alternatively, you can open http://supplier.ariba.com and click on “Register now”.

    When clicking on Register now, you will be guided through the subsequent 3-step registration process:

    1. Enter your “Company information”. Please bear in mind that required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*).
    2. Enter the “User account information”. Please bear in mind that required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*).
    3. Tell us more about your business” is irrelevant for registering with Swiss Post. However, this information can be useful for Ariba Discovery 
    4. Read the information on the page and activate the checkbox I have read and agree to the SAP Ariba Privacy Statement at the bottom of the page. Then click on Register.

    You will be forwarded to a page containing the following information: Thank you for registering with SAP Ariba Network. Once you have successfully registered your account, you will receive an activation e-mail.

    By clicking on the e-mail link, you will be forwarded to your supplier profile. 

    3. Registration and qualification with Swiss Post

    Once your Ariba Network account is open, each potential Swiss Post supplier must undergo a two-step verification process:

    1. Registration in SAP Ariba as a supplier to Swiss Post
    2. Once successfully registered, suppliers will be qualified (unlikely to take place prior to Q4 2020). The qualification process includes product line-specific requirements such as certificates, GDPR, etc.

    3.1 Registration process

    If we have asked you to provide your contact address at https://lieferanten.post.ch/en/angaben-ergaenzen, please wait for us to contact you via e-mail. You will receive the e-mail described in 2.1.

    Then follow the steps below:

    1. Click on the link in the e-mail

    2. Click on “Register” if you do not have an Ariba account yet. Once you have successfully registered the Ariba account, you will automatically be redirected to the Swiss Post supplier registration page.

    Click on “Login” if you already have an Ariba account, and you will be forwarded directly to the questionnaire.

    3. Complete the questionnaire. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can send the questionnaire for review by clicking on “Submit Entire Response”, or you can click on “Send Message” to send a question to the registration manager. You can view messages from Post CH Ltd regarding questionnaires at the top left of the page under “Event Messages”.

    Note: If you'd like to leave the questionnaire and come back to it, you can log in at a later time with your supplier profile at https://supplier.ariba.com. If you have forgotten your username, this can be found in the e-mail sent to you from Ariba with the subject line “Welcome to Ariba Commerce Cloud”, which you received when you registered your Ariba account.

    The questionnaire can be found in your supplier profile under “Proposals”.

    4. You will receive an e-mail confirming that you have submitted the questionnaire and that it is under review.

    5. You will be informed via e-mail whether the questionnaire has been approved or rejected by Post CH Ltd and what the next steps will be.

    4. Managing your Ariba account

    4.1 Managing tiles

    How to manage the tiles:

    1. Go to “Orders, Invoices and Payments” and click on “More”
    2. Click on “Manage Default Tiles”
    3. On the “Manage Action Tiles on the Home Dashboard” page, you will see two columns: “Available Tiles” and “Selected Tiles”. You can select and remove action tiles as you wish. 
    4. In the “Selected Tiles” column, you can select up to four tiles. If the column already contains four tiles, you must remove a tile first before you can add a new one using drag and drop.
    5. Click on “Done” to save your changes.

    4.2 Account settings

    4.2.1 Customer relationships

    • Click on the “Account Settings” link in the “Company Settings” menu and then on “Customer Relationships”
    • You can choose whether you would like to accept all relationship requests automatically or manually
    • In the “Pending” section, you can approve or reject outstanding relationship requests. Under “Current”, you can view the profiles and information portals of your current customers. Rejected customers can be reviewed under “Rejected”

    How to check your customers’ transaction rules

    • Go to the Company Settings drop-down menu and click on Customer Relationships under Account Settings
    • Click on the customer name in the displayed customer list
    • When clicking on the customer list, scroll down to the “Invoice Settings” section and read the “General Invoice Rules” 
    • If the customer has activated country-specific invoice rules, you can select the country of origin of the invoice from the drop-down menu. Click on “Done”

    You will know whether a customer requires you to create an order confirmation before creating an invoice against a purchase order or whether your customer accepts backdated invoices.

    Knowing your customer’s transaction rules will help you to reduce the number of invoicing errors and the number of rejected invoices.

    4.2.2 Managing user (roles)

    Assign user roles and authorizations in line with their roles within the company to your employees:

    • Company profile administrator
    • Lead creator/manager
    • Proposal and contract administrator
    • Order manager
    • Invoice manager

    Let the users and teams in your company know which Ariba account they are assigned to so they’re well prepared for questions and collaborating with buyers.

    The administrator is the primary point of contact for user questions or issues. He/she is responsible for setting up/configuring and managing the accounts. He/she creates users and assigns roles/authorizations to account users. Each role has a unique name and a set of associated authorizations. Example: The administrator creates a role which allows employees to process incoming order requests and create invoices. Depending on the tasks to be performed, users can have several roles.

    How to add a user as administrator:

    Add a new user (film)Target not accessible

    1. Click on “Company Settings” on the top right of the dashboard and select “Users”.
    2. Create the roles first and then the user accounts. Then assign the roles to the accounts. 
    Notes:
    • You can create a maximum of 10 user-specific accounts.
    • Account administrators can reset forgotten passwords. If required for security reasons, a password reset can also be forced. In order to reset a user’s password, edit the user and click on Reset password.
    • Before deleting a role, you must assign the associated users to another role. You cannot delete roles which are assigned to users.
    • When an employee leaves the company or changes positions within the company, the associated user account is no longer needed. We recommend that you either delete the user or assign the user’s login details to another employee. If you reassign login details, the setup and data of the previous user will be kept.
    • Up to 250 user accounts can be created per ANID. Users can be assigned different roles/authorizations which correspond to the user’s actual tasks. Users have access to all or only to certain customers assigned by the administrator. The users are not visible to your customers by default and cannot be searched by them.
    • All users have access to the “My Account” page containing general contact information and preferred language settings. Each authorization grants users access to additional areas of your company account. Authorizations also allow you to control which notification types users can configure.

    How to update your user information:

    • Click on your name at the top right of the dashboard and select “My Account”
    • Update the information on the “Account Settings” tab and enter personal details as well as your preferred language settings, time zone and currency.
      Note: Your customers can see the name, telephone number and e-mail address of the account administrator by default. If you would like to hide this information from your customers, please activate the “Hide my personal contact information” checkbox in the “Contact Information Preferences” section.
    • Then click on “Save”.

    4.2.3 Notifications

    The “Notifications” tab allows you to control which system notifications you would like to receive and to define which e-mail addresses they should be sent to.

    You can create presets for notifications in order to define which events you would like to be notified about. Depending on your user account authorizations, you will be able to view and manage your account notification settings. Contact the account administrator if you need help defining your notification presets.

    When configuring notifications, proceed as follows:

    1. Click on “Company Settings” on the top right of the dashboard and select “Notifications”.
    2. Activate the checkbox for each notification type you would like to receive. You can enter up to three e-mail addresses for each notification type. These can be separated by commas, but NOT by spaces.
      Note: In order to send at least one notification type to more than three e-mail addresses, you must create a distribution list in your e-mail system and enter the name of that list in the corresponding field on the “Notifications” page.
    3. Then click on “Save”.

    4.3 Ariba Network settings

    4.3.1 Forwarding electronic purchase orders

    You can enter e-mail addresses so that customers can send you order requests by e-mail. In addition, you can configure e-mail addresses for other document types such as payment suggestions and payment suggestion requests.

    In a standard account, you can only select e-mail as a forwarding method for documents you receive from customers. You can upgrade to an enterprise account at any time in order to be able to select further forwarding methods such as fax, cXML or EDI. You can select forwarding methods for incoming documents if you are the administrator or if you have a Transaction Configuration authorization.

    How to ensure that the right persons receive your customers’ documents:

    1. Click on “Company Settings” on the top right of the dashboard and select “Electronic Order Routing”.
    2. Configure e-mail addresses for each document type.
    Notes:
    • Each e-mail message is available in plain text format and in HTML format. Recipients will be able to view the e-mails in the best possible quality if their e-mail software supports HTML.
    • If you would like to receive orders as e-mail messages and your company uses spam filter software, you must adjust your settings to allow messages from Ariba Network. Ariba Network uses the following e-mail address for outgoing messages: ordersender-prod@ansmtp.ariba.com.
    • If you are not in the office, you can set up an out-of-office message in your e-mail software, which will automatically be sent in response to incoming orders. To make sure that new orders actually end up in your inbox during that time, please add details such as Currently away from my desk, Travelling, Away, Away until, Out of the country, External meeting to your automated reply.
    • If Ariba Network recognizes one of these strings in an automated out-of-office message, it logs its receipt in the order request history, preventing the order from receiving “failed” status.

    4.3.2 Electronic invoice routing

    Configure e-mail addresses in order to receive notifications related to invoices, e.g. when an invoice is rejected or the invoice status is updated. In addition, you can enter tax information in this section.

    4.3.3 Linking user accounts

    If your company has more than one Ariba Network account, you can link your accounts in hierarchical order with a master account and several sub-accounts. This allows you to reduce the time and effort required for managing several accounts.

    4.3.4 Service subscriptions

    Ariba Network subscriptions offer companies advantages and functions for improving their collaboration with customers. This section is only relevant for suppliers with an Enterprise account.

    4.3.5 Credit transfers

    Your customers use your remittance addresses to send payment electronically and by mail. You can complete the following fields when creating or updating your remittance and banking information. Ariba Network shows your remittance address information under “Remit To” on the invoices you generate. Customers can also see this information when viewing your company profile.

    With some customers, you might have to add bank details to your invoices. If needed, Ariba Network can automatically include your “bank account number” and “bank ID” in invoices.

    How to save your remittance address for invoices:

    1. Click on “Company Settings” on the top right of the dashboard and select “Remittances”.
    2. Enter your remittance address including your bank details.  
    3. (Optional) You can create rules in order to automatically accept early payment proposals from your customers. Ariba Network matches the early payment proposals received from your customers with the rules for automatic acceptance and accepts the proposals which meet all rule criteria.
    4. Select Remittances from the “Company Settings” drop-down menu
    5. Click on “Create” in order to create new company remittance information or on “Edit” if existing information needs to be amended
    6. Completing the required fields (*) in the “EFT/Check Remittances” section
    7. Select “Standard Remittance Address”. If necessary, add a remittance ID for this address for each customer
    8. Define a payment method:
      - Select the preferred payment method
      - Add bank details for bank transfers
      - Select whether or not credit cards should be accepted

    4.4 Setting up a test account

    To set up a test account, proceed as follows:

    1. Switch to the tabular view on the Ariba Network Production Account.
    2. Click on the name in the top right corner, then select “Switch to Test ID”. The “Switch To Test Account” button is only available to the account administrator. The administrator can create test account usernames for all other users requiring access to the test account.
    3. Click on “OK” and Ariba Network will show a warning that it is about to switch into testing mode.
    4. Create a username and password for the test account and click on “OK”
    5. The test account should be configured in such a way that it matches the production account. This will ensure that the test results match the production results. You can start receiving test orders as soon as the test account is set up. Note: Test account transactions are free of charge.
    6. The network will always show the mode in which you are logged in (production or test). The test account ID has “-T” suffixed to the Ariba Network ID (ANID).

    If you are the account administrator, click on your name in the top right-hand corner of the page and select Switch to Test ID to access your test account.

    All other users must complete the following steps to access their test accounts:

    1. On the login page, enter your test user name, which is different from your active username.
    2. Enter your test password, which may also be different from your active password.
    3. In contrast to the account administrator, non-administrator cannot use the Switch to Test ID option.

    Additional information: The account administrator must create additional test account users manually. Creating a user on the active account does not automatically create a test user account.

    4.5 Where can I find my Ariba Network ID (ANID)?

    The ANID of your account is shown in the Company Settings menu just below the company name. It is also displayed at the bottom of each page next to your company name.

    4.6 Updating your company profile

    This chapter is only relevant for Ariba-Discovery (link), but not for registering as a supplier with Swiss Post. If you complete your company profile, your company will be found by buyer organizations more easily when they look for new suppliers by goods, industry, sales region or other criteria. Ariba will use the information in your company profile to automatically match your skills with new business opportunities

    How to updateyour company profile:

    1. Click on “Company Settings” on the top right of the dashboard and select “Company Profile”.
    2. Update the information in all segments of the profile:
      - “Basic” tab: This is where you can enter information about the company itself as well as address, category, service location and industry information related to your company. You can opt in to receive notifications about potential business relationships as well as selected product and service categories. If you list products and services which do not match the existing product and service categories, you can suggest new categories which are a closer match with your product or service offer.
      - “Business” tab: This is where you can enter general and tax information about your company.
      - “Marketing” tab: This tab contains all marketing information to attract the attention of potential customers to your company.
      - “Contacts” tab: This is where you can enter your company’s contact information and make general and customer-specific associations. You will need “Contact Administration” rights in order to manage your customers’ contact information. This is where you can add company-wide contacts for general enquiries and customer-specific contacts for your current customers. Before you define one of your company’s employees as a customer-specific or company-wide contact, you must add them as a customer contact.
      - “Certifications” tab:  This is where you can configure certifications for companies with a minority status such as small, disadvantaged businesses or minority-owned businesses as well as sustainability initiatives of your company. Choose the certifications that are applicable to your company and enter the required details. Existing customers can see these certifications in their company profile. Potential customers can use these certifications to search for suppliers.
      - “Additional Documents” tab: You can use this tab to add or view documents that are relevant to your company profile. All documents required for your country will be shown on this tab by default.
    3. Click on the “Profile Visibility Settings” link to define what information existing and potential customers can see, in addition to the general information about your company.
      Note: Your public profile does not have to be 100% complete in order for you to do business with customers. If you would like to make new business contacts, however, it would be advisable to complete as many fields as possible.
    4. To finish, click on “Save”.

    5. How do I use Ariba Network for business transactions?

    5.1 Overview of exchanged documents

    The following documents can be exchanged electronically between Swiss Post and suppliers via Ariba Network:

    • Orders for goods and services
    • Order confirmations (optional)
    • Delivery confirmations (optional)
    • Incoming goods
    • Service sheets (time sheets)
    • Invoices and credit memos

    5.2. How do I open an order?

    Click on the link in the e-mail and log in to Ariba Network.

    5.3 Creating order confirmations (optional)

    How to create an order confirmation:

    Register for a standard account and send an order confirmation (film)Target not accessible

    • Enter the confirmation number. This is an arbitrary number for identifying the order confirmation
    • The expected delivery date or the expected delivery date number will be used for all line items
    • Related items can be grouped into kits to be processed as a unit
    • Click on Continue, check the order confirmation and press Send

    As soon as the order confirmation has been transmitted, the order status will show Confirmed.

    If the documents are viewed online, links to all related documents will be shown.

    5.4 Creating a ship notice (supplier)

    How to send a ship notice: 

    Send a ship notice (film)Target not accessible

    • Ship notices can be created via the Ariba account as soon as an item has been sent. You can send several ship notices per order. Click on the “Create Ship Notice” button.
    • Fill out the requested information on the Shipping PO form. The Packing Slip ID is any number you use to identify the ship notice. Choose “Carrier Name” and then “Tracking #” and the Shipping Method.
    • Enter the ship information and click on “Update Address”.
    • Once you have reviewed the ship notice, click on “Send”
    • Ship notices improve communication by avoiding unnecessary phone calls with customer service departments
    • Once the order confirmation is submitted, the order status will display as “Confirmed”. Sent ship notices can be viewed in your sent items or by clicking on the link in the corresponding documents in the order view.

    5.5 Confirming receipt of goods (Swiss Post)

    For all ordered items >CHF 3,000, the receipt of goods by Swiss Post must be logged by the relevant consumer. Charges for unconfirmed deliveries on the part of suppliers will not be accepted. Please contact the consumer at Swiss Post in this case. 

    5.6 Creating and submitting a service sheet (supplier)

    5.6.1 Finding a (service) order

    1. Search for a service order in your inbox
      Note: Use inbox search filters to limit the view to service orders (activate the “Search service orders only” checkbox)
    2. Select the “PO” and click on “Create Service Sheet” OR on the PO number hyperlink to view the service PO

    5.6.2 Reviewing a (service) order

    1. Click on “Create Service Sheet” once you have reviewed the order
      Note: Services can be viewed using the service icon next to the service type
    2. Select an item, update the item quantities and (if applicable) enter the start and end dates of the service as well as any additional comments
    3. Click on “Continue” to go to the verification screen

    5.6.3 Submitting a service sheet

    1. Verify the accuracy of the service sheet on the verification screen. In the event of errors, click on “Back” to return to the service sheet screen
    2. To send, click on the “Send” button

    5.7 Creating invoices/credit memos

    5.7.1 How do I create an invoice for an order?

    Send an invoice from a standard account (film)Target not accessible

    Click on the “Create Invoice” button on the Home page to start editing invoices. Should you need further help, you can start a search in the Help Center section on the right. 

    Send a PO-based invoice (film)

    1. Select the Create drop-down menu on the Home page of the Ariba Network account, then select PO-based invoice
    2. Select a PO number for the PO-based invoice
    3. Click on the Create Invoice button and select Standard Invoice
    4. The invoice is automatically pre-populated with the order data. Required fields (*) must be filled in and tax information must be added if applicable. Verify the accuracy of the invoice. If changes are not required, click on Send to send the invoice to the customer
    Header data

    The invoice is automatically pre-populated with the order data. Fill in the required fields (*):

    1. Enter the invoice number (unique number for invoice identification). The invoice date will be pre-populated automatically.
    2. Select the Remit-To address in the Address drop-down menu if more than one address has been entered
    3. Tax and shipping information can either be entered at header or at line item level by selecting the appropriate radio button
    4. Add further information to the invoice header, e.g.: special handling, payment terms, comments, attachments and shipping documents.
    5. Scroll down to the Line items section to select the line items to be invoiced.
    Item data

    This section shows the line items from the order:

    1. Review or update the quantity to be invoiced for each item
    2. Click on the line item’s green slider to exclude it from the invoice if the line item should not be invoiced, OR click the checkbox on the left of the item and click on Delete to remove the line item from the invoice. You can generate another invoice later to bill the item
    3. Select the line item to which tax is to be applied using the Line Item # checkbox. To apply the same tax to multiple line items, select those line items to be taxed at the desired rate. To configure additional Tax Options within the Tax Category tool, use the “Configure Tax Menu” option.
    4. Check the tax category and use the drop-down list to select from the displayed options. Click on “Click Add to Included Lines”.

    5.7.1.1 Additional tax options & line item shipping

    To configure additional tax options click on “Configure Tax Menu” under the “Tax Category” drop-down menu. Create new tax categories as needed:

    1. Select the line item to apply different tax rates to each line item.
    2. Click on Line Item Actions > Add > Tax. Upon refresh, the Tax fields will display for each selected line item.
    3. Click on Remove to remove a tax line item, if not necessary.
    4. Select Category within each line item, then either populate the rate (%) or tax amount and click on Update.
    5. Enter shipping cost to the applicable line items if line level shipping has been selected.
    6. Additional information can be displayed at line item level by editing the item.

    5.7.1.2 Reviewing allowances and charges

    If allowances and charges are included in the PO, these will convert to the invoice at either invoice header or line item level based on where the information is on the PO:

    • Header allowance and charges
    • Line level allowance and charges

    Suppliers can also add allowances and charges to the invoice. This applies to PO-based invoices, non-PO invoices and credit memos.

    5.7.1.3 Invoice upon receipt of goods

    Only included quantities can be invoiced:

    • Click on the INBOX tab
    • Select the order to be invoiced
    • Select the item(s) to be invoiced from the documents list
    • The invoice is now pre-populated with the incoming goods items. Now select the items corresponding to the quantities on the invoice and/or change them.

    5.7.1.4 Value-added services related to invoices

    • Select the “Add” drop-down menu, then select “Add General Service” or “Add Labor Service”
    • Enter details for the general or labor service. General service items require limited details, including the start and end date of the service. Labor services include additional fields such as rate, service period and contractor information.

    5.7.1.5 Invoice from service sheet

    Locate the approved service sheet:

    • Click on the “Service Sheets” tab in your outbox
    • Activate the checkbox next to the approved service sheet and click on the 
    • “Create Invoice” button to open the invoicing screen OR on the Service Sheet # to open the service sheet for review prior to invoicing.

    Note: You can only create ONE invoice for each approved service sheet.

    Header information

    The invoicing information is automatically pre-populated from the service sheet:

    • Required fields (*) must be completed. Enter the invoice number (unique number for invoice identification). The invoice date will be pre-populated automatically.
    • Note: The Add to Header button enables you to add information to the header, including shipping costs, shipping documents, detailed amounts, special handling and additional
    • reference documents and data. You can also add comments and attachments in the header area.
    • Header-level information can be entered upon refreshing the screen. Complete each section as needed before continuing with the Service section.
    • The Additional Fields section contains optional fields such as reference numbers, service dates and the approver’s e-mail address.

    Note: Your customer may require some of the fields at header level. Required fields (*) must be completed in order to provide the information required.

    Item information

    The invoicing information is automatically pre-populated from the service sheet:

    • Add line level information such as comments and attachments by selecting the relevant line and clicking on the “Line Item Actions” button. The screen will refresh automatically and you will be able to complete the details.
    • If required, refresh each line item until all items are complete.
    • Click on “Continue” to go to the verification screen.
    • Verify the accuracy of the invoice on the verification screen. If there are any errors, press the “Back” button to return to the “Create Invoice” screen and make any corrections. Click on “Send” to send the invoice to the customer after making the correction

    5.7.1.6 Creating a non-PO invoice

    Send a non-PO invoice (film)Target not accessible

    How to send a non-PO invoice:

    • Click on “Outbox” in the navigation menu
    • Select “Create Non-PO Invoice”
    • Select a customer from the drop-down menu
    • Select “Standard invoice”. If you need to invoice a new customer, click on “Invoice New Customer”

    Note: Your customer must generate a code for you to create non-PO invoices.

    • Click on “Next”
    • Required fields (*) must be completed.
    • Complete at least one of the Order Information fields.  If your customer disables the rule, you can leave the “Order Information” section blank. Note: Add a customer e-mail address to ensure the document is properly routed to the right approver.
    • Use the “Add Item” or “Add Service Item” button to add the details of the item(s) being invoiced.
    • Add Tax and Shipping as appropriate
    • Click on “Next” to continue.
    • Then review, save or submit as a standard invoice.

    Note: Make sure that the information about the products or services offered is as complete as possible.

    5.7.1.7 Creating a contract invoice (AVAILABLE SOON)

    How to create a contract invoice:

    • Go to the Home screen of your Ariba Network account, open the “Create” drop-down menu and select “Contract Invoice”
    • Select the customer from the Customer drop-down list
    • Select the contract
    • Complete invoice entry with all fields marked with an asterisk (*)
    Header and line item options:

    There is an option to add tax, shipping, special handling, discount, comments and attachments to contract invoices.

    Adding line items to the invoice:

    • Choose between non-catalogue and catalogue options
    • Complete the required fields (*)
    • Update the total
    • Click on the “Submit” button to submit the invoice

    5.7.2 Can I save an invoice and send it at a later time?

    • You can save invoices at any time during the invoice creation process and edit them at a later time.
    • Continue editing an invoice by going to Outbox>Drafts on the Home page
    • Invoices can be stored for up to 7 days

    5.7.3 Checking the invoice status

    Display payments (film)Target not accessible

    The invoice status reflects the status of the invoice with the customer:

    • Sent - The invoice is sent to the customer but they have not yet verified the invoice against purchase orders and receipts
    • Cancelled – The customer has approved the invoice cancellation
    • Paid – The customer has paid the invoice or is in the process of issuing payment. This status applies only if the customer uses invoices to trigger payment
    • Rejected – The customer has rejected the invoice or the invoice has failed validation by Ariba Network. If the customer accepts the invoice or approves it for payment, the invoice status is updated to Sent (invoice accepted) or Approved (invoice approved for payment).
    • Failed - Ariba Network experienced a problem routing the invoice 

    5.7.4 How can I archive my invoices?

    Once your invoice has been submitted, you will receive an e-mail notification containing a copy of the invoice in cXML and PDF format. For legal reasons, please save a local copy of these documents. 

    5.7.5 Why can I not trigger an invoice?

    As long as Swiss Post has not confirmed receipt of goods or services, suppliers cannot create and send an invoice.
    Please contact your Swiss Post consumer in such cases. Have them confirm that the receipt of goods or services has been confirmed in Ariba Network. 

    5.7.6 Our company already sends e-invoices to Swiss Post. Can I continue to do that with Ariba?

    The processes for suppliers submitting e-invoices for blanket purchase orders (BPOs) are yet to be confirmed

    5.8 How do I access my business transaction history?

    Suppliers with a Standard account do not have access to the inbox and outbox functions. They can, however, view the last 50 orders in the overview on the dashboard. Use the “Select” option to resend the documents by e-mail. 

    5.9 Creating a credit memo

    Header information

    1. Select the order for which you would like to create a credit memo and click on the Order option.
    2. Click on “Create Invoice” OR select “Credit Memo” from the “Actions” drop-down menu
    3. Complete the information in the form of a credit memo (the amount and taxes will automatically be negative). Complete the required fields.
    4. Click on “Next”
    5. Review the credit memo and click on “Submit”

    Item information

    Follow these steps to create a credit memo at line item level:

    1. Select your previously created invoice
    2. Click on “Create Line-Item Credit Memo”
    3. Complete the information in the form of a credit memo (the amount and taxes will automatically be negative). Complete the required fields (*) and click on “Continue”
    4. Review the credit memo and click on “Submit”

    6. Troubleshooting

    6.1 Are you experiencing problems with your browser settings?

    The steps below will help you to resolve the problems related to your browser settings:

    1. Delete your browsing history and cookies and restart your browser
    2. Switch to another supported browser
    3. Ask your IT department to check whether internal network settings prevent access

    6.2 Can I change the language on Ariba Network?

    No, the contents of Ariba Network will be displayed in your browser language. 

    6.3 How can I switch the language of Ariba applications?

    The language you see in your Ariba account depends on the language settings of your Internet browser.

    When using Internet Explorer:

    1. Click on Extras > Internet options > Languages.
    2. In the Language Settings window, click on Add to add the required language.
    3. Select the language you would like to add and click on OK.
    4. You must move your chosen language to the top of the list by pressing the Move to top button. 
    5. Click on OK. In the Internet Options window, click on OK again.

    When using Mozilla Firefox:

    1. Click on Settings > Options > Content > Languages > Select.
    2. Select the required language and click on Add.
    3. You must move your chosen language to the top of the list by pressing the Move to top button. 
    4. Click on OK. In the Options window, click on OK again.

    When using Google Chrome:

    1. Click on the options menu in the top right-hand corner and select Settings.
    2. Click on Show advanced settings.
    3. In the Languages section, click on Language and Inputs.
    4. Click on Add.
    5. Select the required language and click on OK.
    6. Drag and drop the language to the top of the list and click on Done.
    7. Close the Options tab.

    Then close the browser and reopen it for the settings to become active. If the selected language is not supported by Ariba, it will default to English.

    Your browser language settings will not affect your language selected for e-mail notifications.

    6.4 How do I complete the account settings for transmitting orders?

    This field defines e-mail as the forwarding method for any future orders you may receive from Swiss Post. Enter the e-mail address at which you would like to receive these notifications in the “New forwarding method” field. If you would also like other persons in your company to receive these notifications, create a distribution list and enter this e-mail address.

    You can change the e-mail address at any time by logging in to your account, going to “Orders & Invoices” in the navigation bar at the top of the screen, selecting “Company Settings” and clicking on “Electronic Order Routing”.

    6.5 Can I link several Ariba Supplier accounts with each other?

    If you have more than one Ariba supplier account, you can link your accounts in order to consolidate the account and service management tasks within your company.

    You can create an account hierarchy. This allows you to link a parent account with any number of subordinate accounts, for example. By creating an account hierarchy, administrators of a parent account can manage settings and components (including immediate access to solution-specific dashboards and associated subordinate account services) for all accounts. Both parent and subordinate accounts will be shown in buyers’ search results. You can, however, select “Allow buyer organizations to search for this account” to hide the subordinate accounts. After an account hierarchy is created, parent account administrators can log in and access subordinate accounts with a single click.

    If your company has created duplicate accounts by mistake, it’s important to keep these accounts current, since transactions have already been processed through them. To help reduce the amount of time spent on managing multiple accounts, you can enable Profile Sharing, allowing you to automatically synchronize your parent account profile with selected subordinate accounts. Profile sharing eliminates the need to update profiles individually.

    To link and navigate between several accounts fast, you can use the User Account Navigator.

    6.6 I have forgotten my username and my password. How can I reset them?

    To reset your username, click on “Having trouble logging in?” on the SAP Ariba login page. Then follow the on-screen instructions to either retrieve your username or reset your password.

    6.7 How do I limit the number of Ariba e-mails I receive?

    You will receive e-mail notifications if your e-mail address is linked to an active Ariba Network account.

    How to limit the number of Ariba notifications:

    1. Once logged in to your account, click on your company name at the top right of the Home screen.
    2. Under Account Settings, select the Notifications option.
    3. Change the e-mail addresses and/or unselect the checkboxes for notifications on the General, Network and Supplier Notifications tabs.
    4. Select Save.

    6.8 My e-mail address is greyed out. Why can I not change it?

    This e-mail address was used by Swiss Post to invite you and must be used for registration. Please contact us if you experience any problems.

    6.9 What does the “Use my e-mail as my username” option mean? Shall I select this option?

    Your username must be in e-mail address format. However, you can change your contact address for communication purposes. If you click on “Use my e-mail as my username”, the username field will automatically be pre-populated with your e-mail address. If you would like to change your contact address, please untick the checkbox and edit your address.

    6.10 How can I view my customer’s invoicing rules?

    How to view your customers’ invoicing rules:

    1. Select Company Settings > Customer Relationships from the top right of your Home page.
    2. Click on your customer’s name. Your customer’s invoicing rules will be shown. To show the country-specific invoicing rules, click on “Download country-specific invoice rules” in “Country-specific invoice rules.

    6.11 Who can I contact if I have any questions?

    Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.