SAP Ariba (platform)
SAP Ariba is an enterprise source-to-pay and sourcing suite. Contingent services and SOW work are modelled through Sourcing Projects, Requisitions and Contract Workspaces rather than a single VMS object. VMS Agent maps canonical intent onto those objects across Ariba's REST, SOAP and cXML surfaces.
The public API facts VMS Agent's adapter relies on. Tenant-specific details (custom fields, picklists, approval chains) are confirmed during connection and folded into the MappingProfile.
| Authentication | OAuth 2.0 client-credentials PLUS a per-API Application Key. Every call sends apiKey + Authorization: Bearer. Token from https://api.ariba.com/v2/oauth/token. One application per API per realm. |
|---|---|
| API style | REST (JSON) + SOAP (strategic sourcing) + cXML (transactional documents over Ariba Network) |
| Base URL | https://openapi.ariba.com/api/{service}/{version}/{env} e.g. /sourcing-approval/v2/prod |
| Objects | Sourcing Project, Sourcing Request / Requisition, Purchase Order, Supplier, Contract Workspace (SOW), Invoice (cXML) |
| Events / webhooks | Poll-first. cXML push over Ariba Network; External Approval API for inbound/outbound approvals. No general object-change webhook bus. |
| Rate limits | Per app key + per API, multi-window (per sec/min/hour/day). Varies widely by API; raised case-by-case via account exec. |
“Docs confidence” describes how deterministic our mapping templates can be before we connect to a tenant. Even with public docs, implementations vary — especially around custom fields, approval flows and object extensions.
Deterministic mapping
Common Workforce Model fields map to known API fields. Best for standard objects (requisitions, assignments, timesheets, POs).
Tenant discovery
VMS Agent can scan tenant configuration (custom fields, picklists, required fields) where the platform permits it, then generate a tenant‑specific MappingProfile.
Enrichment loop
If the target platform requires a field the Intent record doesn't yet have, VMS Agent emits an enrichment_request back to the intake layer.
An opinionated baseline. The platform adapter enforces additional requirements via preflight. “Tenant required” fields are discovered during connection and added to the MappingProfile.
| Object | Canonical fields | Platform target | Required status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requisition (Contingent) Create external worker request |
role_title, location, start_date, cost_center, worker_type | Operational Requisition / Sourcing Request | Required + tenant required | Preflight enforces tenant-required fields |
| Statement of Work Services / SOW engagement |
service_category, sow.summary, deliverables[], budget, dates | Contract Workspace (SOW type) | Often tenant required | SOW is modelled as a contract-workspace type |
| Purchase Order Transact the order |
po_lines, supplier, amount | cXML PO over Ariba Network | Network-dependent | Transacted via Ariba Network |
Idempotency & drift — publish + reconcileExpand
Publish operations are idempotent using a deterministic key {intent_id}-{intent_version}-{target_system}. Because humans can change records inside the platform, VMS Agent supports reconciliation: it compares the platform record snapshot to the canonical intent and flags drift.
Real deployments rely on program-specific custom fields (for compliance, approvals, GL coding, rate rules or supplier constraints). VMS Agent is designed to generate tenant‑specific mappings rather than forcing you to redesign your intake.
How scanning works
High-level flow
What gets produced
Portable artefacts
Important — where this platform is tenant-definedExpand
SOW / contingent labour is not a first-class REST object; field-level schemas live in per-API WSDL/OpenAPI specs on the Business Accelerator Hub, several behind Hub login. App keys take ~12h to activate, and apps are promoted from test realm to production.
Use this page alongside the API + Schemas docs to implement: destination connection, preflight validation, publish, webhook back-sync and reconciliation.