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Transforming BT Procurement

Moving our Suppliers to the SAP Business Network (UK only excl. EE)

BT Sourced supplier update:

We want to create a BT that’s easy to do business with, whether you are buying services from us or selling to us or selling to us.

We are introducing new systems and management tools to improve our business activities… and how we work with suppliers.



BT Group (UK entities excluding EE) will move to the SAP Business Network on 11 April 2023. We will use the SAP Business Network to send our purchase orders to suppliers by email and direct to supplier’s SAP Business Accounts and offer it as an additional invoicing channel. Our legacy purchasing systems iBuy and CAMERA will be decommissioned.

What this means for our suppliers

Purchasing

All Purchase Orders (POs) currently transacted through iBuy will be issued electronically via the SAP Ariba Business Network, with a strong ‘No PO, No Pay’ principle for supplier payments.

All CAMERA Purchase Orders will also be issued electronically via the SAP Ariba Business Network, except for those raised by our Consumer business (EE LTD). These will come from a different procurement tool. Each PO will clearly state which entity it is for: BT Plc, Openreach, Plusnet or EE.

Invoicing

If you use Tungsten for invoicing, you should continue to submit invoices via this route. You will continue to see the PO information in Tungsten.

iSupplier is being decommissioned. If you used iSupplier portal to submit your invoices you have the option to use the SAP (Ariba) Business Network, using what Ariba call ‘PO flip.’ This allows you to use the PO we send and ‘flip’ it into an invoice. The flip process ensures the correct fields and format are in the invoice – it also allows you to see the status of any invoices submitted this way. If you used the self-service tool to check your invoice status, this will be replaced by an automated report emailed to you weekly with this information.

There have been some changes to the information we require on invoices. Please ensure your invoices include:

  • The correct billing entity name and address.
  • A valid Purchase Order number and the email address of the person who raised the purchase request.
  • Supplier invoice reference number. If your reference number is greater than 16 characters, we will only use the first 16 characters.
  • Description of the goods and services, quantity, where applicable VAT registration number, appropriate tax breakdown, remittance details and your contact details

It is important that the invoice is issued in the same currency as used on the purchase order.

If you are not able to access the SAP (Ariba) Business Network or Tungsten, you can email your invoice to the relevant email below

Important information about the transition

As part of our migration to SAP (Ariba) Business Network, there will be system downtime between 31 March and 11 April, total of 4 working days accounting for easter holidays.

31 March – iSupplier and CAMERA will be decommissioned

All Invoices which are fully approved by 29 March and due for payment in early April, will receive notification by remittance advice with a settlement date in early April.

Please note, only BT UK, Openreach and Plusnet CAMERA PO processes will transition into SAP Business network (EE no change)

11 April – Launch of SAP (Ariba) Business Network

From 11 April 2023 you will receive POs from the SAP (Ariba) Business network and have options to create invoices as outlined above.

Weekly invoice status reports will be provided from April.

Tungsten will not experience any downtime.

What we need from our suppliers

If you hold a contract with BT Plc, Openreach and/or Plusnet

  • Provide your Ariba Network ID (AN ID) via email to mfb.supplier.enablement@bt.com if you have an Enterprise account with Ariba. We will then send the BT-Ariba Trading Relationship Request (TRR)
  • If you transact via Fieldglass, register on, SAP Business Network and keep your Fieldglass account

If you are providing goods and services off-contract

  • Update your details via this form
  • If you already have a SAP Ariba Business Network Enterprise account, please include your existing AN ID.
  • If you don’t currently use SAP Ariba Business Network, wait until your first PO, the PO will be issued electronically from Ariba and have an option to sign up.

SAP Business Network (Ariba), offers two types of account Enterprise and Standard  By default, newly created SAP Business Network (Ariba) accounts will be their Standard free of charge account. Additional functionality is available if you upgrade – and pay SAP for an Enterprise account.

Help and information

If you have any questions visit our FAQs or visit the BT Group SAP Ariba Supplier Information Portal

If you don’t find the answers you are looking for, please contact us by emailing mfb.supplier.enablement@bt.com