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Experience the Power of
SAP Business Network
When the world can change in an
instant, adaptability is critical
Planning and
forecasting
Buying and
receiving
Production
and quality
assurance
Freight and
logistics
management
Operations and
maintenance
SAP Business Network helps companies digitally collaborate with trading partners across five
core processes to create a transparent, resilient,
and sustainable supply chain.
See it in action
See it in action
Ready to dive in?
Select a use case to see firsthand how companies like yours can excel across the
five core processes to meet supply chain challenges using a business network.
View the use case
High tech company
manufactures drones
Discrete manufacturing
View the use case
Pharmaceutical company
manufactures vaccines
Process manufacturing

Meet Skytron Ltd.*

A privately owned large enterprise technology
company serving hundreds of customers worldwide
Manufactures drones using highly
specialized circuit boards
Serves meteorological and agriculture customers
with plans to expand into new markets,
including media and entertainment
*Skytron Ltd. is not an actual company. This use case is for illustration purposes only.
Learn more

Meet Biovax*

A large enterprise biopharmaceutical company
serving hundreds of customers worldwide
Manufactures an influenza vaccine working with raw materials
suppliers that provide active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
and excipients for the vaccine, as well as packaging contract
manufacturers that fill and finish the vaccine for distribution
Uses contract manufacturers to produce vaccine
batches in times of high demand
Sells the vaccine directly to distributors and
wholesalers
*Biovax is not an actual company. This use case is for illustration purposes only.
Learn more
See how a powerful digital network elevates Skytron’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Planning and Forecasting
Early visibility into available supply and
external manufacturing capacity is critical
to Skytron’s demand planning team as
the company expands into new markets.
Read on to see how the network enables Skytron to avert supply chain shortages.
Meet Carlos, Skytron’s planner:
  • Responsible for delivering accurate demand forecasts
  • Works closely with marketing, sales, and operations to plan inventory and manufacturing
  • Replaced spreadsheets with a business network, improving collaboration and increasing transparency
Carlos’ mission:
Fulfill Skytron’s new sales demand by ensuring suppliers can provide critical raw materials and components on time and in full.
To kick things off, Carlos shares forecast information with his trading partners and receives commitments in real time.
Everything is on track. Until it isn’t.
A circuit board shortage puts Carlos’ forecast at risk.
As Carlos reviews the supplier commitments, he finds that one of his largest suppliers is falling short.
He must adapt quickly, finding more circuit boards to meet his demand forecast for the new contracts.
Read on to see how a business network helps Carlos pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
SAP Business Network makes it easier for Carlos to see what’s available and connect with a large network of trading partners to address supply and demand mismatches.
Carlos uses the network to:
  • Access an intuitive real-time dashboard to quickly identify supply gaps
  • Obtain information about his existing supplier inventory and reallocate the forecast for the additional circuit boards needed
  • Identify new sources of supply to help fill the demand gap
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Planning and Forecasting
SAP Business Network helps you stay aligned with your trading partners using consistent, accurate data that can guide decisions and improve planning and forecast commitments.
By digitally connecting with trading partners through the network, you can reduce risk, avoid shortages, and meet demand.
Suppliers can proactively manage their forecast commitments using the intuitive user interface for improved order fill rates.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Skytron can realize benefits such as:
8%–23%
Lower revenue loss due to stock-outs
11%
Improvement in on-time delivery
87% reduction
In planning and execution cycle time
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Skytron’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Buying and Receiving
Access to alternate sources of supply is
critical to fill Skytron’s raw material and
component gaps and keep production on track.
Learn how Skytron accesses the world’s largest business network
for new suppliers that are ready to transact on day one.
Meet Kayla, Skytron’s buyer:
  • Responsible for sourcing and procuring raw materials and components for the company’s drone product
  • Uses SAP Business Network to gain clear insights into her supply base of specialized components
Kayla’s mission:
Streamline the purchase of raw materials and core components to meet production plans.
A purchase order (PO) is sent to Kayla’s supplier for batteries.
But Kayla has an unexpected setback in her ordering process.
A raw materials shortage affects delivery of a core production
component.
Kayla receives the news that one of her suppliers can’t deliver batteries due to a raw materials shortage.
See how Kayla takes quick action to mitigate risk and find new sources of supply.
Read on to see how a business network helps Kayla pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
Using SAP Business Network, Kayla has access to millions of connected companies to find qualified suppliers that are already enabled on the network. She gets to work and sources new battery suppliers.
Kayla uses the network to:
  • Gain visibility into a rich set of supplier profiles, risk information, and ESG scores, helping her onboard the right suppliers
  • Find a qualified battery supplier to fill her supply gap
  • Begin collaborating with the supplier on order details and specifications
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Buying and Receiving
SAP Business Network digitally connects you with the right suppliers and service providers, supporting automation of and collaboration on POs, order confirmations, invoices, and more.
By leveraging the world’s largest business network, you can find alternative sources of supply that are ready to transact on day one.
The ability to custom-configure business rules allows for better process controls and reduced payment errors.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Skytron can realize benefits such as:
Streamlined order
follow-up and expediting
From 1–2 days to 1–2 hours
Streamlined
confirmation feedback
From 17 days to 3 days
60%
reduction in operating costs across procure-to-pay
50%–75%
Faster transaction cycles
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Skytron’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Production and Quality Assurance
Skytron standardizes its quality assurance collaboration
with trading partners for improved visibility, information
sharing, and the ability to support on-time delivery.
Read on to see how the network helps Skytron deliver products with impeccable quality.
Meet Selene, Skytron’s quality manager:
  • Responsible for ensuring delivery of quality products through raw materials, component, and finished product inspection and testing
  • Uses SAP Business Network to closely collaborate with her suppliers and streamline quality management
Selene’s mission:
Test all circuit boards to ensure they meet industry requirements and quality standards.
Upon receiving a shipment of circuit boards from her supplier, Selene schedules quality assurance testing.
But the tests yield mixed results.
A small percentage of the components fail testing.
The quality assurance team detects defects in some of the circuit boards.
Luckily, Selene knows how to quickly resolve the issue.
Read on to see how a business network helps Selene pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
Using SAP Business Network, Selene collaborates with her supplier to resolve the defective circuit board issue and avoid any production disruptions.
Using the network, Selene:
  • Immediately sends a quality notice to the circuit board supplier
  • Receives a return-material authorization (RMA) after the supplier agrees to replace the defective circuit boards
  • Collaborates with the plant manager to confirm the defective parts are quarantined
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Production and Quality Assurance
SAP Business Network helps you create a foundation for improved product quality by enhancing visibility and collaboration between you and your trading partners.
By exchanging quality documentation across the network, you can ensure that components and finished goods meet quality requirements and industry regulations.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Skytron can realize benefits such as:
Exchanging and reviewing of quality management documents between supply chain teams and trading partners through the network
Increasing on-time deliveries to customer through acceleration of quality inspections and transfer of parts to unrestricted stock
Improving customer satisfaction with finished products by helping trading partners quickly resolve quality issues
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Skytron’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Freight and Logistics Management
Deep insights into performance, risk,
and potential disruptions enable Skytron to
manage logistics operations more efficiently.
Read on to see how the network empowers Skytron to keep product delivery on track.
Meet Marc, Skytron’s logistics coordinator:
  • Responsible for coordinating the timely and cost-efficient delivery of drone products to reach customer satisfaction goals
  • Uses SAP Business Network to collaborate with stakeholders across his logistics ecosystem to plan and execute deliveries
  • Proactively solves transportation and other logistics challenges with insight enabled by the business network
Marc’s mission:
Contract with carriers and ensure the delivery of Skytron’s drone products to customers is on time and in full, as promised.
A drone shipment is dispatched to Skytron’s customer. Marc must monitor the delivery logistics to see that the shipment of drones arrives on time.
But an issue arises during shipment.
A disruption is detected on the carrier’s delivery route.
With visibility into goods in transit, Marc receives an alert through the network about a logistics breakdown.
Learn how he gets things back on track.
Read on to see how a business network helps Marc pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
Marc uses SAP Business Network to gain real-time visibility and predictive insights into all of his deliveries. Advanced insights into order fulfillment and goods in transit help Marc manage exceptions with his logistics partners and automate communications with customers.
Using the network, Marc:
  • Digitally tracks his product delivery and gets an alert about the carrier breakdown
  • Coordinates with the carrier to find replacement transportation
  • Receives an updated estimated time of arrival (ETA) and notifies the customer of the new ETA
  • Captures and analyzes environmental data throughout shipment to improve transportation-related sustainability
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Freight and Logistics Management
SAP Business Network helps you proactively manage your logistics processes by providing carrier and service provider collaboration along with a clear view of shipment status, location, risk factors, and predictive insights.
The network provides maximum insights to track shipments and orders through the complete order fulfillment cycle. You can rapidly respond to breakdowns in your logistics chain to better prevent revenue loss, mitigate risk of stock-outs and materials shortages, and reduce unforeseen costs such as expedited shipping.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Skytron can realize benefits such as:
1%–5%
Reduction in transportation spend
10%–20%
Reduction in data integration cost
1%–5%
Reduction in warehouse management costs
5%–50%
Reduction in order fulfillment lead time
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Skytron’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Operations and Maintenance
Ensuring that manufacturing equipment performs
at peak effectiveness helps Skytron deliver
high-quality products on time.
Read on to see how Skytron collaborates with its trading partners to expedite
equipment maintenance using shared asset information on the network.
Meet Rodney, Skytron’s plant manager:
  • Responsible for plant operations, including the manufacturing schedule and equipment maintenance
  • Uses SAP Business Network for enhanced visibility into asset management, performance, and maintenance to reduce the risk of production delays
Rodney’s mission:
Keep Skytron’s production floor online and on schedule with minimal planned and unplanned downtime to meet customer promise dates.
During modification and testing of stock circuit boards, Rodney finds that the calibration equipment is registering unexpected results.
The calibration machine fails.
See how Rodney collaborates with his trading partners to facilitate equipment repair using shared asset information on the network.
Read on to see how a business network helps Rodney pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
With SAP Business Network, Rodney has the information he needs to identify the issue and expedite the repair.
Using the network:
  • Rodney accesses the asset data and model specifications from the original equipment manufacturer and finds that the machine is out of tolerance. He generates a work order for the repair.
  • The service provider receives the work order, identifies the equipment anomaly, and orders the needed parts and services.
  • As a connected trading partner, the service provider accesses the recalibration instructions and latest firmware information to execute the repair with minimal downtime.
  • Trading partners can collaborate to enable quick recalibration of the equipment and resume testing – without affecting Skytron’s production schedule.
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Operations and Maintenance
With SAP Business Network, operators, equipment manufacturers, and service providers collaborate on a single version of the truth for optimal asset data integrity and process efficiency.
Trading partners are empowered with a single network to achieve resiliency and transparency across the asset lifecycle.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Skytron can realize benefits such as:
25%
Decrease in maintenance costs
40%
Faster work order processing
80%
Faster response times for
service calls
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Biovax’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Planning and Forecasting
Early visibility into available supply and
external manufacturing capacity helps
Biovax avoid shortages and meet demand.
Read on to see how the network helps Biovax avert supply shortages.
Meet Maria, Biovax’s planner:
  • Responsible for delivering accurate demand forecasts to her contract manufacturers and co-packers to ensure supply for manufacturing
  • Replaced spreadsheets with a business network, improving collaboration and increasing transparency with her trading partners
Maria’s mission:
Fulfill Biovax’s demand by ensuring that raw materials suppliers can provide APIs and excipients for the company’s vaccine on time and in full.
Maria uses SAP Business Network to digitally collaborate with her trading partners, exchanging critical forecasts, inventory, manufacturing, and packaging capacities.
Maria shares forecast information with her trading partners and receives commitments in real time.
Everything is on track. Until it isn’t.
A vial shortage puts Maria’s forecast at risk.
As Maria reviews her supplier commitments, she finds that one of her contract packagers faces a vial shortage that will affect its capacity to deliver the promised vaccine doses.
She must act swiftly to meet demand.
Read on to see how a business network helps Maria pivot quickly.
The Network Effect
By collaborating on SAP Business Network Maria works with her trading partners to address mismatches of demand and supply.
Using the network, Maria:
  • Views suppliers’ stock on hand to find replacement vials
  • Reallocates vials from a secondary packager to her main packager, avoiding plan and forecast disruptions
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Planning and Forecasting
SAP Business Network helps you stay aligned with your trading partners using consistent, accurate data that can guide decisions and improve planning and forecast commitments.
By digitally connecting with trading partners through the network, you can reduce risk, avoid shortages, and meet demand.
Suppliers can proactively manage their forecast commitments using the intuitive user interface for improved order fill rates.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Biovax can realize benefits such as:
8%–23%
Lower revenue loss due to stock-outs
11%
Improvement in on-time delivery
87% reduction
In planning and execution cycle time
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Biovax’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Buying and Receiving
A frictionless digitalized transaction exchange
with suppliers helps Biovax gain efficiencies
in its procurement processes.
Learn how Biovax uses the network to automate its purchasing process.
Meet Taylor, Biovax’s buyer:
  • Responsible for sourcing and procuring pharmaceutical raw materials for the vaccine
  • Uses SAP Business Network to automate her purchasing process, collaborate with suppliers in near-real time, and access alternative sources of supply when gaps occur
Taylor’s mission:
Streamline purchasing processes to meet production demands.
A purchase order (PO) is sent to the raw materials supplier for the vaccine’s excipients.
The supplier confirms the PO, but the estimated shipping date is much later than the date requested.
is much later than the date requested.
A delayed delivery date threatens the production schedule.
Taylor gets an alert that the delivery of the vaccine excipient will be delayed.
She takes quick action to cancel the original PO and source another supplier.
Read on to see how a business network helps Taylor pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
Using SAP Business Network, Taylor can find new sources of supply to fill gaps and meet demand. The network supports a frictionless way to digitalize transactions with suppliers that are already on the network and ready to transact from day one.
Using the network, Taylor:
  • Gains visibility into a rich set of supplier profiles, risk information, and ESG scores, helping her onboard the right suppliers
  • Identifies a validated pharmaceutical supplier that can fill her demand gap
  • Sends a PO to the new supplier through the network for the required excipient
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Buying and Receiving
SAP Business Network digitally connects you with the right suppliers and service providers, supporting automation of and collaboration on POs, order confirmations, invoices, and more.
By leveraging the world’s largest business network, you can find alternative sources of supply that are ready to transact on day one.
The ability to custom-configure business rules allows for better process controls and reduced payment mistakes.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Biovax can realize benefits such as:
From 1–2 days to 1–2 hours

Reduction in order follow-up and expediting
From 17 days to 3 days
Time needed for confirmation feedback
60%
reduction in operating costs across procure-to-pay
50%–75%
Faster transaction cycles
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Biovax’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Production and Quality Assurance
Biovax standardizes its quality assurance collaboration
with trading partners, improving visibility, information
sharing, and resolution of potential patient safety issues.
Learn how Biovax uses the network to streamline quality assurance through digital collaboration.
Meet Johannes, Biovax’s quality manager:
  • Responsible for quality assurance, delivery timelines, and meeting quality and compliance standards
  • Uses SAP Business Network to closely collaborate with suppliers and contract packagers for streamlined quality management
Johannes’ mission:
Johannes’ contract manufacturer is producing several batches of vaccine for Biovax in preparation for influenza season. The contractor must test the excipients to meet strict quality assurance requirements.
Working closely with Johannes, the contractor shares test results using the network.
An anomaly is discovered in a batch of excipient.
A batch of excipient is defective.
To avoid delayed deliveries, Biovax needs a replacement batch.
Read on to see how a business network helps Johannes pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
Johannes uses SAP Business Network to collaborate digitally with his trading partners on testing and quality documentation needed for patient safety. He can resolve his supply gap using the network to see existing supplier inventory. In addition, he can access approved vendor lists to order backup supply.
Using the network, Johannes:
  • Reviews inventory status from the original contract manufacturer
  • Finds excipient in stock from this vendor and requests rush shipment of a replacement batch to avoid production delays
Each batch of vaccine is placed in restricted quarantine during the quality assurance evaluation and released automatically for shipment once test results are confirmed.
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Production and Quality Assurance
SAP Business Network helps you create a foundation for improved product quality by enhancing visibility and collaboration between you and your trading partners.
By exchanging quality documentation across the network, you can ensure that components and finished goods meet quality requirements and industry regulations.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Biovax can realize benefits such as:
Exchange and review of quality management documents between supply chain teams and trading partners through the network
Increasing on-time deliveries to customer through acceleration of quality inspections and transfer of parts to unrestricted stock
Improving customer satisfaction with finished products by helping trading partners quickly resolve quality issues
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Biovax’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Freight and Logistics Management
Deep insights into performance, risk, and potential
disruptions help Biovax manage logistics
operations more efficiently.
Read on to see how the network empowers Biovax to keep product delivery on track.
Meet Diego, Biovax’s logistics coordinator:
  • Responsible for coordinating the timely, cost-efficient, and safe transport of vaccines
  • Uses SAP Business Network to connect with stakeholders across his logistics ecosystem to plan and execute deliveries
  • Proactively solves transportation and logistics challenges as they arise
Diego’s mission:
Manage logistics operations with full visibility into shipment status and transportation conditions, ensuring shipment integrity despite complex vaccine shipment requirements.
Diego sets up shipment of a vaccine batch to one of the company’s wholesale customers. He relies on trusted, reliable carriers that can meet the temperature specifications needed for cold-chain vaccine products.
But an issue arises during shipment.
The carrier experiences a breakdown.
Diego receives a notice that one of his special ground carriers breaks down while en route to a wholesaler.
To preserve vaccine integrity, Diego must take quick action.
Read on to see how a business network helps Diego pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
Diego uses SAP Business Network for real-time visibility into shipment statuses, which is vital when shipping drugs with critical time and temperature requirements. By leveraging insights from the network, he can collaborate with trading partners to quickly address logistics challenges.
Using the network, Diego:
  • Works with the carrier to monitor the cooling conditions
  • Requests backup transportation to reroute the shipment and minimize delivery impact
  • Communicates the impact and remediation to the pharmaceutical wholesaler
  • Captures environmental data throughout shipment to improve transportation-related sustainability.
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Freight and Logistics Management
SAP Business Network helps you proactively manage your logistics processes by providing carrier and service provider collaboration along with a clear view of shipment status, location, risk factors, and predictive insights.
The network provides maximum insights to track shipments and orders through the complete order fulfillment cycle. You can rapidly respond to breakdowns in your logistics chain to better prevent revenue loss, mitigate risk of stock-outs and materials shortages, and reduce unforeseen costs such as expedited shipping.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Biovax can realize benefits such as:
1%–5%
Reduction in transportation spend
10%–20%
Reduction in data integration cost
1%–5%
Reduction in warehouse management costs
5%–50%
Reduction in order fulfillment lead time
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
See how a powerful digital network elevates Biovax’s performance
through trading partner collaboration across five core processes
Operations and Maintenance
Ensuring that manufacturing equipment performs
at peak effectiveness helps Biovax deliver
high-quality products on time.
Read on to see how Biovax collaborates with its trading partners to expedite
equipment maintenance using shared asset information on the network.
Meet Luke, Biovax’s maintenance supervisor:
  • Responsible for plant operations, including the manufacturing schedule and equipment maintenance
  • Uses SAP Business Network for enhanced visibility into asset management, performance, and maintenance to reduce the risk of production delays
Luke’s mission:
Keep specialized, precise, and made-to-order equipment used for vaccine production operating efficiently with minimal downtime.
Because the company’s vaccine is manufactured using a set of specialized assets, managing its equipment operations and maintenance is critical to overall equipment effectiveness.
During routine equipment monitoring, an anomaly is detected.
A defective part endangers continuity of Biovax production.
Luke detects wear and tear of a specialized made-to-order equipment part, which needs replacement ahead of the planned maintenance schedule.
Read on to see how a business network helps Luke pivot swiftly.
The Network Effect
To prevent production equipment failure, Luke uses SAP Business Network to collaborate with his equipment manufacturers and service providers so they can replace the defective part quickly and avoid disruption.
Luke and his suppliers access the equipment documentation, spare-parts specification, and maintenance information shared by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Using the network, Luke:
  • Orders the spare part and maintenance service for the equipment repair, synchronizing material and labor without time-consuming offline coordination
  • Notifies the equipment OEM that the failed subcomponent did not meet its design lifespan and requests a product design enhancement
The Value of
SAP Business Network
Operations and Maintenance
With SAP Business Network, operators, equipment manufacturers, and service providers collaborate on one version of the truth for optimal asset data integrity and effectiveness.
Trading partners are empowered with a single network to achieve resiliency and transparency across the asset lifecycle.
Explore benefits
Using SAP Business Network,
companies like Biovax can realize benefits such as:
25%
Decrease in maintenance costs
40%
Faster work-order processing
80%
Faster response times for
service calls
Want to see how SAP Business Network can help your business? Dive deeper here.
Welcome to the SAP Business Network Resources Page
Round out your knowledge with this handpicked content.
Hear what your peers and analysts are saying about network-based collaboration.
Read the IDC research report: Global B2B Collaboration Networks: Critical Enablers of Business Resiliency.
Watch the overview video
Get an overview in less than 90 seconds.
Read the white paper
Efficient and Agile: The Power of
Networked Supply Chains
Get an overview of business networks
and learn about real-life use cases
across different industries.
Read the solution brief
Connect with Trading Partners for a
Resilient, Adaptive Supply Chain
See how you can infuse speed, agility,
and resiliency into your supply chain.
View the customer stories
Supply chain collaboration
How does closer collaboration with
suppliers take supply chain efficiency to
new heights?
Read the ITP Aero business transformation
study on supply chain collaboration.
Logistics collaboration
How can digitalized logistics processes
increase efficiency and improve
customer service?
Read the Döhler business transformation
study on logistics management.
Asset collaboration
How does a rail company use an
intelligent platform to move more
passengers in comfort and safety?
Watch the SBB video on asset
management.
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