Category Management
	Feature Name & Description	Release	Enablement Model
			Automatically On 	Customer Configured 
	Ability to Add Collaborators to a Strategy and Plan Document [ARBCATA-31] This feature allows you to add team members maintained in the Manage Category Profile app as collaborators to a category strategy and plan document. Collaborators can create and manage the initiatives they own, promoting effective and collaborative strategy development. They can only edit the initiatives they've created, ensuring clear ownership and accountability. The category strategy and plan owner or lead category manager can assign one or more collaborators to support coordinated execution and contribute to the overall strategy. Additionally, the Assignee field is replaced with a new Owner field in all the applicable pages, including the initiatives page.	2511
	Enhancements to the Develop Strategy and Plan Page [ARBCATA-334] This feature adds filtering capabilities to the Develop Strategy and Plan page, enabling users to customize their view for greater efficiency. It also includes an Adapt Filters button, allowing users to choose which filters are displayed, ensuring only the most relevant criteria appear. Together, these enhancements help category managers quickly access and manage strategy and plan documents, streamlining workflows and boosting productivity.	2511
	Ability to Set Initiatives as Complete [ARBCATA-499] This feature allows you to manually mark active initiatives as complete for better organisation and visualization of your data. You can also filter completed initiatives across all relevant views to easily review and analyze progress.	2511
	Use of Spend Data for AI Recommendations in Category Segmentation [ARBCATA-504] This feature uses your organization's spend data to generate AI-based content recommendations in the Category Segmentation tool in SAP Ariba Category Management. By leveraging the additional spend attributes, the category segmentation tool provides segmentation results that more accurately reflects actual spending patterns, reducing manual effort and accelerating strategy development. The AI prompt now uses both the organization's total spend and category-level spend data to deliver faster, more accurate segmentation, while maintaining enterprise-wide security and data privacy.	2511
	Advanced Search for Strategy and Plan documents [ARBCATA-515] This feature allows you to search for strategy and plan documents using specific filter criteria such as cost structure components, value levers, initiatives, and goals. With these new search filters, category managers can quickly find and review relevant strategy and plan documents, improving decision-making and operational efficiency.	2511
	Enhancements to the Operational Reporting API of SAP Ariba Category Management [ARBCATA-555]  This feature allows you to retrieve the following operational data as part of the strategy and plan document by using the operational reporting API for SAP Ariba Category Management: -Business units associated with the strategy and plan documents and -Regions selected as Global that are also associated with the strategy and plan documents	2511
	New Support Components for SAP Ariba Category Management [ARBCATA-604] With this feature, you now have five new support components for SAP Ariba Category Management on the SAP Support Portal. When creating a support case, select the support component that best matches the area you need help with.	2511
	Email and In-App Notifications for SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-118] This feature introduces configurable email and in-app notifications in SAP Ariba Category Management, enabling users to stay informed and act quickly on critical activities. Notifications can be triggered for key events such as being assigned as a team member for a category, designated as the owner of an initiative, or when a strategy and plan document needs to be refreshed based on a configured time interval. These automated notifications help ensure that users are promptly alerted to relevant updates and required actions. Additionally, as part of this feature, approval-related emails have been enhanced to include direct links, allowing approvers to quickly access their assigned documents in My Inbox and submitters to directly open the approved or rejected strategy and plan in Develop Strategy and Plan. By enabling and managing notifications effectively, teams can drive greater alignment, accountability, and efficiency in executing category strategies.	2511
	Ability to Use the External Factors Analysis Tool in Category Management [CATMAN-446] This feature allows you to use the External Factors Analysis tool to model variations of the PESTLE framework within the strategy and plan document of SAP Ariba Category Management. External Factors Analysis, based on the PESTLE framework, is a widely used strategic method for analyzing key external influences and macro environmental factors that may impact a category. By leveraging this tool, category managers can better understand how external dynamics could affect their strategy and sourcing decisions, enabling them to identify risks and opportunities early and make more informed, proactive planning choices aligned with broader business objectives.	2511
	Ability to Set an Initiative as Obsolete in SAP Ariba Category Management [ARBCATA-463] This feature allows you to manually mark initiatives as obsolete for better organization and efficiency. You can close initiatives that are no longer relevant to keep your data clean and focused, ensuring only relevant initiatives are visible and actionable. Additionally, you can now filter initiatives by selecting multiple phases, including the Obsolete phase, on the Initiatives Overview page.	2508
	Reassign Strategy and Plan Document ownership [ARBCATA-471] This feature enables category managers to reassign ownership of a category strategy and plan document to another category manager. This ensures continuous management of strategy plans when the original owner transitions to a different role, goes on leave, or exits the company.	2508
	Category Risk Assessment [ARBCATA-489] This feature enhances the risk assessment tool within the strategy and plan document by enabling category management administrators to define standardized risk types that must be evaluated across purchasing categories.	2508
	Migrate to User Group–Based Access for SAP Ariba Category Management Tenants [ARBCATA-509] This feature enables you to migrate user access management for SAP Ariba Category Management tenants from role collection–based access managed through the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) to a user group–based access model leveraging SAP Cloud Identity Services. This migration simplifies access management and removes the need to configure user replication between identity providers and SAP BTP.	2508
	SAP Ariba Category Management User Interface Enhancements [ARBCATA-512] This feature introduces user interface changes in the Develop Strategy and Plan app in SAP Ariba Category Management.	2508
	Ability to Join the SAP User Research Panel by Answering the Product Survey [ARBCATA-517] This feature allows you to sign up for the SAP User Research Panel after completing the SAP Ariba Category Management product survey.	2508
	New Support Components for SAP Ariba Category Management [ARBCATA-532] With this feature, you now have five new support components for SAP Ariba Category Management on the SAP Support Portal. When creating a support case, select the support component that best matches the area you need help with.	2508
	Ability to Select Tool Documents for AI-generated Category Strategy Recommendations [CATMAN-16] This feature allows you to select specific Cost Structure and Market Dynamics documents to generate AI-driven recommendations for category strategy in SAP Ariba Category Management. You can generate tailored recommendations by selecting documents that align AI insights with your business goals. This saves time on revisions and accelerates strategy development.	2508
	Integration of SAP Build Process Automation for Workflow Management in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-197] This feature integrates SAP Ariba Category Management with SAP Build Process Automation to enable workflow integration and manage workflow-related email notifications. It replaces the SAP Workflow Management service previously used for this purpose. With this integration, email notifications are automatically sent to approvers and the strategy and plan document owner when there is a change in the phase of the strategy and plan document. This enhancement provides a more efficient and consistent approach to managing approval workflows.	2508
	Improved Spend Data Integration Setup for SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-402] This enhancement simplifies the process of integrating spend data from SAP Spend Control Tower or the spend data sync capability into SAP Ariba Category Management by significantly reducing manual setup steps.	2508
	Ability to Add and Manage Attachments on Initiatives [CATMAN-442] This feature enables category managers to add files and links directly to initiatives. Category managers can include relevant supporting information, such as documents, links, or references, directly at the initiative level to improve collaboration and increase visibility across the team.	2508
	Ability to Add Multiple Tool Documents to a Strategy and Plan in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-454] This feature allows you to add multiple tool documents of the same analysis tool to a strategy and plan document, enhancing flexibility in category management analysis. You can now add multiple Cost Structure and Market Dynamics documents, each configured for different categories, regions, and business units to a strategy and plan document. This enables you to customize and compare analysis for better decision-making.	2508
	Ability to Create and Use Custom Strategy and Plan Tools With Attachment Templates [CATMAN-469] This feature allows category management administrators to create a custom strategy and plan tool and add a document template to it in the Manage Configurations app of SAP Ariba Category Management. The custom strategy and plan tool provides category managers with a standardized template when creating strategy and plan documents in the Develop Strategy and Plan app. This allows category managers to access the document template, use it as reference according to the template's content, and upload their own documents directly within the tool.	2508
	Change of SCIM System to a New Connector for Provisioning Users in Intelligent Opportunity Analyzer [ARBIOA-35] This feature introduces a new connector named Intelligent Opportunity Analyzer within the Identity Provisioning service, designed for provisioning users to intelligent opportunity analyzer. This connector replaces the SCIM System connector that was used earlier for user provisioning in intelligent opportunity analyzer.	2505
	SAP Ariba Category Management Spend Visibility Dashboard Enhancements [ANALYSIS-1320] This feature introduces new Category Profile and Supplier Fragmentation analytics dashboards in SAP Ariba Category Management.	2505
	Ability to Generate Strategy and Plan Document PDFs [CATMAN-142] This feature enables category managers to generate read-only PDF versions of strategy and plan documents. This makes it easier to share with stakeholders who don't have access to SAP Ariba Category Management. Stakeholders can review the strategy and plan outside of SAP Ariba Category Management, provide input, follow its direction, and consider it when developing related strategies.	2505
	Ability to Assign Predefined User Groups to Category Management Users from SAP Cloud Identity Services [CATMAN-144] This feature enables you to assign predefined, category management-specific user groups from the Identity Authentication service in SAP Cloud Identity Services to users of SAP Ariba Category Management	2505
	Ability to Add External Stakeholders in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-357] With this new feature, category managers can now add external stakeholders to the Stakeholders Map in SAP Ariba Category Management, even if they aren't added as users in the Identity	2505
	Enhancements to the Toolkit Functionality in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-417] This feature improves the toolkit functionality by allowing you to copy, compare, and delete Market Dynamics and Cost Structure tool documents, offering greater flexibility and ease in managing these documents.	2505
	Integration of Spend Data in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-418] This feature allows you to integrate spend data into SAP Ariba Category Management using either SAP Spend Control Tower or the spend data sync capability. Choose the appropriate option based on your license. If you have an active SAP Spend Control Tower license, you must use SAP Spend Control Tower for the spend integration. If not, you can use the spend data sync capability instead.	2505
	Enhancements to the Initiatives Overview app in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-471] This feature allows you to switch between visual and compact filters and save your filtering preferences in the Initiatives Overview app in SAP Ariba Category Management. You can now export initiatives to a spreadsheet for offline data analysis. The enhanced overview enables you to visualize all initiative benefits (estimated benefits, negotiated benefits, and realized benefits) and Baseline Spend in a single view across multiple categories.	2505
	Display of Regions and Business Units in Strategy and Plan Documents [ARBCATA-469] This feature introduces user interface enhancements to the Develop Strategy and Plan and My Inbox apps in SAP Ariba Category Management, improving the visibility of region and business unit information within strategy and plan documents.	2505
	New /StrategyAndPlanApprovalHistory Endpoint to Retrieve the Approval History of Strategy and Plan Documents [ARBCATA-488] This feature adds a new endpoint, /StrategyAndPlanApprovalHistory, to the operational reporting API of SAP Ariba Category Management. This endpoint retrieves approval history details for strategy and plan documents. The retrieved data can then be used with external reporting tools for comprehensive data analysis.	2505
	Upgrade of the Existing Workflow Engine in SAP Ariba Category Management to the SAP Build Process Automation Service [ARBCATA-519] The workflow engine in SAP Ariba Category Management will be decommissioned with the Q3 2025 release and replaced by the next-generation SAP Build Process Automation Service. This is a technical update with no impact on the user experience. To ensure a seamless transition, all pending workflow tasks, such as approval documents, must be approved, rejected, or withdrawn before the Q3 2025 release.	2505
	SAP Ariba Category Management, AI-assisted strategy summarizer [CATMAN-429] This feature introduces the Generative AI capabilities for generating a summary in the Approval Document in SAP Ariba Category Management. AI-enhanced summaries provide a quick overview, highlighting key points without the need to manually review details across all sections of the approval documents. Category managers can refine these summaries and send them for approval, improving decision-making. Additionally, you can now regenerate category strategy details recommendations when the data in the strategy and plan tools is updated.	2505
	Enhancements to the Manage Taxonomy and Manage Configurations Apps in SAP Ariba Category Management [ARBCATA-255] This feature enables category management administrators to configure product classification systems, like UNSPSC and custom domain codes, directly in the Manage Taxonomy app of SAP Ariba Category Management. It simplifies workflows by combining product classification and category taxonomy management into a single app.	2502
	Ability to Add Primary and Secondary Value Levers to Initiatives [ARBCATA-444] This feature enables category managers to add primary and secondary value levers to an initiative in SAP Ariba Category Management. This helps give category managers greater insights into strategies and actions that can help their organization achieve optimal value from procurement.	2502
	Ability to Use Supplier Preferencing in SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-265] This feature enables you to use supplier preferencing in SAP Ariba Category Management. Supplier preferencing helps organizations understand how suppliers perceive them and categorize suppliers based on these perceptions. By identifying supplier preferencing categories, businesses can enhance relationships, improve supplier engagement, and manage interactions more effectively.	2502
	Ability to Manage Time Period for Spend Data in Category Management  [CATMAN-425] This feature enables category management administrators to configure the preferred time period for spend data in the Manage Configurations app of SAP Ariba Category Management. The selected time period determines the spend data displayed across all apps in category management, enabling you to build strategies based on specific years of spend.	2502
	SAP Ariba Category Management, AI-Assisted Category Strategy Recommendation [CATMAN-467] This feature introduces the Generative AI capabilities in the Category Strategy Details tool of SAP Ariba Category Management. Generating AI-enhanced content recommendations streamlines the strategy creation process, saving time and effort while delivering tailored insights based on inputs from category managers. With Generative AI, users can enhance efficiency and focus on making informed strategic decisions, rather than spending valuable time manually analyzing data.	2502
	Operational Reporting API for SAP Ariba Category Management [CATMAN-468] SAP Ariba Category Management now provides the Operational Reporting API, designed for use by client applications. Built on OpenAPI specifications and leveraging the OData standard, this API enables the retrieval of operational data such as strategy and plan documents, categories with product classifications, and category profiles. The retrieved data can be used with external reporting tools for comprehensive data analysis.	2502
	SAP Ariba Category Management User Interface Enhancements [CATMAN-423] This feature introduces user interface changes to the Manage Taxonomy and Develop Strategy and Plan apps in SAP Ariba Category Management. Includes: CATMAN-472	2502

 

SAP assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions and nothing in this web page should be construed to represent any commitment by SAP to include any specific new features in any version of the SAP solutions. Please contact your Customer Success Partner for additional details.