Awais Ali

I led the design and implementation of SAP Ariba with SAP ECC via SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway. The project included configuring and maintaining SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway to ensure a seamless data flow between SAP Ariba and SAP ECC. I also automated contract creation, approval workflows, and repository synchronization. I enabled catalog integration, purchase order processing, and supplier collaboration, ensuring smooth invoice reconciliation, approvals, and compliance with tax regulations.

Leveraging the pre-built templates offered by SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway for common business processes and transactions, I developed and executed end-to-end testing strategies for integrations, issue troubleshooting, and ongoing business user support. Additionally, I prepared documentation, user manuals, and training materials for business and technical teams and implemented Agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban, to enhance team productivity, streamline workflows, and achieve project milestones. In addition, daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives were implemented to ensure alignment with Agile best practices and foster continuous improvement.

At the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), I worked on an SAP Vendor Invoice Management (VIM) by OpenText implementation, focusing on invoice automation, workflow optimization, and compliance improvements.

I configured SAP VIM Workflows to streamline invoice approvals, integrating with SAP Financial Accounting (FI) and SAP Materials Management (MM) for seamless processing of PO-based and non-PO invoices.

Additionally, I optimized exception handling by automating invoice discrepancy resolution (price/quantity mismatches) and improving GR/IR reconciliation to reduce manual intervention.

To enhance invoice capture and processing, I implemented Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology for the automated extraction of invoice data from PDFs and emails.

Furthermore, I improved reporting and compliance by designing SAP Fiori dashboards for real-time invoice tracking, exception monitoring, and audit trail visibility, ensuring adherence to government financial regulations.

Throughout the project, I collaborated with accounts payable and procurement teams to refine approval workflows, reduce invoice processing cycle times, and enhance supplier payment efficiency.

As part of the SAP Ariba implementation at Pratt & Whitney, I was involved in the cXML and EDI integration project, ensuring seamless communication between suppliers, procurement systems, and SAP ERP. The primary objective was to establish automated, real-time data exchange between Ariba and external supplier systems, reducing manual intervention and improving transaction accuracy.

In this project, I worked closely with SAP Ariba, IT teams, and suppliers to configure cXML-based Purchase Order (PO) and Invoice automation, as well as EDI 850 (PO), EDI 855 (PO Acknowledgment), and EDI 810 (Invoice) transactions. This involved mapping supplier data formats to Ariba’s cXML and EDI standards, troubleshooting integration errors, and ensuring compliance with Pratt & Whitney’s procurement policies.

A key challenge was managing data consistency between SAP ECC/S/4HANA, Ariba, and supplier networks, requiring close collaboration with EDI service providers and SAP PI/PO (Process Integration/Orchestration) teams. Additionally, I played a critical role in testing and validating document flows, resolving discrepancies in invoice matching, and enhancing supplier onboarding processes for Ariba Network connectivity.