Streamlining Supplier Collaboration with Real-Time Portals

Procurement has always relied on supplier relationships — but never before have those relationships been so fragile, or so critical. As businesses grow more global and supply chains more interconnected, the old ways of working—manual tracking, email follow-ups, and siloed spreadsheets—are simply not built for the pace and precision today’s operations demand.

What’s missing isn’t more tools. It’s real-time collaboration.

Modern supplier collaboration requires more than digitizing procurement documents. It requires a shift toward shared visibility, instant updates, and intelligent workflows—powered by platforms that integrate directly with your ERP, scale with your business, and keep every stakeholder informed. That’s where real-time supplier portals come into play.

And among them, Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal, built on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), stands out as a powerful solution for companies looking to modernize Source-to-Pay processes without compromising on control, compliance, or user experience.

Why Supplier Collaboration Still Lags Behind

Even in highly digital organizations, procurement is often riddled with inefficiencies. Purchase orders are sent and forgotten until it’s too late. Goods arrive without notice. Invoices land with incorrect quantities or missing references. And when disputes arise, resolution depends on time-consuming back-and-forth between procurement, finance, and the supplier. According to Deloitte CPO 2023 survey, ,60-70% of procurement time is still spent on manual, transactional tasks like PO tracking and Invoice following up.

The cost of these gaps isn’t just operational—it’s strategic. Delayed goods impact production. Inaccurate invoices stall payments. Unresolved service issues damage trust.

At the heart of it all is a lack of real-time visibility and collaboration. What businesses need is a way for suppliers to act as true partners—working within the same digital environment, with shared data and structured workflows. And they need to do it without compromising ERP integrity or overwhelming procurement teams with change.

Real-Time Portals: More Than Just Access

The concept of a supplier portal isn’t new. What’s changed is the expectation.

Today’s leading businesses are moving from passive supplier access to active, real-time collaboration. This means:

• Suppliers can confirm or negotiate orders digitally
• Production and inspection statuses are shared in real time
• Shipment plans trigger inbound deliveries instantly in SAP
• Invoices are matched and posted automatically if complete
• Issues are raised and resolved through structured service requests
• Work order collaboration is possible, allowing buyers and suppliers to jointly manage, update, and close work orders within the same portal
• Customizable workflows enable businesses to tailor processes to specific needs and deploy modules independently

In short, real-time portals move collaboration from inboxes and Excel sheets into a shared digital workspace—where tasks, timelines, and expectations are always visible and aligned.

A Closer Look at Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal

Designed for enterprises running on SAP, Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal reimagines supplier engagement. Built natively on SAP BTP, it offers tight integration with SAP ECC and S/4HANA, ensuring end-to-end data synchronization across sourcing, procurement, logistics, and finance.

What sets it apart is its comprehensive, module-rich coverage across the Source-to-Pay journey—delivering process depth that goes beyond simple document exchange. From requisition-to-order (PR–PO processing) and order acknowledgements to production status tracking, quality inspection bookings, advanced shipment notifications, service entry management, and goods receipt postings—it’s built to handle every stage of procurement with precision.

The portal also covers contract administration, strategic sourcing, supplier profile management, service request management, goods return management, invoice management, and returnable items tracking. For operational flexibility, businesses can deploy the solution module-wise—choosing only the components they need, such as returns, work orders, or invoice management—while retaining the option to scale into a fully integrated Source-to-Pay suite.

What truly amplifies its impact is the integration of AI and Gen AI capabilities—powering natural language PO queries, automated contract authoring, role-based approval triggers, and contextual text generation—making supplier collaboration not just digital, but intelligent.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Suppliers receive purchase orders and confirm items or propose changes digitally
• Production and quality inspection updates are entered directly by suppliers, giving buyers real-time status
• Advanced Shipment Notifications (ASNs) trigger inbound deliveries in SAP, aligning warehouse planning
• Service Entry Sheets (SES) and invoices are validated against PO terms—reducing exceptions
• Buyers and suppliers raise service requests for quick, traceable dispute resolution
• Work orders are collaboratively created, updated, and tracked with attached documentation and role-based approvals
• Goods return requests are initiated, processed, and monitored within the portal’s dedicated return management module
• Customizable workflows allow organizations to mirror their unique business processes and approval hierarchies without custom coding
• Dashboards track performance KPIs such as delivery timeliness, quality scores, and cycle times

This isn’t just digital paperwork. It is an operational collaboration, with a SAP-integrated procurement portal.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Digitizing supplier collaboration has measurable benefits—particularly when the experience is unified, real-time, and intelligent.

With Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal, companies have reported:

• 100% compliance with rule-based business workflows
  → eliminating manual routing and exceptions
  
  
• 360° invoice visibility and automated posting
  → speeding up accounts payable and reconciliation
  
  
• 40% cost savings
  → driven by less rework, reduced invoice disputes, and faster throughput

Beyond the numbers, procurement teams gain time back to focus on strategy. Suppliers feel more informed and engaged. And finance gains early insight into cash flow and liabilities.

Why Self-Service Matters More Than Ever

Supplier self-service is often misunderstood as a way to offload work. In reality, it’s about giving suppliers the tools to succeed—on your terms.

With Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal, suppliers don’t have to call or email to confirm orders, check payment status, or raise a concern. They can:

• View and manage their purchase orders
• Upload compliance documents and proof of delivery
• Submit invoices and utilize real‑time payment tracking
• Raise and respond to service tickets—all within the portal
• Initiate and manage product returns through the return management module, ensuring faster turnaround and reduced disputes

AI is a key differentiator here. The portal leverages Gen AI and AI chatbots for multiple use cases—such as PO status inquiries using natural language, automated PO confirmations, real-time PO detail updates, role-based approval flows for PO changes, AI-assisted contract authoring, and contextual text generation for contract clauses. These capabilities significantly reduce response times, improve supplier communication, and increase process efficiency.

And with built-in workflow automation and smart notifications, buyers don’t have to micromanage these interactions. They simply stay informed and in control.

Built on SAP BTP: Secure, Scalable, and Smart

The architecture behind Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal matters. Built on SAP Business Technology Platform, it ensures:

• Native integration with your existing SAP ECC or S/4HANA systems
• Intelligent business workflows and task automation
• Secure role-based access for buyers and suppliers
• Scalable deployment across business units and geographies

You don’t need to rip and replace your ERP, or settle for a generic solution that only works at the edge. Cherrywork brings supplier collaboration into the core of your enterprise systems—where it belongs.

What Businesses Are Asking

1. Is this only for the procurement team?
   No—it’s built for both buyers and suppliers, with tailored access and workflows for each.
2. Can suppliers negotiate PO terms or quantities?
   Yes—PO confirmations include quantity updates and promise dates,  through Supplier self service portal with full visibility for the buyer.
3. Are all interactions tracked?
   Absolutely—every confirmation, message, and document upload is logged and auditable.
4. What types of documents can be handled?
   From RFQs to quality inspection results, MSDS documents, SES, ASNs, and invoices—nearly every sourcing and procurement document is supported.

The Bottom Line: Collaboration Is a Competitive Advantage

Waiting on emails and manually chasing suppliers is no longer sustainable. Fragmented processes, delayed updates, and misaligned expectations can quietly erode the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of procurement teams. More importantly, they diminish supplier trust and responsiveness, especially when disputes arise or payments lag without explanation.

To move forward, businesses need to treat suppliers as strategic partners—giving them the digital tools and real-time access they need to stay aligned. Cherrywork’s Supplier Collaboration Portal enables that edge. It delivers not just automation, but alignment. Not just visibility, but accountability. And not just access, but collaboration—in the truest sense.

Ready to see what supplier collaboration looks like in real time? Book a demo today.