--- sourceDocument: Xanadu Finance and Supply Chain sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/source-to-pay-operations Release : - xanadu ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Xanadu Finance and Supply Chain ft:clusterId : - stpop bundleId : - stpop workflow : - Creator --- # Exploring Supplier Lifecycle Operations # Exploring Supplier Lifecycle Operations {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Xanadu * * Updated August 1, 2024 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read Use ServiceNow® Supplier Lifecycle Operations to empower suppliers with self-service to simplify operations and improve productivity. ## Overview of Supplier Lifecycle Operations {#explore-supp-mgmt__section_dht_hkt_hsb} Supplier Lifecycle Operations enables you to onboard suppliers quickly, effortlessly manage supplier data, add key supplier contacts, monitor supplier performance, and enhance the productivity of the teams that engage with suppliers. ## Benefits of Supplier Lifecycle Operations {#explore-supp-mgmt__section_ifq_3kt_hsb} Supplier Lifecycle Operations provides the following benefits: * Faster supplier onboarding: View details about new suppliers and onboard suppliers quickly using onboarding workflows and start purchasing goods and services. * Automatically import supplier information: Supplier Lifecycle Operations integrates with the supplier Intelligence platform, Craft, which enables you to import and view all the important supplier details. * Supplier self-service: Enhance the supplier experience by enabling suppliers to complete onboarding tasks, get their questioned answered, and fulfill requests, such as viewing open purchase orders and submitting invoices. * Supplier data management: Provide flexibility to suppliers to manage and update their own data, ensuring that the supplier data is current and up to date. * Supplier case and contact management: Create and manage supplier cases, add, and manage supplier contacts. * Minimize risk during supplier onboarding: Identify and assess potential supplier risks when onboarding new suppliers. * Manage supplier relationship and performance: Monitor and assess supplier performance by setting up criteria for measuring supplier performance though KPIs and thresholds. * Many-to-many (M2M) mapping between supplier contact and suppliers: A single supplier contact can be the contact for multiple suppliers, if those suppliers share a parent-subsidiary relationship. Important: M2M mapping between supplier contact and suppliers is available from the Xanadu December 2024 release onwards. To enable M2M mapping, see [Enable M2M mapping between supplier contact and suppliers](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/MGbOX7Qo~b~WPMftghLCFg "Many-to-many (M2M) mapping between supplier contact and suppliers enables one supplier contact to be the contact for multiple suppliers, provided the suppliers share a parent-subsidiary relationship."). {#explore-supp-mgmt__ul_xnd_rxt_hsb} For more information about installing Supplier Lifecycle Operations, see [Install Supplier Lifecycle Operations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qoXQBbdcz6K0XD4VdjOJrw "You can install the Supplier Lifecycle Operations application (com.snc.sn_supplier_mgmt) if you have the admin role. The application includes demo data and installs related ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed."). ## Supplier Lifecycle Operations applications {#explore-supp-mgmt__section_bnq_hrx_gsb} Supplier Lifecycle Operations includes the following applications. {#explore-supp-mgmt__table_nhd_jdl_gxb__entry__2} | Application | Description | |-|-| | [Supplier Common Architecture](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/tdQXVgA9gbVAF3Zy9UILmw "The Supplier Common Architecture application (com.snc.sn_slm) contains tables of the Supplier Lifecycle Operations application that can be commonly used and extended by other products. The Supplier Common Architecture application also contains the roles required for the Supplier Lifecycle Operations application.") | Provides a common architecture to track data objects related to a supplier used in both Supplier Lifecycle Operations and Supplier Collaboration Portal. | | [Source-to-Pay Workspace](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/TOTOc2xbiEhbM8PO4O7bCw "The Source-to-Pay Workspace provides experiences and tools that you can use to work on various activities, such as procuring goods, onboarding high-performing suppliers, and processing invoices.") Important: Starting with the Washington D.C. release, Supplier Manager Workspace is being prepared for future deprecation. It's hidden from the navigation and no longer is activated on new instances but will continue to be supported. Source-to-Pay Workspace provides the latest experience for this functionality. | Enables you to centralize supplier information and collaborate with suppliers to improve performance. | | [Craft.co Integration for Supplier Lifecycle Operations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/JFHPanCSJDk9k3nrAYkmqQ "The Craft.co Integration for Supplier Lifecycle Operations plugin (com.snc.sn_supplier_craft) provides an integration between Craft and Supplier Lifecycle Operations application.") | Provides a preconfigured integration with Craft.co. Craft.co is a supplier intelligence platform that offers validated and comprehensive information about suppliers with which a company engages. | | [News Integration for Supplier Lifecycle Operations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/40cwHYuataGtvpr44wAHKw "The News Integration for Supplier Lifecycle Operations plugin (com.snc.sn_supplier_news) retrieves supplier news and activities using the Microsoft Bing News Search API and displays this information in the Supplier News and Activity section on the About tab of the Source-to-Pay Workspace.") | Retrieve recent news and other articles from preferred news channels. There's a preconfigured integration with Microsoft Bing available with this application. | | [Advanced Work Assignment for Supplier Lifecycle Operations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/deu89r7WZ~QARSdNp8zNjQ "Use the Advanced Work Assignment for Supplier Lifecycle Operations feature to automatically assign work items to agents based on availability and capacity.") | Automatically assign supplier cases to agents based on availability and capacity. | | [Risk Assessments Integration for Supplier Lifecycle Operations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=better-tprm-slo&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-better-together&ft:locale=en-US) | Provides an integration with the Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) application to conduct due diligence when onboarding new suppliers. | | [Supplier Collaboration Portal](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/gCon7G8aSoW0p~yRTjRKFw "The ServiceNow Supplier Collaboration Portal application provides a seamless unified employee portal experience for supplier contacts.") | Provides a single, one-stop experience for suppliers to get self-service, complete tasks and make requests into an organization. | | [Supplier Relationship and Performance Management](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~xcEvod1P1BL9_2AeTZDFg "Managing supplier relationship and performance is a key aspect of supplier management that aims to optimize the value and quality of the products and services delivered by suppliers.") | Enables you to establish clear expectations and criteria for measuring supplier performance, monitor, and assess their performance against those criteria. | [ ] {#explore-supp-mgmt__table_nhd_jdl_gxb} ## Supplier Lifecycle Operations functional architecture diagram {#explore-supp-mgmt__section_tb3_qhr_w1c} The following figure shows a high-level illustration of the various components that make up the functional architecture of Supplier Lifecycle Operations. Figure 1. Supplier Lifecycle Operations functional architecture diagram ## Helpful resources {#explore-supp-mgmt__section_jrv_hp3_rcc} Here are some additional ServiceNow resources that can help you: Release Notes : Learn more about what's new and changed. See the [Supplier Lifecycle Operations release notes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=supplier-lifecycle-operations-rn&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-release-notes&ft:locale=en-US). ServiceNow University : Access real-time courses, self-paced training, and career resources, such as [SLO Implementation Essentials](https://learning.servicenow.com/lxp/en/source-to-pay-operations/supplier-lifecycle-operations-slo-implementation?id=learning_course_prev&course_id=19d699b8c38cd2985922751ce001316f) and more, from [ServiceNow University](https://learning.servicenow.com/lxp/en/pages/servicenow). Now Create : Log in to your ServiceNow account and find additional information about implementing and deploying Supplier Lifecycle Operations features at [Now Create](https://learning.servicenow.com/nowcreate). YouTube : Learn more about the value that you can add to your business with the Source-to-Pay suite. Watch [Multiply the value of your ServiceNow platform with Source-to-Pay workflows](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crQtfrCR6DY) on YouTube. ServiceNow Community : Connect with other Supplier Lifecycle Operations users at [ServiceNow Community](https://www.servicenow.com/community/source-to-pay-operations/ct-p/source-2-pay-operations).