Cloud-Enabled P2P Transformation

Background

A leading multinational bank sought to modernize its Procure-to-Pay (P2P) system to improve operational efficiency, reduce processing time, and ensure compliance with stringent regulatory requirements. The existing legacy P2P system was fragmented and heavily manual, causing delays, errors, and limited scalability.

The bank’s goal was to build a robust, scalable, and highly integrated P2P solution leveraging cloud technologies and microservices architecture. Integration with key enterprise systems such as SAP Ariba (for procurement), SAP Concur (for expense management), and Oracle PeopleSoft (ERP) was critical to achieving end-to-end automation and data consistency.

Solution Overview

Architecture and Middleware Development
  • Middleware Layer: Developed a middleware platform based on Java microservices, deployed on a hybrid cloud environment comprising AWS Cloud and the bank’s private cloud.
  • Microservices Design: Adopted domain-driven design to build modular services such as Purchase Order Management, Invoice Processing, Payment Authorization, Supplier Management, and Audit & Compliance.
  • API Gateway: Implemented a secure API gateway for managing service endpoints, routing, authentication, and throttling.
  • Message Queues & Event-Driven Architecture: Used asynchronous communication via AWS SQS and Kafka to ensure reliable message exchange and event-driven processing.
Integrations
  • SAP Ariba: Integrated through RESTful APIs and SOAP services for procurement requests, purchase order lifecycle, and supplier collaboration.
  • SAP Concur: Connected for travel and expense data synchronization, automating expense approvals and reimbursement workflows.
  • Oracle PeopleSoft (ERP): Integrated via middleware adapters and batch interfaces for financial transactions, vendor master data, and payment disbursement.

Technology Stack

  • Backend: Java 11+, Spring Boot for microservices framework
  • Cloud: AWS (EKS for Kubernetes orchestration, RDS for relational databases, S3 for storage), Private Cloud based on OpenStack
  • Integration Tools: Apache Camel for routing, Kafka for event streaming
  • Security: OAuth 2.0, JWT, TLS encryption for API security
  • DevOps: CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins, Infrastructure as Code with Terraform, automated testing and containerized deployments using Docker and Kubernetes.

Methodology: DevOps Approach

  • Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Automated build, test, and deployment pipelines reduced delivery cycles from weeks to days.
  • Infrastructure as Code: Enabled repeatable and consistent provisioning of environments across AWS and private cloud.
  • Monitoring & Logging: Implemented centralized logging (ELK stack) and monitoring (Prometheus, Grafana) for proactive issue detection and resolution.
  • Collaboration: Cross-functional teams worked in sprints, utilizing Agile Scrum practices for iterative development and fast feedback.

Outcomes & Benefits

  • Improved Efficiency: Automated workflows reduced manual intervention by 70%, accelerating procure-to-pay cycle times.
  • Enhanced Scalability: Microservices architecture on hybrid cloud provided elastic scalability to handle peak loads.
  • Data Consistency: Real-time synchronization across SAP Ariba, SAP Concur, and Oracle PeopleSoft ensured accurate and up-to-date procurement and financial data.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Comprehensive audit trails and role-based access control ensured compliance with financial regulations.
  • Cost Optimization: Hybrid cloud deployment balanced cost and control, optimizing cloud spend.