Supplier Lists can be used for panels, registers, contracts, and other types of Supplier arrangements. These Supplier Lists are created and managed by either the Super Admin or the Panel Administrators in your enterprise.
To create a new list, select Enterprise Supplier Lists under the Admin Tools menu (either in the top menubar or on the homepage on the left-side menu).
Click the Add New button above your current enterprise’s lists.
This opens the Supplier List Wizard where you will need to complete each step to create your new list.
Information on each step has been included below:
Basic Details
In the first step you will need to enter the Supplier List's Name and a brief Description. You can also add a Contract Number and select a list Type.
Click on the Save and Continue button to move to the next step.
Linked Categories
All Supplier Lists must utilize Categories to organize Suppliers registered on the list. We suggest using a category structure that divides your Suppliers into groups. This ensures that Buyers using the list will be able to filter Suppliers by category.
Your categories and subcategories are created outside of the Supplier List Wizard. You then select from these categories when you are in the Supplier List Wizard. You can select the Create more categories button under the Top-Level category selection box on the left to be taken directly to the Manage Categories section of your enterprise.
To add a category to the Supplier List, select the category on the left and then highlight the relevant subcategories on the right. Click the Add selected categories button to add these to the list.
Click on the Continue button to move to the next step.
Supplier Compliance
You can select the required compliances that suppliers should provide to meet this list's compliance standards. If you add a compliance requirement to the list, suppliers will be required to upload the documents you have requested after they have registered on the list. Suppliers can still upload the required compliances while the list is inactive, or if their registration on the list is inactive (prior to being approved onto the list).
To add a compliance requirement, select the compliance type from the drop-down menu and click Add selected.
Once you have added a compliance requirement, you can add comments explaining the specific requirements or expectations for that compliance (e.g.. a minimum requirement for coverage value). To do this, click the speech bubble icon to the right. To delete the compliance requirement, click the bin icon.
Click on the Save and Continue button to move to the next step.
Add Files
Any files that are relevant to the Supplier List can be uploaded here.
You can also decide who has visibility of the file by ticking the boxes in the relevant columns to the right of the file name. The columns represent:
- V = Vendors
- B = Buyers
- A = Administrators
- S = Shared Users
NOTE: Shared Users are the Admins and Buyers from organizations who you share this Supplier List with. This is only relevant if you have enabled list sharing and are actively sharing the list with one or more organizations. Either 'B' or 'A' must also be ticked to allow Shared Users access.
If a request is created using this list, the files uploaded here will be included in the Request Download Package as List Docs if the user type downloading the package has been given access as per above.
Click on the Save and Continue button to move to the next step.
Settings & Options
This step allows you to configure the Supplier List’s functionality. The options available will depend on the settings enabled for your enterprise.
The basic settings in this step cover:
Expiry Date for the Supplier List
This is an optional setting. When you set an expiry date and a reminder, all Panel Administrators will receive a notification at the set time for the reminder regarding the upcoming expiry date.
List Configuration
Adding 'Tags' allows you to include supplemental Supplier List information against the List Name for suppliers when they view the list in their account. These tags can also be used to enhance list filtering in the RFx Wizard.
Buyer Configuration
You can set whether Buyers are able to filter and select Suppliers on the list when creating a request. If 'filtering not allowed' is selected then when a Buyer creates a request, they will need to select all Suppliers on the list.
Supplier Configuration
These are settings specific to the Suppliers on your list, including allowing them to 'self-register' on the list via a link, whether suppliers need to be manually approved on the list, whether they are able to manage their own status on the list (active/inactive, delete themselves from the list), managing their own Local Groups and categories, etc.
List Ownership
The Panel Administrator you select to own the list will appear as the point of contact for this list when Buyers and Suppliers view the List Details. Regardless of who owns the list, all Panel Administrators can manage the list's settings and the suppliers registered on the list. You can update who owns the list at a later date.
Once you have selected the relevant options, click Save and Continue to progress to the next step.
Supplier Filter Tags
Filter Tags are used to label/tag Suppliers. This creates an additional filtering capability for Buyers when selecting suppliers on a request, beyond the category and subcategory filtering method. Filter Tags are created outside of the Supplier List Wizard.
Supplier Qualification
Qualification requirements can be added to your list, prompting Suppliers to provide, fill in or complete these once they have registered on the list. To add a qualification requirement to your Supplier List, click the Add new item button.
Fill out the necessary fields (Name & Description) and review all settings before clicking Next.
In step 2 you can upload a template/document that will be associated with the qualification item. This will visible to Suppliers.
In step 3 you can create statements and/or questions for the supplier to view/acknowledge/answer. The questions can be configured so that Suppliers must respond in a certain format (text, number, $ value, yes/no, etc.). You can also set whether it's mandatory for the supplier to answer your question or not.
- To create questions, click on the Edit questions button.
- Then, click on the Add new item button.
- Type in the statement/question in the textbox.
- Select the format that suppliers respond in.
- To Save and add another item, click on the Add another new item button.
- When finished, click on the Save button below.
Click Save to save your upload/questions.
In step 4, select the Make active option if the qualification requirement is ready to be made available to Suppliers.
Click Save and finish to complete that qualification requirement.
If setting qualification requirements, you will need to select the Yes - enable all active items option at the bottom of the page (before clicking the Save and Continue button) to make these accessible to Suppliers.
Click on the Save and Continue button to move to the next step.
List Complete
This is the final step of creating a Supplier List. You will need to set the list to either inactive or active. The option you choose will depend on your Supplier onboarding process and how you plan to begin using the Supplier List:
- Active: Active Supplier Lists are visible to both Suppliers and Buyers and can be used to issue Requests. While a list is active, individual Suppliers on that list can still be set to inactive. Only the active Suppliers on an active list will be visible to Buyers and can be invited to Requests.
- Inactive: An inactive list is visible to Suppliers registered on that list. Buyers will not have visibility of the list while it is inactive, and it cannot be used to issue Requests. This allows Suppliers to view and respond to any compliance, qualification, or rate card requirements before you approve Suppliers onto the list and make it visible to your Buyers.
Please note
If a list is set to inactive, you have the option to make it hidden from your Enterprise Supplier Lists and from the Supplier's accounts. This means the list will not appear amongst your other Enterprise Supplier Lists and cannot be viewed by Suppliers or Buyers. The list is still used for reporting, and you can still view the Supplier registrations for that list along with any Requests it was used for.
Your hidden lists can be accessed by clicking 'Include hidden panel(s)' on the upper right of the Enterprise Supplier Lists Page.
If the Supplier List is no longer in use, then it's recommended that it's hidden.