How can I create an RFQ/RFI? Follow

The Smart RFX module is accessible by clicking on the left-hand navigation of the platform. From there, the user can immediately initiate the process of creating a new Request for Quote (RFQ) or Request for Information (RFI).

 

Primary Create RFQ Action Steps

1. Enter the Smart RFX Module, then click the [NEW RFX] button
2. Fill out the RFX Information section and RFX Schedule section
3. Select the RFQ Scope, and then Distribute RFQ to your suppliers with a single click.

 

Notes and Tips

• Use Filters in the scope section, either by applying the pre-built quick filters or creating your own filters.
• You can also choose to create an ad hoc RFQ by clicking on [ADD ITEM]
  • With an existing supplier (supplier in database)
  • With a non-existent supplier (supplier outside database)
  • This process is described in full later on in the tutorial
• RFI creation is identical to RFQ creation, except RFIs have no award phase and no ad hoc option. Within an RFI, the user can choose to:
  • Accept: which will acknowledge and approve the RFI as submitted.
  • Reject: which will sent back to the supplier to get more information.
  • Revoke: which will decline the response and not allow any further input from the supplier.

 

RFQ Creation Details

Click on [NEW RFX] at the top right-hand corner of the Smart RFX Summary page

 

Provide answers to the RFX Information section:

1. Name: identify your RFQ.
2. Choose Template: make a choice from the drop-down menu.
3. Description: describe your RFQ.
4. Start Quote Period: choose when you want the quote to begin.
5. End Quote Period: choose when you want the quote to end.

 

Provide answers to the RFX Schedule section:

1. Confirm: This is the date by which you want the supplier to confirm receipt of the RFQ.
   • When you hover over the date/calendar drop down menu area, under Confirm, it shows, "Date by when RFX to distributed to Suppliers, visible only to Buyers."
2. Questions: This is the date by which the supplier should send questions if they have any.
   • When you hover over date/calendar drop down menu area, it shows, "Suppliers need to get clarification(s) on the RFQ by this date."
3. Submission: This is the date by which the RFQ should be submitted.
   • When you hover over date/calendar drop down menu area, it shows, "Date by when suppliers need to send back the quote."
4. Expected Award Date: This is the date by which you expect to award the RFQ to the supplier.
   • When you hover over date/calendar drop down menu area, it shows, "Date by when RFX will be Awarded, visible only to Buyers."

 

Apply Filter on Commodity Manager

Filters customize the RFX Scope section which has quick filters at the top customized for you. Navigating these filters will be familiar to Excel users.

• If you apply filters, you can clear them by clicking on Clear Filter
• You can create filters (see below)
• You can upload an Excel spreadsheet or download the information you garnered from here by clicking on the Excel icons with the upward arrow for uploading or the downward arrow for downloading (can be seen in the screen shot below).

Best Practice Steps

1. Filter for Commodity Manager
2. Filter for Manufacturer
3. Review RFQ Recipients
4. Select parts to include in quote by checking their box (as noted in the tutorial below, it is also possible to add ad hoc Customer Part Numbers (CPNs) to a new or existing RFQ)
5. Review parts list and attributes
   • RFQ recipient
   • Manufacturer Part Number (MPN)
   • Volume - aka Estimated Annual Units (EAU)
   • Cost/Split information
   • Etc.
6. Check that suppliers have active accounts
7. For multi-source parts, check to make sure all suppliers you plan to negotiate with are invited to the supplier portal.
8. You can also upload a spreadsheet or download the information you garnered from here by clicking on the Excel icons with the upward arrow for uploading or the downward arrow for downloading (can be seen in the screen shot below).

 

Create a filter: set limits on the data to allow you to view only the information you want to see. Click the (+) Sign to create a new filter.

 

Including an ad hoc CPN in your RFQ: by selecting the "add item" option, you can add an ad hoc CPN (CPNs which are not loaded into the LevaData System) to an existing or new RFQ to assist in your negotiation process. These ad hoc CPNs can be mapped to different suppliers, manufacturers and/or Contract Manufacturers / Original Design Manufacturers (CM/ODMs)

 

Note: Country of Origin (COO) is a part of RFQ templates. When suppliers/vendors update their RFX response, they can select multiple COOs from the LevaData application and from a dropdown list in the Excel upload, thereby reducing the chances of typos and errors.

 

Click [NEXT] in the top right-hand corner of the interface to create a draft of the RFQ (see below):

 

Preview & Send is the final step to RFQ creation.

• Review "Stats" tab for details about RFQ spend, CPN's and Suppliers
• Preview tab
  • There are various options in "preview" including the addition of negotiation levers which would be presented to suppliers.
  • In the preview tab, you can make a "view" selection such as sub-commodity, and choose which sub-commodity to target, then set/modify target savings.
  • An example of the above, include a message to suppliers to contact the LevaData help desk, refer them to: As a supplier, how can I get help?
• Select Supplier View to preview what Supplier will receive in their bid packet
  • NOTE: Country of Origin (COO) is asked as a mandatory field during quote submission
• Message tab is where you will see sent and received message between you and the supplier (when the RFQ is sent it will be called "supplier messaging".
• Click Send when you wish RFQ to be sent, the X if you wish to save as a Draft or Delete if you do not wish to keep the RFQ.

 

Note: There is an option to download the list of CPNs in Spend Concentration view. Users can download the CPNs from single source or multi-source in the preview tab of the spend concentration view.

 

Sending the RFQ

When you click on [SEND], if all is well, a green pop-up note states the success. This means that the supplier has received the RFQ.

 

If any of your suppliers selected do not have active users, then the below message will appear to prompt the user. This should be immediately remedied, because no active supplier users means no RFQ responses.

The RFQ process is complete after a successful SEND or successful Vendor Management action.

 

Creating an Ad Hoc RFQ

Option 1: Create Ad Hoc RFQ for Existing Supplier

An existing supplier means the supplier is in our database.

1. Click on [New RFX] at the top right-hand corner of the Smart RFX Summary:

   

2. Click on Add Item:

   

3. In the CPN section, type in the CPN detail in the area and fields provided:

   

4. Select the supplier of your choice from the RFQ recipient column/drop down menu option:

   

5. Click [SAVE] after supplier selection is made:

   

6. "Ad hoc Items Added Successfully" note pops up on the top right side of the screen:

   

 

Option 2: Create Ad Hoc RFQ for a New Supplier

Note: This is the ONLY WAY to add a supplier outside of the data load process from your company to LevaData.

Follow the same steps as above, but instead of using the RFQ recipient column, Click on Add New Supplier:

 

Fill in Add Supplier information section in Supplier Management section and click [Save]:

 

"Successfully created mapping between customer and supplier" note pops up on the top right side of the screen:

Following the addition of the supplier, you MUST ADD at least one user. Go to the ADD USER section and enter the required information:

• You must select the supplier from a list. Start typing the supplier's name and the list should appear. This action "enables" the remaining fields in the add user section.
• Note: this will be the first supplier user on the account, you should make them ADMIN so they can manage all features and other users in their supplier portal account.

Once you have finished with this step, simply modify any detail required in the PART line items, and Preview then Send the RFQ (or just Send it!)

 

Task Management in Smart RFX

Task Management is integrated with Smart RFX, and Users can create a task for themselves or collaborate with others by assigning a task from the SRFX module.

Create a Task for an Existing RFX

Users can select single or multiple RFXs to create a task in the RFX Summary, helping with:

• Setting a reminder to Send, Share or view an RFX
• Assigning a task to follow up on the RFX progress
• Tracking multiple RFX statuses.

 

Create a Task for a New RFX

Various actionable tasks can be created during the configuration of an RFX. In the RFX scope screen, the task creation icon can be found adjacent to the Draft button. To create a task, the user must first save the RFX as a Draft.

Once the task is created, it can be accessed from the Task Notification Center. Users can view the task details and the location where it was created. By clicking on the location, the user is directed to the respective screen.

If a task is assigned to the other platform users, an email notification is sent with detailed task information.

To learn more about cross-functional usage of task management see: Task Management Integration Across LevaData Platform