The first step in preparing procurement object criteria is to define the object groups. Object groups are sub-areas/positions/procured entities that have an upper level (group title) and sub-levels (procured objects). Procurement objects can be created manually or imported from an Excel file.
NOTE!: Object specification differs slightly depending on which of the four selection criteria is in use. The selection criteria must be selected before the objects/criteria can be specified and it should be noted that the selection criteria cannot be changed on the fly.
Creating procurement objects (selection criteria: overall procurement or procurement by object group)
An object group can be created by clicking the “Add object group” button. This will open the editing window.
- Specify a name for the object group in the large text field (in the example: Expert services)
- If you would like to allow partial tenders within the object group, tick the section marked “Partial tenders within object group allowed”
- This means that the supplier portal will enable suppliers to offer only the products that they want to offer from within the group. Otherwise, suppliers must always offer all of the products in the group.
- In this case, the scoring of the object group will be volume-weighed. See the comparison table
- Add a product/service belonging to the object group by clicking “Add new object”
- Product/service name (in the example: senior specialist, junior specialist)
- Procured quantity or forecast quantity
- (if this is left blank, the comparison will be based on a quantity of 1)
- Unit used to request prices
- This object row can be removed by clicking the cross icon
- The object group/row can be edited by clicking “Edit object group”
- The object group can be deleted by clicking “Delete object group”
The first step in creating procurement objects under the “procurement by object row” criterion is as described above but procurement objects are added directly by selecting “Add object row”.
Upload procurement objects from an Excel file
Procurement objects can be imported from an Excel template in a standardised format.
- Select “Upload procurement objects from an Excel file”
- A window will appear enabling you to download a template “Download template”
- The procurement objects must be specified on the standardised import template
- Press the “Choose file” button to import the standardised template back onto the system
- A window will appear enabling you to download a template “Download template”
Completing the standardised Excel template
The Excel file has standardised fields that must be completed with the relevant information. The information in columns A and B must be provided but the other fields are not mandatory. If information is entered into the fields, it will be transferred to the procurement objects under the relevant headings.
- In column A, specify whether you are entering a row (R) or an ID (T)
- See the corresponding set-up in “Add object group”
- Specify the object name in column B
- Specify the procured quantity in column C
- Specify the unit in column D
- Specify the product code in column F
- From column G onwards, you can create your own additional columns, which will be saved as additional information associated with the procurement objects
