The main workflow, step by step
Here one supplier travels from invitation to an approved record, and then to the first renewal reminder. Open a step to view its screen. The supplier, the documents and the dates are invented for the demonstration.
New supplier
SUP-0841Invitation sent- Supplier
- Castlefield Coatings
- Type
- Process supplier, on site
- Sponsor
- Category buyer, finishing
- Questionnaire set
- Quality, safety, finance
Off the pathIf the company is already in the supplier list under another name, the buyer is shown the possible match before an invitation goes out.
Your onboarding
Four sectionsTwo to finish| Section | State |
|---|---|
| Company details | Complete |
| Quality questionnaire | Complete |
| Insurance certificate | Missing |
| Bank details | Not started |
Off the pathA supplier who lacks a requested certificate can say so and explain, instead of being stuck at an upload field.
Quality review
SUP-0841Clarification asked| Item | Finding |
|---|---|
| Quality certificate | Valid, scope matches |
| Process control answers | One answer unclear |
| Sub-tier suppliers | Listed |
Off the pathA question sent back to the supplier reopens only that answer. The remaining sections stay approved.
Finance check
SUP-0841Verified- Bank details
- Confirmed by call-back
- Tax registration
- Checked against the register
- Payment terms
- Standard terms accepted
Off the pathAny later change to bank details is treated as a new verification and never applied from an email request.
Approved supplier
SUP-0841Active| Document | Renewal |
|---|---|
| Insurance certificate | Reminder scheduled |
| Quality certificate | Reminder scheduled |
| Safety questionnaire | Reviewed yearly |
Off the pathWhen a required document lapses without renewal, the supplier is flagged to purchasing and can be blocked for new orders.
Who uses it, and what each role can do
Onboarding crosses departments that each care about a different risk. The portal lets them work on the same supplier file without waiting for one another.
| Role | Sees | Can do |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier contact | Their own sections, requests and renewal dates | Answer, upload, explain a gap and update details |
| Category buyer | Suppliers they sponsor and where each one stands | Invite, choose the supplier type and chase |
| Quality reviewer | Quality and safety sections of each file | Approve, ask for clarification or reject |
| Finance reviewer | Bank, tax and payment terms | Verify details and approve for payment |
| Purchasing manager | The whole pipeline and overdue items | Give final approval and grant exceptions |
When the work leaves the usual path
Real suppliers rarely fit the form perfectly. The cases below decide whether the portal speeds onboarding up or simply moves the queue somewhere new.
| Situation | What the system does | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier already exists | Shows the likely duplicate before inviting | Category buyer |
| Certificate not held | Accepts an explanation and routes it for a decision | Quality reviewer |
| Urgent supplier, file incomplete | Allows a time-limited conditional approval | Purchasing manager |
| Bank details changed | Starts a fresh verification before any payment | Finance reviewer |
| Document expired | Flags the supplier and can block new orders | Purchasing manager |
| Supplier does not respond | Reminds on a schedule, then tells the sponsor | Category buyer |
What it connects to
An approved supplier has to exist in the systems that buy from it and pay it. The portal hands the finished record over and receives status back.
| System | What moves | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| ERP or purchasing system | The approved supplier record and its status | Both ways |
| Document storage | Certificates and signed documents, kept under your retention rules | Out of the portal |
| Company register lookups | Registration details to compare with the answers | Into the portal |
| Invitations, reminders and requests for clarification | Out of the portal | |
| Single sign-on | Your own staff signing in as reviewers | Into the portal |
What a first release includes
Supplier types and forms
Question sets and document lists by supplier type, edited by your team without a developer.
Supplier workspace
A signed-in area where the supplier completes sections, uploads documents and sees what is outstanding.
Parallel reviews
Queues for quality, finance and purchasing, each approving its own sections with comments.
Questions sent back
Questions sent back on a single answer or document, with the exchange kept on the file.
Expiry tracking
Dates read from certificates and policies, reminders to suppliers and a view of what lapses soon.
ERP handover
Creation of the supplier in the ERP once approved, with later changes to status passed across.
Often added after the first release
- Periodic re-assessment of existing suppliers
- Scorecards fed by delivery and quality data
- Audit scheduling and findings
- Contract and price agreement storage
- Screening against sanctions lists through a provider
What we need from you
- Your current questionnaires and document lists, per supplier type
- The approval steps as they really happen, including informal ones
- A test copy of the ERP and the fields a supplier record needs
- Your rules for conditional approval and for blocking a supplier
- A reviewer from quality and one from finance to shape their queues
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
What to do next
Share the forms and spreadsheets you use to onboard a supplier today. From those we can map the stages, show you where the portal changes the work and prepare a proposal. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Common questions
Does this replace the supplier module in our ERP?
No. The ERP remains the place where an approved supplier lives and is paid. Most ERP systems assume the record is already complete when someone types it in. The portal covers the stretch before that, when information is being gathered and judged, and the stretch after, when documents have to be kept current. The two are connected so nothing is entered twice.
How do you protect bank details and other sensitive data?
Sensitive fields are encrypted, shown only to the finance role and recorded in an audit trail whenever they are viewed or changed. A change to bank details starts a new verification, because altered payment details are a common route for fraud. Access for your staff goes through your sign-in system. We agree the specific controls with your security team during design.
Can suppliers use it without training?
That is the aim, since a supplier may use it only once. Each supplier sees a short list of sections, plain questions, examples of acceptable documents and what is still missing. They can leave and return. If a question does not apply, they can say so. We test the forms with a few real suppliers before launch, which removes most of the confusion.
What about suppliers we already work with?
They can be brought in gradually. Existing suppliers are imported with what you already hold, and each is asked only for what is missing or about to expire. Many companies begin with new suppliers, then invite existing ones by category. The same reminders then keep every file current, which is often the main benefit for an established supply base.