This chapter provides an overview of the eRFQ feature, lists common elements, and discusses how to:
Alert vendors about dispatched requests for quotes (RFQs).
Review and respond to RFQs.
Complex quoting and contracting procurement processes require extensive communication, collaboration, and negotiation between buying and selling organizations, and are critical to establishing long-term partnerships with trusted suppliers. In today's environment, traditional applications do not facilitate realtime communications and collaboration between trading partners. In PeopleSoft eSupplier Connection, the eRFQ feature enables your suppliers to use an internet browser to review and respond to RFQs that are generated in PeopleSoft Purchasing.
The buyer:
Creates and dispatches the RFQ in PeopleSoft Purchasing.
Before a supplier can view and respond to an RFQ in PeopleSoft eSupplier Connection, you must create it, use the Dispatch Vendor List or the Item Supply Vendor List to assign the RFQ to the vendor, and dispatch it to the vendor. When dispatching by email, the email includes a link which returns the supplier back to the RFQ to respond.
Alerts the vendor to the RFQ.
You can set up automatic workflow notification if your installation includes PeopleSoft Applications Portal, or you can generate an email that contains a URL to send the supplier directly to the RFQ details as part of the dispatch process.
The supplier:
Accesses the RFQ in PeopleSoft eSupplier Connection.
If the supplier accesses the RFQ component using the portal menu, the Request for Quote List page displays the RFQs that meet the search criteria. The supplier can also access the component using the RFQ pagelet.
Reviews new RFQs and submits responses.
The supplier can review requested items and submit responses by item regarding information such as quantity, price, date, and lead time.
When the supplier submits a response, the system captures and date- and time-stamps the current RFQ details and the supplier's response. This enables the buyer to review supplier responses even if the RFQ or response information subsequently changes The RFQ response status also changes in PeopleSoft eSupplier Connection to Responded, and now you can view or maintain the RFQ response in PeopleSoft Purchasing.
Note. The buyer can view or maintain the RFQ or RFQ responses after the RFQ is dispatched; the buyer does not need to await supplier response to access it through PeopleSoft Purchasing.
The buyer can propose a change to the quote by reopening the RFQ line (by deselecting the Responded check box) and directly changing the price, quantity, due date, or other fields on the RFQ Response (request for quote response) page in PeopleSoft Purchasing.
Upon saving the changes, the system changes the RFQ status back to New (as seen by the vendor), and now the vendor can enter a new response to the RFQ.
Note. The system does not capture buyer changes to RFQ responses in the RFQ history.
See Also
Item ID and Vendor Item ID |
These are the vendor item identifiers, if defined for the selected vendor-item combination on the Purchasing Attributes - Item Vendor page. If no vendor-item information exists, then your item ID appears. |
You can alert suppliers by email (or, if your installation includes PeopleSoft Applications Portal, by a worklist item using the Tasks pagelet) that you have dispatched a new RFQ to them.
This section discusses how to:
Automatically email RFQ alerts.
Send workflow task list alerts.
See Also
PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1 PeopleBook: Portal and Site Administration, "Using the Integrated Task List"
PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1 PeopleBook: Using Portal Features, "Working With Action Items"
To set up automatic RFQ dispatch alert email messages to your suppliers:
Ensure that the supplier contact is specified on the RFQ and that the contact's email address is specified on the Vendor Information - Contacts page.
If you do not specify the contact on the RFQ, or if the contact email address is missing, the system sends an email to the supplier's email address that you specify on the Vendor Information - Address page.
Run the RFQ Print/Dispatch SQR process (PORFQ01) and the Email Application Engine process (PO_RFQ_EMAIL) in PeopleSoft Purchasing.
Note. Because you must run the RFQ Print/Dispatch process before sending an alert with the Email process, run RFQDISP job, which runs both processes sequentially.
An email that is sent to a supplier regarding a dispatched RFQ contains a link that points to the Request For Quote List page (bypassing the search page) so that your supplier can view the RFQ. The email can also include the RFQ as an attachment.
See Also
While the task list processes function independently of PeopleSoft self-service applications and dispatch-based alerts, you can optionally use PeopleSoft Workflow to add a worklist item to the Tasks pagelet if:
You are using PeopleSoft Workflow and:
You have set up the PO_RFQ_DISPATCH business process.
Workflow activity is Active.
Your installation includes PeopleSoft Applications Portal and you have enabled the Integrated Task List feature.
When the supplier selects a worklist item, the Request for Quote List page opens, displaying the quote. The system marks the worklist item as worked, and it no longer appears on the Tasks pagelet.
Note. If you give vendors the appropriate privileges, they can access action items or worklist items through PeopleTools.
Enabling Users to See Tasks for Specific Vendors
To view action items or worklist items for demonstration purposes, the workflow activity (PO_RFQ_DISPATCH) is set up to use the Supplier-Customer Service Rep role. In addition, this role routes the control profiles that include the required route control types or the role that you define within the PO_RFQ_DISPATCH business process workflow activity.
Use two route control profiles:
Supplier includes three route control types:
Vendor.
Vendor_Loc (vendor location).
TableSet ID.
Admin Area PO includes Administrative Area.
Before a task appears on the Tasks pagelet, the PO_RFQ_DISPATCH workflow activity validates that ROLENAME = Supplier-Customer Service Rep (or role that you defined and assign to the activity). It also validates that these route control type values (for the route control profile for the user) match these values:
Administrative Area = PO.
TableSet ID = VENDOR_SETID.
Vendor = VENDOR_ID.
Vendor_Loc = VNDR_LOC of RFQ.
See Delivered Workflows for PeopleSoft eSupplier Connection.
Note. The setID, vendor, and vendor location are defined on the RFQ.
If all of these conditions are met, the system creates a task list item for the user. Depending on the setup, a task list item for the same RFQ-supplier-item combination might appear in multiple user action item lists.
See Also
PeopleTools PeopleBook: Workflow Technology
PeopleTools PeopleBook: Security Administration
This section discusses how to:
Search for RFQs.
Review RFQ lists.
View RFQ details.
Respond to RFQs.
Review RFQ response history.
Page Name |
Definition Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
PO_SS_VND_LIST |
Process Quotes, Respond to Quote |
Suppliers select a vendor to navigate to its RFQ inquiry pages. This page is available only if more than one vendor is associated with the user. |
|
PO_SSSRCH_RFQ |
Process Quotes, Respond to Quote Click the Show all/Enhanced link on the Recently Dispatched RFQs pagelet. |
Search for specific RFQs. This is the initial search page that the supplier sees when associated with only one vendor. |
|
PO_SSRFQ_RESP_LINE |
|
View general RFQ information and a list of items by RFQ to which to respond. |
|
PO_SSRFQ_LN |
Select an RFQ ID on the Request for Quotes - Request for Quote List page. |
Review RFQ details for a specific item. |
|
PO_SSSEC_BILL_ADDR |
Select a billing location on the Request For Quote Detail page. |
View billing address and telephone details. |
|
PO_SSSEC_SHIP_ADDR |
Select a ship to location on the Request For Quote Detail page. |
View shipping address and telephone details. |
|
PO_SSRFQ_RESP |
Click the New or Responded button on the Requests For Quote List page. |
View or respond to RFQs. This is the primary page that a supplier uses to respond to a specific RFQ item. |
|
WV_PE_EMAIL_SP |
Click the Send Email link on the Request For Quote Response page. |
Send an email to someone regarding the quote. This email includes links that can take a supplier to the Request for Quote List page or take you (an internal PeopleSoft user) to the PeopleSoft Purchasing Request For Quotes page or the RFQ Response page. |
|
PO_SSRFQ_RESPONSE |
The supplier clicks the View History link on the Request for Quote Response page; the buyer clicks the Supplier History button on the RFQ Response page |
View original RFQ details and supplier responses. |
Access the Request for Quotes - Filter Options page (Process Quotes, Respond to Quote, and click the Show all/Enhanced link on the Recently Dispatched RFQs pagelet).
Note. Your suppliers can review only those RFQs for which they have security. Also, the system retrieves only dispatched RFQs with a status of Approved or Closed; it ignores RFQs with Open, On Hold, and Canceled statuses.
See Dispatching RFQs.
The supplier selects the criteria with which to filter the search. In particular:
View Current Quotes |
The system retrieves RFQs based on whether the supplier selects this or View Closed Quotes and on which values the supplier selects in the Include Quotes field. If the supplier selects this option and the New (Dispatched) field, the system displays all of the approved open RFQs (whose bidding dates haven't passed) to which this supplier has not responded. If the supplier also selects Responded, then the system displays all of the approved open RFQs to which this supplier has responded. If the supplier also selects New (Dispatched) and Responded, then the system displays all of the approved open RFQs that are assigned to the supplier. |
View Closed Quotes |
If the supplier selects this option and New (Dispatched), then the system displays closed RFQs to which the supplier has not responded. If the supplier also selects Responded, the system displays all of the closed RFQs to which this supplier has responded. If the supplier also selects New (Dispatched) and Responded, the system displays all of the closed RFQs. |
Search |
Click to initiate the search and view the results on the Request for Quotes - Request for Quote List page. |
Access the Request for Quotes - Request for Quote List page (click the Search button on the Request for Quotes - Filter Options page).
The system displays any RFQs that are associated with the vendor.
RFQ ID |
Click an RFQ ID to access the Request For Quote Detail page. |
Respond |
This button label changes depending on the RFQ status (New or Responded). After the supplier submits a response per RFQ item, the label changes to Responded, and the response is visible on the buyer side. |
Access the Request for Quotes - Request for Quote Detail page (select an RFQ ID on the Request for Quotes - Request for Quote List page).
The system displays RFQ details.
Billing Location |
Click to view specific billing address and phone information. |
Ship To Location |
Click to view specific shipping location and phone information. |
Comments and Attachments |
If you want your suppliers to see any comment or attachments, you must specify that they can view them as you enter them on the RFQ. You make this specification on the RFQ Header and Line Comments page (select the Send to Vendor check box) in the Requests for Quotes component in PeopleSoft Purchasing. |
Access the Request For Quotes - Request For Quote Response page (click the New or Responded button on the Requests For Quote List page).
The status of the RFQ response (by item) determines the mode of this page:
When the supplier accesses this page by clicking New on the Request for Quote List page, several supplier response fields are available for modification, including Quantity, Price, and Schedule Date.
The New button appears when an RFQ item requires a response from the buyer.
When the supplier clicks the Responded button, this page is display-only.
The Responded button appears when this supplier has previously entered a response for the RFQ item.
Submitting RFQ Responses
To respond to an RFQ:
On the Request for Quote List page, click the New button for the RFQ ID to which you want to respond to access the Request for Quote Response page.
Note. An RFQ's New status can be the result of the buyer reopening the line for further response; it does not necessarily indicate that this is the first time that the supplier has received or responded to the RFQ. See Reviewing RFQ Response History.
Many of the following field values appear by default from the actual RFQ.
In addition to the fields to which suppliers would most commonly respond (such as Price, Quantity, Unit of Measure, Lead Time Days, and Schedule Date), they can also respond to related fields, including:
Salesperson |
The supplier's employee who is responsible for your purchase. |
Date Time Responded |
The date and time that the supplier submitted a response for this item. The system maintains this field. |
Vendor Item ID |
Suppliers can use this field to notify buyers of new or changed vendor item IDs. Note. This does not automatically update the Vendor Item ID table in the PeopleSoft system. |
Description |
Notifies the buyer of the supplier's item description. |
Minimum Quantity |
The minimum quantity that the supplier is willing to quote. |
Note. Supplier responses are made on an item-by-item basis. However, several editable fields on the Request for Quote Response page include header values and vendor comments. When the supplier changes these values during an RFQ item response, the system stores them at the header level of the RFQ response. Thus any changes of the most recent item response are present on the buyer side. The response history displays any changes to these values as they occur response by response.
After entering any changes or comments, submit the response.
Submit |
Click to submit the response so that it can be viewed on the internal RFQ pages in PeopleSoft Purchasing. After clicking Submit, if the supplier chooses to continue, he or she can no longer edit the RFQ response but can still view it in read-only mode. Upon submission, the system stores supplier response history for the RFQ item to which the supplier is responding. |
Send Email |
Click to open the Email Messages page and send an email to an internal or external party about the quote. |
Access the Request for Quote History page (suppliers click the View History link on the Request for Quote Response page; buyers click the Supplier History button on the RFQ Response page).
To view RFQ response history, the supplier clicks View History on the Request for Quote Response page; the buyer clicks the Supplier History button on the RFQ Response page.
The Request for Quote History page displays RFQ header details, the line details from the original RFQ at the time that the response was made, and the vendor's response. (There can be multiple vendor responses for the same RFQ line.)
Buyer's Comments |
Displays the comments that the buyer entered on the RFQ Header Comments page when submitting the original RFQ. |
Vendor's Header Comments |
The vendor can enter multiple comments on the Request for Quote Response page (for each time the vendor responds to an RFQ). The system stores these comments at the header level, not the item level, of the RFQ. |
Return to Current Response |
The buyer clicks this link to return to the RFQ Response page in PeopleSoft Purchasing; the supplier clicks it to return to the Request for Quote Response page in PeopleSoft eSupplier Connection. |
Note. You can also view a single RFQ response using the Response By Vendor inquiry page in PeopleSoft Purchasing.
See Also