Add Pre Bids

NOTE: This functionality is not yet available in 6.3.x and later.

This page is accessed via Sourcing > Bid Creation > Bid Round > Actions > Add Pre Bids.

A pre bid is a bid entered by the buyer ahead of time on behalf of the carrier. Most of the fields in the bid are pre-specified using default values. The variable cost is set to -1, which identifies the bid as a pre bid. To change the pre bid to a normal bid, the carrier modifies the variable cost to a non-negative value. The remaining fields may be modified as desired. The Add Pre Bids action adds pre bid records to the p_bid table for all suppliers and lanes in a particular bid round.

Note: After the carriers finish entering all their bids, the buyer may run the Delete Pre Bids action which deletes any pre bids which remain (i.e. those pre bids for which the carrier never entered a cost).

Pre bids are distinguished from "real" bids via the COMMITMENT status. A pre bid has a COMMITMENT status of COMMITMENT_PRE. Whenever the cost field in a pre bid is updated, the status is automatically changed from COMMITMENT_PRE to COMMITMENT_NEW.

Adding Pre Bids

1. If you want to run the action in the background, accept the default of Yes for the Run Job in Background field. The server can time out while waiting for a result if the action is run in the foreground for a large data set. Hence, for large data sets, you need to run the action in the background.
2. Designate a contact in the Contact ID field if you selected Yes to Run Job in Background. When the action finishes, an email will be sent to the contact. Email notification is the only communication method even if fields are populated for other communication methods. There is no results page so the email notification is the only notification.
3. Click Add Pre Bids to run the action.