Our documentation is in the works, constantly evolving to serve you better. While it's still in draft mode and undergoing heavy development, it already offers valuable insights.
Axya offers an intuitive platform designed to streamline Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Quotation (RFQ) processes, along with efficient communication between the buyer and suppliers to exchange messages, files, and more. The processes for both RFI and RFQ are similar with slight differences. This resource provides comprehensive insights into the platform's interface, the creation flow of requests, navigating requests, and understanding the ecosystem of the “RFx” flow within the platform.
The creation forms for both RFI and RFQ share similarities, but the RFQ form includes additional fields that are specific to the RFQ process. Below, you'll find a comprehensive overview of all the fields and options available in the form:
Regular RFQ: If you need a detailed breakdown and comparison of quotes at the line item level, the regular RFQ flow will allow you to import/create parts and associate files on the line item basis.
Simple RFQ: If you need a total price and lead time and don't need to have a detailed price breakdown of your request, the simple RFQ flow option can be useful. Simply detail your request, add any files and the supplier will have a public log-inless page from which they can submit the total price and lead time for the request in just a few clicks.
Regular RFI: If you are looking to shortlist potential suppliers and gather information, the RFI flow is well suited to document the gathering of information and shortlisting of suppliers.
You can customize your request by providing a clear title and description. The description is enriched with a powerful rich text editor that allows you to format and structure your content just as you would in an email. Additionally, you can set a submission deadline, allocate pertinent tags to indicate the request's purpose, and outline your preferred payment terms.
You can easily search and choose the suppliers you intend to engage. You have the flexibility to select multiple suppliers by groups or even broaden your reach by opening your request to the Axya B2B Network. Let's explore the variety of options through which you can choose suppliers:
Seamlessly add or remove parts according to your requirements and even create new parts on the spot.
Attach necessary files directly to your request to provide comprehensive context to your suppliers.
Allowed File Formats
The allowed formats include: ZIP, PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLSX, XLSM, PPT, PPTX, CSV, 7Z, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, XZ, IGS, IGES, STP, STEP, SLDPRT, CATPART, SLDASM, COLLADA, FBX, OBJ, STL, 3DS, DXF, IPT, X_T, F3D, DWG, TL, IGE, JFIF, JPEG, JPG.
Max File Size: 100MB
Ensure confidentiality by securing your request with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), if needed. This is especially valuable when using the B2B network. Suppliers will only gain access to your request after signing the NDA.
An additional convenient feature during the request creation process is Axya's ability to automatically save your request as a draft. This enables you to pause and later resume your work, with the draft retaining all the information you've entered including the attached files.
Upon submitting your request, Axya will compile all your files attached into a single bundle zip file including the part files. An email notification will be dispatched to your suppliers, informing them about your new request.
Once you've submitted your request, suppliers can conveniently access the request bundle and proceed to submit their quotations or documents using their preferred method. This can be achieved by responding through email, utilizing a secure login-less portal, or accessing the app. After the submissions are received on Axya, the platform will efficiently organize the quotes within the app, and you'll receive prompt notifications for new submissions. For more in-depth information about Axya's process of receiving and streamlining submissions, please refer to this link.
You can efficiently oversee and monitor your requests (RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs) directly from the "Requests" page. This section features categorized tabs that align with various stages of your request lifecycle, including "On Going", "On Hold", "Contracted", "Completed", and "Cancelled". These tabs ensure a well-organized view of your requests, each corresponding to its current stage. Here, you'll find an overview of each tab section along with the available actions you can take within them.
This tab is dedicated to requests that are currently in progress or awaiting your decision. Here, you can easily keep track of ongoing RFQs, manage communication with suppliers, and review quotations.
Here are the available actions within this tab:
If you decide to temporarily pause your request, you can manually move it to the "On Hold" tab. This section provides a convenient way to categorize requests that are not actively being pursued at the moment. If you decide to continue pursuing the request after placing it on hold, you can easily move it back to the "On Going" tab.
Contracted RFQs are automatically categorized under the “Contracted” tab for easy reference.
Here are the available actions within this tab:
If a contracted request has been successfully fulfilled and you no longer need to actively manage it, you can set it as "Completed." This action cleans up your contracted tab and keeps your workspace organized. You can still revert it back to the "Contracted" tab.
The "Cancelled" tab serves as a repository for RFQs that have been cancelled. All RFQs that are no longer active are moved here, ensuring a tidy and organized workspace.
Upon clicking on a specific request from the "Requests" page, you'll be directed to the request details page. Here, you can access comprehensive information about the request, manage associated parts (if applicable), interact with invited suppliers, exchange communications, and review suppliers submissions. Below, you'll find an overview of each tab section.
In the "General Information" tab section, you'll find key details about the request.
Title and Collaborators: Adjacent to the request title, you can view and add collaborators to the request and an action menu. The menu offers several options:
General Information: Below the title, you'll find the request status, send date, deadline, request attached files, and description.
| Attribute | Description |
| Status |
When the request is "On Going," it can transition to three different statuses:
Other possible statuses are:
|
| Sent on | The send date of the request |
| Ends on | The request deadline |
| Request Files | The request bundle file, containing both directly attached request files and part files. |
| Description | The editable description of the request |
Parts Listing (For regular RFQs): If the request is an RFQ, the parts associated with that RFQ will be listed below the request information section. From there, you can update the part list if needed by clicking on the “edit” button above the part list.
The following changes can be performed:
After all of the changes are done, you will be prompted to decide whether to notify the suppliers or not.
When adding new files to a part, the RFQ bundle gets re-generated, and suppliers will be able to re-download the files from the same link. The link is available in the initial request or, if you decide to send a revision note, it will be available in that link.
On the right side of the details page, you'll find a section dedicated to the suppliers you've targeted for the request. Within this section, you have the ability to closely monitor the interactions between these suppliers and your request. This includes various actions to facilitate effective communication and collaboration:
Add a New Supplier: You can seamlessly include a new supplier in your ongoing request. Upon addition, the supplier will receive a notification about the new request, ensuring their prompt engagement.
Send updates to suppliers : Communicate directly with one or multiple suppliers by sending messages through the contact dialog. This feature allows you to keep suppliers informed about any changes, updates, or clarifications related to the request, saving time compared to individual emails.
Schedule Follow-up: Enhance the likelihood of receiving timely submissions by scheduling follow-up emails to remind suppliers about the request. This proactive approach aids in maintaining engagement and ensuring the request remains on their radar.
Supplier Interaction Tracking:
Once your request is submitted, you gain real-time insights into the interactions between suppliers and your request. This visibility empowers you to stay informed about the progress and engagement of the suppliers. You can easily discern:
By leveraging these functionalities, you can foster effective communication, facilitate collaboration, and maximize the chances of receiving accurate and timely submissions for your request.
The "Communications" tab section enables direct communication with suppliers. The chat function allows you to exchange text messages and files. When you send a message, the relevant supplier receives a notification.
In the "Submissions" tab section, you can view suppliers submissions and award the request to one or more suppliers:
Submission Details: View supplier comments, pricing, lead time, and attached files.
Export Options: You can export submissions as PDF or download consolidated submissions as an Excel file for easy comparison.
This RFQ details page provides a comprehensive overview of your request's status, communications, and supplier interactions, streamlining your procurement process and enhancing collaboration with suppliers.
To enhance the flexibility of your ongoing Request, our platform offers a seamless process to include additional suppliers. By simply accessing the “Invited Suppliers” section within the request details, you can effortlessly add a new supplier by entering their relevant information. Once added, the system will automatically notify the supplier about the new request, ensuring their swift engagement.
Efficient collaboration and streamlined communication are crucial in managing your requests. Our platform allows you to invite both collaborators and technical focal points, enabling you to enhance collaboration and achieve better results. This feature empowers you to invite existing users to participate in the request process, with flexibility in their access levels.
Follow the steps below to seamlessly invite collaborators to your request:
1. Inviting an Existing User:
If the collaborator you want to invite is already a user within your company's platform:
2. Inviting Non-Existing Users:
If the intended collaborator is not yet part of your company's platform:
3. Access Levels:
You can choose between 3 access levels for the collaborator:
Admin role: The admin can see all activity on the platform regardless of the buyer and can take any action.
Buyer Access: A buyer access is the normal access where they can see their own work and take any action.
Engineering Access: This role is similar to the buyer access where they can inititate and share requests but can not send or close them.
Viewer Access: The viewer role has a read-only view with limited access to see sensitive supplier information within the RFx. They do receive message notifications.
By inviting collaborators with the appropriate access level, you can tailor their involvement to match their responsibilities and contributions within the request workflow.
| Team permission | Create Project/RFx/PO | Share RFx | Send RFx/PO | View RFx/PO | Add collaborators in RFx/PO | Close/Cancel RFx/PO | Receive message notifications |
| Buyer | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Engineering | x | x | x | x1 | x | ||
| Viewer | x2 | x |
1: Engineering can only add collaborators when the request is initiated by the engineer
2: Viewer can not see quote information provided by the supplier
When a supplier signs your confidentiality agreement, you will receive a notification email informing you about this event. This email serves to keep you informed of the progress and activity related to your request.
Here's a comprehensive guide on how to manage supplier approvals and notifications:
Managing Supplier Approvals and Notifications:
When you attach a confidentiality agreement to your request, it's necessary to approve each supplier who intends to sign the agreement. The process of approving a supplier is straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide:
To grant access to a supplier, follow these steps:
Similarly, from this same pop-up window, you can revoke a supplier's access at any time:
Once a supplier signs your confidentiality agreement, they gain access to all your future requests. If you wish to renew the confidentiality agreement, you will need to block their access and request a new NDA for your upcoming requests.
When you send a request to suppliers through Axya, a streamlined process is initiated to ensure efficient communication and collaboration. Here's how suppliers receive and interact with the requests you send:
Once a request is sent to suppliers, they will receive an email notification. This email serves as a prompt to inform suppliers about the new request and guide them on how to proceed. The notification includes essential details about the request, such as the title, description, and deadline.
Suppliers who are already onboarded in the Axya platform will have a seamless experience. They can log in to their Axya account and access the request directly within the app. This eliminates the need for them to switch between platforms and provides a centralized hub for reviewing and responding to your request.
Within the app, suppliers can view the request's details, access attached files, and proceed with submitting their quotations or documents using a simple form. This in-app approach ensures that suppliers have a comprehensive view of their requests with all their buyers and simplifies the submission process.
For suppliers who are not yet onboarded on the Axya platform, the email-based approach ensures accessibility and convenience:
Secure Tokenized URL (UUID4): Suppliers will receive an email containing the necessary information about the request. Instead of attaching files directly to the email, Axya generates a secure tokenized URL (UUID4). This URL grants suppliers access to the attached files from within their browser. This approach enhances security and prevents unauthorized access to the files.
Quotation Template (RFP/RFQ): Suppliers who prefer email-based submission receive a quotation template as an attachment. This template is generated by Axya during the RFQ creation process. It contains compiled information about the parts for which suppliers need to provide quotations. The template streamlines the submission process by providing a structured format for suppliers to enter their quotes.
By accommodating both in-app and email-based access, Axya ensures that suppliers can seamlessly interact with your requests, enabling efficient communication and collaboration throughout the procurement process.
To facilitate efficient and streamlined communication, Axya offers a dedicated communication portal for suppliers to interact with you regarding your request. This portal serves as a centralized platform where suppliers can ask questions, seek clarifications, and engage in discussions related to the request. This eliminates the need for traditional email communication, which can often be time-consuming and fragmented.
Compared to the traditional back-and-forth email exchanges, the communication portal provides several time-saving benefits:
Let's delve into the various methods available for suppliers to communicate effectively within the Axya platform:
In-App Communication: Suppliers who are onboarded to Axya can effortlessly access the communication portal by logging into their Axya profile.
Secure Tokenized URL (UUID4): For suppliers who are not onboarded to the Axya platform, a secure tokenized URL (UUID4) is provided within the request notification. This unique URL serves as a gateway to the communication portal. Through this URL, suppliers can securely engage in interactions, access messages, and ask questions related to the request. The tokenized URL not only ensures a secure connection but also aids in accurately identifying both the specific request and the user. This level of authentication enhances communication confidentiality and minimizes the risk of miscommunication.
These methods offer suppliers flexibility in how they engage in communication based on their Axya usage and preference, fostering efficient and effective interactions throughout the procurement process.
Once a decision is ready to be made about who will proceed to the next step in the process or selected for the order, closing the request is the final step in the RFx flow. Closing the request will document the decision for the buyer and close the loop with all suppliers who have participated in the request.
Closing an RFQ:
Closing an RFI: