Organizations that are currently managing their suppliers from a spreadsheet will quickly realize the value of Qualio’s Suppliers lifecycle automation and easy-to-use navigation. Starting with creation, each supplier added to your Supplier list will need to follow your pre-configured Supplier Policy before being approved. Then stay ahead of audits with the Supplier page view and easy file uploads. And finally archive suppliers that are no longer needed by your organization.
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Suppliers Permissions
The Suppliers tab is enabled for all Qualio users, in any role, by default. Click here to view the a list of user permissions by role.
How to add a supplier
From the Suppliers tab:
Click the Add Supplier button on the right hand side of the Supplier List page.
Complete the General Info page, then click Next.
The mandatory fields* must be completed prior to submitting for approval. However, you can advance to the next page to continue building out your Supplier record.
On the Risk Assessment page, select the risk level for the new supplier, based on the pre-configured Supplier Policy, then click Save and Continue.
On the Supporting Documents page, you’ll be prompted to provide required documents for the supplier based on the pre-configured Supplier Policy. Files can be uploaded or linked to an existing Qualio document. Multiple documents can be uploaded for each file type. And additional non-required documents can also be added at the bottom. Then click Next.
The listed documents must be provided prior to submitting for approval. However, you can advance to the next step without adding documents.
On the Approval page, review the supplier information and make any necessary edits. The pre-configured audit requirements, based on the selected supplier type and risk level, will be noted at the bottom.
If an audit is required before approving the supplier, click Save and exit at the top of the Approval page.
Browse to the Supplier List page and select the supplier from the list.
Click on the Audit tab for this supplier. Then click the Add an audit button to upload files.
Click the Edit button, then advance to the Approval page.
Add approvers, then click Send for approval. Only Quality Users can approve suppliers.
The supplier will be listed in a pending status until approved. Listed approvers will need to go into the supplier profile record where they can approve the supplier by clicking the Approve button, or reject and provide a reason for the rejection.
If a supplier is rejected, then the supplier can be reverted to draft and changes can be made to the supplier, then resubmitted for approval.
How to Revert to draft
Both Rejected and Approved suppliers can be reverted to draft, then will need to be resubmitted for approval.
How to edit a supplier
Suppliers can only be edited if they are in Draft Status.
From the Suppliers tab:
On the Supplier List tab, use the Search bar and/or filters to identify the supplier.
Click the name of the supplier.
On the supplier profile, click the Edit button.
How to import suppliers from Qualio Docs
Some customers may already have suppliers listed as individual Qualio documents. These types of records will generally have a unique prefix and can be imported into the Suppliers feature where the Supplier Policy can be applied. This option will not be relevant for new Qualio customers onboarding after February 2022, because they will be directed to use the Suppliers feature for their supplier management lifecycle.
From the Suppliers tab:
On the Supplier List tab, click the expansion menu button next to Add Supplier.
Identify the template prefix used for your supplier records by typing the exact capitalized prefix. Then click the Import button.
For each document found, Qualio will automatically create a new Supplier record in Draft Status. However, the record will only have the Supplier Name, which is the Document’s Name, and the Sponsor, which is the document owner, listed. It will also have a link to the original Qualio document.
Edit the Supplier record using the Add New Supplier instructions described above to complete mandatory fields, etc.
How to import suppliers from any other source
There is no automated feature that will help you import suppliers from external sources like CSV. You will need to create new supplier records in the new Suppliers module so that you can add all documents there and have the central repository for all details on a supplier going forward.
We may be able to assist customers in migrating existing suppliers. Speak to your CSM to discuss the scope of this request.
How to Export Suppliers
Qualio Suppliers gives customers four options to export data related to their suppliers depending on what they need the exported list for.
Option 1: Export ASL (Approved Supplier List)
Click the expansion menu to the left of the Add Supplier button, then select Export ASL.
A PDF will download to your local hard drive.
This will only include a list of your Approved suppliers. It will not list suppliers in Draft, Pending, or Archived status.
The PDF format file provides auditors a controlled, unmanipulated format.
The file will include a cover sheet with the name of the person generating the PDF, as well as the date and time when it was generated
The list only includes the following fields: Supplier Name, Type, Risk Level, Intended Use, Last Audit (date), Audit due (date).
Option 2: Export Current View to CSV
With this option, either a targeted list of suppliers or ALL Suppliers can be exported to CSV. The file will exactly mirror what is currently displayed within the application, including the eight fields/columns.
Adjust filters (Supplier Type, Status, or Risk Type) or clear filters as needed on the Suppliers page.
Click the expansion menu to the right of the archive toggle (see image below), then select Export Current View to CSV.
A CSV will download to your local hard drive.
The list will only include the following fields: Name, Type, Status, Risk, Sponsor, Last Modified, Last Audit, and Due In.
Option 3: Export Full View to XLXS (NEW)
With this option, all Supplier fields and data will be included in the XLSX file.Adjust filters (Supplier Type, Status, or Risk Type) or clear filters as needed on the Suppliers page.
Click the expansion menu to the right of the archive toggle (see image below), then select Export Full View to XLSX.
Once the file is prepared a green prompt appears in the top right corner. Click the link to download and a spreadsheet will download to your local hard drive. The spreadsheet includes a page for each of the following:
A list of all suppliers and details
A list of all document titles related to each supplier. Documents can be downloaded by either exporting an individual supplier (Option 3 below), or browsing to the document from the supplier record and downloading it directly.
A list of all audits and audit details
A list of all audit related document titles
Option 4: Export a single Supplier record (NEW)
Click on a supplier to open and view supplier details.
Click the expansion menu to the right of the Revert to draft button. (see gif below), then select Export.
A prompt modal will appear. Click Export Supplier. The prompt explains that the exported file will be a zip file containing:
A PDF with all the supplier details
Supporting documents
Audit files
Once the zip file is prepared a green prompt appears in the top right corner. Click the link to download and your zip file will download to your local hard drive.
How to archive a supplier
As organizations grow and change so will their list of suppliers, resulting in the need to archive suppliers they no longer use, or who no longer meet their requirements policy.
From the Suppliers tab:
On the Supplier List tab, use the Search bar and/or filters to identify the supplier.
Click the name of the supplier.
On the supplier profile, click the Archive button.
How to unarchive (restore) a supplier
If a Supplier record was previously archived, it can easily be restored, saving Qualio Teams time and promoting better data hygiene. All unarchived suppliers, even previously approved suppliers, will be restored in a Draft status and must be re-approved.
From the Suppliers tab:
On the Supplier List tab, toggle on the Show only archived toggle.
Use the Search bar and/or filters to identify the supplier.
Click the name of the supplier.
On the supplier profile, click the Unarchive button.
Supplier Audits
A supplier’s audit cadence is determined by the type of supplier and their risk level as you’ve defined in your Supplier policy. Audits can be initiated prior to their established timeline, or at any point after their completion. So if you have completed audits in the past, simply add the audit using the instructions below and specifying the historical date.
From the Suppliers tab:
On the Suppliers List tab, select the supplier name.
From the supplier profile, select the audit tab.
Click the Add an audit button.
Supply the Audit name, Audit type, Notes, Date Finished, and upload files either from your computer or from an existing Qualio Document. Then click the Add Audit button.
Supplier Audit Trail
An Audit Trail for each supplier is automatically maintained under the Reports tab that includes entries for all Qualio features. The list of Supplier related Audit Trail entries can be found here.
Linking Suppliers to Quality Events
You may need to assess suppliers by tracking the number of related issues or events to understand overall supplier performance.
To support this, Quality users can go to Analytics → Suppliers → Performance to see data on any Events associated with individual suppliers in their portfolio. Referenced Supplier data will also be exportable via the Events.
For more detail see our article on Supplier Analytics.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How many Suppliers will Qualio upload during initial onboarding?
Qualio will assist customers in performing a one-time data entry of a supplier list that contains 25 or more suppliers. The upload will only be done once during the onboarding period. After we complete loading your initial list, it will be your responsibility to add and manage your suppliers.
Is there a maximum number of suppliers that can be managed in Qualio?
There is no limit to the number of suppliers that can be added to the Suppliers tool.
Is there a limit to the number of documents I have within each policy?
No, you can configure your policies for as many documents as you need.
Can the New Supplier form/template be customized?
Not currently. Please log an enhancement request using the In-App chat if you are interested in this enhancement.
Is there any automation functionality available to approve suppliers (i.e. conditional approval to specific approvers)?
Not currently. You can workaround this by making a note on the supplier details or in the Intended Use fields, and, also, adding an audit for when you expect to have the conditions met.
How can I report on a Supplier’s related Events to support a Supplier Audit?
Using the ‘Related suppliers’ field when creating quality Events allows you to link Events and Suppliers. When performing an audit, use Supplier Analytics to assess the Events related to that Supplier.