Supplier Portal - How Suppliers Access Purchase Orders

What This Feature Does

The Supplier Portal provides external suppliers with secure access to view purchase orders issued to them, submit invoices, upload supporting documents, and track payment status - all without accessing your internal business data.

Getting Started as a Supplier

Receiving Your Portal Invitation

1. You'll receive an email invitation from your customer (the construction company)
2. The email contains a secure link to create your supplier portal account
3. Click the link and complete the account setup process
4. Choose a strong password for your account
5. You'll be logged into the supplier portal automatically

First Login Experience

1. After logging in, you'll see a simplified dashboard
2. The main navigation shows "Purchase Orders" - your primary workspace
3. You'll only see purchase orders that have been specifically issued to your company
4. All data is filtered to show only what's relevant to your supplier relationship

Day-to-Day Usage

Viewing Purchase Orders

1. Click "Purchase Orders" in the left sidebar
2. You'll see all purchase orders issued to your company that are:
   • Approved: Ready for fulfillment
   • Partially Received: Some items delivered, others pending
   • Completed: Fully delivered
   • On Hold: Temporarily suspended
3. Note: You cannot see draft or pending approval orders
4. Click on any PO number to view full details

Understanding Purchase Order Details

When viewing a purchase order, you'll see:

• PO Number: Reference for all communications
• Issue Date: When the order was created
• Expected Delivery: Target delivery date
• Supplier: Your company name
• Currency and Payment Terms: Financial details
• Line Items: Detailed list of what's being ordered
  • Description and specifications
  • Quantities and units of measure
  • Unit prices and line totals
  • Cost codes (for customer's internal tracking)

Submitting Invoices Against Purchase Orders

1. Open the purchase order you want to invoice
2. Click "Submit Invoice" button
3. Fill in the invoice details:
   • Invoice Number: Your unique invoice number
   • Invoice Date: Date of invoice creation
   • Due Date: When payment is due
   • Notes: Any special instructions or references
4. Add invoice line items:
   • Select line items from the purchase order
   • Enter quantities being invoiced
   • Verify unit prices match the PO
   • Add descriptions for any variations
5. Upload supporting documents:
   • Invoice PDF
   • Delivery receipts
   • Certificates of compliance
   • Photos of delivered goods
6. Click "Submit Invoice" to send for approval

Uploading Supporting Documents

1. When viewing a purchase order or invoice, scroll to "Attachments" section
2. Click "Upload Document" or drag files to the upload area
3. Supported file types: PDF, images (JPG, PNG), documents (DOC, DOCX)
4. Maximum file size: 5MB per document
5. Add descriptions for each document (e.g., "Delivery Receipt", "Material Certificate")
6. Documents are automatically processed and made available to your customer

Tracking Invoice Status

1. Go to "Purchase Orders" and click on the relevant PO
2. In the "Submitted Invoices" section, you'll see all invoices and their status:
   • Submitted: Under review by customer
   • Under Review: Being processed
   • Approved: Ready for payment processing
   • Rejected: Returned for correction (reason provided)
   • Paid: Payment completed
3. Click on any invoice to view detailed status and communication history

Advanced Features

Communication and Activity Log

1. Each purchase order and invoice has an activity log
2. View all communications between you and the customer:
   • System notifications (approvals, rejections)
   • Status changes and updates
   • Document uploads and downloads
   • Review comments and feedback
3. Use this log to track the complete history of each transaction

Managing Multiple Purchase Orders

1. Use the filters on the purchase orders list to find specific orders:
   • Filter by status (Approved, Completed, etc.)
   • Search by PO number or description
   • Sort by issue date or expected delivery
2. Bookmark frequently referenced POs in your browser
3. Set up email notifications for new purchase orders and status changes

Invoice Correction and Resubmission

1. If an invoice is rejected, you'll see the rejection reason in the activity log
2. To correct and resubmit:
   • Note the specific issues mentioned in the rejection
   • Create a new invoice with corrected information
   • Reference the original invoice number in notes if needed
   • Upload any additional documentation requested
3. Resubmit through the normal invoice submission process

Best Practices for Suppliers

Purchase Order Management

• Review all PO details carefully before starting work or ordering materials
• Confirm delivery dates are realistic for your supply chain
• Contact the customer immediately if you can't meet specified delivery dates
• Keep detailed records of all deliveries and partial shipments

Invoice Submission

• Submit invoices promptly after delivery to maintain good payment terms
• Ensure invoice numbers are unique and follow your internal numbering system
• Include detailed descriptions that match the purchase order line items
• Attach all required supporting documentation before submission
• Double-check quantities and pricing against the original purchase order

Documentation Management

• Upload clear, legible copies of all supporting documents
• Use descriptive file names (e.g., "PO-12345-Delivery-Receipt-Jan15.pdf")
• Include material certificates and compliance documentation as required
• Keep copies of all uploaded documents in your own records

Communication

• Respond promptly to any questions or requests for additional information
• Use the activity log to track all communications with the customer
• Provide proactive updates if delivery schedules change
• Reference PO numbers in all communications for easy tracking

Troubleshooting

If you can't log into the supplier portal

• Check that you're using the correct email address from the invitation
• Verify your password is entered correctly
• Clear your browser cache and cookies
• Contact the customer who sent the invitation for assistance

If you can't see expected purchase orders

• Confirm that the purchase order has been approved by the customer
• Check that your supplier record is correctly linked to the PO
• Verify you have active access (not revoked) to the customer's system
• Contact the customer to confirm the PO was issued to your company

If invoice submission fails

• Check that all required fields are completed
• Verify invoice number is unique (not previously used)
• Ensure quantities don't exceed delivered amounts (if goods receipt is required)
• Try uploading documents one at a time if bulk upload fails
• Contact customer support if technical issues persist

If document upload fails

• Check file size is under 5MB limit
• Verify file type is supported (PDF, JPG, PNG, DOC, DOCX)
• Try using a different browser or clearing browser cache
• Ensure stable internet connection for large file uploads

Security and Data Privacy

What You Can Access

• Only purchase orders specifically issued to your company
• Your own submitted invoices and their status
• Communication history related to your orders
• Documents you've uploaded or that were shared with you

What You Cannot Access

• Other suppliers' purchase orders or invoices
• Internal customer communications or notes
• Customer's financial information or other business data
• Purchase orders in draft status or pending internal approval

Data Protection

• All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• Access is logged for audit purposes
• You can only download documents you uploaded or were shared with you
• Your portal access can be revoked by the customer at any time

Tips for Efficient Portal Use

• Log in regularly to check for new purchase orders and status updates
• Set up bookmarks for frequently accessed purchase orders
• Download and save important documents to your local systems
• Keep your contact information updated with the customer
• Respond promptly to invoice rejection feedback to maintain good relationships

Getting Help

From Your Customer

• Contact the project manager or procurement team who issued the purchase order
• Reference the specific PO number in all communications
• Use email or phone as specified in the purchase order

Technical Support

• For login issues or technical problems with the portal
• Contact the customer's system administrator
• Provide specific error messages and steps that led to the problem

What's Next

After getting comfortable with the supplier portal:

• Set up efficient workflows for invoice submission and document management
• Consider integrating portal notifications with your internal systems
• Establish regular communication schedules with key customers
• Explore opportunities for electronic data interchange (EDI) for high-volume relationships