Request for Quotation (RFQ) - Setup and Publishing

Source file: 2026-06-08-user-manual-rfq-setup-publishing.html

User Manual

Field	Value
Document Type	User Manual
Portal	GRINEA – Internal Operations Portal
Module	Request for Quotation (RFQ) – Setup and Publishing
Version Number	1.0
Document Date	May 20, 2026
Prepared by	Christian Canlubo

Version History

Version Number	Version Details	Author	Date Published
1.0	Initial Version	Christian Canlubo	May 20, 2026

1.0 Introduction

This document is the official user manual for the Request for Quotation (RFQ) module of the GRINEA Internal Operations Portal. It covers the full workflow from staging an RFQ through to publishing it and managing incoming supplier responses. Users are encouraged to read this manual before proceeding to the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual or any other downstream module documentation.

1.1 Purpose of the Document

This document serves as the official user manual for the Request for Quotation (RFQ) module of the GRINEA Internal Operations Portal. It provides clear, step-by-step guidance on how authorized personnel, primarily Buyers, can stage, configure, and publish RFQs and manage the published RFQ through to quotation receipt. The RFQ module is the supplier sourcing stage of the GRINEA procurement lifecycle. It sits between the Purchase Requisitions module (upstream) and the Purchase Orders module (downstream). Every RFQ originates from line items drawn from an approved Purchase Requisition and represents a formal sourcing event in which one or more suppliers are invited to submit a quotation for the requested materials or services. This manual covers the staging and setup process, the three-step configuration wizard, the published-state tab structure, post-publication settings management, and the statuses that apply throughout the lifecycle stages documented here.

This document is intended to complement, not replace, any organization-specific procurement policies, project governance frameworks, or system administration guidelines. Users who encounter platform issues not covered in this manual should contact their designated system and network administrator.

1.2 Scope of the Document

This document covers the Request for Quotation module from initial staging through to the management of a published RFQ and quotation receipt. It does not cover quotation comparison, supplier selection, approval routing, or Purchase Order generation, which are addressed in the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual. Specifically, this document covers:

• Navigating to the Request for Quotation module from the Internal Operations Portal
• Understanding the RFQ list view, visibility rules, page controls, and status tabs
• Using RFQ Staging to select line items from an approved Purchase Requisition and create an RFQ draft
• Configuring an RFQ through the three-step Setup wizard: Primary Details, Supplier Selection, and Summary
• Adding system recommended, existing, and invited suppliers to an RFQ
• Assigning Supplier User contacts and understanding the resulting notifications
• Publishing an RFQ using the Start RFQ action and understanding the transition to Published state
• Navigating the Published-state tab structure: Requirements, Quotations List, and Inbox
• Adding additional suppliers to an RFQ after it has been published
• Communicating with suppliers through the Inbox
• Viewing submitted supplier quotation details from the Quotations List
• Editing RFQ Settings post-publication, including deadline extension and attachment uploads
• RFQ and supplier quotation statuses applicable to the scope of this manual
• Searching and filtering the RFQ list

The following areas are out of scope and are addressed in separate documentation:

• Quotation Comparison, supplier shortlisting, and supplier selection — covered in the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual
• Approval chain routing, the Supplier Selection tab, and the For WZA Validation and For Acceptance statuses — covered in the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual
• Purchase Order generation triggered by final approval — covered in the Purchase Orders manual
• Purchase Requisition creation and approval workflows — covered in the Purchase Requisitions manual
• Supplier Portal quotation creation and submission — covered in the Supplier Portal manual
• Bill of Materials and Services (BoMS) workflows — covered in the BoMS manual
• User account provisioning, RBAC role assignment, and permission configuration — covered in the User Management and RBAC manuals
• ERP integration with Impuls and system-to-system synchronization

1.3 Intended Audience

This manual is intended for all users of the Request for Quotation module across the organization. It has been written to be accessible regardless of technical experience, with clear language and step-by-step instructions for day-to-day RFQ operations.

Buyer / Purchasing Specialist

The Buyer is the primary user of the RFQ module. The Buyer creates RFQ drafts through the staging workflow, configures each RFQ through the three-step setup wizard, selects and invites suppliers, and publishes the RFQ to initiate the sourcing process. The Buyer also manages the published RFQ by monitoring quotation submissions through the Quotations List tab, communicating with suppliers through the Inbox, and updating RFQ settings where required. All RFQ creation and configuration actions documented in this manual are exclusive to the Buyer.

Backoffice Users

Backoffice users can view all RFQs on the platform regardless of project assignment. Their access within the scope of this manual is read-only and does not extend to creating, configuring, or publishing RFQs.

Frontoffice Users

Frontoffice users can view RFQs linked to projects they are assigned to. Like Backoffice users, their access within the scope of this manual is read-only.

Other Roles with RBAC Access

Beyond the primary audiences above, the Request for Quotation module is governed by RBAC. Any user granted Create access can create an RFQ, any user granted Update access can edit one in the same way the Buyer does, and any user granted View access can see the RFQ on the list and open its details. The primary user list above should not be interpreted as a closed list.

2.0 Module Overview

2.1 Description

The Request for Quotation module is the supplier sourcing stage of the procurement workflow on the GRINEA Internal Operations Portal. It is accessed from the platform navigation under Internal Operations Portal > Request for Quotation. Every RFQ originates from line items drawn from an approved Purchase Requisition and represents a formal invitation to one or more suppliers to submit a quotation for the requested materials or services.

When a user opens the RFQ module, the RFQ list is displayed as the default landing page. Backoffice users see all RFQs on the platform; Frontoffice users see only RFQs linked to projects they are assigned to. The list defaults to 100 rows per page with configurable pagination from the bottom of the table. Users can search by RFQ ID, Impuls PR No, Project ID, Project Short Name, or Item Name, and can apply filters by Buyer or RFQ Status using the filter drawer or status tabs.

2.2.1 RFQ List (Landing Page)

The RFQ list is the default landing page of the Request for Quotation module. It displays all RFQs visible to the current user in a table. Backoffice users see every RFQ on the platform; Frontoffice users see only RFQs linked to projects they are assigned to.

The list defaults to 100 rows per page. Pagination size is configurable from the bottom of the table. Each row displays the RFQ ID, source PR identifier, linked project details, status, quotation count, budget, publication date, and deadline. Clicking Actions on a row opens the full RFQ detail page. The following controls are available on the RFQ list page:

• RFQ Staging button: opens the RFQ Staging workflow for creating a new RFQ draft from an approved PR
• Search field: filters the table by RFQ ID, Impuls PR No, Project ID, Project Short Name, or Item Name
• Filters drawer: filters the list by Buyer or RFQ Status; includes a reset function to clear all applied filters in one action
• Status tabs: filter the visible list by lifecycle state directly within the page

[Screenshot: RFQ List – Landing Page]

2.2.2 RFQ Staging

RFQ Staging is the entry point for creating a new RFQ. It enforces the platform rule that one RFQ must be built from line items belonging to a single approved PR. Multiple PRs cannot be combined into a single RFQ. A PR with N line items can produce at most N RFQs, one per line item.

Entry Points

There are two ways to open the RFQ Staging page. The first is from an approved PR detail page, where a banner appears with a button to stage its line items; the source PR is preselected automatically when staging opens. The second is from the RFQ module list, where the Buyer clicks the RFQ Staging button and selects an approved PR manually from the available list.

Staging Layout

The staging page is organized into three sections. A PR selector at the top allows the Buyer to choose or confirm the source PR. The left panel, labeled Staging Line Items, lists all eligible line items from the selected PR. The right panel, labeled Line Items to RFQ, holds the items the Buyer has chosen for the RFQ being built.

Staging Rules

• Items move between panels using the selection buttons. Drag-and-drop is not supported.
• The right panel displays a running total of the selected items' amounts, which recalculates with each move.
• The Create RFQ Draft action is blocked if the right panel contains no selected items. A validation prompt appears if the Buyer attempts to proceed with an empty selection.

When the Buyer clicks Create RFQ Draft and confirms the prompt, a new RFQ is created in DRAFT status with the selected line items. The platform routes the Buyer directly to the new RFQ detail page in Setup State.

[Screenshot: RFQ Staging Page]

2.2.3 RFQ Setup (Draft State)

The Setup State applies to a newly created RFQ that has never been published. Only the Buyer can edit the RFQ during this state. Two tabs are present during setup:

• Setup RFQ tab: visible to the Buyer only; contains the three-step configuration wizard for the RFQ
• Requirements tab: visible to all users with RFQ access; a read-only view of the inherited RFQ details from the source PR, including Basic RFQ Details, Documents and Attachments, Line Items, and Schedule / Delivery Details

The Buyer completes configuration through three steppers on the Setup RFQ tab.

Step 1 – Primary Details

The first stepper captures the RFQ terms and conditions that will be communicated to invited suppliers.

Field	Required	Notes
RFQ Deadline	Yes	Must be a future date. Backdating is blocked; today and past dates are disabled in the date picker.
Payment Terms	Yes	A numeric value expressed in Days, Weeks, or Months.
Guarantee of Proper Performance	Yes	A toggle. When enabled, suppliers must include a response to the guarantee requirement when submitting their quotation.
Description	No	A public-facing description of the RFQ visible to invited suppliers on the Supplier Portal.
Documents and Attachments	No	File attachments to share with invited suppliers. Attachments may already be inherited from upstream BoMS or PR line items and are listed automatically.

Step 2 – Supplier Selection

The second stepper is where the Buyer assembles the list of suppliers who will receive the RFQ. Three sources are available for adding suppliers:

System Recommended Suppliers: The platform auto-selects and pre-populates suppliers based on their catalogue linkage to the materials or services included in the RFQ. These suppliers are labeled System Match. The Buyer can deselect and reselect system recommended suppliers freely. A deselected system match is relabeled Removed.

Add Existing Supplier: A search function allows the Buyer to add suppliers already registered on the platform. Suppliers with a status of On Probation or Closed are excluded from search results and cannot be added to the RFQ.

Invite New Supplier: A form for adding suppliers not yet registered on the platform. Required fields are Company Name, Email Address, Tax Identification Number, and Contact Person. On submission, the platform validates the entry against existing records using a company name match check, an email domain-level check, and an exact email check. Where a match is found, the Buyer is prompted to use Add Existing Supplier instead.

Each supplier in the list carries an origin label: System Match, Manually Added, Invited, or Removed. For each supplier included, the Buyer must designate at least one Supplier User as the contact. Progression to Step 3 is blocked until every selected supplier has at least one contact assigned. Designated contacts receive all RFQ-related and downstream delivery-related email notifications.

Step 3 – Summary

The third stepper displays a consolidated summary of all inputs configured in Steps 1 and 2, including the RFQ Deadline, Payment Terms, Guarantee of Proper Performance setting, Description, Attachments, the full supplier list with origin labels, and the designated Supplier User contacts for each supplier. The Start RFQ action is available on this stepper. On confirmation, the following actions occur:

• The RFQ status transitions from DRAFT to PUBLISHED and the Date Published timestamp is recorded
• Email notifications are sent to all designated Supplier User contacts for each invited supplier
• Suppliers added through Invite New Supplier also receive a separate platform invitation email for Supplier Portal account setup
• The Setup RFQ tab is closed and replaced by the Published-state tab structure

[Screenshot: RFQ Setup – Three-Step Configuration Wizard]

2.2.4 Requirements Tab

The Requirements tab is present during both the Draft and Published states. It is read-only and visible to all users who have access to the RFQ. Its content is inherited from the source PR and BoMS and cannot be edited from this tab.

The Requirements tab displays: Basic RFQ Details originating from the source PR; Documents and Attachments linked to the RFQ; Line Items included in the RFQ; and Schedule and Delivery Details for each line item.

[Screenshot: Requirements Tab]

2.2.5 Quotations List Tab

The Quotations List tab is available once the RFQ is published. It is the default active tab when a published RFQ is opened. The tab shows a table of all invited suppliers and their current quotation submission status.

The Add Supplier button at the top of the tab allows the Buyer to invite additional suppliers after publication. The same eligibility rules apply as during Step 2 of setup: suppliers with status On Probation or Closed are excluded, and duplicate validation checks are applied when inviting new suppliers. Newly added existing suppliers receive the standard RFQ invitation email; newly invited suppliers also receive the platform invitation email.

Each row in the supplier table shows the supplier name, origin label, and current quotation status. Clicking View on a row opens the supplier quotation detail view, which is organized into three sections: Audit Logs, Quotation Details, and Line Item Offers. Supplier quotation statuses are defined in Section 2.4.

[Screenshot: Quotations List Tab]

2.2.6 Inbox Tab

The Inbox tab is available on all published RFQs. It provides a direct, real-time messaging channel between the Buyer and each invited supplier. One independent chat thread is maintained per invited supplier; threads cannot be seen across suppliers.

The Inbox supports document and image attachments in addition to text messages. Each party receives an email notification and an in-app notification when a new message is posted in their thread. The supplier accesses their thread through the Supplier Portal; the Buyer accesses all threads from the Inbox tab on the RFQ detail page.

[Screenshot: Inbox Tab]

2.2.7 RFQ Settings

RFQ Settings is available to Buyer users when the RFQ is in PUBLISHED or WITH RESPONSE status. It is not accessible to any other user, and it is not available when the RFQ is in Draft, For WZA Validation, For Acceptance, or Selected status.

Two types of update can be made through RFQ Settings:

• Deadline Update: the RFQ Deadline can be extended to a later valid future date. Backdating is blocked. On save, the updated deadline is reflected on the RFQ list, the Quotation Comparison header, and the Supplier Portal. All designated Supplier User contacts receive an email notification confirming the change.
• Attachment Upload: new file attachments can be added to the RFQ. On save, all designated Supplier User contacts receive an email notification informing them of the new files. The attachments become immediately visible to suppliers on the Supplier Portal.

[Screenshot: RFQ Settings]

2.2.8 Searching and Filtering the RFQ List

The RFQ list provides a search field and a filter drawer to help users locate specific RFQs. The search field accepts: RFQ ID, Impuls PR No, Project ID, Project Short Name, and Item Name. The filter drawer, opened from the list toolbar, allows filtering by Buyer or by RFQ Status. Status tabs at the top of the RFQ list provide one-click filtering by lifecycle state without opening the drawer. The filter drawer includes a reset function to clear all applied filters in a single action.

2.3 RFQ Status Lifecycle

Each RFQ progresses through the following statuses. Statuses 1–3 are managed within the setup and publishing flow documented in this manual. Statuses 4–7 (For WZA Validation, For Acceptance, Selected, PO Issued) are part of the supplier selection and approval process documented in the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual. Status 8 (Closed) is the terminal state reached after all Purchase Orders have been sent.

#	Status	Description
1	DRAFT	The RFQ has been created through staging but has not been published. Only the Buyer can edit the RFQ in this state. The Setup RFQ tab is the active configuration surface. The RFQ is not visible to suppliers.
2	PUBLISHED	The Buyer has completed Step 3 and started the RFQ. The RFQ setup is locked. Supplier notifications have been sent and invited suppliers can access and respond to the RFQ through the Supplier Portal. The RFQ remains in Published status until at least one supplier submits a quotation.
3	WITH RESPONSE	At least one invited supplier has submitted a quotation. This status co-exists with Published and updates dynamically as additional quotations are received. The RFQ remains open for further supplier responses until the deadline is reached.
4–7	FOR WZA VALIDATION → FOR ACCEPTANCE → SELECTED → PO ISSUED	Supplier selection, approval chain, and PO auto-generation statuses. Documented in full in the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual.
8	CLOSED	All Purchase Orders generated from this RFQ have been sent to the respective suppliers. The RFQ has reached its terminal state. No further changes are possible on the RFQ itself.

2.4 Supplier Quotation Statuses

Each invited supplier carries an independent quotation status reflecting their progress in responding to the RFQ. These statuses are displayed in the Quotations List tab and update in real time as suppliers take action through the Supplier Portal.

Status	Description
INVITED	The RFQ has been sent to the supplier. No action has been taken by the supplier.
DRAFT QUOTE	The supplier has created at least one line item offer but has not yet formally submitted their quotation.
SUBMITTED	The supplier has formally submitted their quotation. The submission is visible to the Buyer in the Quotations List and Quotation Comparison tabs.
WITHDRAWN	The supplier submitted a quotation and subsequently withdrew it before the deadline.
DECLINED TO QUOTE	The supplier manually declined the RFQ invitation and will not be submitting a quotation.
NO SUBMISSION	The RFQ deadline passed without any action from the supplier.
FOR NEGOTIATION	The Buyer has shortlisted this supplier using the Quotation Comparison tab. Covered in the RFQ Supplier Selection and Approval Flow manual.
CANCELLED	The supplier's quotation has been cancelled. This status is set when the RFQ itself is cancelled after suppliers have already submitted quotations, or when the supplier's participation is explicitly terminated.

3.0 FAQs

The following frequently asked questions address common queries about the Request for Quotation module.

Question	Answer
Can line items from multiple PRs be combined into one RFQ?	No. The platform enforces a one-PR-per-RFQ rule. All line items in an RFQ must originate from the same approved PR. A single PR can produce multiple RFQs, up to one per line item.
How are System Recommended Suppliers determined?	System Recommended Suppliers are pre-populated by the platform based on which registered suppliers are linked in the catalogue to the materials or services included in the RFQ. The Buyer can deselect and reselect them at any point during Step 2.
Can suppliers be added after the RFQ has been published?	Yes. The Add Supplier button on the Quotations List tab allows the Buyer to invite additional existing or new suppliers at any point after publication while the RFQ is in Published or With Response status. The same eligibility and duplicate validation rules apply as during Step 2 of setup.

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