Overview
Once you share a specification with a connected supplier, the supplier can review the Shared Specification, update editable fields, and add comments directly through the TraceGains Network.
You can then review the supplier's changes, apply selected changes to your Primary Specification, and continue collaborating until the specification is ready for approval.
If you haven't shared the specification yet, see Shared Specifications and Notifications.
How Suppliers Review Shared Specifications
After you create and share a Shared Specification, the connected supplier receives an eNotification.
Connected suppliers review Specification Requests through TraceGains Gather. From their Supplier Group, they can go to Customer Manager > Specification Requests to view incoming requests.
When the supplier opens the Shared Specification, they can review its information, add comments, and update the fields you've made available to them.
Editable fields are determined by the configuration of your Shared Specification Template.
The supplier can save their work while reviewing the specification. When their review is complete, they return the updated Shared Specification to you.
Set Up a Notification Workflow
You can use a Workflow to notify your team when a supplier returns an updated Shared Specification.
For instructions on configuring Workflows, see:
- Turn on Workflows in Supplier Management
- Create and Edit Workflows
- Set Conditions and Actions for Workflows
Configure the Workflow conditions and actions based on how you want your team to be notified when Shared Specifications are updated.
You can also use an Email Profile to send notifications to other internal stakeholders.
Review Supplier Comments and Changes
When a supplier updates a Shared Specification, review their comments and changes before applying the appropriate information to your Primary Specification.
1. Open the Shared Specification
Go to Specifications and locate the Shared Specification identified in the notification.
A red comment indicator identifies a specification with an unacknowledged comment.
Open the Shared Specification.
2. Review the comments
Select the Comments icon or Comments button to open the Comments panel.
From the Comments panel, you can:
- Review supplier comments.
- Add a new comment.
- Select Is Internal when a comment should only be visible to users at your company.
- Select Mark as Read to acknowledge a comment.
Save any comments you add.
3. Review the supplier's changes
Select the "X change(s) were made to Specification" link to review the changes submitted by the supplier.
Determine which changes you want to apply to your Primary Specification, then select Apply Changes.
If the specification is ready, you can proceed with your approval process.
4. Continue collaboration if needed
If additional information or changes are needed, select Resubmit with Feedback to return the Shared Specification to the supplier.
You and the supplier can repeat this review and feedback process until the specification is complete.
Next Steps
Once supplier collaboration is complete, review the specification and proceed with the appropriate status, approval, and versioning actions.