Review your request for quote (RFQ) before sending it to suppliers.
Publishing changes the RFQ from Draft to Published and emails an invitation to each supplier contact included in the request. A careful final review helps prevent incorrect items, missed suppliers, and avoidable revisions.
Before you publish
Confirm that the RFQ is complete and ready for suppliers.
Request details
Review:
- RFQ title
- Supplier-facing description
- Response deadline
- Time zone
- Project folder, if applicable
Make sure the title is easy to identify and the description clearly explains what you need from suppliers.
Supplier contacts
Confirm:
- The correct supplier companies are represented.
- Each intended bidder has been added as a contact.
- Contact names and email addresses are accurate.
- No test, inactive, or unintended contacts are included.
- The appropriate contact was selected when a supplier has multiple contacts.
You must add at least one supplier contact before publishing.
Items
Confirm:
- Every item suppliers need to quote is included.
- Part numbers and revisions are accurate.
- Quantities and units of measure are correct.
- Descriptions and specifications are complete.
- Dates and prices use the correct format.
- Required supplier-response fields are appropriate.
- No duplicate or unintended items were added.
You must add at least one item before publishing.
Documents, FAQs, and questions
Review:
- Drawings and specifications
- Terms and conditions
- Quality or certification requirements
- Packaging and delivery instructions
- Frequently asked questions
- Questions suppliers must answer
Open each attachment to make sure it is the correct file and current version.
Confirm that the information is appropriate to share with every supplier invited to the RFQ.
Final supplier experience
Before publishing, consider whether a supplier receiving the request for the first time can answer these questions:
- What am I being asked to quote?
- When is my response due?
- Which fields must I complete?
- Where can I find the specifications?
- Who should I contact with a question?
- Are there special pricing, delivery, or quality requirements?
If any answer is unclear, update the RFQ before sending it.
Publish the RFQ
When the request is ready:
- Open the draft RFQ.
- Complete the pre-publish review.
- Click Publish and Send Invites at the top of the request.
- Confirm the action if prompted.
SourceDay changes the RFQ status from Draft to Published and sends an invitation to each supplier contact listed on the request.
What suppliers receive
The invitation a supplier receives depends on whether the contact already has an RFQ account.
New RFQ supplier
A new supplier contact receives an email with:
- Information about the RFQ
- The response deadline
- A link to create an account and password
- Access to review the request after completing account setup
After creating the account, the supplier can review the RFQ details and decide whether to submit a bid.
[Insert current new-supplier invitation screenshot]
Existing RFQ supplier
A supplier contact with an existing RFQ account receives an email with:
- Information about the RFQ
- The response deadline
- A link to sign in and view the request
The supplier can open the RFQ from the invitation or return to it later from the Requests dashboard.
New RFQ Supplier Active RFQ Supplier
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Confirm the RFQ was published
After publishing:
- The RFQ status changes from Draft to Published.
- Invitations are sent to the selected supplier contacts.
- Suppliers can review the request and begin preparing their bids.
- The RFQ appears with your active requests on the Requests dashboard.
Return to the RFQ to monitor supplier participation and submitted responses.
Invite additional contacts after publishing
You can invite additional supplier contacts while the RFQ remains open.
To send additional invitations:
- Open the published RFQ.
- Click Add Contacts.
- Select the contacts you want to invite.
- Add the contacts to the RFQ.
- Click Send New Invites at the top of the request.
The newly added contacts receive an invitation to review and respond to the RFQ.
You can continue inviting contacts until the RFQ expires.
Important: Once an RFQ is published, contacts already included in the request cannot be removed. Review the contact list carefully before publishing.
What can be changed after publishing?
A published RFQ no longer behaves like a draft. Some updates remain available, while others require a specific workflow.
Add supplier contacts
You can add and invite new contacts until the RFQ expires.
Existing contacts cannot be removed after publication.
Extend the response deadline
If suppliers need more time, you may be able to extend the deadline while the RFQ is active.
Review the updated deadline carefully so suppliers have the correct date and time.
Revise items
Use Revise Items when you need to add, edit, or delete items after publishing.
Your changes remain pending until you submit the revised item list. Suppliers who previously submitted bids are notified and can update their responses.
Add or manage supporting information
You can continue using documents and questions to provide clarification and communicate with suppliers while the request is active.
When adding new information after publication, make sure suppliers understand whether it changes the original requirements or requires an updated bid.
Make broader changes
Some changes may require you to close, revise, clone, or create another RFQ.
Consider the supplier impact before changing a published request. Suppliers may already be preparing or submitting bids based on the original information.
What happens next?
After publishing, monitor the request from the Requests dashboard.
Watch for:
- Approaching deadlines
- Supplier participation
- Supplier questions
- Submitted bids
- Suppliers who have not responded
- Changes that may require clarification or a revision
When bids are submitted, review and compare the supplier responses before making an award decision.