Use cases by capability
Onboarding a new supplier
From "we picked them" to "they can invoice" without twenty emails in between.
Supplier onboarding is always the same five or six things, asked of the same kind of person. It is the case where having a process shows most: two weeks of emails become four days with nobody chasing anybody.
What gets asked for, nearly always
| Document | Blocks? | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Tax details and bank account | Yes | No |
| Tax clearance certificate | Yes | 3 months |
| Public liability insurance | Yes | 1 year |
| Quality or sector certificates | Depends | Varies |
| Invoicing contact | No | No |
The order that works
- 1
First what blocks you
Without tax details you cannot even create them in your own system. First phase, on its own.
- 2
Then what protects you
Insurance and tax clearance. Second phase.
- 3
Specifics last
Sector certificates, which take longest because they depend on third parties.
Important
Bank details are fraud's favourite target: if an email arrives changing a known supplier's account, confirm it by phone on a number you already had, not the one in that email.
Worth knowing
Saving the onboarding as a template the first time turns the second supplier into two minutes of work. It is the case where a template pays for itself fastest.
›What if the supplier worked with us years ago?
Review what is still current: tax details probably are, insurance probably is not.
›Can I let them invoice while something is missing?
You can, by marking it non-blocking. That is your call, and it is recorded.
›Can I ask for everything at once?
You can, but delivery drops noticeably. Splitting is what most raises response.
A real case
The situation
A manufacturer onboards twelve suppliers a quarter, each taking two weeks.
What you do
- Builds onboarding as a three-phase process
- Marks insurance and tax clearance as expiring
What you get
Onboarding drops to four days on average and renewals request themselves the following year.
The situation
A new supplier is created in purchasing and their documentation is requested three weeks later.
What you do
- Launches onboarding when the supplier record is created
- Requests first the two documents that block the order
- Adds the rest in a second phase
What you get
The first order does not wait for a complete file, and the file does not stay half done.
The situation
Each buyer asks the same supplier for a different list.
What you do
- Shares a single onboarding template
What you get
The supplier receives a coherent request and delivers once.
The situation
The supplier does not understand what each item is for.
What you do
- Adds a line of context per document
What you get
They reply without a preceding call.
The situation
Onboarding is approved and nobody records the expiries.
What you do
- Records validity when approving each document
What you get
The file is still true six months later.
The situation
Purchases go to a supplier who never completed onboarding.
What you do
- Checks the status before issuing the order
What you get
No order leaves for a supplier with no file.
This article answers
- supplier onboarding process
- what documents to ask a new supplier for
- supplier approval
- new supplier checklist