Multi-Column Support

Sections

Sections are central to Multi Column Bids, each featuring its own title and set of columns,and offering the freedom for customization. Users can add as many columns and rows as they wish to tailor their bidding experience.

Adding Section

You just need to click 'Add Section.' It's that simple! From there, you can start customizing your columns and rows.

Manage Section

You can effortlessly delete sections, rearrange their order, and change their titles via Manage Section

Delete Section

To delete a section, simply click the "Delete Section" button. Please note that this action will delete all content within the section

Changing Section Order

You can easily reorder sections by dragging and dropping them, and the changes will be implemented immediately.

Changing Section Title

You can rename a section by simply clicking on the pen icon, entering the new text, and confirming it. It's as easy as that!

You can also rename a section through the pen icon in the Manage Sections interface.

Collapsing Section

For a tidy and organized view, you can collapse sections with a simple click on the header row.

Columns-Rows

Default Columns

The Line Item Description, Unit/Measure, and Qty fields are pre-configured with default settings. They mirror the fields commonly found in standard bids.Additionally, they are designated as mandatory fields, meaning that creating multi-column bids necessitates filling them out before proceeding.

Price Input (Supplier)

This column plays a crucial role in receiving your price submissions. Therefore, we strongly advise against removing this column.

Why is it grey?

The grey color indicates that the column is reserved exclusively for supplier input.

Adding Column

All you need to click Add Column to open the dropdown at the top right. You can add as many columns as you can.

Let’s go one by one

Buyer Comments: The column title is not editable, similar to the "Buyer Comment" field in regular bids. It accepts text inputs.

Price Input (Supplier): As previously explained, this column is exclusively for price inputs from suppliers. Therefore, you cannot enter any input, which is why it appears grayed out. However, you can edit the column title. The banknote icon indicates that it is specifically designated for price input, meaning text inputs are not possible in this column.

Supplier Comment(Supplier): This column is designated for supplier comments pertaining to each line item and is exclusively available for supplier input. You have the flexibility to modify the column title as needed. The presence of a text icon denotes that it is a text input column.

Custom Columns

Text Input (Supplier)

Similar to Supplier Comment (Supplier), this column can be added to allow for additional text inputs from suppliers. You have the flexibility to change the column title as needed. The text icon signifies that it is a column designated for text input.

Number Input (Supplier)

This column can be added to include additional numeric inputs from the supplier, such as Discount Rate, etc. You have the option to change the column title as required. Please note that this column does not accept text input like "abc"; it is specifically designated for numerical entries.

Text Input

This column is designated for use by buyers. You can add multiple text input fields as needed. As the name suggests, this column allows for the entry of text inputs. You have the flexibility to change the column title according to your preferences.

Number Input

This column is intended for buyers' use. You can incorporate as many number input fields as necessary. As the name suggests, only numerical inputs are accepted in this column. You have the option to customize the column title to suit your needs. Please note that this column strictly prohibits text inputs such as "abc"

Duplicating Column

Duplicating a column provides an alternative method of adding columns, giving you the freedom to choose your preferred approach. When duplicated, the new column inherits the contents of the original. However, it's important to note that not all columns can be duplicated. The Line Item Description, Unit/Measure, Qty and Buyer Comments columns can only be added once and are not duplicable.

Deleting Column

To delete a column, simply click the"Delete Column" button within the respective section.

Adding Row

In each section, adding a row is as simple as clicking the "Add Row" button within that section. Fields outlined in red indicate that they are required.

Duplicating Row

Duplicating a row offers an alternative method of adding rows, providing you with flexibility. When duplicated, the new row inherits the contents of the original.

Re-Ordering Column

To reorder a column,you can simply drag and drop it from its column header to the desired position

Re-Ordering Row

To reorder a row, you can easily drag and drop it from its row header to the desired position.

Changing Column Title

You can easily change a column title by clicking on the pen icon located at the column header row. However, it's crucial to maintain consistency between the column title and its intended data type, ensuring clarity and accuracy.

For instance, if you change the title of a column intended for "price" data type to "comments," suppliers won't be able to enter text input since this column is reserved exclusively for numerical inputs to facilitate calculations. Therefore, a column designated for price data type should have a title that reflects its purpose, such as"Daily Price," "Hourly Price," or similar. Adhering to this rule ensures clarity and consistency in data entry and processing.

Changing Column Width

To adjust the column size, hover over the space between two columns. A green dashed line will appear, allowing you to drag and drop to increase or decrease the column width. This feature is also available in the Buyer View Bids_Bid Details Tab, Supplier View Bids_Bid Details Tab, and Supplier View Bids_Bid Submission Tab.

Importing Excel

To import an Excel file, please follow these steps:

Click on "Import."
Next, click on "Download Template" to obtain the required template.
Fill in the downloaded template accurately.
Once filled, return to the import section.
Click on "Import."
Choose the file you filled out to complete the process.

Done! It is that simple. Please note that each section will be exported to separate excel sheet.

Based on Excel, Worksheet names cannot:

Be blank.
Contain more than 31 characters.
Contain any of the following characters: / \ ? * : [ ]

For example, 02/17/2016 would not be a valid worksheet name, but 02-17-2016 would work fine. Begin or end with an apostrophe ('), but they can be used in between text or numbers in a name.

Be named "History". This is a reserved word Excel uses internally.

If the section titles aren’t suitable for export, we take the necessary steps, such as truncating it if it's too long and removing any disallowed characters.

Supplier Bid Submission Tab

Changing Column Width

As stated above, in order to adjust the column size, hover over the space between two columns. A green dashed line will appear, allowing you to drag and drop to increase or decrease the column width.

Unrequired Line Items

When submitting a price, while there are many similarities with regular bids, there are also some differences. Currently, there are no required line items,so you can leave them blank if you choose not to submit. From the Buyer's end, it will be displayed as 'No Bid'.

Excel Import

To import an Excel file, please follow these steps:

Click on "Import."
Next, click on"Download Template" to obtain the required template

Fill in the downloaded template accurately.
Once filled, return to the import section. Click on "Import."
Choose the file you filled out to complete the process.

Buyer Bid Submission Tab

Here's a general overview of the multi column layout on the Buyer Bid Submission Tab

Toggle for Text Inputs

There is a toggle button located on the top right. When enabled, you can view supplier text inputs, such as supplier comments, for each line item. If you close it, only number and price data type columns will be displayed. This provides a cleaner view whenever you want

Horizontal Scroll

When navigating horizontally through the table, scrolling may be necessary due to the presence of multiple columns. Several methods are available for this purpose. Instead of using the horizontal scroll bar to drag left or right, you can utilize other options. These include using the mouse scroll wheel to scroll right or left, as well as using the right and left arrow keys on the keyboard.