The Sourcing Library holds reusable sections you can add to any sourcing activity, so you don't have to rewrite the same content each time. Open it from Sourcing > Sourcing Library.
Before you start
Adding internal sections to an activity: skip to 2 minutes 50 seconds.
Adding supplier sections to an activity: skip to 3 minutes 31 seconds.
Internal and supplier sections
Section type | What it's for | Examples |
Internal Sourcing Section | Information from your organisation that suppliers read but don't answer. You write the content in a rich-text editor. | About us, RFP submission rules, project overview, evaluation criteria, contact information |
Supplier Sourcing Section | A question or request that suppliers answer in a text editor when they respond. You give it a name and a description of what you want. | Cover letter, implementation plan, service level agreements, case studies and references |
oboloo comes with default sections you can use straight away, such as Confidentiality and Intellectual Property, Contact Information, Evaluation Criteria, RFP Process, RFP Submission Rules and Supplier Expectations (internal), and Company Background, Implementation Plan, Pricing Structure, Training & Support, Case Studies & References, Solutions Overview and Technical Specification (supplier).
What's on the page
Area | What it shows |
Filters | Section Type, Section Category, All Users (creator) and Archive Status (Active or Archived), plus Clear Filter. |
Search | Finds sections by name. |
Create New Sourcing Section | Opens the dialog to create an internal or supplier section. |
Sections table | Every section, with an actions menu (⋮) for View, Archive/Unarchive and Clone. |
Create a section
Click Create New Sourcing Section and choose Internal Sourcing Section or Supplier Sourcing Section.
Enter the Section Name (suppliers will see it) and choose a Section Category.
For an internal section, write the content in the editor. For a supplier section, complete Section Description with what you'd like the supplier to include, for example Please provide a cover letter.
Click Create Sourcing Section.
View or update a section
In the actions menu, click View to open the section in Sourcing Section Library. If you created it, you can change it and click Update. Other users see it read-only. Changes don't affect activities that already include the section.
Clone a section
To reuse someone else's section with changes, click Clone in its actions menu. A copy opens in the create dialog for you to edit and save as your own; the original is unchanged.
Archive or unarchive a section
Click Archive in the actions menu and confirm. Archived sections can't be added to new activities but aren't deleted. To restore one, set Archive Status to Archived, then click Unarchive. There's no option to delete a section.
What you can do from here
To… | Do this | Guide |
Add internal sections to an activity | Tick Internal Sourcing Sections on the first wizard step, then Add To Activity | |
Add supplier sections to an activity | Tick Supplier Sourcing Sections on the first wizard step, then Add To Activity | |
Ask suppliers for documents | Use the Request Documents wizard step | |
Build a scored questionnaire | Go to Sourcing > Supplier Questionnaires | |
Add or change section categories | Ask an administrator to update Section Category in Settings > Configurations |
Common questions
Can suppliers upload documents in a supplier section?
No. Suppliers answer supplier sections in a text editor. To collect files, use the Request Documents step of the wizard.
Why can't I update a section?
Only the user who created a section can update it. Clone it to make your own editable copy.
I clicked Create New Sourcing Section and saw an upgrade message
Creating and archiving library sections needs the Sourcing Plus plan. On the free plan you can still view the library. See What's Included on the Free Plan and Plus Plans.
Can I delete a section?
No. Archive it instead. Archived sections stay in the library and can be unarchived at any time.
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If you need further assistance, please contact your internal platform administrator for support. Otherwise please reach out to oboloo's support team. If you are unable to view the above area in the oboloo platform, please check your user permissions and access rights.