BIS Administrative Procedures - Managing Vendor Records

Introduction: Although the vendors complete their own Vendor Profile Form (VPF) to subscribe to BIS online, the BIS Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the vendor records. Each vendor is allowed up to 5 categories and up to 5 contact people on their subscription. If they wish to have more categories or more contact people, they may choose to purchase an additional subscription.

Sign Into BIS

Open your browser (Netscape, Explorer, etc.) and go to the BIS Homepage (bidinfo.umn.edu)
Login and go to the Administrative Home Page
Click the Vendor Records link (This will take you to the Vendor Records: Locating Vendor Accounts page.)

Locating Vendor Account - General

Above the display window the titles show how the vendors are displayed. Narrow down your search by selecting some of the parameters below:

Click on "Status" or organize the vendors by status
Click on "Company Name" to organize the vendors by company name
Click on "Contact Name" to organize the vendors by contact
Click on "E-mail address" to organize the vendors by e-mail address
Choose the "Search" dropdown box for vendor status
1. Show All
2. Current Subscribing Vendors (S)
3. Expired Subscribing Vendors (E)
4. Non-Subscribing Vendors (N) (Vendors that buyers would like to keep information on.)
5. Pending Applicant Vendors (P) (Vendor has completed the VPF, but it isn't approved yet.)
6. Pending & Fees Pending Applicant Vendors (F) (Vendor has completed the VPF, but the fees still haven't been received.)
Choose the "For" dropdown box for company name, contact person or e-mail address
Choose the "Text" dropdown box and enter general information you know about the vendor
Click the "Find" button to begin the search.

There are three ways to add a vendor:

The vendor completes the VPF
BIS Coordinator completes the VPF masquerading as the vendor
BIS Coordinator enters the vendor information directly into BIS, bypassing the VPF

Adding A Vendor - (BIS Coordinator keys directly into BIS)

This is the way to enter a vendor internally, but for full tracking purposes, it is best to act like a vendor and actually go through the full subscription process by filling out the Vendor Profile Form. This allows the newly entered vendor to be tracked appropriately for revenue, marketing, and information reasons.

Click on the "Add button"
On the Detail Add page, fill in the appropriate fields
Click the "Assign/Update Contacts" button
Enter company contact information in the spaces provided
User ID - In small case letters, use the first six digits of their last name. If there aren't six digits, use what is there and add "x" to fill the space. After the name, use a three digit number. Preferably follow the numbering convention of 001, 002, and so on.
Password - Click "Reset Password" button and let the system generate a password to give to the vendor. Make sure to tell the vendor that the ID and password are case sensitive, and the password must be alpha-numeric.
When finished click the "Update Record" button
Then click the "Vendor Profile" button
Now click the "Update Record" button
Click the "Return To Search" button to complete the process.

Also see BIS Revenue Procedures for receiving BIS subscription fees.

After an approved VPF and the corresponding payment is received, the vendor will be set to a Subscribing status. The subscription year should run from the payment received date, out for 12 months.

When the BIS Coordinator changes the subscription status for the 1st time, the vendor is automatically sent an e-mail that does two things:

The Vendors e-mail address is verified. If this e-mail notification bounces, then bids will also not go through.
This sends the User ID and Password to the vendor.

Editing A Vendor Record

Click the "Edit/View" button
On the Detail Add page, change any appropriate information
Click the "Update Record" button to save your changes.

If changes need to be made to the vendor's contacts:

On the Detail Add page, click the "Assign/Update Contacts" button
Enter company contact information in the spaces provided
User ID - In small case letters, use the first six digits of their last name. If there aren't six digits, use what is there and add "x" to fill the space. After the name, use a three digit number. Preferably follow the numbering convention of 001, 002, and so on.
Password - Click "Reset Password" button and let the system generate a password to give to the vendor. Make sure to tell the vendor that the ID and password are case sensitive, and the password must be alpha-numeric.
When finished click the "Update Record" button
Then click the "Vendor Profile" button
Now click the "Update Record" button
Click the "Return To Search" button to complete the process.

Removing A Vendor Record

Highlight the Vendor in the display window
Click the "Remove" button. A confirmation page will ask you again if you want to delete the vendor from the BIS system.

Note: Deleting a vendor will remove the vendor from any bid history records. This should not be done. When it is done, it should be well documented.

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Last Revised: December 12, 2001
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