Understand what Informal Products are, where and how to use them.
Informal Products are products that do not exist in the Purchase Plus master catalogue. We strive to gather products that are sold from our suppliers and match these up with existing products in our master catalogue so that our buyers can price match on quotes and receive the best price.
Not everything will be added to the master catalogue, nor does every product warrant being added. For these products, especially when procuring from Informal Suppliers, you can create Informal Products in your Purchase Requisitions, Invoices, Buy Lists, Self Managed Pricing catalogues and in the My Informal Products page.
Understanding the different areas for Informal Products
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Self Managed Pricing catalogues - This is the recommended area to add Informal Products as they can then be used anywhere throughout the platform including Purchase Requisitions, Invoices and Buy Lists. It allows you to have one location to easily manage products per supplier, with the capability to import and export products.
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Purchase Requisitions and Invoices - Informal Products can be added to as ad-hoc, once-off products that you need for the order. Those that you add will be available under the [My Informal Products (Buyer)] as well as automatically added to your default buy list that has the title as [Buyer Organisation Name] Catalogue, e.g. 'Best Hotel Catalogue'.
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Buy Lists - Useful if there is a certain product that you need added to just this buy list but is not going to be used elsewhere.
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My Informal Products (Buyer) - This is a collection of all informal products that you have added to your Purchase Requisitions and default catalogue. Adding Informal Products to this section will also automatically add the product to your default buy list. It is recommended that adding Informal Products is done elsewhere than directly to this area.
Self Managed Pricing catalogues - This is the recommended area to add Informal Products as they can then be used anywhere throughout the platform including Purchase Requisitions, Invoices and Buy Lists. It allows you to have one location to easily manage products per supplier, with the capability to import and export products.
Purchase Requisitions and Invoices - Informal Products can be added to as ad-hoc, once-off products that you need for the order. Those that you add will be available under the [My Informal Products (Buyer)] as well as automatically added to your default buy list that has the title as [Buyer Organisation Name] Catalogue, e.g. 'Best Hotel Catalogue'.
Buy lists - Useful if there is a certain product that you need added to just this buy list but is not going to be used elsewhere.
My Informal Products (Buyer) - This is a collection of all informal products that you have added to your Purchase Requisitions and default catalogue. Adding Informal Products to this section will also automatically add the product to your default buy list. It is recommended that adding Informal Products is done elsewhere than directly to this area.
Note - If you do not yet have a "default" buy list, one will automatically be created when you add your first Informal Product in a Purchase Requisition or to the My Informal Products area.
Use the following guides for Informal Products: