You've come up with your list of questions to ask your Vendors and are now ready to write your RFP or Profile. There are a few options and you can view how to start an RFP/RFI here.
Once all the Details about your RFP or Profile are entered, you can use the handy Excel upload template to:
1. Build all your RFP or Profile Sections
2. Add Sub-Sections if needed
3. Add in all your questions under the appropriate Section or Sub-Section
4. Build out the appropriate response type for your Vendors (simple text response, drop-down lists, tables to fill out etc.)
5. Provide a space for additional comments by your Vendors when responding to drop-down lists
To find the template, first create your RFP or Profile, then go into the Dashboard tab at the top of the page. Click on the grey WRITE tile at the top of the page. The template will be off to the right in the Action Menu to click on and download in a tab called Upload Questions.
**Important Note** Once the sheet opens there will be 2 tabs down at the bottom. One is for detailed Instructions. Please review this sheet to make sure you are completing the columns correctly and setting up your tabs/Sections in the best way possible.
The first steps to filling out the Excel template are:
1. Click on the SECTION_NAME tab
2. Right click on the tab and COPY as many times as you have Sections. So, if you need to write an RFP/RFI that has 14 sections, you need to copy the tab 13Xs to equal a total of 14. Each Section needs its own tab.
3. Right click each tab and RENAME them as your Section names . Save your spreadsheet along the way!
4. Enter your Sub-Section names (if applicable) in Column A. You only need to enter them once, matching up with the Questions that are in each Sub-Section in Column B, and leaving the other rows blank. See example below.
Next you'll need to fill out Columns C and D. All others are optional.
1. Response Type is used to provide your Vendors the right type of field or structure to put their response or choose from drop-down menus for example.
**Important Note** Please review the Instructions tab for the exact way to enter List or Table, or Number etc.
2. Simple Text answers are only Text, however Lists and Tables (if applicable) will need the associated ID entered with it. Lists and Tables are created beforehand in your Library section. Each of them have a unique ID.
3. Enter Yes or No whether or not you want to provide your Vendors a Comments field in addition to a drop-down list.
4. If the Response Type is Text, you do not need to fill out Column D.
5. Priority is optional for each question. Enter a number 1-5.
Once Columns A, B and C and possibly D are completed for every tab, save your XL template, go back into your RFP/RFI and click the Bulk Upload button off to the right on the Action Menu. Browse out and find your saved spreadsheet to upload.
Review your RFP or Profile for any changes or edits.