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Managing a Request

Updated yesterday

🗣️ This article is intended for Buyers. If you are a Supplier, please refer to our Supplier hub content.

After Building and sending a Request, its status changes from Draft to Active - meaning it becomes live and is sent to the selected suppliers. Once sent, the system redirects you back to the Request repository. To view your live request, make sure you're in the Sent folder.

Opening the request reveals a different view compared to the draft version. You will notice that some new tabs become available, and the content of existing ones may also be updated. These changes reflect the fact that your request is now live and ready for active management.

At this stage, managing a Request typically involves one of two things:

  1. Ongoing management - You can oversee supplier activity by monitoring progress and completion status, comparing responses, exchanging messages, moving suppliers to the next stage, or even inviting new ones if needed. This represents the day-to-day management of an active request.

  2. Making revisions - In some cases, you may need to make changes to the request itself. This can include minor edits such as updating the name or deadline, or more significant adjustments - like marking certain documents, questions, or line items as obsolete and adding new ones. The type of revision you can make depends on the current progress of your suppliers in the process.

Let’s take a closer look at the tabs available in the live request and how each one supports these two management paths.

Managing a live Request

Suppliers tab

The Suppliers tab of a live Request provides a comprehensive overview of all suppliers involved. It acts as the main control centre for monitoring supplier activity, tracking progress, and coordinating internal actions throughout the request lifecycle.

At a glance, the Supplier tab gives key information such as bid status, stage completion, and outstanding actions - both yours and your team’s. You’ll also be able to identify unread comments and messages requiring follow-up.

In addition to the main supplier table, the tab includes several supporting panels, such as Visibility, Stage Approvals, and Internal Documents, each offering tools to manage participation, approvals, and internal collaboration more effectively.

Suppliers panel

The Suppliers panel is the central place for tracking and managing supplier progress within a live Request. By default, it displays suppliers grouped by current stage, showing where each supplier is in the process. This structured layout makes it easy to oversee engagement across multiple stages.

View

You can switch between four views depending on what aspect of the process you'd like to focus on, by clicking the 'Views' button on the top right, and each view will display related key supplier information.

  • By current stage (default): Shows where each supplier currently is in the workflow.

    • Request bid status

    • Current stage completion

    • Your actions (items you need to address)

    • Team actions (pending actions assigned to teammates)

    • Unread comments

  • By bid status: Organises suppliers based on whether they're bidding, have submitted a bid, or are invited.

    • Current stage

    • Your actions (items you need to address)

    • Team actions (pending actions assigned to teammates)

    • Unread comments

  • By bid outcome: Useful after evaluations to see who passed or failed.

    • Current stage

  • My view: A customisable view tailored to your preferences as a buyer.

✏️ Important to note: Changes made to views are personal and do not affect what your teammates see.

To further tailor the data to your needs, you can Filter and Sort results.

Additionally, use the ‘Hide columns’ dropdown to choose which columns to display. You can:

  • Show or hide individual columns

  • Select Show all, Hide all, or Default

  • Quickly spot visible columns via the eye icon

Besides, each column also has a dropdown that allows you to sort the table based on that specific metric.

Add suppliers

Even once a request is live, you can still invite new suppliers companies.

  1. Click +Add suppliers.

  2. Either search for and select a registered contact or company from your Network at DeepStream, or

  3. Invite a new contact by clicking 'Send an invite' and filling out their details.

  4. Choose which team members at the supplier company to invite.

✏️ Important to note: You can only add a supplier if they haven’t yet responded to the request.

Besides, if you’ve invited the wrong user or forgotten to include someone before sending your Request, you can still add additional team members to a supplier's participation - as long as the supplier has not yet responded. Once a supplier has submitted a response, it becomes their responsibility to manage their own team.

To add users to a supplier’s team:

  1. Navigate to the Suppliers tab of the live Request.

  2. Click on the supplier you want to update.

  3. Select Team from the side menu.

  4. Click the + Add user button and select users from the supplier’s organisation to invite.

More actions

To enable More actions, first tick the checkbox next to a supplier’s name. Then, click More actions to access:

  • Send invite reminder
    You can prompt supplier companies that haven’t yet signed up for DeepStream by sending them an invite reminder. To do this:

    1. Check the boxes next to the suppliers with a Bid status of Invited.

    2. Click the 'More actions' dropdown and select Send invite reminders.

    3. In the confirmation pop-up, click 'Send' to issue the reminder.

    ✏️ Important to note: Invite reminders can only be sent to supplier companies that have no registered users on DeepStream. This means the option is available only for first-time invitations - once any user from the company has signed up, reminders can no longer be sent.

  • Download files
    You have the option to download all documents submitted by your suppliers in response to a specific request. This allows you to review their submissions in detail, compare responses, and retain records for evaluation or compliance purposes. Accessing these documents ensures transparency and supports informed decision-making throughout the procurement process.

    1. Select the suppliers whose documents you’d like to download by ticking the checkboxes to the left of their names.

    2. Click the ‘More actions’ dropdown and choose Download files.

    3. Choose the pages from which you want to include files in the download.

    4. Click ‘Download’ to start the process.

  • Move to next stage
    Once you’ve reviewed and approved the suppliers’ responses, in case of a multi-stage setup, you can progress them to the next stage of the process directly from the Suppliers tab. This allows for a smooth and efficient transition, ensuring that only qualified suppliers advance to the following phase.

    1. Select the suppliers you want to move to the next stage by checking the boxes to the left of their names.

    2. Click the 'More Actions' dropdown and select 'Move to next stage'.

    3. In the confirmation pop-up, tick the checkbox that says “I confirm I want to move the selected suppliers to the next stage.”

    4. Click Move [X] Suppliers to complete the action.

  • Request stage approval
    ​For more details on stage approvals, see the section further below.

  • Decline to bid

    If a supplier doesn’t respond to your invitation to bid on your Request on DeepStream, you can decline to bid on their behalf.

    1. Click the checkbox beside the supplier you wish to decline to bid for.

    2. Click the ‘More actions’ button and select Decline to bid.

    3. Provide a reason for declining.

    4. The supplier will now appear as ‘Decline to bid’ instead of ‘No response’.

    ✏️ Important to note: If a supplier chooses to bid later, they can change their status.

  • Reject bid

    If you’d like to reject your supplier’s bid on your Request on DeepStream, you can do so.

    1. Click the checkbox beside the supplier you wish to reject the bid.

    2. Click the ‘More actions’ button and select Reject bid.

    3. A pop-up window will appear displaying the suppliers whose bids you intend to reject, along with the full list of suppliers. At this stage, you can still add or remove suppliers as needed.

      • To send a message to the rejected suppliers, keep the toggle set to ‘Yes’. If you prefer not to send a message, switch the toggle to ‘No’.

      • If you wish to send a message to the rejected suppliers, use the Message field to define the message you’d like to send. You can upload any supporting documents, if necessary. Click ‘Continue’ to move to the next stage.

    4. The final stage will display the suppliers whose bids will be rejected, along with a disclaimer ‘‘Rejected suppliers will not be notified of any further activity on this request excluding chat”.

Visibility panel

The Visibility panel indicates whether your Request is public or private, but its functionality is only relevant when the Request is public.

In the case of a public Request, this panel provides transparency into how widely the Request is being shared outside your immediate network. It allows you to track:

  • Intentions to bid: The number of suppliers who have indicated interest in responding to your Request.

  • Suppliers added: The number of suppliers who have officially been added to the Request from the public pool.

These metrics help you gauge supplier engagement with your publicly posted opportunity and understand whether you may need to promote the Request further or invite additional suppliers manually.

✏️ Important to note: For private Requests, the Visibility panel will still appear, but its information has no functional impact, as only directly invited suppliers can access the Request.

Stage approvals panel 

Stage approvals empower Request owners to involve relevant stakeholders in key decision points throughout the sourcing process. This feature enables a structured way to request and track approvals for various actions, such as

  • Approval to reject a Supplier

  • Approval to progress a Supplier to the next stage

  • Approval to award the Request to a Supplier

Importantly, Stage approvals do not enforce or automate decision-making. Instead, they provide a mechanism to capture formal approval and create a documented audit trail for all approval-related activities.

Approvals are requested at the same time, not in sequence, and only Owners can see all approvals.

Creating an Approval

✏️ Important to note: Super users can send approval requests but cannot be approvers unless added to the request team.

  1. Click '+ New approval' to open the approval setup window.

  2. Use the dropdown menus to select Approval stage (this applies only if your request includes multiple stages). 

  3. Use the dropdown menus to select Supplier(s) the Approval is related to.

  4. In the Description field, outline the scope of the Approval.

  5. Optionally attach supporting documents and click 'Next'.

  6. Use 'Add approver' to assign team member(s) to review the request. Click 'Next'.

  7. Review your approval setup.

  8. Click 'Submit' to send the Request. Notifications will be triggered for all approvers.

Once the Approval request has been submitted, there appears a table showing the list of Stage approvals, along with their Scope, Stage, Status, Suppliers to approve, Approvers and Responses.

The next step is for the Approvers to complete the necessary steps on their side.

✏️ Important to note: Approval requests cannot be deleted, just cancelled while pending, but not once they have been responded by Approvers.

Responding to an Approval

If you are added to the corresponding Requests' team, and receive an approval request, here’s what you need to do:

When you're invited to approve a draft request, you’ll receive both an email and an in-system notification. To complete the approval process, follow the steps provided in the pop-up window that appears when clicking the notification. This guided walkthrough will take you through each stage, ensuring all necessary actions - such as reviewing content and adding comments - are completed before you submit your decision.

  1. The first page of the pop-up will show you the Approval stage, the Suppliers to approve, and the Description. Click ‘Next’ to move on to the next step.

  2. You will be stated as an Approver, and you will be prompted to respond - ‘Approved’ or ‘Rejected’. You have the option to include a comment if you wish to elaborate on your decision. Click ‘Next’ to move on to the next step.

  3. The last step provides a summary of your decision and any comments you've added in the previous stage. Review the information carefully, and click ‘Next’ to proceed if everything is in order.


    ​

  4. You will then receive a confirmation that your approval response has been successfully submitted.

Internal documents panel

The Internal documents panel allows you to upload and manage documents that are only visible to your internal team. These documents can be used to support internal collaboration, add context, or keep a record of key materials related to each stage of the request process. Unlike supplier-facing documents, internal documents are not shared externally and are meant solely for internal coordination.

  1. To add a new document, click the '+ New document' button. A pop-up window will appear prompting you to provide the following details:

    • Request stage:
      Select which stage of the request the document should be associated with.

    • File*:
      Upload the document by either dragging it into the drop zone or clicking 'Browse' to select it from your device.

    • Name*:
      Give the document a clear, descriptive name so it’s easy to identify later.

    • Comments:
      Optionally, you can add a comment to provide additional context or instructions related to the document.

  2. Once the required fields are filled out, click 'New document'.

  3. If you change your mind, you can click Cancel to close the pop-up without saving.

This panel helps ensure your team stays aligned at every stage of the request without sharing internal documents with suppliers.

Team tab

The Team tab of a live Request allows you to invite and manage internal team members who participate in the request. Under this tab, you can assign roles and permissions, ensuring each stakeholder has the appropriate level of access and responsibilities - whether it's reviewing submissions, or contributing to evaluations.

To invite colleagues to collaborate with you on the Requests, follow these simple steps.

  1. Click '+ Add user'.

  2. Select a colleague from the dropdown menu.

    ✏️ Important to note: The colleague must already be an existing user in the system. A Super user can add them by navigating to Manage team under the Main menu. If you’re the Request owner, you can add or remove team members from the Request at any point.

  3. Assign specific roles and responsibilities for each user.
    ​

    ✏️ Important to note: When Evaluation is enabled for a Request, you must also define which users act as Evaluators for each page of the evaluation. Super users and Full users can either be given "Can comment" access or be assigned the Evaluator role.

    To learn more about specific roles and responsibilities, refer to this article.

Details tab

The Details tab of a live request offers a comprehensive overview of the request. It displays key information, including the basic details and other configurations made in the Summary tab of the draft. It also provides an overview of the Stages you defined in the draft request, along with the Details, that is, the content associated with each stage. This tab allows you to easily review all relevant aspects of your request in one place.

Comments tab

The Comments tab serves as a private communication space exclusively for team members involved in a specific request. It allows users to share internal notes, feedback, and updates that are not visible to external parties. Users can enter a subject, write detailed comments, and upload supporting files either by dragging and dropping or browsing their device. The section ensures transparency and collaboration within the team while keeping discussions confidential.

  1. Give your comment a Subject.

  2. Write the comment you would like to share with your team.

  3. Optionally upload corresponding files.

  4. Click 'Save'.

✏️ Important to note: Comments cannot be edited or deleted once posted.

Messages tab

Once a Request is live in DeepStream, communication between buyers and suppliers is managed through the Messages tab. This central hub offers three distinct channels to help facilitate collaboration, clarify expectations, and ensure transparency: Bulletins, Clarifications, and Chats. Each serves a specific purpose and offers different capabilities depending on whether you are a buyer or a supplier.

Bulletins

Bulletins are used by buyers to send messages to all participating suppliers in a Request. These are typically used to announce important updates, changes to the Request, or new deadlines. Suppliers cannot respond directly to Bulletins. If they require further information or need to follow up, they can do so by opening a Clarification.

When a Bulletin is sent, suppliers receive an email notification prompting them to log in to DeepStream to view the message. The message itself is also recorded in the Audit trail for full traceability.

To send a Bulletin from the Messages tab:

  1. Open the relevant Request and navigate to the Messages tab.

  2. Click on Bulletins in the left-hand menu.

  3. Select + New bulletin.

  4. In case of a multi-stage request, select the Stage the bulletin should be visible from.

  5. Enter your message.

  6. Optionally upload a supporting file.

  7. Click 'New bulletin' to send.

  8. To edit a posted Bulletin's message or files, hover your mouse over it and open to see it in detail, then click 'Edit'.

  9. Once you have made the changes, click 'Submit'.

⚡ Top tip: Use Bulletins to ensure all suppliers are aligned with any changes or updates. Bulletins are the fastest way to distribute information broadly, and they ensure consistency in supplier communication.

Clarifications

Clarifications enable private, direct conversations between a buyer and a supplier. Either party can initiate a Clarification to ask follow-up questions or request additional information related to the Request's Documents, Questions or Line items.

Unlike Bulletins, Clarifications are two-way, and the content is not visible to other suppliers. However, Clarifications can remain open throughout the lifecycle of the Request - even after it has been closed or awarded. Besides, each Clarification thread is also stored and timestamped in the Audit trail.

Buyers have the option to control 'Supplier file uploads', that is, whether suppliers can upload documents within clarification threads. This setting can be toggled at any time and applies to both new and existing clarifications.

To edit the supplier file upload permissions:

  1. Navigate to the Messages tab within the Request.

  2. Click on Clarifications in the left-hand panel.

  3. Click the pencil icon under 'Supplier file uploads' to either Disable or Enable this option.

✏️ Important to note: Disabling file uploads does not remove or alter any documents that have already been uploaded. All previously shared files will remain accessible within their respective threads and are still logged in the audit trail. This gives buyers full control over document exchange during clarification without disrupting the integrity of past correspondence.

To create a new Clarification:

  1. Navigate to the Messages tab within the Request.

  2. Click on Clarifications in the left-hand panel.

  3. Click '+ New Clarification'.

  4. Choose the supplier you want to message.

  5. Fill in the subject and message fields.

  6. Click 'Open clarification' to send.
    ​

  7. Once you have opened the Clarification, you can associate it with a Bulletin in the 'Post to reference' field, then clicking 'Submit'.

  8. Finally, if you would like to conclude a Clarification chain, click 'Mark as resolved'. This action changes the Clarification's status to Resolved, however, it can be reverted to Open by clicking 'Undo'.

⚡ Top tip: Open a separate clarification for each question you have so they can be tracked and resolved efficiently.

To respond to an existing Clarification:

  1. Navigate to the Messages tab within the Request.

  2. Click on Clarifications in the left-hand panel.

  3. Click on the relevant Clarification that needs your input.

  4. You may either Leave a comment, Post to reference, or Mark as resolved.

To download a record of Clarifications:

  1. Navigate to the Messages tab within the Request.

  2. Click on Clarifications in the left-hand panel.

  3. Click on the relevant Clarification whose individual clarification thread you want to download.

  4. Click the download icon in the top right corner of the thread window.

Chats

The Chat function allows buyers to have real-time, one-on-one communication with a supplier. Suppliers cannot initiate a Chat themselves, but they can reply to Chats started by the buyer. This channel is ideal for informal conversations, quick follow-ups, or clarifying points that don't require a formal Clarification.

Buyers can also enable file sharing within a Chat, allowing the exchange of documents. However, this permission must be set when the Chat is created and cannot be changed afterward.

To start a Chat:

  1. Open the relevant Request and go to the Messages tab.

  2. Click on Chat in the left-hand menu.

  3. Select '+ New chat'.

  4. Choose the supplier you want to message.

  5. Enter a subject and message.

  6. Optionally upload a supporting document.

  7. Choose whether the supplier will be allowed to upload documents in response.

  8. Click Open chat to initiate the conversation.
    ​

  9. Finally, if you would like to conclude a Chat conversation, click 'Close chat'. This action changes the Clarification's status to Closed, however, it can be reverted to Open by clicking 'Reopen chat'.

⚡ Top tip: Use Chats for informal or follow-up conversations where a quick turnaround is needed, or when a document needs to be exchanged privately. Chats can also be initiated when closing or awarding a Request, making them a useful tool for post-decision communication. Since suppliers can only respond and not initiate, buyers remain in control of this communication channel.

Messages report

To export a full record of all communications on a request, navigate to the Messages tab and click the Messages report button located on the left-hand side.

You’ll be prompted to choose the report type:

  • Consolidated report for all suppliers: A single Excel file including all bulletins, clarifications, chats, and any uploaded documents across the entire request.

  • Separate reports for individual suppliers: A folder containing separate reports, each showing messages and associated files for a specific supplier.

After selecting the desired format, click 'Download report' to export the data. All exported data is timestamped and recorded in the audit trail.

In summary, the Messages tab in DeepStream offers flexible and traceable ways to manage communication between Buyers and Suppliers at every stage of the Request lifecycle. Use Bulletins to communicate broadly, Clarifications to resolve targeted queries, and Chats for less formal one-on-one discussions. All message types are stored in the Audit trail, ensuring compliance and visibility across the process.

Comparison tab

The Comparison tab becomes available once a Request includes an Evaluation module, Questions section, or Line items section. It allows you to view supplier responses side by side, making it easier to evaluate submissions and identify the best offers. Please note that Documents sections are not included in the comparison. 

Be it the Evaluation, Line items, or Questions comparison you're looking at, here is how to use the Comparison tab.

First, open the relevant Request, then:

  • Go to the Comparison tab.

  • Use the dropdown on the top left to switch between 'Evaluation', 'Line items', and 'Questions'.

In all views, you can use the 'Filter' dropdown to show or hide specific suppliers. In evaluation, you can additionally filter suppliers by bid status. Suppliers who decline to bid or withdraw will be automatically excluded from the evaluation view.

You can export any current comparison view as a CSV file by clicking the 'Download' icon. When doing so, you’ll be prompted to select a report format:

  • Basic report – requirements and section names in rows, responses in columns

  • Full report – requirements and responses in rows, with granular data in columns

✏️ Important to note: Only Request Owners can download reports. Besides, Calculated 'Total' fields are only visible in-app, but you can derive them manually in a spreadsheet.

In all comparison views, you can also adjust your layout using the following options:

  • Click the 'Row height' icon on the right to switch between Short, Medium, Tall, and Extra Tall rows.

  • Click 'Expand view' in the top right to focus on the table only. To return to the standard layout, click the same icon on the top right to shrink the view.

  • Click any response cell to open a detailed view of that answer.

Spend tab

If your Request has a budgeted value or you're tracking financial impact, the Spend tab is where you will enter that information. This information feeds into your organisation’s company-wide Reporting page to help track planned versus actual spend and calculate savings once the Request is awarded.

✏️ Important to note: Only the Owner of the Request or a Super user can view and edit this tab.

However, if you’re running an RFI or there’s no spend associated, you can disable this tab altogether by clicking the red 'x Disable' button on the right.

To complete the Spend tab, follow these steps.

  1. Click the 'Edit' button in the Budget section's right side.

  2. Select 'Yes' for the “Does this request have a budgeted value?” question.

  3. Enter the Budgeted total value using the currency defined in the Summary tab.

  4. (Until the Budgeted total value is not added, the status will remain Incomplete.)

  5. Click the 'Save' button.

The rest of the Spend tab - including Final value and Total savings - will be automatically enabled once the request is awarded and the total value and savings can be calculated.

✏️ Important to note: The Budgeted total value can be updated before, during, or after the request is made live - up until it has been awarded.

Audit tab

The Audit tab provides a detailed, chronological record of all key activities related to your live request. It automatically logs significant events, responses, communications, and revisions, ensuring complete transparency throughout the RFx process.

At any point, you can download a comprehensive audit trail report, which includes:

  • who performed each action

  • when the action occurred

  • what action was taken

✏️ Important to note: Internal team comments made within the Comments tab are not included in the audit trail.

This feature supports transparency and accountability, helping safeguard against potential legal challenges. It also streamlines internal reviews and formal audits by eliminating the need for manual record keeping - saving both time and administrative effort.

To download the audit trail, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Audit tab of the request you want to review.

  2. Navigate to the request you want to review.

  3. Click the ‘Audit’ tab to view the audit trail.

  4. Click ‘Download CSV’ on the right-hand side of the screen.

  5. Open the file in your preferred spreadsheet application (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets).

✏️ Important to note: Only the request owner or a request member with the appropriate permissions can download the audit trail as a .csv file.

Revising a Request

Once your request is live, you can access it at any time to monitor progress, track updates, and verify the accuracy of submitted information. This ensures you stay informed and enables timely adjustments or follow-ups whenever needed.

To edit your Request:

  1. Open the live Request, click the Request actions dropdown, and select 'Revise request'.

  2. This will take you to the revision draft state.

  3. In this draft, you can update Stages, Pages, Sections, or Deadlines as needed.

  4. Once your edits are complete, go to the Review & send tab and click the green 'Issue revision' button.

  5. A confirmation pop-up will appear, giving you the option to post a Bulletin to all included suppliers.

    • To send a message, complete the Bulletin and proceed.

    • If no message is needed, select No, then click 'Issue revision'.

✏️ Important to note: Only Owners of a Request can submit revisions.

Extending a deadline

When revising a request, one valuable option is the ability to adjust its deadline. You can either extend the timeframe to allow for additional input or shorten it to accelerate the process. This flexibility ensures the request stays aligned with your priorities and project timelines.

  1. Go to the Stages tab where your stages and their deadlines are listed.

  2. Find the stage whose deadline you want to update. Hover over the right side of the stage box and click Edit.

  3. Choose the new deadline.

  4. Click Save to apply the changes.

✏️ Important to note: You cannot set a stage’s deadline beyond the deadline of the next stage.

Excluding specific items from Requests

Once a request is live, for compliance purposes its content cannot be deleted. If you want to exclude certain items - such as a document, question, or line item - you can mark them as obsolete. This keeps the Request intact while clearly indicating which items are no longer relevant or active.

  1. Find the section in which item you wish to mark obsolete.

  2. Click Edit.

  3. Click three-dot button next to said item.

  4. Select 'Mark as obsolete'.

Editing Evaluation (Page, Section, Max. score and Weight)

If the Evaluation feature is enabled, you can still make certain changes, such as adding new pages or sections, and adjusting the maximum score or weight at the item, section, or page level. However, once a request is live, evaluation pages and sections cannot be deleted - you can only add additional ones.

Adding a new evaluation page

  1. Go to Evaluation tab

  2. Click +Add Page

  3. Select the page you want to add

  4. Click Add

Adding a new evaluation section

  1. Go to the Evaluation tab.

  2. Open the page where you want to add a new section.

  3. Click + Add Section.

  4. Choose the type of section you want to add:

    • Linked to requirement – select the requirement section you want to link. Click Add to confirm

    • Separate criteria – create a section that is independent and not linked to any pre-built requirement section. Enter the section details, add the evaluation criteria, and define the maximum score and weight.

Got a question or need clarification? Send us a message by clicking the Help chat button in the bottom right - our AI assistant, FIN, will help you right away, and connect you to our team if needed.

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