Using Event Collaboration

This chapter provides an overview of event collaboration and discusses how to:

Collaborate on event creation.
Collaborate on event analysis.

Understanding Event Collaboration

Often during a sourcing event, there are multiple stakeholders involved in the event. While the event creator is usually the buyer responsible for the event, the buyer may not have all of the information that is critical to the event. Therefore, it is important for the event creator to distribute the event to the stakeholders for input prior to posting the event. This also enables the event creator to get everyone’s input into the event and ensure that everyone agrees on the overall objectives of the procurement.

Collaboration also might be useful during the bid analysis of RFx and RFI events. One stakeholder may feel that price is more important than warranty, while another stakeholder responsible for the cost of replacing parts that are not under warranty may feel warranty is more important than price. By allowing the stakeholders to review the bids and provide input on bid factor weightings, hidden bid factors, and text based scoring, the buyer can be certain that the interests of all the collaborators are factored in on the award decision. The system calculates an average score based on the input of all the collaborators.

You can invite any users with a role of Event Collaborator to contribute to event creation or analysis. During event creation, collaborators check out the event and enter their input as to bid factor weightings and so forth. Once collaboration is complete, the event creator can review the input and decide which changes to accept. The system then updates the event based on the accepted changes.

During bid analysis, collaborators can manually score text-based bid factors, enter responses to hidden bid factors, and change bid factor weightings. The system calculates an average score across all collaborators.

Collaborating on Event Creation

This section discusses how to:

Collaborate during event creation.
Invite collaborators.
Checking events in and out.
Review event collaboration input.
Review event collaboration constraint details.

Pages Used to Collaborate on Event Creation

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Event Summary	AUC_CREATE_PG	Sourcing, Create Events, Event Details	Enter header information.
Event Collaboration Details	AUC_EVENT_COLLAB	Click the Event Collaborators link on the Event Summary page.	Invite internal users to collaborate on event creation.
Find Collaborators	AUC_COLLAB_SRCH	Click the Find Collaborators link on the Event Collaboration Details page.	Search for collaborators to invite to participate in the event.
Event Workbench	AUC_MANAGE_EVENTS	Sourcing, Maintain Events, Event Workbench	To collaborate on events, check them in and out.
Review Event Collaboration - Event Header	AUC_COLLAB_HDR	Select the View Collaboration link on the Event Details page.	Used by the event creator to view collaborators' event input.
Description	AUC_COLLAB_HDR_SEC	Click the Description button on the Review Event Collaboration - Event Header page.	View changes to the event description field.
Review Event Collaboration - Event Lines	AUC_COLLAB_LN	Click the Event Lines link on the Review Event Collaboration - Event Header page.	Click to review the event collaboration by line.
Review Event Collaboration - Bid Factors	AUC_COLLAB_FCTR	Click the Bid Factors link on the Review Event Collaboration - Event Header page.	Click to review the event collaboration by bid factor.
Review Event Collaboration - Comments and Attachments	AUC_COLLAB_ATTCH	Click the Comments and Attachments link on the Review Event Collaboration - Event Header page.	Click to review the event collaboration comments and attachments.
Full Comment Text	AUC_COLLAB_CMMTS1	Click the Event Comments button on the Review Event Collaboration - Comments and Attachments page.	View changes to the event comments field.
Review Event Collaboration - Invited Bidders	AUC_COLLAB_DISP	Click the Invited Bidders link on the Review Event Collaboration - Event Header page.	Click to review the event collaboration by invited bidder.
Review Event Collaboration - Constraints	AUC_COLLAB_CONST	Click the Constraints link on the Review Event Collaboration - Event Header page.	View changes to the event level or line level constraints during the event collaboration process.

Collaborating During Event Creation

Here's the process for collaborating an event:

Access the Invite Collaborators page and select users with the role of event collaborator to invite to the event.

Click Route on the Event Details page to route the event to the first collaborator.

The event status then changes to Collaborating Event and the Collaboration Status is set to Available for Checkout.

Note. The event creator can create a new version of the event and invite collaborators to have a snapshot of the event before and after collaboration. This enables the event creator to compare the previous version to the current collaborated version.
The system sends an email notification to all invited collaborators.

The first collaborator receives a worklist entry immediately; the rest of the collaborators receive a worklist entry once the current collaborator completes his or her collaboration input based on the routing sequence entered.
The collaborators access the event through the Event Workbench.

The collaborators check out the event (which changes the Collaboration Status to Checked Out), make any changes, and then route the event to the next collaborator (which changes the status to Available for Checkout).

The event creator and event collaborators see the event as changed by the previous collaborator.
Once the collaboration is done, the system notifies the event creator by email and worklist entry.
The event creator can cancel the collaboration and remove collaborators from the event.

If the collaboration is canceled, the event is available for posting.

If the event creator removes a collaborator from the collaborator's list, the removed collaborator receives an email notification indicating that he or she has been removed.

See Also

Creating Events

Inviting Collaborators

Access the Event Collaboration Details page.

Collaboration Due Date

Enter the date that the collaboration is finished. This date must be before the preview date of the event.

Save as Group

Click to save the selected list of collaborators as a group. The system makes the Collaboration Group and Description fields available for entry. For future collaborations, you can select the group instead of individual collaborators.

Routing Sequence

Enter a routing number for each collaborator.

Checking Events In and Out

Access the Event Workbench page.

	Click to check out the event for collaboration.
	Indicates that the event is checked out by a collaborator and isn't available.

See Also

Managing Events

Reviewing Event Collaboration Input

Access the Event Workbench page.

Click to move to the Review Event Collaboration page to view collaboration on the selected event.

Event Action

Select Accept or Reject for each collaborator's change. If you don't select an action, the system uses the values entered by the last collaborator. Whichever value you accept, the system automatically rejects the other values for that field or change. Also, if you accept a previously entered value, it rejects the current value.

For example, let's say that the warranty bid factor has a best value of 5 years, and that collaborator 1 changes it to 4, and collaborator 2 changes it to 3. If someone accepts 4, then 3 is rejected.

Update

Click to indicate which action you want the system to accept.

Comments

Enter a comment for why you are accepting or rejecting that input. The system records accept and reject actions in the Comments field also so that you can view the collaboration history.

Update Event

After you have accepted or rejected all the input, click to update the event with the selected input. The changes are made to the event and you are transferred back to the Event Details page where you can review the updates.

Note. Occasionally, collaborators can make conflicting changes. For example, if the event creator accepts the change that the bidder must beat the winning bid, and also accepts the change that the winning bid should not be displayed to bidders, then there is a conflict. These two changes conflict because if the bidder must beat the winning bid, the winning bid must appear. In cases like this, the system informs the event creator when the event creator clicks Update Event button, indicating that a conflict exists. All updates are made to the event, except for the change that caused the conflict.

See Also

Managing Events

Reviewing Event Collaboration Constraint Details

Access the Review Event Collaboration - Constraints page.

Event Constraints - Collaboration Input tab

This section displays changes to the event-level constraints during the event collaboration process.

The Event Line grid displays changes made to constraints associated with the line items.

Collaborating on Event Analysis

This section discusses how to:

Collaborate during event analysis.
Invite collaborators.
Enter analysis feedback.

Pages Used to Collaborate on Event Analysis

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Analyze Total	AUC_AWARD_PG	Sourcing, Maintain Events, Analyze Event	Review each bidder's overall bid, score, and cost.
Score Text Bid Factors	AUC_AWARD_HTXT_SEC	Click the Text Bid Factor Score button on the Analyze Total page.	Manually score text bid factor responses and incorporate this score into the total score. Collaborators may optionally enter text response cost contributions as well on this page.
Price Component Detail	AUC_AWD_CLB_PRCMPT	Click the Price Component Detail button on the Analyze Line page.	View price component details entered by each collaborator. Collaborators may adjust the weightings of the price components during the collaboration process.
Analyze Line	AUC_AWARD_LN_PG	Click the Analyze Line link on the Analyze Total page.	Review each bidder's bid for each line item in the event, including scores and cost.
Event Collaboration Details	AUC_EVENT_COLLAB	Click the Invite Collaborators link on the Analyze Totals page.	Invite internal users to collaborate on event analysis.

Collaborating During Event Analysis

Here's the process for collaborating during event analysis:

The collaborator accesses the Analyze Total page.
Once bids have been received and the event is available for analysis, the event creator can distribute the event for bid analysis collaboration using the Invite Collaborators page. If collaborators were invited to collaborate on the event creation, they will automatically default in on the analysis Invite Collaborators page.
While collaborators are analyzing the event, the system sets the event status to Collaborating Bid Analysis.

The collaborators use the Analyze pages to indicate their weightings for each bid factor, enter responses to hidden bid factors, and manually score text-based responses. Collaborators may also enter cost contributions for text-based bid factors and other bid factors marked as having user-defined cost contributions.

The system calculates the average weighting, score, and cost based on the collaborators' input.
The event creator can't see the collaboration input until the collaboration due date and time has passed or the collaborators have finished entering their input, whichever occurs first.

The Update Event Status process sends a worklist item and email notification to the event creator if the collaboration due date has passed before all the collaborators have provided their input.
The event creator can review the input, including the bid factor weightings set by each collaborator, and decide on which score to base the award decision.

See Also

Creating and Using Bid Factors

Analyzing Bids and Awarding Events

Inviting Collaborators

Access the Event Collaboration Details page.

Collaboration Due Date

Displays the date that the collaboration input is due.

Save as Group

Click to save the selected list of collaborators as a group. The system makes the Collaboration Group and Description fields available for entry. For future collaborations, you can select the group instead of individual collaborators.

Show Bidder's Name

Click to show the bidders to the collaborators. If you leave the check box clear, the collaborators won't see the bidders' names, which might make the collaboration more impartial.

Route To

Click to route the event to the first collaborator. This makes the event read only for non collaborators until the collaboration due date, and thus, it can't be awarded.

Entering Analysis Feedback

Access the Analyze Total page as a collaborator.

Collaborators can suggest changes to weightings, enter user-defined bid factor costs, manually score text bid factors, and answer hidden bid factors.

	Click to manually score text bid factor responses. If the text bid factor is a cost contributor, you can enter a cost in addition to a score for the bid factor.
	Click to choose list values as part of collaboration input.

Scoring Text Bid Factors

Access the Score Text Bid Factors page.

Bid Factor Cost

(Optional) Enter a numeric value for the text bid factor cost.

Analyzing User Defined Costs

Access the Analyze Total page.

Display Options

Select View Factor Costs if you want to enter user defined costs for date or numeric bid factors.

Collaboration Due Date	Enter the date that the collaboration is finished. This date must be before the preview date of the event.
Save as Group	Click to save the selected list of collaborators as a group. The system makes the Collaboration Group and Description fields available for entry. For future collaborations, you can select the group instead of individual collaborators.
Routing Sequence	Enter a routing number for each collaborator.

Event Action	Select Accept or Reject for each collaborator's change. If you don't select an action, the system uses the values entered by the last collaborator. Whichever value you accept, the system automatically rejects the other values for that field or change. Also, if you accept a previously entered value, it rejects the current value. For example, let's say that the warranty bid factor has a best value of 5 years, and that collaborator 1 changes it to 4, and collaborator 2 changes it to 3. If someone accepts 4, then 3 is rejected.
Update	Click to indicate which action you want the system to accept.
Comments	Enter a comment for why you are accepting or rejecting that input. The system records accept and reject actions in the Comments field also so that you can view the collaboration history.
Update Event	After you have accepted or rejected all the input, click to update the event with the selected input. The changes are made to the event and you are transferred back to the Event Details page where you can review the updates. Note. Occasionally, collaborators can make conflicting changes. For example, if the event creator accepts the change that the bidder must beat the winning bid, and also accepts the change that the winning bid should not be displayed to bidders, then there is a conflict. These two changes conflict because if the bidder must beat the winning bid, the winning bid must appear. In cases like this, the system informs the event creator when the event creator clicks Update Event button, indicating that a conflict exists. All updates are made to the event, except for the change that caused the conflict.

Collaboration Due Date	Displays the date that the collaboration input is due.
Save as Group	Click to save the selected list of collaborators as a group. The system makes the Collaboration Group and Description fields available for entry. For future collaborations, you can select the group instead of individual collaborators.
Show Bidder's Name	Click to show the bidders to the collaborators. If you leave the check box clear, the collaborators won't see the bidders' names, which might make the collaboration more impartial.
Route To	Click to route the event to the first collaborator. This makes the event read only for non collaborators until the collaboration due date, and thus, it can't be awarded.