Document Requests

Provide quality & compliance documentation to ALL customers directly through the TraceGains Gather® system. With automation and in-app communication tools, save time and streamline document exchange to make your lives easier and make customers happier.

There are a few ways of providing documents to current and potential customers:

1. For TraceGains Customers: If the customer already uses TraceGains, they will send a connection request for the items and manufacturing locations that they purchase from. Then, they will request specific documentation which are fulfilled through document requests. Easily check in on what’s been sent and what is still needed by customers.
2. For Non-TraceGains Customers: Users can still add all of their customers and send them documents, even if they’re not yet using TraceGains. 
   After adding Non-TraceGains customers into the system, use Share Settings to establish exactly which documents to share with those customers. Once your document settings are established, take advantage of automation tools! Any time a single document is replaced or shared with multiple customers, the system can update that document automatically, site wide.
   For additional information, please refer to these articles:
   • Managing Customers
   • Document Settings - Types and Requirements 
3. For new potential customers: New potential customers find users on the TraceGains Gather® Marketplace. These buyers can send requests for documents to help them determine if items meet their specifications.

Understanding Document Requests

On the left side navigation menu, click the Customer Management app > Requests > Documents.
There are two types of document requests:  

Location documents – Document requests that pertain to a single manufacturing plant or facility.

Item documents – Document requests that pertain to a single Item (in some cases regardless of its location of manufacture).

In the Document Requests page, there are 4 tabs at the top under the “Document Requests” header:

New: Any new requests that require immediate action 

In Process: Any requests that are still being worked on or are pending customer approval. They may have customer comments that need to be responded to or an expired document that must be updated.  

Expiring Soon: Keep tabs on expiration dates for documents that have been used to fulfill requests. Once updated, the new documents will be sent to any customers who requested the original document.  

Complete: A history of all completed requests for reference 

Fulfill Document Requests

Step 1: Under Customer Management, Click Documents Requests.

• To fulfill a single document, to the far right of the item, click Choose Action and upload a file from your computer or from the Document Library as a repository for all quality documentation. For additional information, please refer to this article: What is the Document Library?
• To fulfill multiple document requests with the same file, filter by Document Type to group similar requests together. Check each document using the checkboxes to the right of the Documents grid. Then, at the top of the grid, click Actions to add the relevant file. This can make it easier to work through a backlog and upload the same document where appropriate.
• Selecting Not Applicable will prompt the user to let the customer know why that document request is not able to be fulfilled.

Step 2: When uploading a corresponding file, select the file from your computer. Then, set an effective date for this document and add any additional comments. The system may request an expiration date, but note that some documents already have a set expiration date based on industry standards.

Step 3: Click Submit.

Learn more about how to save time and improve efficiency by proactively adding location and item level documents and setting document requirements. 
For additional information, please refer to this article:  Automating Document Request Fulfillment

Complete Custom Forms

Sometimes a request will require you to complete a custom form. In this case, a customer has provided a template for you to download, fill out, sign, and re-upload. The action prompt for custom requests reads ‘Download Template.’ These cannot be completed in the same fashion as a Standard Online Form from TraceGains.

Step 1: Navigate to Customer Management > Document Requests.

Step 2: Sort requests by document type in alphabetical order by clicking Documents at the top of the grid

Step 3: Search for a specific custom form request by searching the keyword custom, or use the customer’s name. 

Step 4: Click Choose Action on the same line as the request.

Step 5: Click Download Template.

Step 6: Complete the form on your computer.

Step 7: Upload the completed form. Navigate back to the request, click Choose Action, and select Upload File.

Search and Filter Document Requests

It’s inevitable- sometimes suppliers lose track of a particular request when managing many customers and requests at once. The easiest way to find a specific document request is by taking advantage of the search bar and Filter tool.

Step 1: Navigate to Customer Management> Document Requests.

Step 2: (OPTION 1) Type a keyword (like a customer’s company name, the type of form, the item name, etc.) into the search bar at the top of the menu and hit enter. The system will display all document requests containing that keyword.

Step 3: (OPTION 2) Click Filter. This is where more granular filtering options live. 

Step 4: Filter by:

• Date Requested Range
• Customer name
• Location
• Item ID
• Item Name
• Document Type
• Status
• Customer Type (TG or non-TG)
• Request level (location or item requests)
• Comments
• PostOnce® recommendations

Step 5: Click Apply Filters. Tweak filters as needed using the Filters options.