What is ‘Automating Document Requests’ in TraceGains?
With today's food safety and compliance regulations, fulfilling document needs for customers is a full-time job. TraceGains Gather® offers solutions to help automate document request fulfillment.
Why Automate?
While waiting to receive requests is a perfectly viable option, having a system that automates itself ultimately reduces daily tasks, improving overall efficiency.
Proactively upload location and item documents
One of the best ways to get ahead of requests is to proactively add common documents directly to location and item listings.
Add Location Documents:
Step 1: Under Customer Management, click Locations.
Step 2: Select an individual location to add documents.
Step 3: Click the Documents tab.
Step 4: Click +Add Documents to start adding location-level documents like 3rd Party Audit, FDA Registration, HACCP Plan, etc.
Add Item Documents:
Step 1: Under Customer Management, click Items.
Step 2: Select an individual item to add documents.
Step 3: Click the Documents tab.
Step 4: Click +Add Documents to start adding item-level documents like CoA, Product Spec Sheet, Heavy Metals Statement, etc.
Use the Document Library to associate documents in bulk
Step 1: Click the Document Library app from the left navigation.
Step 2: Select the relevant docs using the checkboxes.
Step 3: Use the 'Actions' dropdown at the top right of the table.
Step 4: Once the documents are selected, use the 'Associate with' action to select the location(s) or item(s) to add the documents to.
Now when customers request documents that have already been loaded to the system, the PostOnce recommendation engine can be used (described below) to automatically send relevant documents.
Use Recommendations to quickly fulfill requests with existing documents in the system
When a document request comes in, the system will check for any matching documentation based on document type, location, and item. For example, if a 3rd party Audit for location X is requested and a 3rd party audit document has already been added to location X or uploaded to fulfill a previous request, the system will recognize this and suggest the document.
Step 1: Under Customer Management, click Document Requests
Step 2: The blue checkmark to the right of the chat bubble indicates that there is a recommendation available. Select the request using the checkbox.
Step 3: Click ‘Choose action’.
Step 4: Click ‘Use Recommendation’ to pull up the suggested document to fulfill this request.
Use PostOnce
When fulfilling one or multiple document requests, the system may prompt the user to 'View Other Request (s)'.
Click this button to see requests from other customers that can be fulfilled by this same document. PostOnce may also be used to replace documents used to fulfill previously completed requests to keep all customers up to date with the latest document. Fulfilled requests have a 'Completed' status while new requests show as 'Missing'.
This example shows fulfilled customer requests for the 3rd party audit certificate for two of Ireland’s locations. There are 8 open requests from other customers asking for these same documents. By selecting all the recommendations and clicking send, all the other open requests for this document can be fulfilled.
Fulfill document requests in bulk
Step 1: In Customer Management, under ‘Requests’ click ‘Documents.’
Step 2: Click ‘Filter’ and identify all open requests for specific locations, items and/or document types.
Step 3: Use the checkbox at the top of the table to select all the relevant requests at once.
Step 4: Click the 'Actions' dropdown at the top right of the table and click 'Upload File’ or ‘Add from Library’.
Step 5: Select the document that fulfills all the relevant requests and continue.
Step 6: Set the expiration date.
Step 7: Click ‘Send Document’.
Manage document settings and requirements per document type & customer
To send documents to Non-TraceGains customers, manage your document settings to automate the process.
Step 1: Navigate to Customer Management > Share Settings.
Step 2: Add new customer document types by clicking '+ New Document Type' at the top of the screen.
A browser icon next to some document types indicates that a TraceGains Standard Online Form is available. For additional information, refer to this article: Online Forms.
Step 3: Select which document types to make visible on the TraceGains Gather® Marketplace.
When a Document Type is visible on TraceGains Gather®, all users of the Marketplace app can download documents of this type associated with visible locations and items. This makes it easy for new customers to vet that their requirements are met and allows existing customers to easily access the common documents they may need. If a location or item is set to not visible, then users of the Marketplace application will not be able to view the location or item and will not be able to download any associated documents.
Step 4: Click the Document Requirements tab. Select the basic documents to provide to any customer who is connected to that location or item.
As a rule of thumb, select documents that are common, standard or regularly requested. Or, set custom configurations per customer in the next step.
Step 5: Click on ‘Bulk Configure Customer Requirements’ to open the wizard to set up any custom requirements per location, item and customer. For a location or item, select which documents should be sent to one or more customers.
For example, perhaps a large customer has a set of 5 custom location documents that are only relevant for them. Use this wizard to specify that for location X, those 5 custom documents should be sent to only that specific customer.
Replace expired or outdated documents for all customers
Each file in the Document Library contains the expiration date and gives the option to 'Replace' any file with an updated version. If this file has been used to fulfill other requests in CM, PostOnce will recommend updating the document for any other customers who have access.