Welcome to the service planner function on VendorPM!
Click on a link below to navigate to a specific section for more information.
What is the purpose of this Service Planner?
The Service Planner is a centralized tool to help you keep track of all of the upcoming projects or contracts needed with vendors in a calendar template. It acts an an annual planner for all of your required services, where you can set a reminder so that in "x" number of days before the service comes due, you will be reminded via email to start sourcing a few quotes from the VendorPM Marketplace.
Differentiating between a Project and a Contract
Project - Schedule quote requests for those one-time jobs that occur throughout the year. You can also indicate how often you would like to retender this service. (e.g., scheduling an annual landscaping project in advance and getting notified when it is time to send out your quote requests).
Contract - Longer term service agreements that have either been set, or is being created (e.g., weekly janitorial work with a multi-year contract).
Whether it is a new contract or currently an ongoing contract, you can now log them via the Service Planner.
Creating Projects
To get started, click Service Planner in the Overview section on the left navigation bar.
This will direct you to the Service Planner page where you can click the + Add service plan button.
A pop-up will appear asking you whether you are creating a Project or a Contract. In this case, you are clicking Project.
Required Information when creating a new project
Project Title - You can be specific around how you would like to label your project. For example, “Changeover from heating to cooling”.
Service - Type of service you need (only one service can be selected for each project).
Properties - Select the property where the service and project is taking place. You can create a project for multiple properties by selecting them in the drop down menu.
A check box will appear that will ask you if you would like to “Tender each property separately” (as shown in the screenshot below).
If this is chosen, this will create unique new project for each property selected with the other project information you input, and you will be prompted to create separate RFQs for each of these projects. Similarly, if you select multiple properties and do not click "Tender each property separately," only one project will be created, and it will prompt you to create one RFQ that covers multiple properties.
Project Start Date - The start date for the requested service.
Optional Information when creating a new project
Project end date - You can add a completion date to communicate to vendors for the service being provided.
Notification before project start date - How many days before the project start would you like to be reminded to begin the request for quote process.
Frequency - How often you would like this project and its quote request reminders to repeat.
You must check the remind me to re-tender checkbox to select a date (shown in screenshot above).
Budget - Input the budget for your project here if it is available. The budget will transfer to the according RFQ once you create it.
* Note: Remember to click Create when finished.
Creating a Quote Request for a Project
To begin, click on the project you wish to get a quote request for, using either the calendar or list view.
A pop-up will appear with the service information. For the section that states Quote Request, click the the blue Start quote request button as shown below.
This will take you to the Marketplace where you can begin creating your quote request.
View our article to learn more on how to create a quote request for a detailed overview.
Editing and Deleting Projects
To edit a project, click on the project you wish to get a quote request for, using either the calendar or list view.
A pop-up will appear with the project information and with a blue icon to edit as shown.
You may edit the title, start and end date, notification interval, and budget.
If the project has a quote request, the editing process and options are the same as mentioned above, with the ability to edit the frequency of the project by simply clicking the remind me to retender checkbox and adjusting the date as needed.
* Note: Remember to click Create when finished.
A pop-up will appear as shown below asking you if you would like to edit this event or this and all future events.
* Note: Changes made will not apply to other events with quote requests attached.
Deleting a Project
To Delete a project simply click on any of the dates for the project located within the Calendar or list view (screenshots are shown above for Calendar and List View) a pop-up of the details of the project will appear with a red delete icon as show below
This will delete all events, past, present and or future from the service planner
* Note: You cannot delete a project or contract that has a quote request. A pop-up will appear to alert you of this as shown below.
If you would like to delete a project with a quote request, you must cancel the quote request. To cancel a quote, go to the manage quotes tab and select the quote you wish to cancel. This change will be reflected in the Service Planner and will fall under the cancelled category within the list view.
Creating a Contract
To get started, click Service Planner in the Overview section on the left navigation bar.
This will direct you to the Service Planner page where you can click the + Add service plan button.
A pop-up will appear asking you whether you are creating a Project or a Contract. In this case you are clicking Contract.
Required Information when creating a new Contract
Contract title - You can be specific around how you would like to label your Contract (can add the service and vendor name within the title).
Service - Type of service for the Contract
Properties - Select the property where the service and Contract is taking place. You can create a Contract for multiple properties by selecting them in the drop down menu.
A check box will appear that will ask you if you would like to “Tender these Separately” as shown in the screenshot below.
*If chosen, this will create a new project for each property selected transferring all the information and dates originally inputted*
Contract timeline - (contract start, and contract end date for the service).
*If you do not have a set expiry date for the moment, ideally put the date you would like to decide whether or not to re-tender or extend the contract, and a reminder can be set accordingly if needed*.
Notification - how much time before the end of contract you would like to be reminded to extend/re-tender for this contract.
Optional Information when creating a new Contract
Description - Optional notes you leave for yourself about the project (Example shown in screenshot above).
Important * Remember to click Create when finished*
Creating a quote request for a Contract
To begin click on the contract you wish to get a quote request for either in the Calendar or list view.
A pop-up will appear with the service information. Click the Start Quote Request button for a new contract this will take you to the marketplace.
Click the Re-tender button for a contract in progress. Re-tendering will take you directly to the marketplace with your property and service autofilled to make your search easier to gather quotes.
View our article to learn more on how to create a quote request for a detailed overview [https://help.vendorpm.com/en/articles/5083844-creating-a-request-for-quotations-rfq].
Contract Dates on the Service Planner
This section will explore types of contracts inputted on the service planner (Past, In Progress, and New) and how the respective dates and reminders will appear on the Calendar.
Past Contract - If both start and end date for the contract are in the past you can create the contract as is to be featured on the calendar, no reminders are needed for this contract.
Contract in Progress - If the start of the contract you have is in the past, but the end of the contract is in the future you can only adjust your re-tender/extend parameters. This is defaulted to 45 days before the end of the contract, it can be adjusted to a custom date of your choice.
What dates are shown for this contract on the Service Planner
You will see 3 dates on the calendar for this contract in progress. Contract start date (retroactive), contract end date ,and the reminder to re-tender for this or extend
When clicking on any of these dates on the service planner, you will be presented with the contract details and the option to either extend contract or re-tender now
New Contract - Start and end dates are both in the future. Re-tender/extend parameters are defaulted when creating a contract to 45 days before the end of the contract but can be customized to your preference.
What dates are shown for this contract on the Service Planner
You will see 4 dates on the calendar for this new contract. Quote Request start reminder, contract start, contract end and reminder X number of days before contract end to either extend contract or re-tender.
*Note: “ End Dates by default are set to off, you can view them by clicking on the blue more option tab within the top navigation filtering panel of the service planner and selecting the show end date check box”
When reviewing these dates, if clicked into before the contract start date, details of the contract with a prompt on the needed actions relative to the quote request will show.
When reviewing these dates, if clicked after the contract start date, contract details will appear with the option to extend or re-tender.
Editing and Deleting Contracts
To edit a Contract simply click on any of the dates for the project located within the Calendar or list view
A pop-up will appear with the project information with a blue icon to edit as shown below.
You may edit the title, Start and End Date, description, and the notification date before the start time.
*Remember to hit Save Changes when you are finished*
Deleting a Contract
To Delete a Contract simply click on any of the dates for the contract located within the Calendar or list view (screenshots are shown above for Calendar and List View) a pop-up of the details of the contract will appear with a red delete icon as show below.
This will delete the event off the service planner, with all subsequent dates and reminders.
If you would like to delete a project with a quote request, you must cancel the quote request. To cancel a quote go to the manage quotes tab and select the quote you wish to cancel. This change will reflect the service planner and fall under the cancelled category within the list view.