This article shows you how to define document requirements in a sourcing event, and how supplier uploads are checked in the Strategic Sourcing module: first automatically by AI compliance analysis, then by your own verification. A document requirement is a file you require suppliers to provide, such as an ISO 9001 certificate or audited financial statements. You define document requirements in the Documents step (step 3) of the event creation wizard and review uploads later on the event's Documents page.
How do I add a document requirement?
To add a document requirement, open the Documents step of the wizard:
Select Add Document (or Add First Document if the list is empty). The Add Document Requirement dialog opens.
Enter the Document Name (for example "ISO 9001 Certificate") and an optional Description with additional instructions for suppliers.
Choose the Category and the Submission Stage (both explained below).
In the Requirements section, toggle Mandatory, Signature, Notarization, and Expiry Tracking as needed.
Set the Max File Size (MB) and select the Accepted Formats.
Select Add. The requirement appears in the list with badges for Required and Signature.
Alternatively, Quick Add inserts common document sets for Legal, Compliance, or Technical requirements in one click. You can filter the list by category and stage, and edit or delete requirements until the sourcing event is published; requirements added after publishing belong to the next round.
Which categories can a document requirement have?
Each document requirement belongs to one category so suppliers and reviewers can find it quickly. The following table lists the available categories.
Category | Typical documents |
Legal | Registrations, powers of attorney, corporate documents. |
Financial | Financial statements, credit ratings, bank references. |
Technical | Specifications, datasheets, drawings, technical proposals. |
Compliance | Codes of conduct, anti-corruption or sanctions declarations. |
Insurance | Insurance certificates and coverage confirmations. |
References | Customer references and case studies. |
Certifications | ISO and other certificates. |
Evaluation Input | Documents used as input for qualitative evaluation. |
Other | Anything that does not fit the categories above. |
What do the submission stages mean?
The submission stage defines when in the sourcing process the document is due. The following table lists the four stages.
Stage | When the document is due |
Initial Submission | Together with the supplier's response, before the submission deadline. |
Evaluation | During evaluation, typically only from shortlisted suppliers. |
Award | When a supplier is selected for award. |
Contract | During contracting with the winning supplier. |
What do the requirement toggles control?
The four toggles in the requirement dialog control how strictly the document is handled:
Mandatory: the document must be submitted; without it the requirement counts as missing.
Signature: the document requires a signature.
Notarization: the document must be notarized.
Expiry Tracking: the document's expiration date is tracked, useful for certificates that lapse.
File rules are set per requirement: Max File Size in MB, and Accepted Formats chosen from PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPEG, PNG, and ZIP. Uploads that violate the rules are rejected at upload time.
How does AI compliance checking work?
Every document a supplier uploads is analyzed automatically against your requirement: its name, description, and rules. The AI compliance check assigns one of five statuses: Pending (shown as "Analyzing..." while the check runs), Matches ("Matches requirement"), Does Not Match ("Does not match requirement"; the supplier is told they can upload a different file), Uncertain ("Uncertain - will be reviewed"; routed to you for review), and Error ("Analysis failed"). You can re-run a check anytime with the Analyze button. The event's Documents page shows a Document Compliance summary with counts for Total Requirements, Uploaded, Matches, Flagged, Uncertain, Analyzing, Verified, and Not Uploaded, plus filters such as Needs Attention and Not Uploaded. The AI result is advisory; your verification decision (below) is what counts.
How do I verify supplier documents?
Buyer verification is your final decision on each uploaded document, independent of the AI status. Each upload starts as Pending Review. To verify a document:
Open the Documents page of the sourcing event and select a supplier's upload to preview it.
Review the file alongside the AI Analysis result.
Select Accept to mark the document Accepted, optionally adding a note.
Or select Reject: the Reject Document dialog asks for a reason for rejection. This note is visible to the supplier, so explain what does not meet the requirement. The document is marked Rejected and the supplier can upload a replacement.
After you accept or reject, the verified counts in the compliance summary update immediately, and the supplier sees the outcome (including your rejection note) in their portal.