Re: Airtable as RFQ and Pricing system with outside suppliers

Albert_H · ‎Sep 19, 2019

I’m trying to create a Request For Quote & Pricing system that allows a salesman to upload an image and details of a product, sourcing team to add more details and invite 50 suppliers to login and see what RFQs they have and enter their prices without seeing each others’ data. All these prices appear to the sourcing team compiled on 1 sheet. Sales cannot see these ‘raw’ prices. Sourcing adds in a bunch of additional costs some of which are determined automatically based on details from sales’ initial request + a profit margin and send it back to Sales’ initial sheet where they requested. Is this possible in Airtable with invited users only able to see their column in a spreadsheet?
Are the 50+ suppliers able to login and enter their prices without me having to pay for a user for each of them?

Mehul_Bhandari · ‎Sep 20, 2019

Yes , through third party app form nano - you can have individual link that you can send out to users. It is free (basic version). User would be able to enter/update value in the cell.

You can choose to put fields that you would like them to enter and skip other fields in the same row. So effectively - you will always get the last modified/price from the suppliers.

There are other ways too - but this is straight forward.

Albert_H · ‎Sep 20, 2019

Hi Mehul,

Is that link a one time use? Is that link only good for 1 cell or does it display all the cells we’ve given that user permission to edit? Even if other cells are added later

Thanks,
Albert

Mehul_Bhandari · ‎Sep 20, 2019

Hi Albert,

https://www.formnano.com/

The link is permanent foe each row. Suppose you have old prices from 50 suppliers - length of your data base=50.

Each row (total 50 rows) has - supplier name,mobile name, latest price, product name, airtable record id(it is unique to each row of a particular supplier) and link column (apply formula here).

Like auto number formula, record id you can pull for each row. In last - Link column - you can concatenate the link you get from form nano and the record id. This way you will have unique link for each supplier.

Since you only want to get prices updated, you can configure the form and skip name,mobile number etc. and supplier will only see 1 field of price. The other field data will remain intact and only price will get updated.

You can hide or put all fields - as per your requirement.

Make sure that only airtable field with text type and date/time type will be edit-able.

Any single select/multi-select - did not work for me.

The link will be permanent as long as you do not change settings for form or delete the form. Supplier can change prices everyday - as example.

Hope am able to explain it.

Albert_H · ‎Sep 20, 2019

Thank you Mehul. Am i correct to assume everything you said about rows also works for columns?
Our suppliers are organized in columns, products organized in rows. so if Factory A appears in Column 3, i want them to be able to see all rows (all products) and enter prices in any row they wish to bid one.

Mehul_Bhandari · ‎Sep 21, 2019

Hi Albert,

The reason I talked row wise is because when you use a form (be it airtable form or form nano) - you will have fields in the form as your column headers.

Column headers= Form Fields (that 's the rule)

So you should transpose your stuff that ways to be able to use form.

Secondly, you can create grid view link on airtable and may add form nano modification link column in the end for people to view and click to edit particular entry (via form) from the view itself by clicking on link and modifying the stuff.

You as admin will have all the info who modified and what was modified depending on form & table configuration - depending on the plan of airtable you are in. Pro account gives a year long history.

I think you might be able to 99% of the stuff that you need to get going .

Moe · ‎May 12, 2020

We built a tool that allows you to share data with a group of people without letting them see each other information nor having to give them access to your base. You can turn your Airtable into a client portal where suppliers can login to see (or edit) specific fields, that you determine.