Tips

Make sure when you compare prices on Inventory Items from Vendors, you are comparing apples to apples. Sometimes an Inventory Item may seem cheaper from one Vendor, but that is because it is a different brand, grade, quality, pack size, portion size or yield than from another Vendor. If you have Inventory Items that you want the same product each time you order, use the Specification Field at the bottom of the Ordering Tab in the Inventory Item Screen. That way, your Vendors will give you pricing on the item that you want.

Entering Bids

Make sure that you have an updated order guide and any sheets showing special prices or sales items from your Vendors before you start entering Bids.  Bids are created by Vendor, not by Inventory Item, so you can start adding Bids as you receive information from each one.  You do not need to wait until all of them have submitted a form.

 

What happens to the information after a Bid is created?  Later on, when you go to place orders with your Vendors, the Bid information will tell you which vendor is charging the least amount, right on the Order Screen.  That way, you can order your Inventory Items from the Vendor with the best price.

 

To Enter a Bid

1.       Click Inventory, click Bids

2.       The Vendor popup will appear.  Use your mouse to move the  is to the left of the Vendor you want.  Click Select.

If you have bids from more than one Vendor, you will finish one Vendor before starting the next.

3.       The Bid Screen will appear.  Use the mouse to move to the Date fields.  Click on the down arrow next to Expiration Date to indicate when these Bid prices will end.  This is for your use only, CostGuard does not track this information.

If a sale is starting in the future, for example, "Next week the following Inventory items will be on sale" from this Vendor, then change the Effective date to match the beginning of the sales.

4.        The fastest way to add Items to the Bid is to click on the Fill  Icon.  It will fill the Bid Item Window with Items that you have associated with this Vendor.

Depending on how your Vendor printed their order guide, you can sort the Inventory Items in CostGuard by Name or Code to go faster.  Click on the down arrow next to the Sort By: field, and Item Name or Item Code will appear.

5.       Type in the Bid amount for each Inventory Item.  Don’t forget the decimal point!

You can use your mouse to move around the screen to get to the different items as needed.

6.       If you have an Inventory Item with “No-Bid” from the Vendor, leave the Bid Amount blank.  If you put a zero in that spot, then CostGuard will assume that it is a free item, and have you order it from that Vendor.  If it is free, then type in the zero.

If the Vendor is having a “Two for One” or “40% off sale on an Inventory Item, than calculate the new price and place in the Bid Amount field.  For example, if Salad Dressing is normally $20 per case, and the Vendor is having a “Two for One” then enter in $10 as the Bid Price.  Just remember, when you go to order it, adjust the quantity to two.  Use the  button to do the math for you.

7.       If you need to add an Inventory Item not usually purchased through this Vendor, click the   button.  A list of Inventory Items from this Vendor will appear.  Click the box next to Show All Items.  Use the Search field, or the scroll bar to find the Inventory Item you wish to choose.  Click the box to the left of the Inventory Item to move the Yellow arrow there.  Click Select.  The Item code for this Vendor will appear.  Type in the code and click OK.  If you do not have the code, then leave it blank. The Inventory Item has been added to the Bid Item Window.

If you are entering more than one Inventory Item this way, uncheck the box labeled "Close Dialog After Selecting Item,” and after the code window appears, you will come back to the smaller Inventory Item Screen.  Repeat as necessary until all of your Bid items have been added to the main window.  When finished, click on the small red X in the corner of this window to get back to the main Bid Item Window, and then add in the Bid prices.

8.       If you need to delete an Inventory Item from the list, click on the  to delete the item from the screen.

9.       If you are called away, while entering in a bid, click on the  to Suspend the Bid.  When you come back, click Inventory, Click Bids, and a reminder to finish the Suspended Bid will appear. 

If you wish, you can delete the suspended bid and start fresh.

10.   To Print a Bid, click on the   icon.  The Print Preview will appear on the Screen.  Click on the  to send it to the Printer.

11.   When you are finished with a Bid, click  to Save the Bid.  Make sure you save the Bid, so CostGuard can capture the information.

If you keep a bid suspended, the information will not update.  Make sure you print the Bid, if needed, before you save it. Once a Bid is saved, you cannot open it again.

12.   If you have another Bid from a different Vendor, click Inventory, then Bids to start again.

 

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