Agora 3.1 – 11/16/22

Agora 3.1 represents a substantial update to the Agora commerce system that introduces AgoraQuote Multi-Supplier Quoting for Buyer-controlled environments. Smaller updates include changes to order approval, the addition of an Admin-managed shipping address book, and Punchout capability.

Architecture Enhancements

1. Buyer Platforms
   1. A new kind of Platform has been added to the Agora system, tailored for Buyer organizations.
   2. Existing Platforms have been renamed “Supplier” Platforms.
      
2. Marketplaces
   1. Marketplaces are Sites created by Buyer Platforms for use with AgoraQuote Multi-Supplier Quoting.
   2. Marketplaces are different from Stores, which are Sites created by Supplier Platforms for selling products or for use with AgoraQuote Single-Supplier Quoting.
   3. Supplier Platforms can “participate” in Buyer-controlled Marketplaces.
      
3. Redesigned User Management
   1. The design of Admin Console Site-level Admin Management interfaces has been refreshed.
   2. The design of Admin Console Site-level Site User Management interfaces has been refreshed.
      
4. Order Approval
   1. Site Users can no longer approve orders. All Approvers must now be Admins.
   2. An Approval dashboard has been added to the Site-Level Admin Console in Stores and Marketplaces. Approvers will be able to approve or deny orders from this dashboard. Add comments when returning approved or denied orders to the customer, or when submitting the order for additional approval.
   3. The Approvals tab has been removed from the Front-End dashboard.

Checkout Enhancements

1. Address Book
   1. Allow Site Users to select from pre-defined shipping addresses at checkout.
   2. Require Site Users to select an address from the Address Book, or allow them to enter their own address.
   3. Use an import to upload Address Book addresses, or add each manually.
      
2. Punchout Shopping Cart and Checkout
   1. Agora Stores and Marketplaces can now be punched out to Buyer organizations’ eProcurement systems using CXML or OCI methods.
   2. Redesigned Shopping Cart and Checkout pages accommodate different ways of returning items to eProcurement systems.

AgoraQuote Multi-Supplier Quoting

1. Buyer Admin Console 
   1. Quoting Settings
      1. Buyer Admins can enable Quoting for a Marketplace and choose which payment methods can be used to purchase Quote Orders.
      2. Control defaults for Supplier Profiles and Supplier Categories.
      3. Set a per-Quote processing fee that is automatically added to all Suppliers’ Quotes.
   2. Quoting Dashboard
      1. Buyer Admins have visibility of all Quoting activity in a given Marketplace in the Quoting Dashboard.
   3. Supplier Management
      1. Buyer Admins can Invite Suppliers to participate in a Marketplace. Participating Suppliers can receive Quote Requests and can create Quotes for Site Users.
      2. Suppliers can be invited with just an email address and a Supplier name, simplifying vendor onboarding.
      3. Invite multiple Suppliers at once with an import.
      4. Suppliers can be added to a Marketplace without being sent an invitation. This enables Supplier organization prior to sending invitations.
      5. Activate and deactivate Suppliers.
      6. Buyer Admins can Edit a Supplier’s name, description, logo, and contact information, and can control which pieces of information can be edited by the Supplier.
      7. Buyer Admins can upload Supplier contracts, make them visible to Site Users, and trigger reminder emails when a contract term is about to lapse.
   4. Supplier Categories
      1. Buyer Admins can organize participating Suppliers into a Category structure in a Marketplace based on the products and services the Suppliers provide.
      2. Create a Category structure instantly with an import.
      3. On a per-Category basis, Buyer Admins can choose a specific Quote Request form, and can set specific Order Approval and royalty settings. 
      4. Category structures support up to three tiers of Subcategories.
   5. Supplier Designations
      1. Buyer Admins can assign Designations to Suppliers based on features, qualities, or certifications that make Suppliers unique.
      2. On Front End Marketplaces, Designations appear as badges next to Suppliers’ names.
      3. Site Users can filter by Designation when browsing the Supplier Directory or submitting a Quote Request to find suppliers that match their values.
      4. Buyer Admins can use pre-loaded Designations or create new Designations with customizable label colors.
         
2. Front End Marketplace 
   1. Supplier Directory
      1. Active Suppliers will appear on Front End Marketplaces in a searchable and sortable Supplier Directory.
      2. Navigate Supplier Categories and Subcategories to find Suppliers.
      3. Filter Suppliers by Designation or Star Rating.
      4. Click a Supplier to view the Supplier’s profile, containing their description, contract, statistics, Designations, Categories, and contact information.
   2. Front End Marketplace Quote Request
      1. Site Users can send a Quote Request to any number of participating Suppliers in the selected Supplier category.
      2. When selecting Suppliers, search for specific Suppliers or filter by Designation or star rating.
      3. Different Request forms accommodate Requests for supplies-style products and apparel/promo products.
      4. Upload tax-exemption documentation to a Quote Request if allowed.
      5. Import items into a Quote Request using a CSV template.
      6. Allow Suppliers to suggest alternatives to specific items in a Request.
      7. For supplies-style products, Site Users can add attachments, links, and notes to line items in their Request.
      8. For apparel/promo products, Site Users can add images, notes, budget preferences, apparel or custom sizes/quantities, and decoration details to line items in their Request.
   3. Front End Quote Review
      1. Site Users can see and sort all Suppliers’ Quotes for a given Request on a single page, enabling side-by-side comparison of price, expected delivery, and other details.
      2. If no Quotes have been submitted for a Request, Site Users can edit their Request. Any changes made will be highlighted for Suppliers when they create their Quotes.
      3. Download a PDF of the Quote list.
      4. Accept, decline, or request a change to a Supplier’s Quote, and compare Quote versions from the same Supplier.
      5. Download a PDF of a specific Quote.
   4. Front End Quote Checkout
      1. Updated checkout workflow for Quote orders allows a “Handshake” payment method or the use of the Supplier’s credit card gateway.
      2. After an order has shipped, Site Users are asked to give the Supplier a star rating.
         
3. Supplier Admin Console
   1. Connected Marketplaces
      1. Supplier Admins can navigate between Marketplaces they participate in using the Connected Marketplaces page.
      2. Some Supplier Admins may have access to some Marketplaces, and other Admins may have access to different Marketplaces. Upgrade the Supplier Platform to create a Platform Admin with visibility of all connected Marketplaces.
      3. If enabled by the Buyer Platform, Supplier Admins may edit their Supplier Profile that appears on the Buyer Marketplace.
   2. Quoting Dashboard
      1. Supplier Admins can respond to Site Users’ Quote Requests with a Quote or decline the Request.
      2. When responding to Requests, Supplier Admins can suggest alternate items.
      3. When creating a Quote in response to a Request, add notes, attachments, images, and UNSPSC codes to line items in their Quote.
      4. Submit additional versions of a Quote.
   3. Redesigned Order Fulfillment
      1. Interface accommodates both Quote orders and catalog orders from Stores.