On the XTRF Home Portal, you can configure several Vendor Portal (VP)-related settings that will help you streamline the vendor recruitment process and formalize your company’s relationship with them.

To find those settings, go to the Configuration menu > Portals > Vendor Portal section.

Open

I. Set your company’s name

Go to the Translation Agency section.

Open

In the Name section, you can decide which name will be displayed on the sign-in page to the Vendor Portal and on the VP’s top menu bar.

• To use the name from the XTRF license, check the Use company name from license box.

• If you want to use a different name, provide it in the Name field.

In the Portal Name presented to Vendors field, you can change the naming of the Vendor Portal. This name will be displayed on the VP sign-in page, in the About section of the portal, and as the web page title.

II. Provide the recruiter contact details for vendors

Scroll down to the Recruitment Contact section.

Select the Head Recruiter among all Home Portal users. To use the selected user’s e-mail and phone number, check the corresponding boxes.

III. Add Terms and Conditions to the Vendor Portal

Scroll down to the Recruitment Settings section.

Click the Upload button and select the document on your local machine. It will be linked to the Vendor Portal, and vendors will be required to read it during the registration process.

IV. Select the Services (job types) available for vendors

The Home Portal’s Job Types are called Services in XTRF’s vendor-facing areas. Each vendor can offer several services, such as translation, proofreading, etc. You can define which services vendors can select in their profiles on the Vendor Portal in the Recruitment Settings > Services.

• Click on the list of services to open a drop-down with all job types defined in Configuration menu > System Values: Advanced > Job Types.

  • Click on a job type to add it to the list.

  • Click on the icon to remove a job type from the list.

The listed job types will be available for selection during the vendor registration process and in the VP’s Profile module > Services & Rates tab.

V. Select the Areas of expertise (specializations) available for vendors

The Home Portal’s Specializations are called Areas of expertise in XTRF’s vendor-facing areas. Vendors can select the areas they specialize in, such as economics, arts & culture, etc. You can define which areas of expertise vendors can select in their profiles on the Vendor Portal in the Recruitment Settings > Services. To manage the list of specializations, go to the Configuration menu > System Values: Advanced > Specializations.

• Check or uncheck the boxes next to select or unselect the desired specializations.

The listed job types will be available for selection during the vendor registration process and in the VP’s Profile module > Services & Rates tab.

VI. Configure the rates settings for the Vendor Portal

When it comes to rates proposed by vendors, you can configure the following settings in the Recruitment Settings section:

1. In the Rates section, allow or forbid vendors to specify the minimum charge (the lowest service cost accepted by the vendor for a particular language combination).

2. In the Default currencies, create the general list of currencies that can be used for vendor’s rates and payment settings.

   • Click on the currencies list to add a new default currency. You can select among active currencies from the Configuration menu > System Values: Advanced > Currencies.

   • Click the button to remove a currency from the list.
     Note: You need to select at least one currency.

3. In the Define currencies for selected countries, assign currencies to specific countries.

   1. Click the + Add New button. Two additional fields - Select country and Select currency will appear.

   2. Select the country in question.

   3. Select the desired currencies.
      Now, vendors from the selected countries will be able to select only the specified currencies.
      
      

       

The rates settings will affect the number of options available for selection during the vendor registration process and in the VP’s Profile module > Services & Rates tab.

VII. Allow or forbid vendors to upload CVs and other files to their profile

You may ask your vendors to upload some files to their profile during the registration process, for example, for recruitment or vetting purposes. To do so, go to the Recruitment Settings > Allow vendors to upload any files during registration process section.

• With the radio button, decide whether you want to allow vendors to upload files.

• (Optional) If Yes, you can change the standard instructions for vendors in the Text to be shown fields.

If you enable the file-adding option, an additional Upload CV and other relevant documentation section will appear in the Experience step of the vendor registration process.

VIII. Set the default status for new vendors

Depending on your recruitment policy and vetting process, you may want to immediately include the newly registered vendors in your vendor pool or assign them a specific status. You can select the appropriate status for new vendors in the Recruitment Settings > Set default vendor status after registration process section.

• Select the desired status from the drop-down list:

  • Active

  • Not confirmed

  • Potential

  • Waiting for approval

You can later change the vendor’s status in the Vendor profile > Main Data tab > Identification Data subtab.

IX. Decide whether vendors can leave notes for other vendors

You may allow or forbid your vendors to add notes that will be visible to the vendors assigned to the following jobs. To do so, go to the Privacy Settings section and use the radio button to mark your decision.

If you select Yes, the Notes for Other Vendors field will appear on the Vendor Portal > Jobs module > Job page > Notes card.

X. Control the vendors’ access to files after job completion

You can decide whether you want vendors to keep their access to files after their job gets the Ready or Cancelled status. You may need to block the access due to the client’s policies or law requirements in their country.

To block the vendor’s access to completed jobs, go to the Job Manager Settings > Vendors allowed to access files after job is completed or cancelled section and mark your decision with a radio button.

XI. Decide who can declare time spent on jobs

When it comes to monitoring time spent on jobs, XTRF distinguishes two groups of vendors: regular (outside) vendors and in-house vendors. You can decide who can declare time in the Job Manager Settings > Vendors allowed to declare time spent on jobs section.

• Select None to forbid all vendors to declare time spent on jobs

• Select In-house only to allow only the vendors working in your company to declare time.

• Select All to allow all vendors to declare time.

If you select In-house only or All, the two sections below become active.

In the Job Types section, select the job types for which vendors can declare the time spent.

• Click on the list of jobs to open a drop-down with all job types defined in Configuration menu > System Values: Advanced > Job Types.

  • Click on a job type to add it to the list.

  • Click on the icon to remove a job type from the list.

In the Calculation unit for payables section, select the desired time calculation unit defined in Configuration menu > System Values: Advanced >Calculation Units.

Now, vendors can declare time spent on the listed job types using the selected calculation unit.

To learn more about time declaring, see the Enable vendors to log work time, Jobs module | Job page, and Work Log feature articles.

XII. Control the vendors’ access to your invoices

If your company prefers to specify the criteria for invoicing instead of leaving this task for vendors, you can define when the vendors can download the invoices based on your specifications. To do so, go to the Invoice Settings section and select the appropriate option with the radio button.

• Select Never if you want the vendors to upload their invoices instead of using yours.

• Select When invoice’s status is “Bill Received” or When invoice’s status is “Confirmed” or “Bill Received” if you want the vendors to create invoices based on your specifications. The specification will be available for vendors when your invoices get the Bill Recevied and Confirmed statuses, respectively.

XIII. Keep an eye on vendor profile changes

If you want to keep abreast of the changes the vendors make to their VP profiles, you can configure which details should be approved by a responsible Home Portal user before being applied to the vendor profiles.

To select the areas that require approval, go to the Vendor Profile Settings section and check the boxes for the desired areas.

Now, when a vendor adds or edits the information that belongs to the selected areas, the head recruiter defined in step 2 of this guide will receive an e-mail asking to review those changes.