NUFinancials: Create a Shopping Cart in iBuyNU

This guide describes how to search for products in iBuyNU, add them to your shopping cart, and assign a cart (Shopper and Requester) or checkout (Requester only).

IBuyNU is a web-based ordering tool that provides departments and schools with the most streamlined, cost effective way to order products. iBuyNU contains items from preferred suppliers (discount pricing, enhanced customer service, and negotiated contracts).

There are two roles in iBuyNU: Shopper and Requester. Access to iBuyNU as a Shopper requires no security authorization. Staff employees are automatically granted access when hired. If you are a shopper and cannot access iBuyNU, contact Financial Operation IT (FOIT) and they will provide further instruction. If you need to create catalog requisitions and need to be assigned the Requester role, you must complete a Security Access Form. Security access forms and instructions are located at Office of Controller Site  

Shop for Products

There are multiple ways to search for products:

• Keyword Search – search one or more supplier’s catalog by entering a keyword.
• Part Number Search – search by selecting a supplier and entering a supplier part number, manufacturer part number, or buyer part number.
• Shop a Specific Supplier Catalog – browse a supplier’s catalog.

Keyword Search

Use the Search field on the purple header bar to perform a keyword search.

 

Hosted and Real-time (Punchin) Supplier Catalogs are associated with one or more iBuyNU categories. If “Automatic” is left unchanged on the Search bar when you start a keyword search, iBuyNU selects a category for the keyword and will search only suppliers that are associated with that category; iBuyNU will not search all suppliers. For example, type “laptop” into the Search field and press Enter and iBuyNU will search only suppliers that are associated with the Computer Hardware & Accessories category; a paint supplier that is not associated to Computer Hardware & Accessories will not be searched for laptops. You can however, select a different category other than the one iBuyNU chooses, or you can choose to search all suppliers.

Follow the steps below to search for a product by typing a keyword into the Search field:

1. Type a keyword in the Search field.

As you type several characters, iBuyNU displays a drop-down list of one or more specific categories that you can select. Example:

  

2. Optionally:

• Click a category to search from the drop-down list that displays.

or

• Click  to display a list of all categories, including “All Suppliers,” and select one. (Note: By clicking “All Suppliers”, your keyword will be searched across all hosted and real-time supplier catalogs regardless of the category they are associated with.)

3. Press Enter or click  to begin the search.

iBuyNU displays a supplier search progress window. Supplier names turn green as they respond to your search.

 

When the search completes, the supplier progress window will disappear and the results will display.

From the search results, you can perform various actions:

1. Refresh the search.
2. Save the search.
3. Filter search results from punchin and hosted catalogs using one of the Klarity visual search tool sections. Note this is a dynamic tool and will change with each search.
4. Filter the search results by supplier or price.
5. Add the item to your shopping cart.
6. Include more search results.
7. Compare this product to others.
8. Add this product to your Favorite Products.
9. Add this product to one of your saved carts.

Compare Products from Search Results

You can compare up to 4 products from the results of a search. The comparison display will show each product side-by-side in column format. Comparing products can only be utilized to search for items from a Hosted or Real-time (punchin) catalog.

1. Click  of the product you want to compare with others.

iBuyNU responds with the temporary message   and adds a Compare n Products function to the purple header bar.

 

2. Click     of the second, third, and/or fourth product.
3. Optionally, hover over the Compare n Products function to view the products you have selected to compare or to remove a product from the compare (click  ).

4. Click Compare Products from the hover display or click Compare n Products on the purple header bar.

Part Number Search

Use the iBuyNU Quick Find search when you know the supplier and the supplier part number, manufacturer part number, or buyer part number. Up to 50 products may be entered at a time. Quick Find can only be utilized to search for items from a Hosted or Real-time (punchin) catalog. 

1. Click  from the left side menu.

 

2. Click in Part Number and select the part number type from the resulting menu: Supplier, Manufacturer, or Buyer.
3. Optionally, click  to load one or more part numbers by uploading them from a spreadsheet template.
4. Click in Supplier Name and select a supplier from the resulting list.
5. Enter the part number.
6. Optionally, enter the unit of measure.
7. Optionally, enter the quantity.
8. If you want to add another part number to the search, click   .
9. Click Quick Find to search for your item. 

Shop a Specific Supplier Catalog

You can browse a specific supplier catalog.

1. Click   from the left side menu.

iBuyNU displays a list of suppliers.

 

• Click  to browse a supplier hosted catalog.  

or

• Click  to leave iBuyNU and punchout to shop a supplier’s catalog/website.
  • Shop the supplier’s catalog/website. Note that punchout websites vary. Follow the supplier’s onscreen instructions and prompts to add items to the punchout cart and checkout/return to iBuyNU.
  • To return to iBuyNU without adding any items to your iBuyNU cart, click the >>Return to Aquiire button on the purple header bar.

Save a Shopping Cart

At any time you can save your current shopping cart, including punchout items.

1. Hover over the shopping cart and click Save Cart.

 

2. Type a name for the saved cart.

 

3. Optional: To save the cart as a draft, click the Save As Draft

• Saving the cart as a draft saves the cart under the Draft Carts tab and clears the current shopping cart. To display the Draft Carts tab, click  , then click the Draft Carts You can make a saved draft shopping cart the active cart or delete it. Once you make the draft cart active (or delete it), it is removed from the Draft Carts tab.
• If you leave the Save As Draft unchecked, the cart will be saved as is under Saved and Shared carts on your Home page and remains the current cart; however, adding or deleting items from the current cart does not change the saved cart. Unlike Draft carts, Saved and Shared carts can be used over and over until you delete them. To display saved carts, if necessary expand the Saved and Shared section on your Home page - click  . Click View All to display all saved and shared carts. Click the name of the saved or shared cart to view its contents; click Add To Cart to add the items in the saved or shared cart to the current cart.

4. Click Save.

Assign or Checkout a Shopping Cart

When you have added items to your iBuyNU cart and have finished shopping, if you are a Shopper you must assign it to a Requester. If you are a Requester, you can assign it to another Requester or check out. 

To assign a cart or check out:

1. Optionally, hover over the shopping cart to view the products you have selected or to remove a product (click ).

 

2. From the hover display click View Cart & Checkout, or click  on the purple header bar.

iBuyNU will verify pricing and check to see if there are any alternate suppliers who may have the item you are purchasing for a lower price or available in a another brand. The Assign Cart and Checkout (Requester) button will be visible but disabled while pricing is being verified.

iBuyNU will also check item availability. Check the items in your cart to make sure all are available and there are no red messages where the price normally appears. If there is a red message (e.g., “ITEM NOT FOUND”), you will have to delete the item from your cart to be able to assign the cart or check out (Requester); optionally shop for an alternative item.

3. Assign the cart or Checkout.
   • To assign the cart (Shopper or Requester):
     1. Click  .

2. Type a Request Description name. The name you enter will export to NUFinancials when the cart is checked out by the Requester. Click here to view the shopping cart naming conventions document in myHR Learn.
3. Click in Assign To, type the Requesters name (first and/or last) and select the Requester from the resulting dynamic list.
4. Optionally, change the reminder date.
• To prevent a reminder from being sent, clear the Send a reminder checkbox.
• To send a reminder, click the Send a reminder checkbox, click the date, and select a date from the calendar pop-up.
5. Optionally, type a Note.
6. Click Submit.

An email is automatically sent to the Requester, notifying him or her of your assigned cart.

• To checkout (Requester only)
1. Click   .

Reclaim an Assigned Cart

If the requester that you assigned a cart to has not done anything with the cart, the cart will be in a Pending status. You can reclaim an assigned cart in a Pending status.

1. Click  on the purple header bar.
2. Click Assignments.

3. Confirm the assigned cart is in a Pending status, and click the Reclaim Cart icon.

The reclaimed cart becomes the active cart. With the active reclaimed cart you can:

• Modify the cart, adding or deleting items, and then reassign it by clicking Assign Cart.
• Reassign the cart by clicking Assign Cart.

If you working with an active cart before reclaiming an assigned cart, the active cart is put on hold. Two buttons will appear below the reclaimed cart items that enable you to view or switch to the previously active cart.

• To view items in the previously active cart, click View Cart on Hold. The items in the previously active cart display below the buttons. The reclaimed cart items remain displayed above the buttons.
• To return the reclaimed cart to Pending status assigned to the original requester and make the previously active cart the current (active) cart, click Switch to Your Cart.

Additional Resources

• Procurement and Payment Services: http:/www.northwestern.edu/procurement
• 847-491-8120
• email procurement@northwestern.edu

 

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For additional assistance please contact the IT Support Center at 847-491-4357 (1-HELP) or email servicedesk@northwestern.edu.