This Training Guide will walk a Requester through the process of creating a Catalog (iBuyNU) Requisition.

Catalog Requisition - Getting Started  

What is a catalog requisition?     

A purchase request for goods found only in iBuyNU.

Who creates catalog requisitions?

Users with the Requester security role.

What is iBuyNU?  

A web-based ordering tool that provides departments and schools with the most streamlined, cost effective way to order. It contains items from preferred vendors (discount pricing, enhanced customer service, and negotiated contracts). This tool offers two catalog formats for shopping: hosted and punchout.

What is a hosted catalog?

A catalog that is established by Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) on behalf of a preferred supplier that is included in the iBuyNU Marketplace. All item detail is sent to PPS in spreadsheet format that is then turned into a catalog that is placed in the Marketplace.

Features of a hosted catalog include:

• Shopping experience is contained within iBuyNU
• Retains the look and feel of iBuyNU
• Searchable simultaneously across multiple catalogs
• Can generate side-by-side product comparisons
• Hosted items can be edited in cart until submitted for requisition

What is a punchout catalog?

For many suppliers included in the iBuyNU Marketplace, Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) has decided that it is more advantageous to allow departments and schools to connect to a supplier’s actual web site catalog that has been configured specifically to NU’s contract (products available, pricing, etc.). Orders to suppliers that are included in the iBuyNU Marketplace using a punchout strategy will generally receive their orders electronically.

Features of a punchout include:

• Shopping experience links from iBuyNU to supplier website for shopping and cart creation, then cart is transferred back to iBuyNU
• Punchouts have the look and feel, functionality, terminology, etc. specific to each supplier’s website
• Punchout items may or may not be edited in cart until submitted for requisition, depending on the punchout supplier’s rules

What is a realtime catalog? 

A hosted catalog with similar features of a hosted catalog. 

Features of a realtime catalog include:

• Shopping experience is contained within iBuyNU
• Retains the look and feel of iBuyNU
• Searchable simultaneously across multiple catalogs
• Can generate side-by-side product comparisons
• Items can be edited in cart until submitted for requisition
• Option to punchout to supplier’s website to search and shop

 

Step 1: Navigate to NUFinancials

1. Log in NUFinancials.
2. If it's not already selected, select the Employee Self Service Home Page from the drop-down menu.

3. Click the eProcurement tile.

 

 

Step 2: Create a Catalog Requisition

4. Click Create Requisition tile.

 

5.  Click Web Suppliers to create a non-catalog requisition.
6. Click iBuyNU under the Web Suppliers section.

Note: You may receive an error message stating that: "There is a non-catalog item in the cart. Please clear the cart to proceed further with adding items from Web Suppliers." iBuyNU and non-catalogs items should not be combined on a requisition. The error message is indicating that you have a non-catalog item in the cart that has not been processed as a requisition. To proceed to add items from iBuyNU, either complete the non-catalog requisition or click the cart icon to clear the item(s) from your cart.

Step 3: Search for items

There are multiple ways to search for products in iBuyNU:

• 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.

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.

Shop/Search

Use the Search field to perform a keyword or part # search.

 

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

1. Type a keyword or part # in the Search field.  
2. Optionally:
   • Click Advanced to display additional search fields.

Shop a Specific Supplier Catalog

You can browse a specific supplier catalog.

1. Navigate to Showcase on the right side menu.

iBuyNU displays supplier catalogs organized by category:

• Click a suppliers catalog to search a supplier hosted catalog.
  • Optional: Click Categories to browse a supplier hosted catalog by item category.

or

• Click a supplier punchout catalog 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 Cancel Punchout button in header bar.

 

Step 4: View A Shopping Cart

At any time you can view your current shopping cart.

1. Click the shopping cart icon and click View My Cart.

  

2. Optional: Under Summary, Edit Cart Name.
3. Click Enter or anywhere out of Summary box to save changes.

  

 

Step 5: Check Out iBuyNU Shopping Cart

When you have finished finished shopping and reviewing your iBuyNU shopping cart, click Final Cart Review button.

Click Checkout.

 

 

Step 6: Checkout

The Checkout-Review and Submit step is where you enter ship to codes, chart strings, budget check, and save and submit the requisition.

1. Enter Requisition Name (maximum of 30 characters).

Requisition Lines Section

2. To add an Attachment, click the Line Comments button below the line item.
   • Click Add Attachment > My Device > Select File > Open > Upload > Done.
3. Once you’ve uploaded the attachment, click Done.

 

Step 7: Enter Ship to Codes and Chart String Fields

Schedule Details (Within Requisition Overview Lines Section)

1. To view the hidden section that contains the Ship to and chart string fields for a line item, click the Schedule Details next to that line item in order to open the section.

2. Click the magnifying glass next Ship To.

3. A lookup window appears. Expand the Search Criteria section to search by Ship to Location or Description.
4. Click Search and select the appropriate Ship to Location.

Note: Only one ship-to code should be used on each catalog requisition. Only the ship-to code on the first requisition line will be sent to the supplier. If multiple ship-to codes are needed across lines, a separate requisition should be created for each shipping location.

5. At this time, you can input the Attention To field, if it hasn’t already populated with the correct name.
6. Under Distributions, enter chart string fields for a line item, click Chartfields2.

7. In Fund, enter the Fund code.
8. In Department, enter the Department code.
9. In Account, enter in the Account code.
   • ​​​​​​​Click Chartfields3 to enter Project and Activity codes as applicable.
10. To add another Chart String, click on the "+" sign at the end of the Chart String row.

11. Click Done when all information has been entered.

To apply Ship To and Chartstring information to multiple line items, refer to the Appendix for more information regarding the Mass Change function. 

 

Step 8: Adding Comments and Check Budget

1. Header Comments:  Enter a Comment to explain the reason you are creating a requisition, and any other information that will assist in getting the requisition approved.  For example: Office Supplies as requested by Professor Smith.
2. Justification Comments. If you want your comments viewable on the Approval Pages for PPS and all other Approvers, you should enter Comments in the ‘Justification Comments’ section.
3. Click Save. Requisition ID is assigned.

1. Once Requisition is saved, click Checkout.
2. Check Budget.
   • The budget check ensures the chart string(s) is valid and has no spending controls against it that would prevent you from submitting the requisition.
   • Successful budget checking pre-encumbers or earmarks the funds.

3. A pop-up message appears regarding budget checking the transaction. Click Yes.

  

5. When finished budget checking, click Checkout. A Budget Check Status should now appear.

  

Step 9: Submit Requisition for Approval

1. Click Submit.

2. After you submit your requisition, a Checkout Confirmation page appears.
   • The Requisition ID is available on this page. This is for internal use ONLY.
3. The Requisition is submitted to workflow for approval. Click View Approval Chain to view approval workflow.
   • See the Approvals and Workflows articles for more information.

Chart Strings

Entering a Chart String

Use for Single Line Item requisition and Single Chart String.

• Click the Schedule Details next to that line item in order to open the section.

• Click on Chartfields2 to fill in the Fund, Dept, Project/Activity (when applicable), and Account Codes.

 

Mass Change function for Chart String

Use to apply chart string information to multiple line items, if the same chart string information is used for more than one item.

• Click on Actions and select Mass Change.

• In the Shipping Information section, enter the Ship To code.

• In the Distribution Information section, enter the Chart String Account code under Chartfields1.

• Click Chartfields2 to apply the Chart String Fund Code and Dept ID.

• If applicable, click Chartfields3 to apply the Chart String Project ID, Activity code and/or Chartfield1.

• Click Done.
  • When adding multiple chartstrings, for the Apply Distribution Changes drop-down, select Replace Distribution Lines.

 

• A pop-up message appears regarding applying changes to selected lines. Click Yes.

Click here to continue with Step 8: Adding Comments and Check Budget.

Add an additional chart string to a single line item (distributed purchase):

• Click the + to create an additional line. You can add this line in either Chartfields1 or Chartfields2.

Chartfields1: Complete the Percent of distribution between the two lines when sharing the same Chart String information.

  

Chartfields2: Complete the Chart String information.

 

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