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CGI Advantage® Vendor Self Service

Vendor Maintenance Guide

Release 3.9

CGI Vendor Self Service Maintenance Guide

3.9 Release CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc. Proprietary and Confidential

CGI Advantage® Vendor Self Service Vendor Maintenance Guide

Release 3.9

1. Account Access ........................................................................................................................ 5

1.1. Log In to VSS ..................................................................................................................... 5

1.2. Vendor Verification .......................................................................................................... 7

2. Vendor Maintenance Activities ............................................................................................... 8

2.1. Summary .......................................................................................................................... 8

2.2. Business Info..................................................................................................................... 9

2.3. Addresses and Contacts ................................................................................................. 11

2.4. Account Users................................................................................................................. 20

2.5. Commodities .................................................................................................................. 27

2.6. Business Types................................................................................................................ 30

2.7. Service Areas .................................................................................................................. 33

3. Financial Transactions ........................................................................................................... 35

3.1. Agreements .................................................................................................................... 35

3.2. Scheduled Payments ...................................................................................................... 46

3.3. Checks/EFTs .................................................................................................................... 52

3.4. Tax Information .............................................................................................................. 63

3.5. Invoices ........................................................................................................................... 65

4. Business Opportunities .......................................................................................................... 74

4.1. Solicitations .................................................................................................................... 74

4.2. Respond to a Solicitation................................................................................................ 80

4.3. My Watchlist .................................................................................................................. 85

4.4. Surplus Auctions ............................................................................................................. 85

4.5. Purchase History ............................................................................................................ 85

4.6. Bulletin Board ................................................................................................................. 86

5. View Solicitation Responses .................................................................................................. 87



Copyright © 2001, 2013 CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. These materials contain the intellectual property of CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc. and are therefore proprietary and confidential. Any copying and distribution of these materials is strictly prohibited.

CGI Advantage® is a registered trademark of CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc.

Due to the nature of this material, numerous hardware and software products are mentioned by name. In most, if not all, cases, the companies that manufacture the products claim these product names as trademarks. It is not our intention to claim these names or trademarks as our own.



Overview

The Vendor Self Service (VSS) system allows vendors to register, update account information, identify commodities the vendor provides, search for opportunities, respond to solicitations, ask questions, browse for awards, and review financial transactions. Vendors can access VSS as a registered user or as a guest. Guests can view business opportunities through VSS and start the registration process. Registered vendors can use VSS for:

• Vendor Maintenance Activities • Financial Transactions • Business Opportunities

The purpose of this guide is to provide instructions to City of Dallas (COD) Vendors on how to login to their account, maintain account information and enter responses to solicitations from COD in the Vendor Self Service (VSS) system. You should follow this guide if you have completed the registration process described in the Registration Quick Start Guide.

NOTE: Your User ID and Password entered at registration are needed to log into the Advantage Vendor Self Service (VSS) application. Both the User ID and Password are case sensitive.



1. Account Access

Once vendor registration is complete, all account maintenance activities can be completed by logging in to the Vendor Self Service system. For more information on vendor registration, see the Registration Quick Start Guide.

1.1. Log In to VSS

The User ID and Password entered during the registration process is used to access VSS. Access VSS, at https://bids.dallascityhall.com/webapp/VSSPROD/AltSelfService.

Step 1: Enter the VSS URL and press Enter. The Welcome page displays.

Step 2: In the User ID field, enter the User ID created during registration.

Step 3: In the Password field, enter the Password created during registration.

Step 4: Click the Login button. The VSS application initially opens to the Account Information: Summary tab.

https://bids.dallascityhall.com/webapp/VSSPROD/AltSelfService



If the vendor has more than one Location, the VSS sections are filtered based on the Location chosen at log in. To change the selected location, click the Home button in the upper right corner and change the selection to the desired location.

Once the desired location is selected, the Account Information: Summary tab displays.



1.2. Vendor Verification

For security purposes, Vendors are asked to verify their account information every 180 days. Updates to the primary vendor profile can also be made during the verification. When logging on, the account verification page displays every 90 days.

Step 1: On the Account Verification page, click Next. The My Profile Verification page displays.

Step 2: On the My Profile Verification page, confirm the profile information or make changes if needed and click Next. The Account Verification Complete page displays.

Step 3: On the Account Verification Complete page, click Next to access VSS.



2. Vendor Maintenance Activities

The Account Information section of VSS allows vendors to view a summary of their account and view and maintain the account details. Use each tab in the Account Information section to view and maintain the specific account details.

2.1. Summary

Use the Summary tab of the Account Information section to view a summary of account information. No changes can be made on this tab.



2.2. Business Info

Use the Business Info tab of the Account Information section to view and update the Headquarters Information, Organization Information, Legal Address, Executive Compensation, EFT Information, and Discount Information. The Legal Name and TIN can only be updated by contacting the City of Dallas (COD), Vendor Support at (214) 671-9198.



To update the vendor business information while on the My Business Information tab:

Step 1: Click the Update button. The fields that are allowed to be updated in each section are now editable.

Step 2: In each field, enter the desired updates. If a current value exists, type over the current value with the desired value.

Step 3: Click the Save Changes button. A Thank You page displays indicating the change has been entered.

Step 4: On the Thank You page, click Next. The Business Info tab is displayed with the Pending Changes checkbox selected.

The changes are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. To view the pending changes:

Step 1: Click the View Pending Changes button. The View Pending Changes page is displayed.

Step 2: Click each line in the grid to view the details of the change if multiple changes were made.

Step 3: Click the Back button if no further changes are needed.

Step 4: Click the Update Pending Changes button to make additional changes or modify the changes. The Business Info tab displays with editable fields.

Step 5: Enter the desired updates.

Step 6: Click the Save Changes button. A Thank You page displays indicating the change has been entered.

Step 7: On the Thank You page, click Next. The Business Info tab is displayed with the Pending Changes checkbox selected.

Once the changes are synchronized, the Pending Changes checkbox is cleared and the changes are inserted into the tab.

The Business Info tab can also be used to add a business location. To add a business location:

Step 1: Click the Add Business Location button. The Add Business Location - New Account Registration page is displayed.

Step 2: Enter the additional business location information as described beginning on Step 3.6 of the Registration Quick Start Guide.



2.3. Addresses and Contacts

Use the Addresses & Contacts tab in the Account Information section to view, update, assign or create new addresses and contacts.

Existing Address & Contact Assignments

Use the Existing Address & Contact Assignments section to view or update the address and contact assignments information. The vendor can indicate how long this address/contact is effective, if this is the default record for this address type, the correspondence preference and additional information for the address:

Step 1: In the Existing Address & Contact Assignments grid, click the View/Update link next to the address/contact to be viewed or updated. The View/Update Assigned Address & Contact page displays.



Step 2: In each field, enter the desired updates. If a current value exists, type over the current value with the desired value.

Step 3: Click the Save button. The Addresses & Contacts tab displays with the Pending Changes checkbox in the grid is selected.

The changes are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. To view the pending changes:

Step 1: Click the View Pending Changes link. The View Pending Changes page is displayed.

Step 2: Click the Back button to return to the Addresses & Contacts tab.

Assign/Create Addresses & Contacts

To create a new address or contact information:



Step 1: Click the Assign/Create Addresses & Contacts button. The Assign/Create Addresses & Contacts-Step 1 of 3 page is displayed.

Step 2: Click the appropriate checkbox to select the type of address.

Step 3: In the Active From field, enter the date the address is effective.

Step 4: In the Active To field, enter the date the address will no longer be effective if desired.

Step 5: Select the Default Record checkbox, if the address is the default for the address type selected.

Step 6: In the Department/Division field or Additional Address information field, enter the address specific information if desired.

Step 7: In the Address section in the Address ID field, use the Find button to locate an existing address or enter a new address in the fields as below.

Step 8: In the Street 1 field, enter the street address.

Step 9: In the Street 2 field, enter the street address if desired.



Step 10: In the City field, enter the City.

Step 11: From the State/Province drop-down list, select the State.

Step 12: In the Zip/Postal Code field, enter the zip or postal code.

Step 13: From the Country Name drop-down list, select United States.

Step 14: From the County drop-down list, select the County if desired.

Step 15: In the Phone field, enter the phone number.

Step 16: In the Ext field, enter the phone extension if desired.

Step 17: Click Next. The Assign/Create Addresses & Contacts-Step 2 of 3 page is displayed.

Step 18: In the Principal Contact section in the Principal Contact ID field, use the Find button to locate an existing contact or enter a new contact information in the fields as indicated below.

Step 19: In the Contact Name field, enter the name of the contact.

Step 20: In the Email field, enter the email address for the contact if desired. The Email address must be entered if the Correspondence Type is Email.



Step 21: From the Correspondence Type drop down list, select the preferred method for correspondence.

Step 22: Select the English Spoken checkbox if the contact speaks English.

Step 23: In the Phone field, enter the phone number.

Step 24: In the Phone Extension field, enter the phone extension if desired.

Step 25: In the Alternate Phone field, enter the alternate phone number if desired.

Step 26: In the Alternate Phone Extension field, enter the alternate phone extension if desired.

Step 27: In the Fax field, enter the fax number.

Step 28: In the Fax Extension field, enter the fax extension if desired.

Step 29: In the Alternate Fax field, enter the alternate fax number if desired.

Step 30: In the Alternate Fax Extension field, enter the alternate fax extension if desired.

Step 31: Click Next. The Assign/Create Addresses & Contacts-Step 3 of 3 page is displayed.



Step 32: Click the Save button. The Addresses & Contacts tab is displayed.

The changes/additions are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. To view the pending additions:

Step 1: Click the View Pending Additions button. The View Pending Additions-Addresses & Contacts page is displayed.

Step 2: Click Back.



Update Addresses

Use the Update Addresses section of the Addresses & Contacts tab to view or update the address information.

Step 1: Click the View/Update link next to the address. The View/Update Available Address page displays.



Step 2: Enter the desired updates to the Address Information. If a current value exists, type over the current value with the desired value.

Step 3: Click the Save button. The Pending Changes checkbox is selected in the Update Addresses section.

The changes/additions are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. To view the pending changes:

Step 1: Click the View Pending Changes link to view the updates.

Update Contacts

Use the Update Contacts section of the Addresses & Contacts tab to view or update the contact information.



Step 1: Click the View/Update link next to the contact. The View/Update Available Contact page displays.

Step 2: Enter the desired updates to the Contact Information. If a current value exists, type over the current value with the desired value.

Step 3: Click the Save button. The Pending Changes checkbox is selected in the Update Contacts section.

The changes/additions are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. To view the pending changes:

Step 1: Click the View Pending Changes link to view the updates.



2.4. Account Users

Use the Users tab in the Account Information section to view, modify or delete each user account for the vendor. New account users can also be added using this tab. For each user, the email notifications, access levels, security questions, and user’s password can be updated.

View/Modify User Account

Use the View/Modify link in the grid on the Users tab to view or modify user information:

Step 1: Click the View/Modify link next to the User ID to be viewed or modified. The View/Modify User Information page displays with editable fields.

Step 2: Enter the desired updates to the User Information, Email Notifications or Security Questions and Answers sections. If a current value exists, type over the current value with the desired value.

Step 3: Click the Save button.



Change Access Levels

To change the access levels from the View/Modify User Information page:

Step 1: Click the Change Access Levels button.

Step 2: On the Access Levels page, make the desired changes to the Primary Access Level by selecting the appropriate Access Level.



Step 3: In the Optional Access Levels section, select the desired checkboxes for the appropriate access levels.


Change Password

To change the password from the View/Modify User Information page:

Step 1: Click the Change Password button. The Password Maintenance page displays.

Step 2: On the Password Maintenance page in the Enter New Password and Re-enter New Password fields, enter the new password.




Add User Account

To add user information:

Step 1: Click the Users tab.

Step 2: Click the Add button in the lower right corner. The Add Account Users page displays.

Step 3: In the User Information section in the User ID field, enter the new user’s ID.

Step 4: In the First Name field, enter the user’s first name.

Step 5: In the Last Name field, enter the user’s last name.

Step 6: In the Email field, enter the user’s email address.

Step 7: In the Re-enter Email field, enter the user’s email address.

Step 8: In the Phone field, enter the user’s phone number.

Step 9: In the Phone field, enter the user’s phone number.

Step 10: Select the Primary Account Administrator checkbox if the new user is to become the primary account holder.

Step 11: Select the Locked checkbox if the new user account should be locked.



Step 12: In the Password section in the Password and Re-enter Password field, enter the new user’s password.

Step 13: In the Email Notifications section, select the checkboxes to indicate the type of email notices the new user should receive.

Step 14: In the Security Questions and Answers section in the Security Question drop-down list, select a security question.

Step 15: In the Security Answer and Retype Security Answer fields, enter the appropriate answer to the selected Security Question.

Step 16: Click the Next button. The Access Levels page displays.



Step 17: In the Primary Access Level section, use the radio buttons to select the appropriate primary access level.

Step 18: In the Optional Access Levels section, use the radio buttons to select the appropriate optional access levels.

Step 19: Click the Save button. The Account Users page displays with the new user added to the grid.



Delete User Account

To delete a user from the Users tab:

Step 1: Click the Delete link next to the User ID to be deleted. The confirmation message displays.

Step 2: Click OK. The user is removed from the grid.



2.5. Commodities

Use the Commodities tab in the Account Information section to add or delete the commodity codes or classes that describe the goods and services that the vendor’s organization provides.

Add Commodities

To add commodity information from the Commodities tab:

Step 1: Click the Add Items button. The Choose page displays.



Step 2: Use the Commodity Service Code or Commodity Description fields to search for a commodity or use the navigation buttons to scroll through the list to locate the desired commodity.

Step 3: Click the checkbox next to the desired commodity or commodities.

Step 4: Click OK.

The changes are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. When changes are pending, the View Pending Additions button is enabled.



To view the pending additions:

Step 1: Click the View Pending Additions button. The View Pending Additions-Commodities page is displayed.

Step 2: Click the Back button to return to the Commodities tab.

Delete Commodities

To delete commodity information from the Commodities tab:

Step 1: Click the Delete link next to the commodity to be deleted. The confirmation message is displayed.

Step 2: Click the OK button.

The deletions are not accepted until the Advantage Financial and Vendor Self Service systems are synchronized, which occurs nightly at a minimum. The Pending Deletion checkbox is selected until the systems are synchronized.



2.6. Business Types

Business Types define the type of business and may be used by City of Dallas Procurement staff to determine eligible vendors for solicitations. Use the Business Types tab in the Account Information section to add or delete business types for the vendor’s organization.

Add Business Types

To add business type information from the Business Types tab:




Step 2: Click the checkbox next to the business type(s) to be added.

Step 3: Click the OK button. The Enter/Update - Business Types page displays.

Step 4: Enter the Certification No and dates if needed.






Step 1: Click the View Pending Additions button. The View Pending Additions-Business Types page is displayed.

Step 2: Click the Back button to return to the Business Types tab.

Delete Business Types

To delete business type information from the Business Types tab:

Step 1: Click the Delete link next to the business type to be deleted. The confirmation message is displayed.

Step 2: Click the OK button on the confirmation message.




2.7. Service Areas

Service areas define geographic regions that may be used by the City of Dallas Procurement staff to determine eligible vendors for solicitations. At this time, Service Areas will not be used by COD so this section can be disregarded.

Add Service Areas

To add service area information from the Service Areas tab:


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Step 2: Click the checkbox next to the service area(s) to be added.

Step 3: Click the OK button.





Step 1: Click the View Pending Additions button. The View Pending Additions-Service Areas page is displayed.

Step 2: Click the Back button.

Delete Service Areas

To delete service area information from the Service Areas tab:

Step 1: Click the Delete link next to the service area to be deleted. The confirmation message is displayed.

Step 2: Click the OK button on the confirmation message.




3. Financial Transactions

The Financial Transaction section of VSS allows vendors to view their transactions with COD, including orders, invoices, payments and tax information.

3.1. Agreements

Use the Agreements tab of the Financial Transactions section to view contracts, delivery orders, master agreements and purchase orders with the City of Dallas.

Enter search criteria in the Search for Agreements section to filter responses to locate specific agreements. If no search criteria are entered, all agreements are displayed.

• Agreement Type - Select the type of agreement. Options include Contract, Delivery Order, Master Agreement and Purchase Order.

• Department - Click the Find button to search for the Department that created the agreement or enter the Department number in the field.

• Agreement ID - Enter the identification number of the specific agreement. • Agreement Held? - Select Yes, No or Both to indicate if the agreements returned by the

Search are in a held status. • Closed? - Select Yes, No or Both to indicate if the agreements returned by the search are

closed. • Transaction From - Enter the earliest date that the desired agreement was processed. • Transaction To - Enter the latest date that the desired agreement was processed.



After entering the search criteria, click the Search button to display the agreements that meet the entered criteria.

Select a specific transaction from the grid by clicking the Select checkbox next to the agreement. Once a specific agreement is selected, several actions for the selected agreement can be completed:

• Create a New Invoice (Currently not available in VSS) • View the Details of an Agreement • Download the Search Results • Create a PDF of the Award • Review Referenced Payments

Create a New Invoice

Note to All Vendors: City of Dallas does not allow vendors to create invoices in VSS at this

time. This functionality will be available in the future.

All invoices should be processed based on the terms of the contract and agreement with the City of Dallas. Please contact the department with whom you have your contract, the City of Dallas Accounts Payable (214.670.5151) or Business Development & Procurement Services (214.671.9198) departments for more information on how to submit your invoice if you have questions.



View the Details of the Agreement

To view the details of the selected agreement:

Step 1: Click the Details button below the search results. The Agreement Information page displays. Use this page to view the agreement details and the shipping and billing information for the commodity and the commodity line details. This page can also be used to view the referenced payments and a PDF of the award using the links in the Agreement ID section.



Step 2: Scroll down to the Commodity Line Information section of the Agreement Information page to view the commodities included in the award.

Step 3: Click the Ship To: Bill To: link next to a specific commodity line. The Commodity Line Shipping and Billing Information page displays. Use this page to review the shipping and billing information for the award.

Step 4: Click the Back button.

Step 5: Click the Additional Details link next to a specific commodity line. The Line Amount Information page displays. Use this page to view the amounts by line if needed.

Step 6: Click the Back button to return to the Agreement Information page or use the breadcrumbs at the top of the page to navigate to pages previously viewed.



Step 7: Click the Reference link in the Agreement ID section. The Referenced Payments by Agreement page displays.



Step 8: Click the View Details link in the Agreement Information section to return to the Agreement Information page. The breadcrumbs at the top of the page can also be used to navigate to the Agreement Information page.

Step 9: Click the PDF button to view a PDF of the Award. The File Download window displays.



Step 10: Click the Open button. The PDF of the Notice of Award is displayed.

Step 11: Close the PDF to return to the Agreement Information page.



Download the Search Results

The search results on the Agreement Summary Search page can be downloaded to a spreadsheet.

Step 1: Click the Download button below the search results. The File Download window displays.

Step 2: Click the Open button to open the data in a spreadsheet.



Step 3: Close the spreadsheet to return to the Agreements tab in VSS.

Create a PDF of the Award

A PDF of the selected agreement from the Agreement Summary Search page can be viewed.

Step 1: Click the PDF button below the search results. The File Download window displays.



Step 2: Click the Open button to open the Notice of Award in a PDF format.



Review Referenced Payments

The Referenced Payments by Agreement page can also be viewed directly from the Agreement Summary Search page.

Step 1: Click the Reference button at the bottom of the search results.

Step 2: Click the View Details link to view the Agreement Information page or the Agreement Summary Search breadcrumb link to return to the Agreement Summary Search page.



3.2. Scheduled Payments

Use the Scheduled Payments tab of the Financial Transactions section to search for and view scheduled payments for the vendor’s invoices.

Enter search criteria in the Search for Scheduled Payments section to filter responses to locate specific payments. If no search criteria are entered, all scheduled payments are displayed.

• Invoice Number - Enter the invoice number. • Department - Click the Find button to search for the Department that created the

agreement or enter the Department number in the field. • Payment Scheduled From - Enter the earliest date that the desired payment was

processed. • Payment Scheduled To - Enter the latest date that the desired payment was processed. • Payment Status - Select Schedule, Held or Cancelled to indicate the status of the

payment. After entering the search criteria, click the Search button to display the agreements that meet the entered criteria.



Select a specific transaction from the grid by clicking the Select checkbox next to the payment request. Once a specific payment request is selected, several actions for the selected agreement can be completed:

• View the Details of the Payment Request • Download the Search Results • Review Referenced Agreements by Scheduled Payments



View the Details of the Payment Request

To view the details of the selected payment request:

Step 1: Click the Details button below the search results. The Scheduled Payment Information page displays. This page can be used to view the payment details, including the specific commodity lines.

Step 2: Click the Additional Details link next to the commodity line to view the Line Amount Information for the commodity line.

Step 3: Click Back to return to the Scheduled Payment Information page.



Step 4: Click Reference in the Payment Request ID section to view the agreement information for the selected scheduled payment. The Referenced Agreements by Scheduled Payment page displays.

Step 5: On the Reference Agreements by Scheduled Payment page, click the Details link next to the specific agreement line to view the Agreement Information page for the specific transaction.




The search results on the Scheduled Payment Search page can be downloaded to a spreadsheet.



Step 3: Close the spreadsheet to return to the Scheduled Payment Search tab in VSS.



Review Referenced Payments

The Referenced Payments by Agreement page can also be viewed directly from the Scheduled Payment Search page.

Step 1: On the Scheduled Payment Search page, select an invoice in the search results and click the Reference button at the bottom of the search results.

Step 2: Click the View Details link to return to the Scheduled Payment Information page or Details next to the agreement line to view the Agreement Information page.



3.3. Checks/EFTs

Use the Checks/EFTs tab of the Financial Transactions section to search for and view the vendor’s checks or EFTs.

Enter search criteria in the Search for Checks/EFTs section to filter responses to locate specific checks or EFTs. If no search criteria are entered, all checks/EFTs are displayed.

• Check/EFT Number - Enter the check or EFT number. • Check/EFT Status - Select Disbursed, Warranted, Paid, Cancelled, Stale Dated, Void,

Escheat, Renumbered or Not Available to indicate the status of the check or EFT. • Payment From - Enter the earliest date that the desired payment was processed. • Payment To - Enter the latest date that the desired payment was processed.

After entering the search criteria, click the Search button to display the checks or EFTs that meet the entered criteria.



Select a specific transaction from the grid by clicking the Select checkbox next to the check/EFT. Once a specific check/EFT is selected, several actions for the selected agreement can be completed:

• View the Details of the Check/EFT • Download the Search Results • Create a PDF of the Check/EFT • Review Referenced Agreements by Check/EFT

View the Details of the Check/EFT

To view the details of the selected check or EFT:

Step 1: Click the Details button below the search results. The Check/EFT Information page displays. This page can be used to view the check or EFT details, including the payment allocation lines.



Step 2: Click the Additional Details link next to the payment line to view the line details for the selected check or EFT.

Step 3: Click Back to return to the Check/EFT Information page.



Step 4: Click the Reference link in the Check/EFT Information section or the Reference link at the bottom of the page to view the Reference Agreements by Check/EFT page.

Step 5: Click Details next to the payment line to view the Agreement Information page.



Step 6: Click the Check/EFT Information link in the Breadcrumbs to return to the Check/EFT Information page.

Step 7: In the Check/EFT Information section, click the PDF button to view a PDF of the check or EFT information. The File Download window displays.



Step 8: Click the Open button. The PDF of the Remittance Advice is displayed.



Step 9: Close the PDF to return to the Check/EFT Information page.




The search results on the Check/EFT Summary Search page can be downloaded to a spreadsheet.





Step 3: Close the spreadsheet to return to the Check/EFT Summary Search page in VSS.

Create a PDF of the Check/EFT

A PDF of the selected check or EFT from the Check/EFT Summary Search page can be viewed.

Step 1: Select a specific check or EFT and click the PDF button below the search results. The File Download window displays.



Step 2: Click the Open button to open the check/EFT information in a PDF format.



Review Referenced Agreements by Check/EFT

The Referenced Payments by Agreement page can also be viewed directly from the Check/EFT Summary Search page.

Step 1: On the Check/EFT Summary Search page, click the Reference button at the bottom of the search results.

Step 2: Click the View Details link in the Check/EFT Details section to display the Check/EFT Information section or the Details link for the agreement to display the Agreement Information page.



3.4. Tax Information

Use the Tax Information tab of the Financial Transactions section to view the 1099 tax information for a specific calendar year.

Step 1: In the Calendar Year field, enter the desired year and click the Search button. The search results display for the entered tax year.

Step 2: Click the View link under the Tax Summary heading.

Step 3: Click the Tax Information Search in the Breadcrumbs.



Step 4: Click the View link under the Payments heading.


Step 6: Click the PDF link under the Tax Forms heading to open the tax forms in a PDF format.




3.5. Invoices

Use the Invoices tab of the Financial Transactions section to search for an invoice for the account or create a new invoice.

Enter search criteria in the Search for Invoices section to filter responses to locate specific invoices. If no search criteria are entered, all invoices are displayed.

• Invoice Number - Enter the number of the invoice. • Total Invoice Amount - Enter the amount of the invoice. • Invoice Status - Select Approved, Cancelled, Paid, Payment Held, Payment Scheduled or

Pending Approval to indicate the status of the invoice. • Agreement ID - Enter the identification number of the specific agreement. • Fully Paid? - Select Yes, No or Both to indicate if the invoices returned by the search are

fully paid. • Invoice From - Enter the earliest date that the desired invoice was processed. • Invoice To - Enter the latest date that the desired invoice was processed.

After entering the search criteria, click the Search button to display the invoices that meet the entered criteria.



Select a specific invoice from the grid by clicking the Select checkbox next to the invoice. Once a specific invoice is selected, several actions for the selected invoice can be completed:

• Create a New Invoice • View the Details of an Invoice • Download the Search Results • Create a PDF of the Invoice • Review Referenced Transactions by Invoice

Create a New Invoice

Note to All Vendors: City of Dallas does not allow vendors to create invoices in VSS at this

time. This functionality will be available in the future.

All invoices should be processed based on the terms of the contract and agreement with the City of Dallas. Please contact the department with whom you have your contract, the City of Dallas Accounts Payable (214.670.5151) or Business Development & Procurement Services (214.671.9198) departments for more information on how to submit your invoice if you have questions.

View the Details of an Invoice

To view the details of the selected invoice:

Step 1: Click the Details button below the search results. The Invoice Information page displays. Use this page to view the invoice details. This page can also be used to view the referenced payments and a PDF of the award using the links in the Agreement ID section.



Step 2: Click the Reference link in the Transaction Information section. The Referenced Transactions by Invoice page displays.

Step 3: Click the Details link in the Transaction Information section to return to the Invoice Information page. The breadcrumbs at the top of the page can also be used to navigate to the Invoice Information page.



Note: On the Referenced Transactions by Invoice page, click the Details link next to the award document in the Agreement section to display the Agreement Information page.

Step 4: On the Invoice Information page, click the PDF button to view a PDF of the invoice. The File Download window displays.

Step 5: Click the Open button. The PDF of the invoice is displayed.



Step 6: Close the PDF to return to the Invoice Information page.


The search results on the Invoice Summary Search page can be downloaded to a spreadsheet.





Step 3: Close the spreadsheet to return to the Invoice Summary Search page in VSS.

Create a PDF of the Award

A PDF of the selected invoice from the Invoice Summary Search page can be viewed.

Step 1: Click the PDF button below the search results. The File Download window displays.



Step 2: Click the Open button to open the invoice in a PDF format.

Review Referenced Transactions by Invoice



The Referenced Transaction by Invoice page can also be viewed directly from the Invoice Summary Search page.

Step 1: Click the Reference button at the bottom of the search results.

Step 2: Click the View Details link to view the Agreement Information page or the Agreement Summary Search breadcrumb link to return to the Agreement Summary Search page.



4. Business Opportunities

The Business Opportunities section allows vendors to view the business opportunities with the City of Dallas. Vendors can view and respond to solicitations, view auctions, view commodity purchase history and communicate with potential partners. The tab also allows vendors to access solicitations that have been marked to watch.

4.1. Solicitations

Use the Solicitations tab of the Business Opportunities section to view and respond to solicitations.

Search for Solicitations

Use the Show Me… links to filter the solicitations that display on the Search for Solicitations tab.

• All Solicitations - Displays all COD solicitations. • My Commodities - Displays all COD solicitations for commodities the vendor is

registered for. • Open Solicitations - Displays all COD open solicitations. • Closing Soon - Displays COD solicitations closing in seven days or less. • Recently Published - Displays COD solicitations published within the last seven days. • Recent Amendments - Displays COD solicitations that have been amended in the last

seven days. • Recent Intents - Displays COD solicitations that have an intent to award in the last seven

days. • Recent Awards - Displays COD solicitations that have been awarded in the last seven

days.

The solicitations that meet the filter requirements display on the Solicitations tab.



Solicitations Summary

Use the Summary button to view a summary of the solicitation information.

Step 1: Click the Summary button within the Solicitation to open a pop-up window displaying a summary of the solicitation information.

The summary page includes the Closing Date and a dynamic countdown clock that indicated the time left before the solicitation closes. The summary also includes contact information for the buyer that submitted the solicitation.

Solicitations Details

Use the Details button to view the details of the solicitation. The details include the summary information in the header and the detailed information organized in tabs below the header.



The header includes the relevant dates for the solicitation, the current status and a dynamic countdown clock that indicates the amount of time left before the solicitation closes. The header also allows vendors to add the solicitation to a watch list and to respond.

Step 1: Click the Details button within the Solicitation to view the details of the solicitation. The Lots/Lines tab is initially displayed.

The Lots/Lines tab includes each item requested in the solicitation. The More Information section includes expanding sections with more details.

Step 2: Click the Plus Icon next to each link or click Expand All to display the details.

The Product Specs section includes the commodity code and details specifications about the items requested in the solicitation.



The Shipping/Billing section includes the addresses and details for shipping and billing.

The Shipping Specs section includes any shipping details included in the solicitation.

Step 3: Click the View Purchase History link to view the Purchase History for the specific commodity.

Step 4: Click Back.

Step 5: Click the Attachments tab.



The attachments tab includes links to any attachment included in the solicitation.

Step 6: Click the Additional Information tab.

The Additional Information tab displays any text that they buyer entered regarding the solicitation.

Step 7: Click the Terms tab.

The Terms tab includes the specific terms and conditions the buyer should consider when responding.

Step 8: Click the Criteria tab.

The Criteria tab includes the specific criteria that will be used to award the solicitation.

Step 9: Click the Events tab.



The Events tab includes details for any scheduled event related to the solicitation.

Step 10: Click the Q & A List tab. Not used by City of Dallas at this time.

The Q & A List tab includes any questions submitted for the solicitation and the related answer. To submit a question, click the Ask a Question button.

Step 11: Click the Ask a Question button.

Enter the question in the text box and click the Submit your Question button.

Step 12: Click the Amendment History tab.

The Amendment History tab includes an entry for each amendment that has been created for the solicitation.

Step 13: Click the Bulletin Board tab. Not used by City of Dallas at this time.

The Bulletin Board includes any messages entered by vendors that have access to the solicitation. To add a message to the bulletin board, click the Add Message button.

Step 14: Click the Add Message button.



Enter the vendor contact information and the message. For example, a vendor could enter a message indicating they are looking for a sub-contractor for the solicitation.

4.2. Respond to a Solicitation

Solicitation responses can be submitted online or mailed. The vendor will need to rely on the information/instructions contained in the solicitation as to whether the formal solicitation will be accepted online. Use the Response Options section within the Solicitation details to begin the online solicitation response or print the solicitation information for mailing the response.

Online Response

To respond to a solicitation online:

Step 1: Click the Respond Online button in the Response Options section within the Solicitation details.

The top of the response page includes a message indicating that the response has not been submitted. If more than one message displays, click the View All Details button to view all of the message details. If there is a question about the error message, click the Submit Question button. Enter the question in the Question about Error Messages window and click Submit or call (214) 671-9198.



Step 2: The My Online Response section includes the dynamic clock countdown until closing, the solicitation information, which can be minimized using the [–] icon in the upper right corner. Use the tabs below the solicitation summary to enter the solicitation response information. The secondary navigation panel indicates where the vendor is in the solicitation response process.

Step 3: In the Respond to Lines tab, enter the response for each commodity line. The dynamic data entry fields are based on the commodity line’s Line Type.



Use the No Response for Solicitation or No Response for Lot buttons to indicate there will be no response to the entire solicitation or to specific lots. The Response Type automatically changes from Bid to No Bid for each Line.

Step 4: In the Comments field, enter comments for each commodity line.

Step 5: Click the Additional Specs link to enter additional specifications regarding the commodity.

Step 6: Click the Go to Step 2 button. The system validates the current responses and displays error messages or displays the Criteria Response tab for further responses.

Step 7: In the Criteria Response tab, enter the response for each evaluation criteria. The Response Type Expected field indicates which response field is available for entry.



Step 8: Click the Go to Step 3 button. The system validates the current responses and displays error messages or displays the Attach Your Files tab for further responses.

Step 9: In the Attach Your Files tab, click the Attach Files button to select attachments.

Step 10: Click Browse to select up to five files to attach and then click the Attach File button.

Step 11: Click the Go to Step 4 button. The system validates the current responses and displays error messages or displays the Discounts/Comments tab for further responses.

Step 12: In the Discounts/Comments tab, enter any discounts the vendor offers and any comments.



Step 13: Click the Go to Step 5 button. The system validates the current responses and displays error messages or displays Review/Submit tab for further responses.

Step 14: In the Review/Submit tab, scroll through the response information to verify the entries.

Step 15: Click the Submit button to submit the response to the solicitation.

Step 16: Click OK on the confirmation message. A thank you message displays.

The response can also be printed, copied or saved. If the response is saved, it appears in the Solicitation Responses tab in a Draft status.



4.3. My Watchlist

Use the My Watchlist tab of the Business Opportunities section to view and respond to solicitations the vendor has marked to watch. Use the Show Me… links to filter the solicitations that display on the Search My Watchlist tab. To Delete an item from the My Watchlist tab, click the Delete button next to the Summary and Details buttons.

4.4. Surplus Auctions

City of Dallas is not using the Auction functionality at this time. Use the Surplus Auctions tab of the Business Opportunities section to view and respond to COD auctions. Use the Show Me… links to filter the auctions.

4.5. Purchase History

Use the Purchase History tab of the Business Opportunities section to view the purchase history of each commodity. Use the Show Me… links to filter the commodities to show the purchase history of all commodities or only those for the specific vendor organization.



4.6. Bulletin Board

City of Dallas is not using the Bulletin Board functionality at this time. Use the Bulletin Board tab of the Business Opportunities section to view and enter comments. Use the Show Me… links to filter the comments by commodity in the solicitation, solicitations closing soon, solicitations recently published or solicitations recently amended.



5. View Solicitation Responses

Use the Solicitation Responses section to view previous responses to solicitations. The Response Status Indicates if the response has been accepted or is in a draft status.

Step 1: Click the link in the Link to Response section to view the response details.

Step 2: When done reviewing the response details, click Exit and then click OK on the confirmation message.

Step 3: Click the link in the Solicitation ID section to view the solicitation details.



Contact Information

For additional assistance using the Vendor Self Service System (VSS), please contact the Resource Link Team 214-671-9198.

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