Using Live Console to compare Bids or Quotes

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Live Console allows you to graphically view and compare responses to a negotiation. The Live Console gives you a single location from which you can generate many in-depth graphic displays. You can use these graphs to assist in analyzing your negotiation responses during and after a negotiation. Live Console is not available for:

To view the Live Console for a negotiation:

You can access the Live Console directly from either the Negotiation Home page or from a negotiation's summary page.

Layout of the Live Console Display

Header Section

The Header section shows you the negotiation title and time remaining until the negotiation close. Within twenty-four hours before the close date, the countdown clock displays in real time the amount of time remaining until the negotiation closes. If staggered closing is in effect, the clock shows the time remaining until the next line closes. The Actions menu on the right provides access to the same displays available from the Actions menu on the negotiation summary page. Clicking the negotiation title name link navigates you to the negotiation summary page.

Overview Section

The Overview section displays response information at the negotiation level.

Suppliers Table

The Suppliers table on the left lists the top ten participating suppliers. If there are more than ten participating suppliers, you can navigate through the list by clicking "Next 10" or by using the drop down menu. Each supplier is identified by a shape symbol and color beside the supplier name. The entries in the supplier table are listed in the following order:

Within each of the above groups, suppliers are ordered by the time of the supplier's last activity. Note that as the Live console display refreshes, which top ten suppliers appear in the Supplier table and/or their ranking may change depending on any new responses that nave been received although information on all invited and participating suppliers is tracked and can be displayed.

The supplier name link displays the Supplier Details page. If the supplier has been locked out of the negotiation, a lock icon appears beside the supplier name.

The response number link navigates to the Response Details page. Draft responses have no number but are indicated by the word Draft. Partial responses are indicated by an exclamation point icon. If the negotiation has been amended and a new response has not yet been submitted, the response is marked as "Resubmission Required."

The final column in the suppliers table shows how long the supplier has accessed this negotiation This column does not appear once the negotiation has been closed.

Note: In a Two-Stage RFQ, the Suppliers Table will only include suppliers whose quotes have been shortlisted from the technical evaluation to the commercial stage.

Graphs Area

The Graph Area can display four types of graphs. Two graphs can be displayed at the same time. To generate a different graph, select the graph from the drop down menu for that window and click Go. (Note that the following graph names are applicable for an auction. RFQ graph titles refer to quotes not bids).

Graphs are not available for

Suppliers are identified on XY charts by shaped icons. Moving your mouse over a graph point or a chart bar displays the time, amount, supplier and supplier site for that response. For graphs showing responses over time, the maximum shown is six months.

Lines Section

The Lines section allows you to select and display information for a particular negotiation line. The table has an entry for each negotiation line, lot or group line. Selecting an entry displays the graphs for that entry. If the buyer entered a current price value, the entry shows the best savings for that line.

There are eight possible graphs. Two graphs can be displayed at the same time. To generate a different graph, select the graph from the drop down menu for that window and click Go.

Graphs are not available for Contract Purchase Agreement negotiations that have no lines. They are also not available if there are no responses yet (for example, a negotiation in preview status).

Graphs will not include quotes that were not shortlisted from the technical evaluation stage of a Two-Stage RFQ.

The savings values displayed are calculated by the system and can be positive or negative numbers. Since many of the savings values use a current price entered by the buyer when the negotiation was created, any calculations involving current price may display as null if the buyer did not enter a value for current price.

For graphs showing responses over time, the maximum time limit shown is six months.

Live Console Information

Partial and surrogate responses are displayed on the Live Console graphs. Disqualified responses are not displayed. Bard representing a response are labeled either by the response number or the supplier name. If there are ties among bids, they are distinguished by time submitted.

Suppliers are identified on XY charts by shaped icon. Moving your mouse over a graph point or a chart bad displays the time, amount, supplier and supplier site for that response.

If a negotiation is amended or taken to a new round of responding, response information from the previous version is discarded. Pausing a negotiation does not affect Live Console information.

For charts that track responses over time, the time the first response is received becomes the leftmost entry in the graph. The right side of the graph is the close date. The time indicators are adjusted and displayed accordingly.

The countdown clock at the top of the Live Console displays the time remaining in real time. Live Console displays are automatically updated every three minutes. Two hours before the negotiation closes, the refresh interval decreases to every 60 seconds. One hour before the negotiation closes, the refresh interval decreases to thirty seconds. You can manually refresh the graphs at any time to obtain the most up-to-date information.

Graph Explanations

The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers based on the graph cirteria. if the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.

Overview Section Graphs

Name Type Comments
Best Bids by Time XY chart The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
The Y axis shows the best bid offered for the negotiation. This is calculated as the sum of (price * quantity) for all lines on the negotiation. The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
The vertical line indicates the close date
This chart is shown by default in the left chart window.
All Bids By Time XY chart This chart graphs all the bids for the negotiation. The Y axis shows the best bid offered for the negotiation. This is calculated as the sum of (price * quantity) for all lines on the negotiation. The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
The vertical line indicates the close date.
Savings by Supplier Bar chart The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
The Y axis shows the best bid offered for the negotiation. This is calculated as the sum of (quantity * (bid price - current price)) for all lines on the negotiation. The X axis shows the bid number.
This chart is shown by default in the right chart window.
Best Bids by Supplier Bar chart The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.

Lines Section Graphs

Name Type Comments
Best Bids by Time XY chart The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
This chart shows the best bids for the line, lot or group line. The Y axis shows the best bid offered for the line. This is calculated as (price * quantity) . The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
Vertical lines indicate the close date, the current price (if a current price was defined when the negotiation was created), and the target price (if a target price was defined when the negotiation was created).
All Bids by Time XY chart This chart shows all bids for the line, lot, or group line. The Y axis shows the best bid offered for the line. This is calculated as (price * quantity). The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
Vertical lines indicate the close date, the current price (if a current price was defined when the negotiation was created), and the target price (if a target price was defined when the negotiation was created).
Best Unit Prices by Time XY chart This graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
The chart shows the top bids for the line, lot, or group line. The Y axis shows the best unit price offered for the line. The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
Vertical lines indicate the close date, the current price (if a current price was defined when the negotiation was created), and the target price (if a target price was defined when the negotiation was created).
All Unit Prices by Time XY chart this chart shows all the bids for the line, lot, or group line. The Y axxis shows the best unit price offered for the line. The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
The vertical lines indicate the close date, the current price (if a current price was defined when the negotiation was created), and the target price (if a target price was defined when the negotiation was created).
Savings by Supplier Bar chart This graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
The chart shows the top bids having the greatest savings for the line, lot, or group line. The Y axis shows the savings offered for the line. The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
Savings is calculated as (bid price - current price) * quantity. Values can be positive or negative. If no current price was entered when the buyer created the negotiation, the value is $0.
Unit Savings by Supplier Bar chart The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
This chart shows the bids having the greatest savings for the line, lot, or group line. The Y axis shows the greatest savings offered for the line. The X axis shows the time range over which the bids have been submitted.
Savings is calculated as (current price - bid price). Values can be positive or negative. If no current price was entered when the negotiation was created, the value is $0.
Best Bid Price/Score XY chart This chart is only available for Multi-Attribute Scored negotiations.
The graph shows bids for the top five suppliers. If the supplier has multiple bids, all bids for that supplier are shown.
The winning bid is the lowest price/score ratio for the line/lot/group line.
Vertical lines indicate the close date, the current price (if a current price was defined whent he negotiation was created), and the target price (if a target price was defined when the negotiation was created).
All Bids Price/Score XY chare This chart is only available for Multi-Attribute Scored negotiations.
This chart shows all best bids for the line. The winning bid is the lowest price/score ratio for the line/lot/group line.
Vertical lines indicate the close date, the current price (if a current price was defined when the negotiation was created), and the target price (if a target price was defined when the negotiation was created).

Notes at the bottom of the page indicate the negotiation currency and the last refresh time.