Vendor Portal Overview and Conversion Options

This portal helps vendors complete key tasks online.

Vendors can:

• Register as new vendors
• Submit invoices
• View invoice status
• View purchase order history
• Request vendor information changes

All portal submissions enter Aclarian as draft forms.

An internal user must review each draft.

The internal user then submits it into workflow.

Overview

The Vendor Portal supports three main submission types:

• Vendor registration
• Vendor invoice submission
• Vendor information change request

Vendors can also create a profile.

A profile lets vendors:

• View invoice history and status
• View purchase order history
• Submit profile change requests

Portal Configuration

Go to: Purchasing Module > Data Management > Purchasing/Payments Portal Configuration

Administrators can turn these features on or off:

• Invoice submission
• Vendor registration
• Signup, login, and profile setup
• Login requirement for invoice submission
• Invoice history
• Purchase order history
• Vendor information change requests

Submission Routing

Each submission type can route to:

• A specific user
• A workflow group

A workflow group is the recommended option.

It is easier to scale.

It also helps avoid bottlenecks.

You can set routing for:

• Vendor registration
• Vendor invoice submission
• Vendor information change request

Assigned users will:

• Receive submissions on their dashboard
• See submissions as draft forms
• Review the forms
• Submit the forms into workflow

Delegation

Users who receive portal submissions can use the Delegate option.

Delegation lets one internal user reassign a draft form to another internal user.

After delegation:

• The new user becomes the Requested By user
• The form appears on the new user’s dashboard
• The new user reviews and submits the form

Use delegation when the original reviewer needs help with:

• GL coding
• Vendor status
• Vendor history

In Form Search:

• Requested By shows the delegated user
• Modified Date shows the latest update
• Delegated By shows the original user

Vendor Registration Process

Vendor steps

The vendor completes the registration form in the portal.

Required information includes:

• Address information
• W9, or a reason why it does not apply
• Payment preferences
• Contact information

ACH is optional.

After the vendor submits the form, the vendor receives:

• A success message
• An approval email with the Vendor ID after approval

Internal review steps

The registration appears as a draft Vendor Form.

The reviewer should:

1. Open the form
2. Review all fields
3. Confirm W9 and 1099 classification
4. Check for duplicate vendors
5. Make edits if needed
6. Submit the form for approval

If configured, the system can check for duplicate vendors using TIN validation.

Result

After approval:

• The vendor record is created
• The vendor receives a confirmation email
• The email includes the Vendor ID
• The email includes a link to the Vendor Portal

The form then moves into the standard vendor workflow.

Vendor Profile Setup

After approval, the vendor uses the Vendor ID to create login credentials.

If the vendor does not know the Vendor ID, internal users can find it here:

• Purchasing Module > Data Management > Vendor Management

More than one user can register under the same Vendor ID.

You can review vendor profiles in the Vendor Management table.

Use the caret dropdown for each vendor.

This shows the email addresses of registered profiles.

Vendor Information Change Requests

Vendor steps

Vendors can submit updates to their profile.

Only one active request is allowed at a time.

Internal review steps

The request appears as a draft vendor information change request form.

It appears on the dashboard for the selected user or group.

The system highlights:

• Changed fields in red
• Previous values in gray

The reviewer should:

1. Validate the requested changes
2. Apply internal controls
3. Submit the request into workflow

Recommended controls

Use extra review for sensitive changes.

Examples include:

• Banking or ACH changes
• TIN or SSN changes

For banking changes:

• Confirm the change by phone or email before approval

For TIN or SSN changes:

• A new vendor registration is usually required

Result

After approval:

• The vendor profile updates
• Change history stays in the Vendor Form

Invoice Submission Process

When a vendor submits an invoice, the portal asks:

• Is there a Purchase Order associated with this invoice?

The answer controls how the submission enters Aclarian.

Invoice with a purchase order

If the box is checked:

• PO Number becomes required
• The invoice enters Aclarian as an Invoice Approval Form with PO

If the vendor is logged in:

• The system validates that the PO belongs to that vendor

If the vendor is not logged in:

• The request can still submit
• The PO may be incorrect
• Internal review is required

Reviewer actions:

• Verify the amount
• Adjust the fiscal month if needed
• Submit the form into workflow

Invoice without a purchase order

If the box is not checked:

• The invoice enters Aclarian as a Check Request

If the vendor is logged in:

• The vendor name fills in automatically

If the vendor is not logged in:

• The reviewer must assign the vendor
• The reviewer must complete missing fields

Reviewer actions:

• Add GL coding
• Review attachments
• Submit the form into workflow

Where to Find Portal Submissions

Use these locations to find submissions:

• Dashboard
• Form Search

The dashboard is the primary location.

Form Search is the best fallback option.

In Form Search:

• Sort by Created Date
• Look for forms with Delegate Allowed: Yes
• Check whether Delegated By has a value

These signs often show that the form came from the Vendor Portal.

Should Vendors Be Required to Log In?

• Organizations can decide whether login is required before invoice submission.

If login is required

Pros:

• The vendor is identified automatically
• The vendor name fills in on check requests
• Manual cleanup is reduced

Cons:

• It adds steps for the vendor
• It may reduce portal use

If login is not required

Pros:

• It is easier for vendors to submit invoices
• More vendors may use the portal

Cons

• The vendor may not be identifiable
• Reviewers may need to complete more fields

 

Invoice and Purchase Order History

Vendors can view invoice status in the portal.

Possible statuses include:

• In Progress: The submission is in workflow
• Completed: The submission is approved and pending payment
• Denied: The invoice was denied in workflow

Completed invoices can show the approval date.

Vendors can also:

• View purchase order details
• Download purchase order documents

Key System Behaviors

Keep these points in mind:

• All portal submissions enter as draft forms
• Submissions follow standard workflows after review and submission
• Vendor ID is required for profile setup
• Vendor ID is required for authenticated submissions
• Logged in vendors usually provide more accurate data

Vendor Data Conversion Strategy

Before go live, decide how vendor data will enter Aclarian.

Option 1: Re-registration

Vendors register from scratch in the portal.

Best when:

• You are not converting history
• You are not converting open purchase orders
• Legacy data is limited
• Legacy data is outdated

Pros:

• Cleaner vendor data
• W9 is collected before submission
• Less conversion work
• Strong portal adoption

Cons:

• Harder to load payment history
• Harder to load open purchase orders
• More vendor communication is needed
• More review work may happen after go live
• Some vendors may still need manual setup

Option 2: Full conversion

Legacy vendor data is imported.

Best when:

• You need continuity at go live
• You need payment history
• You need open purchase order conversion
• Legacy data is reliable

Pros:

• Faster production readiness
• Supports history and open purchase orders
• Less work after go live

Cons:

• Data cleanup may be needed
• Imported data may be outdated
• W9 forms cannot be imported
• W9 forms must be attached later or collected by change request

Option 3: Hybrid approach

Legacy data is imported.

Vendors then validate or update their information in the portal.

This is the recommended option for most organizations.

Best when:

• You need continuity
• You also want better data quality over time

Pros:

• Supports history and purchase order conversion
• Improves data quality over time
• Encourages portal use

Cons:

• Requires both conversion and communication
• W9 follow up is still needed after import

  Vendor Conversion Options Summary

 

Option	Summary	Pros	Cons	Recommended For
Re-Registration (Portal Only)	Vendors register from scratch in portal	Cleanest data; W9 required upfront; minimal conversion effort; strong portal adoption	Harder to load history and POs; requires vendor outreach; review workload; some vendors will not register	Clients not converting history or POs; introducing ACH; limited or messy legacy data
Full Conversion	Import legacy vendor data	Immediate readiness; supports history and open PO conversion; less post go live effort	Data cleanup required; risk of outdated info; W9s cannot be imported; lower portal adoption	Clients needing full continuity; good data access; established processes
Hybrid (Recommended)	Import data plus vendors validate via portal	Balanced approach; supports history and POs; improves data over time; encourages portal use	Requires conversion plus communication; W9 follow up needed	Most clients; need continuity but want improved data quality

Summary

The Vendor Portal gives vendors a simple way to register, submit invoices, and request profile changes.

Each submission enters Aclarian as a draft form.

An internal user reviews the draft.

The internal user then submits it into workflow.

Use workflow groups, delegation, and strong review controls for the best results.