Source App Overview
Streamline how your organization requests quotes, evaluates vendors, and awards work—all in one place. The Source app brings RFQs (Request for Quote), vendor management, collaborative evaluation, and analytics into a single, configurable workflow.
What is the Source App?
The Source app is a sourcing and vendor management tool built for teams that need to run RFQs, RFPs, or RFIs, collect and compare quotes, and award work to vendors with clear audit trails. You create requests, invite vendors, manage questions and answers, run evaluation stages with multiple evaluators, and optionally push awarded RFQs into Procurement as requisitions.
Core Value Proposition:
- Centralize sourcing — One place for RFQs, quotes, vendor Q&A, and evaluation
- Control the process — Configurable deadlines, approval rules, and evaluation methods
- Compare and decide — Side-by-side quote comparison and weighted or best-value scoring
- Connect to procurement — Create requisitions from awarded RFQs when the Procurement app is enabled
At a Glance
| Integrations | Mobile Ready |
|---|---|
| Procurement (requisition from awarded RFQ) | Yes |
Perfect For:
- Procurement and operations teams — Run RFQs and RFPs with structured items and questions
- Managers — Create RFQs, assign evaluators, and review analytics
- Administrators — Configure templates, notifications, evaluation rules, and vendor scorecards
How It Works
RFQ Lifecycle
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RFQ LIFECYCLE │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ┌────────────┐ ┌────────────┐ ┌────────────┐ ┌─────────┐│
│ │ DRAFT │────▶│ ISSUED │────▶│ QUOTES DUE │────▶│ UNDER ││
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │EVALUATION││
│ └────────────┘ └────────────┘ └────────────┘ └────┬────┘│
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ │ ┌────────────┐ ┌────────────┐ ┌─────────┐│
│ │ │ ACCEPTING │ │ VENDOR │ │ AWARDED ││
│ │ │ QUESTIONS │ │ QUOTES │ │ or ││
│ │ └────────────┘ └────────────┘ │CANCELLED││
│ │ └─────────┘│
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Integration (Procurement)
When the Procurement app is enabled, you can create a requisition from an awarded RFQ so the same deal flows into your procure-to-pay process.
┌─────────────────┐
│ SOURCE APP │
│ (RFQ / Quotes) │
└────────┬────────┘
│
Award RFQ │ Create requisition
▼
┌─────────────────┐
│ PROCUREMENT │
│ (Requisition) │
└─────────────────┘
Key Features
RFQs (Request for Quote)
Create and manage RFQs with line items, questions, invited vendors, and deadlines. Supported types are RFQ, RFP, and RFI. You can start from scratch or from an RFQ template.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft and issue | Build in draft, then issue so vendors can respond |
| Items and questions | Define line items (description, quantity, unit, estimated price) and custom questions vendors must answer |
| Invited vendors | Select which vendors receive the RFQ |
| Deadlines | Submission deadline and optional question deadline |
| Amendments | When allowed in settings, edit issued RFQs and notify vendors |
Use Case: Procurement needs three quotes for office supplies. You create an RFQ with line items, add questions (e.g., delivery terms), invite three vendors, set a two-week deadline, and issue. Vendors submit quotes; you compare and award.
Quotes and Comparison
Vendors submit quotes with line-level pricing and answers to RFQ questions. Internal users can compare all submitted quotes side-by-side. Optional auto-scoring uses configured weights to rank quotes.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Quote submission | Vendors (or internal users on their behalf) create and submit quotes; late submission can be allowed or blocked by settings |
| Quote comparison | View all submitted quotes in a comparison view with line items and totals |
| Ranking | Quotes can be ranked by evaluation score or other criteria |
Evaluation
Evaluation is stage-based: you define evaluation stages and assign evaluators to quote subsets. Evaluators score quotes (with optional scoring templates and required comments). Progress is tracked so managers can see who has completed evaluations.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Evaluation stages | Create one or more stages per RFQ and assign evaluators to specific quotes |
| Scoring | Score by criteria; optional scoring template and collaborative evaluation settings |
| Submit evaluation | Each evaluator submits scores (and comments when required by settings) |
| Blind evaluation | When enabled, evaluators may not see other evaluators’ scores until complete |
Vendor Management
Vendors are shared across the platform (e.g., with Asset Pro). In Source you manage vendor contacts, qualification status, optional scorecards, and optional product catalog per vendor.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Vendor list and profile | View vendors, recent RFQs, and recent quotes |
| Contacts | Manage vendor contacts per business |
| Qualification | Approve, reject, or request more info; optional requirement so only qualified vendors receive RFQs |
| Scorecards | When enabled in settings, track overall and criteria-based scores |
| Product catalog | When enabled, vendors can have catalog items for quick add to RFQs |
Vendor Q&A
Vendors (or internal users) can ask questions on an RFQ. Internal team can answer (with optional broadcast to all vendors), and add internal-only comments for coordination.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Ask question | Submit a question linked to the RFQ and optionally mark private |
| Answer | Answer with optional broadcast to all vendors |
| Internal comments | Add comments visible only to your team |
RFQ Templates
Managers and admins can create reusable RFQ templates with pre-defined items and questions. Templates speed up creating new RFQs and keep structure consistent.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Create and edit | Define template name, items, and questions |
| Activate / deactivate | Control which templates appear when creating RFQs |
| Duplicate | Clone a template to create a new one |
Analytics and Export
Analytics are available to managers and above. The analytics dashboard shows RFQ, quote, vendor, financial, and efficiency metrics over a chosen period (e.g., 30 days, 6 months, 1 year). Reports can be exported (e.g., PDF).
| Metric areas | Description |
|---|---|
| RFQ metrics | Total, issued, awarded, cancelled; average quotes per RFQ; time to award; conversion rate |
| Quote metrics | Total, submitted, accepted; average value; response time; acceptance rate |
| Vendor metrics | Total and qualified vendors; top vendors by awards and quotes; average score; distribution |
| Financial metrics | Sourcing value, savings, spend by category/vendor, cost avoidance |
| Efficiency and trends | Additional efficiency and trend analysis over the period |
Notifications
Email notifications are configurable in Settings. Available triggers include:
| Type | When triggered |
|---|---|
| RFQ issued | Vendors invited to the RFQ |
| Question answered | Vendor’s question has been answered |
| RFQ awarded | Winning vendor is notified |
| Qualification status | Vendor qualification status changes |
| New vendor question | Internal RFQ creator when a vendor asks a question |
| Quote submitted | Internal RFQ creator when a quote is submitted |
| Deadline reminders | Submission and question deadlines approaching (e.g., expiring-soon reminders) |
Automation (Background Jobs)
Scheduled jobs support reminders and follow-up:
| Job | Purpose |
|---|---|
| RFQ expiring reminder | Notify when submission deadline is approaching (threshold configurable) |
| Quote comparison ready | Notify when quote comparison is ready (e.g., after evaluations) |
| Evaluation deadline reminder | Remind evaluators as evaluation deadline nears |
Settings (Admin)
Admins configure the app: enable/disable features, set defaults, and control who can do what. Examples:
- Vendor and evaluation: Vendor qualification requirement, vendor portal, vendor scorecards, product catalog, collaborative and blind evaluation, minimum evaluators, required evaluation comments
- RFQ lifecycle: Manager/finance approval, approval thresholds, RFQ amendments, late quotes, auto-close after deadline
- Notifications: Which events trigger email (vendors and internal), reminder days, from/reply-to
- Numbering: RFQ and quote number prefixes
- Sample data: Load or delete sample data for demos and training
User Roles & Permissions
| Role | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Employee | View dashboard; browse RFQs and vendors (subject to app access) |
| Manager | Create and manage RFQs; manage quotes; run evaluations; manage RFQ templates; view analytics and export; answer vendor questions |
| Admin | All of the above; access Settings; load/delete sample data; configure notifications, evaluation rules, and feature toggles |
Access to RFQ create/edit/issue/award and to templates/analytics is enforced via the Source app’s feature access (e.g., manager-or-above for templates and analytics, admin for settings).
Mobile
The Source app has a mobile-friendly experience. Users can:
- View the Source dashboard and RFQ list (with filters)
- Open an RFQ and see its quotes
- View “My RFQs” (RFQs they created)
- Browse vendors and open a vendor profile (qualification and scorecard when available)
How We Compare
See how MangoApps Workforce Source stacks up against leading sourcing and procurement solutions:
| Feature | MangoApps Workforce | SAP Ariba | Coupa |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFQ / RFP creation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vendor invitation and quote collection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vendor Q&A on RFQ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-evaluator evaluation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Quote comparison | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics and reporting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Procurement integration (requisition) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Legend: Yes = Included in core product.
Why MangoApps Workforce?
- Unified platform — Source works with Procurement, Asset Pro, and other apps in one system
- Configurable workflow — Approval, evaluation, and notifications tailored to your process
- Built-in notifications — Vendors and internal teams stay informed without extra tools
Getting Started
For Employees
- Open the Source app from the apps menu.
- Use the Dashboard to see RFQ and quote summaries; open RFQs and vendors as needed.
For Managers
- Create an RFQ (or use an RFQ template): add items, questions, and invited vendors; set deadlines.
- Issue the RFQ so vendors can submit questions and quotes.
- Use Vendor Q&A to answer questions (and optionally broadcast answers).
- When quotes are in, create evaluation stages, assign evaluators, and run evaluations.
- Compare quotes, award the winning vendor, and optionally create a Procurement requisition from the awarded RFQ.
For Administrators
- Enable the Source app for your business.
- In Settings, configure notifications, evaluation rules, vendor qualification, and optional features (scorecards, product catalog, etc.).
- Create RFQ templates so managers can start from a standard structure.
- Optionally load sample data to explore the app, then remove it when done.
Best Practices
- Use RFQ templates for categories you run often so structure and questions stay consistent.
- Set clear submission and question deadlines and use reminder notifications so vendors respond on time.
- Assign at least two evaluators when possible and use evaluation comments to document decisions.
- Keep vendor contacts and qualification status up to date so the right vendors receive RFQs.
- Review analytics periodically to spot trends in response times, award rates, and savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can we require multiple quotes before closing an RFQ?
A: Yes. In Settings you can require a minimum number of quotes; the system can enforce this before moving to evaluation or award (when configured).
Q: Who can see analytics?
A: Analytics (dashboard and export) are available to users with manager-level access or above for the Source app.
Q: How does Source connect to Procurement?
A: When the Procurement app is enabled, you can create a requisition from an awarded RFQ. The requisition is created with the winning vendor and line details from the winning quote, so you can continue the procure-to-pay process without re-entering data.
Related Resources
- Apps & Extensions Overview — All marketplace apps
- Procurement App — Requisitions and P2P (where Source can create requisitions)
- Asset Pro App — Assets and vendors (shared vendor base)
Streamline sourcing from request to award—and into procurement—with the Source app.
