Data Slots are created using our Form Builder functionality via Settings > Form Builder. Data Slots are stored within one single master Organisation Data Slot form in Form Builder. This allows you to create new data slots, amend the order of how they appear to Key Users/Suppliers and edit/delete existing data slots. More information on Data Slots can be found here. 

Creating the master Organisation Data Slot form

If don't already have the master Organisation Data Slot form in your Form Builder screen, you'll need to first create it in order to add Data Slots to. This form will be highlighted in the Form Builder screen and is called Organisation Data Slots. If you already have a form in Form Builder called 'Organisation Data Slots', please skip this step.

  • Head to Settings > Form Builder
  • Select "Build New Form"
  • For the 'Form purpose' field, select Organisation Data Slots
  • You can now follow the steps below to add Data Slots to this form

N.B. You can only have one Form with the purpose "Organisation Data Slots".

Adding new Organisation Data Slots

You need to have the form called Organisation Data Slots to add Data Slots to. If you can't find this form in the form builder screen, please follow the steps above to create it.

  • Head to Settings > Form Builder
  • Click on the form called Organisation Data Slots to open it up
  • Click on the different Question Types to add them as a Data Slot. Each Question added in the form is treated as an individual Data Slot by the software.
    • Single-line text field - One line answer.
    • Multi-line text-field - Textbox allowing more detailed text, and spaced on different lines.
    • Drop-down list - Option to select one item from drop-down list.
    • Radio button group - Option to select one answer only, perfect for those "Yes/No" questions.
    • Checkbox group - Ability to select multiple options.
    • Date Selector - Option to specify a date, e.g. final proof deadline.
    • Text block - Ability to include text you'd like the client to see when responding to the form. Note this is read-only, and you can also choose to Include in response which will allow the text block to show in the order specifications.
    • Number field - Numerical question value responses, including optional currency symbols and negative values.
    • Rag Field (only for data slots) - Option to select Red, Amber or Green as a response to a question. You can use this to rank Suppliers according to specific criterion (but ensure that the data slot is not made visible to organisations, as noted below, so the supplier cannot see this ranking)
  • To note when adding Data Slots:
    • You can change order of Data Slots by pressing and dragging the squares on the left-hand side
    • Help text - Set text under the field box.
    • Placeholder text - Shows in the field box, acts as a prompt.
    • Visible to Organisations (where permission is turned on) - Tick this to make the data slot visible to Suppliers via the Supplier Interface > Organisation Data Slots
      • This will allow suppliers to input information to this Data Slot outside of a questionnaire
      • If this is un-ticked, the Data slot will only be visible to Key Users via the Organisation page > "Data Slots" tab and will have a padlock icon next to it. This is useful for when you want to store information against suppliers that you don't want them to see.
    • Conditional (Only visible to suppliers if they have provided a data slot response within a questionnaire)
      • When this option is picked, this means the Data Slot filed will only appear to suppliers in their "Data Slots" screen once they have provided a response for that data slot within a questionnaire response.
      • For a Key User when viewing via the Organisation profile, these data slots, again, will only appear once the supplier has provided a response for that data slot within a questionnaire response.
      • This option can therefore be used for data slots where you only want it visible to suppliers when relevant to questionnaire they are undertaking. This will help keep the Data Slots more tidy and relevant for suppliers and Key Users when reviewing.
    • Archive
      • When a Data Slot is archived this will mean the Data Slot is no longer visible by default when a Key User Reviews the Data Slots of that organisation. To view 'Archived' data slots, Key Users can press the Archive Toggle to see a Suppliers archived Data Slot.
      • Moreover, for a supplier, when a Data Slot is archived, they will no longer see the Data Slot in their view. The information will still be kept so that a Key User can see it from their view by toggling to Archived.
  • Select the Preview tab to view how the form would look like.
  • If creating the form for the first time, when happy press Create.
  • If you need to amend anything, make your changes and then press Update.

Editing an existing Data Slot:

A Key User will be able to edit a Data Slot when - 

  • The Slot is not on a published Tender Questionnaire or published Research Questionnaire (as this would mess up the Evaluation process/scores)

If the above criteria is correct:

  • Click on the Organisation Data Slots master form
  • Edit any of the Data Slots as outlined above, then click "Update"
  • You can also delete a Data Slot by clicking the bin icon next to it
    • If a Data Slot has been filled in by a Supplier or Key User but not included in a Questionnaire, you will first get a confirmation message telling you which Suppliers have provided Data in this Slot and to confirm you're sure you want to delete it

If the above criteria does not stand, the Data Slot will be greyed over with a warning alert saying 'This slot is in use and cannot be edited'.