Respond to a data request
Overview
Responding to a data request is the core action in the Supplier Portal. This guide covers the response workflow from opening the request to submitting your response, including the field types you may see.
Step 1: Open the Request
From the Open Data Requests card on your Dashboard, open the request. Or go to Data Requests in the sidebar and click Provide Data on the request.
The page opens with:
- A Back to Requests button and a View cascade tree link. See Cascade tree.
- A Request Details card with the customer, the product, the Status and the requested date.
- The Provide Requested Data card, with one input per requested field and an optional Additional Notes box.
- The Reject Request button, and a submit button that names your customer.
Step 2: Complete Each Requested Field
The fields requested by the customer are listed in the Provide Requested Data card. Work through each field in turn.
Entering Values Directly
Click into the field and type your value. For a number field the unit, when the request has one, is shown at the right of the box. Enter the number only.
Using your material library as a reference
Your material library is a manual reference you can consult while answering. Open it in another tab to look up a material's stored details and copy the values into the response fields.
One-click "populate from library" is planned. Selecting a stored material and having its values flow into the matching request fields automatically is not available today. Enter values directly for now.
Field Types
Which input you see depends on the field. A field can be:
- Text. The default. A plain box. Text values may be up to 10,000 characters.
- Number. A number box. A unit label appears at the right if the request has one.
- Percent. A number from 0 to 100 with a % sign.
- Date. Your browser's date picker.
- Yes or No. A switch showing Yes or No.
- Country. A list headed "Select country...".
- Document link. A box that expects a web address (the box shows https:// as a hint).
Fields on requests sent from the product Traceability tab are plain text.
Step 3: Complete the Response in One Sitting
You complete the response and submit it in a single action. There is no background auto-save of an in-progress response. Fill in the requested fields and submit before leaving the page. Plan to work through the response in one session so you do not lose entries.
Step 4: Add a Note (Optional)
Below the requested fields there is an optional Additional Notes (optional) box. Your note is sent to the customer with your response and can be up to 2,000 characters.
Use it to add context for the customer, for example:
- Explaining that a value is based on a 2024 study and a more recent study is in progress
- Flagging that values for one field are estimates pending laboratory confirmation
Step 5: Required Fields
You can leave a field blank only if it is not marked required. A required field has a red asterisk, and Traceable will not submit until every required field has a value. Fields on requests sent from the product Traceability tab are all required.
Step 6: Submit
- Click the submit button at the bottom of the page. Its text is "Submit Response to" followed by your customer's name.
- Traceable checks the values. If one is wrong, you see the message "Please correct the highlighted field" with the reason, and nothing is sent.
- On success you see "Response submitted successfully" and return to the Data Requests list.
The request moves to the Completed tab with the status Fulfilled. The customer is emailed and gets an in-app notification titled Data Request Response Received.
You can open the request later with View Details to see your Submitted Response, but you cannot change it.
Request Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | The customer is waiting for your response (shown on the Pending tab) |
| Fulfilled | You have submitted your response |
| Rejected | You declined the request and gave a reason |
The Dashboard card Open Data Requests labels pending requests "Action Required".