Table of Contents
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Agency Updates: Welcome to Ohio|Buys | Requesting Updates to Rules Engine | Origin Codes in Ohio|Buys
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Supplier Updates: Changes for Suppliers | Supplier Webinars
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Training Tips: Reviewing RFx Settings | Closing a Quick Quote | Sustainment Training Calendar | Office Hours Available
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Key Term(s): Generic Products
Agency Updates
WELCOME TO OHIO|BUYS
We would like to welcome the following agencies who are moving into Ohio|Buys as of October 1st:
- Department of Development
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- Department of Natural Resources (remaining divisions)
- Department of Taxation
The Ohio|Buys team looks forward to working with you as we continue to grow and streamline the procurement process for State agencies, State requisite programs, local governments, and higher education institutions across Ohio.
REQUESTING UPDATES TO RULES ENGINE
Agency Admins are the appropriate contact to submit a request for updates to their agency rules engine. The project team only accepts rules engine updates submitted by an Agency Admin.
Agency Admins should initiate changes to the approval rules by submitting a helpdesk ticket to OBM.SharedServices@OBM.ohio.gov. The State Admin assigned to the case will provide the appropriate template(s) and instructions based on the situation:
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If Less Than 20 Rules Need to be Updated: These will likely be made through the Ohio|Buys user interface. Agency Admins should export their agency’s rules from the Manage Rules grid and use cell highlights and/or font color to indicate changes. Submit this annotated grid as an attachment to the helpdesk ticket.
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If 20 Rules or More Need to be Updated: To initiate changes to 20 or more existing approval rules, an Agency Admin should indicate that changes to existing rules are needed or existing rules need to be deleted in the helpdesk ticket. A State Admin will be assigned to the case and will email the agency's rules engine spreadsheet to the Agency Admin who submitted the request. As part of this email, please provide a description of what rules need to be updated/deleted.
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If a New Rule Needs to Be Added: To initiate a request to add new rules, an Agency Admin should indicate that new rules need to be added in the help desk ticket. A State Admin will be assigned to the case to work with the Agency Admin to add the additional rules. As part of this ticket, please provide a description of what rules need to be added.
For details on making rules engine updates as a State Admin, please refer to the Update Agency Rules Engine Job Aid.
ORIGIN CODES IN OHIO|BUYS
One field that has raised a lot of questions from users is the Origin Code field on a purchase requisition. Previously there was no Origin Code field on purchases created in OAKS, and many users are wondering if the addition of this field in Ohio|Buys means that the Origin Code will now automatically carry over to invoices in OAKS.
If a Supplier has chosen to submit invoices via Ohio|Buys, then the corresponding invoice in OAKS will automatically pull the Origin Code from the purchase record in Ohio|Buys; however, if the entire invoicing process takes place in OAKS, as is the case for most active agencies, the Origin Code will not automatically transfer onto the OAKS invoice from the purchase record in Ohio|Buys.
Since most invoices are not being submitted via Ohio|Buys, users are advised to indicate the Origin Code in the header comments of their purchase requisition, as those comments will always pass over between Ohio|Buys and OAKS regardless of how an invoice is submitted.
Some agencies have chosen to affix their origin codes to the end of their Bill To addresses in Ohio|Buys, as demonstrated in the example below. Agencies not currently setting up their Bill To addresses in this format are encouraged to consider it to simplify the transition of the origin code between Ohio|Buys and OAKS:
DPS FISCAL 3
DPS OSS ADM/BMV - A77
PO Box 182880
UNITED STATES
Columbus, Ohio 43218-2880
Changes to Bill To and Ship To addresses can be requested via the OAKS Location Entry Form.
Supplier Updates
CHANGES FOR SUPPLIERS
As the State of Ohio continues to rollout and enhance Ohio|Buys, there are several new aspects coming online next week in the solution that will affect suppliers. Here are a couple of the biggest changes:
- New Log On Experience
Suppliers will now only have to navigate to the state’s OHID page to reach Ohio|Buys and the Supplier Portal. This log on experience will no longer route them to the Supplier Portal to reach Ohio|Buys.
- Revenue Share Reporting
Ohio|Buys will now be the system of record for revenue share on contracts. If you have a supplier holding contracts with revenue share components, they will be required to begin reporting revenue share in Ohio|Buys after October 1st, 2021 for FY22 Quarter 1.
When you are talking to your suppliers, make sure they are registered in Ohio|Buys with an active log in, correct contacts on their supplier profile, and commodity codes listed.
More information on these updates, along with training materials will be available on the supplier page of the Ohio|Buys website.
SUPPLIER WEBINARS
We are continuing to see a growing demand for our weekly Supplier Webinars. Please let your suppliers know that we have scheduled five additional webinars for October. They can download the meeting invites from the Supplier Training page of the Ohio|Buys website.
Training Tips
REVIEWING RFX SETTINGS
End User’s should be sure they review the RFx Settings after sending a solicitation to ensure that the Solicitation Status and Workflow Status are “Open for Bidding.” It is possible to think that the Solicitation was posted, but the Solicitation is still in Draft status.
CLOSING A QUICK QUOTE
As a reminder, be sure to check your work when reviewing a Quick Quote. It is easy to accidently close a Quick Quote by clicking the “Approve” button on the solicitation.
SUSTAINMENT TRAINING CALENDAR
Ohio|Buys Procure-to-Pay sustainment training for Early Adopter Agencies is scheduled through December 2021. See below for upcoming sessions with registration available in OhioLearn. If your agency has a topic request for training or needs solicitation and/or contract training, please notify the project at: OPS.TrainingAcademy@das.ohio.gov
OFFICE HOURS AVAILABLE
NOTE: A limited quantity of office hours will be available in October as our trainers will be delivering training to the Phase 2 Wave 1 agencies. If you require assistance with using Ohio|Buys during this time, please submit a helpdesk ticket and a member of the Ohio|Buys team will contact and work with you. Our team is working on expanding office hours availability in November to support you and will be posting a revised office hour schedule in the coming weeks.
Office Hours are scheduled for Mondays through Thursdays to assist users with Ohio|Buys functionality. You will receive direct help on a specific transaction as you are working through it!
Office hours are available for your training-related questions (i.e., how to do something in Ohio|Buys). If your question(s) is regarding policy or system issues (e.g., why a purchase order is In Progress) then users should submit a helpdesk ticket. In addition, anything that substantially involves R&Ps, OAKS, or OneSpan Sign will need to go to the helpdesk as well.
Remember, if it's a question of "how" then office hours are the way to go. If it's a question of "why" it needs a helpdesk ticket.
To sign up for these 1-hour office hour sessions:
1 – Determine which item you need to shop for, which requisition you are working on, your active quick quote, solicitation, or contract, or template you would like help with and have that ready to share at the appointment.
2 – There are two links – if the date and time you are looking for are booked at one link, try the other link: Office Hours 1 | Office Hours 2
Register for a time slot: either 1pm, 2pm, or 3pm daily. There are 2 appointments available for every hour time slot. Appointments are first come first serve by registration only at the Ohio|Buys information website.
  In the box titled “Please share anything that will help prepare for our meeting” include the topic of your office hour session (e.g.: solicitation, quick quote, etc.).
3 – Receive an Outlook/Teams confirmation appointment. Invite anyone from your team you would like to have involved in this session.
4 – At your appointment: Be logged into Ohio|Buys so you can proceed with your activity. Trainers will advise you on how to complete your transaction, but they will not be driving.
NOTE: Office Hours are not a substitute for opening a helpdesk ticket when there is a technical issue. Trainers can direct you to the help desk if your questions warrant opening a ticket.
These links and instructions are also available on the Ohio|Buys website.
Key Term(s)
GENERIC PROCUCTS:
These are catalog items that do not require a price. An unpriced, generic product allows Requesters and Requisitioners to submit a request for a good or service that will be completed with more specific information later by another performer in the procurement process. Generic products are updated with specific information by choosing a priced item in the catalog or by sending out a solicitation. When viewing a generic product, users will see a product sheet with a generic product attribute selected and no associated price sheet (meaning no supplier, no price, or specific conditions will be displayed).
For More Information
In addition, please refer to:
Support
For log in or system issues please contact OBM Shared Services Center 614-338-4781 or 1-877-644-6771 OR OBM.SharedServices@OBM.Ohio.Gov Remember to put “OhioBuys” in the subject line!
If you have questions about the project itself, please email: ohiobuys@das.ohio.gov.
Mike DeWine, Governor
Jon Husted, Lt. Governor
Kathleen Madden, Director
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