This tutorial explains how to use SpendLogic to create compliant commercial item determinations.

Transcript:

Hi. My name is Patrick Mathern, I’m the founder of SpendLogic. In this short video tutorial, we’re going to show you how SpendLogic works to create compliant commercial item determinations every time. Let’s get started. ♪ [music] ♪ For any screen in SpendLogic, click the New Report button at the top of the screen and click Commercial Item Determination.

You’ll notice that the screen looks similar to price analysis, except you start on the CID Method Chooser instead of the PO tab. This is an important consideration because commercial item determinations are not PO specific. They can and should be used across multiple purchase orders in your organization. In SpendLogic, CIDs are linked to part numbers. Therefore, regardless of who the supplier is, once a part number is determined commercial, it can be reused continuously.

Indicate whether you’re creating a CID for an item or a service. In this case, I’ll choose Item. You’re then asked for a part number and just like price analysis, if it exists, you can choose it from the list. If it doesn’t, then you’ll have the opportunity to add it. At this point, SpendLogic will indicate whether there is a CID in the system already. Because CIDs may be reused, SpendLogic will lead you through the correct process if one already exists for your part number.

For now, we’ll focus on a new CID. Once I enter the part number and see that there is no CID in the system, I can start answering questions that pertain to my part. You recognize these as the commercial item requirements set forth in the FAR, at FAR 2.101. Once you’ve reached the point where you’ve clicked Yes, go ahead and click Next to go to the next tab. The purpose of the questions that show up on this tab is to provide adequate support for the method you choose on the CID Method Chooser tab.

As you work through this tab, be as complete as possible in your answers. Remember that CIDs will be reused across the organization, so it’s important to tell the story and upload all supporting documentation. When you complete the final question, click Next. This is the Report tab. You have two choices, finalize and download. One thing that’s especially important to understand in CIDs is that other users will only see finalized reports.

Therefore, if you’ve completed a CID but have not yet clicked Finalize, it will not be made available to others. Another point is that SpendLogic displays the most recently finalized CID report. If another user creates a CID for this part number, the CID created last will be available to others. It’s essential, once you’ve completed your CID, to click Finalize. You’ll get an alert that indicates it will be locked.

This is okay. Click Finalize again. The screen now changes slightly so that instead of finalize and download, your options become copy and download. Searching CIDs is much like searching price analysis reports, but with a few important differences. From any screen in SpendLogic, click Search Reports at the top of the screen. This brings up the search screen.

Click Commercial Item Determination in the rows filter. Without clicking this, you will not see CID reports. Notice that there are far fewer CIDs than there are price analysis reports. This will always be the case because users can only see one finalized CID per part number. You can tell when a CID is finalized because it will have the lock icon displayed. While you can see any CID that you’ve created, you’ll only see finalized reports from others.

The action buttons here are the same as price analysis, preview or edit, download, copy, export, and delete. Your buttons will change based on whether you’re the original owner of the document. This concludes our video. Thanks for watching. If you have questions on this or any other feature in SpendLogic, you can visit spendlogic.com/help, or email us at [email protected].