Using the Fairmarkit Import Template for RFP

When manually creating a larger proposal, use the Fairmarkit Template for Import to quickly populate the necessary lines for your RFP.

From a Draft RFP, click on the Import Questions button under any of the Questions sections. Then, select the Download template for import option.

This will download the Excel template, allowing you to open it in your preferred spreadsheet editing program.

The Section column lets the system know which named Section of your RFP the specified Questions are associated with. These should be identified in the order in which they appear in the platform (e.g. All Header lines entered before beginning Detail lines).

The Line # column is used to number your line items. For individual Item and Service Questions, number the lines sequentially (e.g. 1, 2, 3). For Service Questions with multiple Components, use whole numbers to identify the Service Question and decimal points to identify the individual Components under each Question (e.g. 3, 3.1, 3.2). Begin numbering again from 1 as you move from Section to Section (e.g. Header to Detail).

The Line Type column tells the system what kind of line to use, Item Question, Service Question, or Service Component.

The Manufacturer and MFG Part # fields are optional, but can be used to share the manufacturer and manufacturer part number for Item Questions. These fields are not used for Service Questions and Service Components and are optional for all other question types.

The Item/Service Question Description column will be used to populate the description text for each Question or Component of your request.

The Unit of Measure shares the unit of measure for the line and must match a unit contained within Fairmarkit in order to import. If the necessary unit is not available in Fairmarkit, please contact [e-mail] and request that it be added. 

Current list of available units of measure for Item Questions:

cubic yard	hank	kilometer	pack	piece	reem	square yard	tube
cup	hectare	kit	package	pint	roll	suit	yard
dozen	hundred	length	packet	pot	sachet	tank	each
drum	imperial gallon	light	pad	pound	set	thousand
foot	inch	liter	pail	punnet	sheet	tin
gallon	jar	meter	pair	quart	spool	ton
gram	keg	millimeter	pallet	rack	square foot	tray
gross	kilogram	ounce	pg	reel	square meter	tub

Current list of available units of measure for Service Questions and Service Components:

analysis	date	minute	program	text	each	compliance
attachment	date_range	month	project	training	hour
audit	day	no_response	quarter	webinar	event
campaign	fte	percent	second	week	year
contract	integration	production	sme	yes_no	number

The Quantity column stores the quantity of the items or services being requested and can only accept whole numbers. This field is not required for a Service Question with multiple Service Components.

The Benchmark column stores the last price paid for the item or service being requested and can accept numerical values up to two decimal places. Currency type is determined within the platform, so the spreadsheet does not allow for a currency symbol in this field. This field is not required for a Service Question with multiple Service Components and is optional for all other question types.

The UNSPSC column stores the UNSPSC for the item or service being requested and will appear as additional information at the line level. This field is optional.

The Comments column stores any comments for the item or service being requested and will appear as additional information at the line level. This field is optional.

The Start Date and End Date columns store the start and end dates for the item or service being requested and will appear as additional information at the line level. These fields are optional.

Any number of rows can be uploaded quickly and easily using this formatting, but additional columns cannot be added to the spreadsheet.

Once you have completed formatting your request, save the spreadsheet and use the Import from Excel button to bring up your file browser and select the saved file.

The system will automatically populate the lines from your spreadsheet within Fairmarkit, allowing you to make any necessary additions or changes to the request before sending it out.

If there is an issue with the import file, you will receive an intelligent error message that will indicate the line and column wherein the problem resides.