Requesting a Trading Partner Relationship

This procedure will take you though the process of forming a trading partner relationship, starting with locating potential partners and going through setting the parameters of the requested relationship.

From the navigation bar at the left of the screen, under Relationships, select Create.
If you are looking for a specific company, enter its name and e-mail address in the Company Name and E-mail fields respectively.
If you are looking for any company that fits certain parameters instead, leave the Company Name and E-mail fields blank, and instead select the type of business you are looking to trade with from the Select Trading Partner Type radio button. See Request a Trading Partner for the definitions of these selections.
Select the vertical markets in which you are interested in trading. The system defaults with all possible vertical markets selected. If you wish to narrow this list, highlight the vertical market you wish to remove by clicking on it, then click the button. If you wish to remove all the markets at once, click the button. Note that at least one vertical market must be selected.
If the type of business you are searching for is anything but a manufacturer, you must now select which manufacturers you wish to trade with potential trading partners. The list you have to choose from is the list of manufacturers with whom you have rationalized inventory. You must select at least one manufacturer.
Once you have completed all the parameters, click the Search button.
The Trading Partner Search Result screen will display all the companies that match your stated parameters. You will be provided with the company's name, contact information, and the type of company. At the end of each company line there will be a link that reads Request Relationship. If you wish to trade with this company, click this link.
You will be brought to a new screen where you can set the terms of your proposed relationship. The first option is a radio button where you may set your availability options as they apply to this proposed trading partner.
Secondly, you must choose which manufacturers' items you wish to trade with this potential partner, unless the business is a manufacturer itself. Like elsewhere in Trading Partner Connect, the system defaults to selecting all the manufacturers available. You may remove an individual manufacturer by highlighting it and clicking the button, or remove them all by clicking the button. The list is composed of all the manufacturers you and the proposed trading partner have both rationalized inventories with, and at least one manufacturer must be selected.
Click the Submit button.
An notification will be sent to the potential trading partner detailing the proposed arrangement. If the business accepts, you will be notified and the relationship will begin.