# Create a Request

## Getting started

To create a request, click the "Create Request" button in the top right of the [Requests](https://app.silkline.ai/dashboard/requests) page. This will open the Request submission form. **Note:** draft requests are not saved until submitted.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Requests are a grouping of similar parts that need to be procured.** When sending an RFQ to suppliers, all items on the Request are included. Tags can be used to group several Requests together (e.g., a project or BOM).
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://465350234-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMkq33wMbzAyWkR1CJ30p%2Fuploads%2FvU62rvaZkWDUVENdILQ4%2FScreenshot%202025-02-22%20at%2012.04.27%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c84db9e5-3a5d-42d1-82ef-100bd997a4ea" alt=""><figcaption><p>Screenshot of <strong>New Request</strong> form</p></figcaption></figure>

## **Request fields**

<table><thead><tr><th width="191">Field</th><th width="476">Instructions</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Requester</td><td>Select the user who is requesting the items. Requests can be submitted on behalf of other users.</td></tr><tr><td>Short description</td><td>Enter a brief summary of the request.</td></tr><tr><td>Drop zone</td><td>Select the receiving location from the dropdown menu. These values come from your organizations settings.</td></tr><tr><td>Need date</td><td>Enter an overall need date for the Request. If no need date is entered, supplies will be asked to quote standard lead time. For requests marked as hot, suppliers are asked to quote ASAP. Requests cannot be marked as hot at the time of submission.</td></tr><tr><td>Suppliers</td><td>The requester can select suppliers from the organization's supplier list if they have suppliers in mind for the request. If the items need to be sourced, this field can be left blank. Supplier approval statuses show in the supplier selection if they are set. When working with a new supplier that doesn't exist in Silkline yet, leave the suppliers field blank and specify supplier(s) in the internal notes.</td></tr><tr><td>Tags</td><td><p>Specify tags to organize and group requests. For example, tags can be used to specify:</p><ul><li>a commodity group of the requested item</li><li>a department or team</li><li>a budget code</li><li>a project or build</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Files</td><td><p>Upload files relevant to the request. See below for support file types.</p><p></p><p><strong>Note:</strong> files are shared with suppliers when sending RFQs from the Request. </p></td></tr><tr><td>Notes for Suppliers</td><td>Specify notes that will be shared with suppliers on RFQs.</td></tr><tr><td>Internal notes</td><td>Specify internal notes that are <strong>not</strong> shared with suppliers.</td></tr><tr><td>Parts</td><td>Specify the items on the request. Items can be parts selected from your parts library, or free text descriptions (or both)</td></tr></tbody></table>

<details>

<summary><i class="fa-cabinet-filing">:cabinet-filing:</i> Supported File Types</summary>

<table><thead><tr><th width="356.00390625">FIle Type</th><th>Extension(s)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Comma-Separated Values </td><td><code>.csv</code></td></tr><tr><td>Microsoft Word</td><td><code>.doc</code> <code>.docx</code></td></tr><tr><td>Drawing Exchange Format</td><td><code>.dxf</code></td></tr><tr><td>Email Message File</td><td><code>.eml</code></td></tr><tr><td>Intermediate Process Control</td><td><code>.ipc</code></td></tr><tr><td>Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)</td><td><code>.jpg</code></td></tr><tr><td>Portable Document Format (PDF)</td><td><code>.pdf</code></td></tr><tr><td>Portable Networks Graph (PNG)</td><td><code>.png</code></td></tr><tr><td>Part File</td><td><code>.prt</code></td></tr><tr><td>Report File</td><td><code>.rep</code></td></tr><tr><td>Step File</td><td><code>.stp</code> <code>.step</code></td></tr><tr><td>Plain Text</td><td><code>.txt</code></td></tr><tr><td>Excel</td><td><code>.xls</code> <code>.xlsx</code></td></tr><tr><td>Parasolid Format</td><td><code>.x_b</code> <code>.x_t</code></td></tr><tr><td>Zip</td><td><code>.zip</code></td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>

{% hint style="info" %}
If your organization needs to collect custom fields for Requests, reach out to <support@silkline.ai> for assistance.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://465350234-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMkq33wMbzAyWkR1CJ30p%2Fuploads%2F5Flrav9UyX7YICOuap29%2FScreenshot%202025-02-22%20at%2011.25.33%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3ea7b07e-f07b-4694-b85f-1dd62afced15" alt=""><figcaption><p>Screenshot of <strong>Parts</strong> input for a Request</p></figcaption></figure>

## Request item fields

<table><thead><tr><th width="244">Field</th><th width="476">Instructions</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Line</td><td>Automatically assigned line number. Deleting a request item does not reorder line numbers.</td></tr><tr><td>Part</td><td><p>Select a part from your organization's Parts library, enter a free text description, or both. </p><p>Use the buttons on the right edge of then field to toggle between part selection and free text inputs. When a value is entered for either, the button icon highlighted blue.</p></td></tr><tr><td>Quantity</td><td>The quantity requested. If you'd like the vendor to quote multiple quantities for a part, specify that in the line description or add new lines for the additional quantities.</td></tr><tr><td>Pedigree</td><td>Select the Pedigree (or quality level) from the list of options.</td></tr><tr><td>Quality Clauses</td><td>Quality Clauses are <strong>not</strong> displayed when submitting a Request because Requesters are not generally expected to know which quality clauses are applicable. Quality Clauses should be added by the Buyer when managing a request if necessary.</td></tr><tr><td>Need Date</td><td>If items on the request have different need dates, you can optionally specify dates at the line item level.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Bulk upload

If you have a BOM or a long list of request items, you can import request items from a CSV file. Silkline uses AI to automatically map your column headers, so it's ok if the column headers don't match the Request item fields exactly.

<figure><img src="https://465350234-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMkq33wMbzAyWkR1CJ30p%2Fuploads%2FxIYwktMWwVqsMGHIB3AA%2FScreenshot%202025-03-21%20at%203.48.21%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e5a00861-edcd-4fea-8a75-7eae978c2002" alt="" width="269"><figcaption><p>Screenshot of bulk upload button</p></figcaption></figure>
