One of the key functionalities Factor provides is automated emails to suppliers. We know that manually asking for updates on every order you are tracking is time-consuming, so we automate this task in the background so you can get updates without the hassle of doing the legwork.

This article will help you understand the emails we send, so you can feel confident with our communications to your suppliers on your behalf.

Communications Overview

In general, Factor emails are designed to engender trust in your suppliers. When you onboard to Factor, we will add your company’s name and logo to our system so we can display this information to your suppliers, and we strive to communicate with a matter-of-fact style and clear language so anyone can understand the purpose of our outreach.

There are four main automated email sequences that we can send to your vendors:

• Onboarding. This sequence of emails makes your suppliers aware that either they have been added to Factor for the first time, or if they are already Factor members, that some new items have been added for them to track. 
• Update Request. This sequence of emails asks your suppliers for updates based on the dates on the line items for which they are responsible. This cadence takes the place of emails you or your team would typically send manually asking suppliers to provide updates.
• Enhanced PO Acknowledgement. When line items are first added to Factor, we send an email asking vendor contacts to confirm the PO. This cadence adds additional reminders for any vendors who do not confirm POs to take action. This cadence is helpful if your team wants to add extra safeguards to ensure vendors agree to the terms of a PO.
• Past Due. If any line items become past due, Factor will send an email on your behalf asking for an urgent update.

We’ll take a closer look at each of these emails and the rules they obey in this article.

Onboarding Cadence

When you add new items to Factor, whether via upload in the website or API integration, we’ll need to contact your suppliers to let them know their assistance is needed. The onboarding cadence is made up of two different emails:

The onboarding cadence is not customizable at this time. All suppliers added to Factor will receive the following two emails. Please contact us at support@factor.io with questions or for more assistance.

Welcome Message

Purpose

• Make new supplier users aware that their orders are being tracked in the Factor application
• Provide new supplier users with resources to understand what Factor is and why they can trust it
• Give new supplier users a link to view their orders, which also conveniently creates an account for them automatically with one click

Sent: Immediately when new orders are uploaded to Factor via any method

Received by: Any emails included in your Order Members column that are not associated with an existing Factor account

PO Acknowledgement

Purpose

• Request explicit confirmation of new orders in Factor that have unknown dates on their line items
• Users can either confirm the due dates the buyer has provided, or visit Factor to correct them. When the user confirms the due date, Factor will populate that date into the delivery date field

Sent:

• For unregistered users: 1 business day after the welcome email is sent
• For registered users: 1 business day after new orders are received

Received by

• Unregistered supplier users who did not take any action after they received the welcome email
• Registered supplier users when they are added to new orders in Factor 

Update Request Cadence

Once your suppliers are added to your orders in Factor, we’ll request updates on those orders’ line items as the due date you provided approaches.

The update request cadence is customizable. Use the Settings page to toggle this cadence on and off as needed for your organization’s orders.

Update Request

Purpose: Request routine updates on line items based on the last time the item was updated by the vendor and the due date of the item

Sent:

• For items with due date more than 80 days out: Request sent 8 weeks (40 business days) after PO is confirmed or after the last update, whichever is later

• For items with due date 80 - 31 days out: Request sent every 4 weeks (20 business days) after PO is confirmed or after the last update, whichever is later

• For items with due date 30 - 16 days out: Request sent every 2 weeks (10 business days) after PO is confirmed or after the last update, whichever is later

• For items with due date 15 - 8 days out: Request sent every week (5 business days) after PO is confirmed or after the last update, whichever is later

• For items with due date 7 or less days out: Request sent on due date

Received by: All supplier users added to your line items unless you turn this cadence off

Update Request Reminder

Purpose: Follow up on update requests to remind suppliers to provide an update

Sent:

• Once, 4 business days after an update request has been sent based on the cadence above
• Again, 4 business days after the first reminder was sent
• Note that if suppliers do not respond to these two reminders with any type of update, Factor will cycle line items back into the Update Request cadence 

Received by:

• Unregistered supplier users who did not take any action after they received the welcome email
• Registered supplier users when they are added to new orders in Factor 

Enhanced PO Acknowledgement Cadence

When line items are first added to Factor, we send an email asking vendor contacts to confirm the PO. This cadence adds additional reminders for any vendors who do not confirm POs to take action. This cadence is helpful if your team wants to add extra safeguards to ensure vendors agree to the terms of a PO.

The enhanced PO acknowledgement cadence is customizable. Use the Settings page to toggle this cadence on and off as needed for your organization’s orders.

PO Acknowledgement Escalation

Purpose: A first reminder for vendors to confirm the terms of a PO

Sent:

• First, 2 business days following the PO acknowledgement email above
• Twice more, 2 business days apart, if suppliers have still not confirmed POs

Received by: All supplier users who have not confirmed their line items unless you turn this cadence off

PO Acknowledgement Final Escalation

Purpose: A final reminder for vendors to confirm the terms of a PO, with more escalated language

Sent: Loops infinitely 2 business days apart following the final attempt of the PO acknowledgement above, until the PO is confirmed

Received by: All supplier users who have not confirmed their line items unless you turn this cadence off

Past Due Cadence

If any line items become past due, Factor will send an email on your behalf asking for an urgent update.

The enhanced PO acknowledgement cadence is customizable. Use the Settings page to toggle this cadence on and off as needed for your organization’s orders.

Past Due Notification

Purpose: Notify vendors that items are past due and need an update

Sent

• First, when Past Due flag is triggered. The default is immediately when today’s date becomes after the delivery date (or due date if delivery date is unknown) on an item. You can customize when items become past due in Flag Settings

• Again, after 1 business day

Received by: All supplier users who have line items that are past due by your definition, unless you turn this cadence off

Customizing Factor Emails

We are always working hard to improve our product, and we know there’s always more to do in the space of email customization. Interested in further customization than what we provide today? We’d love to hear your ideas! Please email us at support@factor.io to schedule a discovery call.