Customer Checklist For Ease Of Ordering

There are a variety of ways in which you can place your order with NHS Supply Chain, and we appreciate that it can be confusing.

If you are new to ordering or need a refresher, here are our top tips to ensure your orders can be as smooth as possible.

This article was first published in 2024, but the information has been checked and updated more recently. ‘Req point’ is a shortened form of requisition point.

Daily tips for ordering:

• Always ensure you have a Trust and Req point selected on your account before searching the catalogue or placing an order.
• If you will be leaving your computer for a few minutes please save your orders before you do.
• Log out of your account when you have finished placing your order.

Useful ‘bookmarks’ or ‘favourites’ to save:

• We recommend saving both our home page at https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk and the Online Catalogue page on which you normally begin your ordering processes as a ‘favourite’ or a ‘bookmark’ in your preferred web browser (typically Edge, or Chrome).

• Regularly update your Materials Management Database (MMD) and Stock / Local catalogues on the PDAs.
• Local Catalogue – if you maintain local lists (for example Excel spreadsheets) these should be maintained regularly.
• Review non stock interfaces and ensure that planned changes are notified to us in due course.
• Put PDAs on charge when not being used.
• Review on a regular basis the configuration of Requirements and Req points.

• There are a number of useful customer reports available to the NHS. Some of which are available online and others need to be requested via Customer Services.
• TR reports and suspended lines reports are available online.
• Unsatisfied lines, transaction errors and discontinued lines reports are available on request via Customer Services.

• Regularly review order standards or methods to ensure the most up to date standards are being used. This would be XML / PEPPOL at the moment.
• Send orders to NHS Supply Chain before 4pm.
• Be fully aware of whom in the trust receives either the TX (Order Acknowledgement) reports and / or status 200 messages with order updates.
• Review third party systems to ensure all data is present and up to date (Delivery Location, Req Points, Depots, Financial Coding for example).