# Raise a request and manage additional need

Choose the exact target and preserve distinct contributions without duplicating demand.

Source: https://help.smartfact.ai/manuals/purchasing/requests

Review edition: 25 October 2026

Roles: operator, supervisor

A request records a need, its quantity and reason. It is not a purchase order and does not by itself create a supplier commitment. Use the target identity and unit that actually describe the need.

## Choose the request target

Open **Raise a request**. Use **Scan or search an item, supplier or order reference**, then inspect the result. A source item links to another product's item; a local supplier item uses the supplier catalogue identity; a one-off request describes an occasional need from a chosen supplier.

Choose the correct item or supplier, enter the exact quantity in the displayed unit, a useful reason and the required date where offered. Check the description before saving. Similar supplier descriptions do not prove that two results are interchangeable.

For one-off work, describe what is needed and its unit clearly enough for the purchaser to check it. Do not use a vague one-off description to bypass a missing approved source link when the real need is stock managed by another product.

## Add only a new contribution

If the target already has an open People request, use **Add to open request**. The screen shows the existing need and asks for the additional quantity. Both reasons are retained. If six safety gloves are already needed and a second team needs four more, add four, not ten.

If a repeated submission reports an existing open request, inspect it. A duplicate response must not silently become another contribution. An unresolved request action should be reconciled with **Check original action** before any separately justified increase.

## Follow the need

Use **Requests** and **Queue** to inspect its state, supplier choice, draft association and coverage. Requests from another product remain that product's statement; its people need not hold a Purchasing role merely for the signed request to arrive.

Removing a request requires current operational authority, recent verification and a reason. It removes unapproved draft work and can return affected awaiting revisions to draft, but it does not release already approved commitment. Use an approved amendment or cancellation for that.

Hand over the request reference, target, quantity, unit, required date and reason. Tell the purchaser when a contribution is genuinely additional so they can distinguish new demand from a repeated recording.

## Remove an unneeded request with a reason

Operator or Supervisor can choose **Remove from queue**, inspect the selected request, enter **Removal reason** and choose **Remove request** with recent verification. **Keep request** leaves it unchanged. Check its new state and affected draft revisions. Removing a need does not cancel any approved supplier commitment, so hand those orders to a supervisor through [amendment and cancellation](/manuals/purchasing/amend-and-cancel).