About This Guide
This user guide covers all features and workflows within the Request IQ application. It is designed for procurement professionals, business requesters, and triage teams who manage the intake and lifecycle of procurement requests.
Request IQ provides a structured intake process for procurement needs — from initial submission through triage, assignment, approval, and completion — with built-in SLA tracking, priority-based routing, and portfolio analytics.
Key Capabilities
Request Submission
Structured intake form with 6 categories, 4 priority levels, estimated value, required-by date, business justification, and file attachments.
Triage Queue
Dedicated interface for procurement teams to review incoming requests, assign team members, accept for review, or reject.
SLA Tracking
Automatic SLA calculation based on priority (5/10/20/30-day targets) with On Track, At Risk, and Overdue indicators.
Approval Workflow
Automatic routing for high-value requests (>£50,000) requiring senior leadership approval before completion.
Request Detail & Activity
Full detail modal with status updates, activity feed, comment thread, and SLA status for each request.
Portfolio Analytics
Four Chart.js visualisations: requests by category, by status, monthly volume trend, and turnaround by category.
Advanced Filtering
Filter all requests by status, category, priority, and free-text search with real-time results.
IQ Platform Integration
Part of the wider IQ ecosystem. Navigate between Renewal IQ, Deal IQ, Admin IQ, and other modules via the App Switcher.
Table of Contents
- 1. Quick-Start: Your First Procurement RequestPage 3
- 2. Navigation & Getting StartedPage 4
- 3. DashboardPage 4
- 4. Submitting a New RequestPage 5
- 5. All Requests & FilteringPage 6
- 6. Request Detail & ActivityPage 6
- 7. Triage QueuePage 7
- 8. Analytics & ReportingPage 8
- 9. Data Management, Profile & Cross-AppPage 9
- 10. FAQ & TroubleshootingPage 10
How Do I… Quick Reference
Find the answer to common tasks instantly:
| I want to… | Go to |
|---|
| Submit a new request | Quick-Start (p.3) |
| Check a request's SLA status | All Requests §5.2 (p.6) |
| Update a request's status | Detail §6.3 (p.6) |
| Add a comment to a request | Detail §6.2 (p.6) |
| Triage incoming requests | Triage §7 (p.7) |
| Assign a request to someone | Triage §7.2 (p.7) |
| Filter requests by category | All Requests §5.1 (p.6) |
| See what's overdue | Dashboard §3.1 (p.4) |
| I want to… | Go to |
|---|
| View analytics charts | Analytics §8 (p.8) |
| Understand priority SLAs | New Request §4.2 (p.5) |
| See requests needing approval | FAQ Q3 (p.10) |
| Switch to Light Mode | Getting Started §2.2 (p.4) |
| Use Demo Mode | Data Mgmt §9.1 (p.9) |
| Navigate to another IQ app | Getting Started §2.3 (p.4) |
| Search across all requests | All Requests §5.1 (p.6) |
| Understand approval workflow | New Request §4.4 (p.5) |
1. Quick-Start: Your First Procurement Request
This walkthrough takes you from opening Request IQ to submitting, triaging, and tracking a procurement request end-to-end. Follow these 7 steps.
- Open Request IQ — Launch the app in your browser. Demo Mode loads 18 sample requests so you can explore every feature risk-free.
- Orient yourself — The sidebar (left) has 5 navigation pages. The topbar has the search bar, notification bell, and your profile avatar. The Dashboard loads by default.
- Submit a request — Click New Request in the sidebar. Enter a title (e.g., "New CRM Licences"), select a category (Software / IT), set priority to High, add an estimated value, and click Submit Request.
- Check the Dashboard — Navigate back to Dashboard. Your new request appears in the stat cards (Total Requests, Open Requests) and in the Recent Requests table.
- Triage the request — Click Triage Queue. Your new request appears as "Submitted". Click Accept to move it to "Under Review", or use the Assign dropdown to assign it directly to a team member.
- View & update the request — Click All Requests, then click the request row. The detail modal opens showing the full form, activity feed, and SLA status. Change the status to "In Progress" and add a comment.
- Review analytics — Click Analytics to see your request reflected in the charts: category breakdown, status distribution, monthly volume, and turnaround metrics.
Screenshot: Dashboard Overview
Capture the Dashboard showing the 4 KPI stat cards, Recent Requests table, and My Requests panel.
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High-Value Requests: If you enter an estimated value over £50,000, the request automatically requires senior leadership approval. When the status is changed to "Completed", it routes to "Pending Approval" instead. See §4.4 for details.
Common Workflows at a Glance
Submit a Request
New Request → fill form → Submit. Auto-generates ID (REQ-NNN), sets status to Submitted, starts SLA clock.
Triage Incoming Work
Triage Queue → review request → Accept (moves to Under Review) or Assign directly to a team member.
Track Progress
All Requests → click any row → view detail modal → update status, add comments, check SLA badge.
Screenshot: Request Detail Modal
Capture the modal showing status/priority badges, detail grid, activity feed with comments, and status update controls.
2. Navigation & Getting Started
Request IQ is accessed via your web browser. No installation is required. The application supports both authenticated (Supabase) and demo modes.
2.1 Layout Overview
The application uses a fixed sidebar (left, 280px) + topbar (top, 85px) layout. The sidebar holds 5 navigation items. The topbar holds the global search bar, notification bell, and user profile avatar.
| Navigation Item | Purpose |
|---|
| Dashboard | KPI overview (total, open, awaiting triage, completed this month), recent requests table, and My Requests panel. |
| New Request | Structured submission form with title, category, priority, value, date, justification, and attachments. |
| All Requests | Complete request register with status/category/priority filters, search, and clickable detail rows. |
| Triage Queue | Review, accept, reject, or assign incoming requests to procurement team members. |
| Analytics | Four charts: Requests by Category, by Status, Monthly Volume, and Avg Turnaround by Category. |
Screenshot: Full Application Layout
Annotated capture showing: (1) Sidebar with nav items, (2) Topbar with search & bell, (3) Main content area, (4) Theme toggle, (5) App Switcher logo.
2.2 Theme Toggle (Dark / Light Mode)
Click the moon/sun icon at the bottom of the sidebar to switch between Dark Mode and Light Mode. Your preference is saved in local storage as request-iq-theme and applied on next visit.
2.3 App Switcher & Global Search
App Switcher: Click the IQ logo in the sidebar header to open a dropdown listing all IQ platform apps (Renewal IQ, Deal IQ, Admin IQ, Vendor IQ, Spend IQ, Performance IQ, Request IQ).
Global Search: The topbar search bar searches across request titles, IDs, requester names, and categories with real-time filtering.
3. Dashboard
The Dashboard is the default landing page, giving you a real-time snapshot of your procurement request portfolio.
3.1 KPI Stat Cards
| Card | What It Shows | Why It Matters |
|---|
| Total Requests | Count of all requests in the system | Portfolio size at a glance. |
| Open Requests | Requests in active statuses (Submitted, Under Review, Assigned, In Progress, Pending Approval) | Know how much work is in flight. |
| Awaiting Triage | Requests in Submitted or Under Review status | Identify the backlog needing team action. |
| Completed This Month | Requests completed in the current calendar month | Track monthly throughput and team velocity. |
3.2 Recent Requests & My Requests
Recent Requests Table: Shows the 5 most recently submitted requests with ID, Title, Category, Priority, Status, and Submitted Date. Click any row to open the detail modal.
My Requests Panel: Shows the count of requests where you are either the requester or the assignee, giving you a personalised workload indicator.
4. Submitting a New Request
The New Request page provides a structured submission form. Fill in the details and click Submit to create a new procurement request with an auto-generated ID.
4.1 Form Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|
| Request Title | Yes | Brief description of the procurement need (e.g., "Microsoft 365 E5 Licence Upgrade"). |
| Category | Yes | One of 6 categories: Goods, Services, Software / IT, Contract Amendment, Vendor Onboarding, Strategic Sourcing. |
| Priority | Yes | Critical, High, Medium, or Low — determines the SLA target (see §4.2). |
| Description | No | Detailed description of the procurement need. |
| Estimated Value (£) | No | Budget amount. Values over £50,000 trigger the approval workflow (see §4.4). |
| Required By Date | No | Target completion date for the procurement. |
| Business Justification | No | Reason and impact statement for this procurement. |
| Attachments | No | File uploads (multiple files supported) — quotes, specs, supporting documents. |
Screenshot: New Request Form
Capture showing all form fields: Title, Category dropdown, Priority dropdown, Description, Estimated Value, Required By Date, Justification, Attachments, and Submit button.
4.2 Priority Levels & SLA Targets
The priority you select determines the SLA target for the request. SLA status is calculated automatically based on days elapsed since submission:
Critical
5 Days
SLA Target
Medium
20 Days
SLA Target
4.3 SLA Status Indicators
On Track
<75% of SLA consumed
At Risk
75–100% of SLA consumed
Overdue
>100% of SLA consumed
4.4 Approval Workflow (>£50,000)
If the estimated value exceeds £50,000, the request is automatically flagged for senior leadership approval. When the request status is updated to "Completed", it is instead routed to Pending Approval. The approval status is shown in the request detail modal with a dedicated approval section.
!
Automatic Routing: You cannot bypass the approval step for high-value requests. The system will always route to "Pending Approval" rather than "Completed" when the value exceeds £50,000.
4.5 Request Categories
Goods Physical products
Services Professional services
Software / IT Licences & tech
Contract Amend. Modifications
Vendor Onboard. New suppliers
Strategic Sourcing Category projects
5. All Requests & Filtering
The All Requests page is your complete register of procurement requests with powerful filtering and search.
5.1 Filter Bar
| Filter | Options |
|---|
| Status | All Statuses, Submitted, Under Review, Assigned, In Progress, Pending Approval, Completed, Rejected, On Hold |
| Category | All Categories + 6 category options |
| Priority | All Priorities, Critical, High, Medium, Low |
| Search | Free-text search across titles, IDs, requester names, and categories |
All filters combine with AND logic and update the table in real time.
5.2 Requests Table
Columns: ID, Title, Category (badge), Requester, Priority (badge), Status (badge), Assignee, Submitted Date, and SLA Status (On Track / At Risk / Overdue / Done). Click any row to open the request detail modal.
Screenshot: All Requests Page
Capture showing the filter bar (status, category, priority, search), the requests table with SLA badges, and gradient row hover effect.
5.3 Request Status Lifecycle
Submitted
Under Review
Assigned
In Progress
Pending Approval
Completed
Additional terminal statuses: Rejected and On Hold can be applied at any stage.
6. Request Detail & Activity
Clicking any request row opens a detail modal with the full request information, activity history, and status controls.
6.1 Detail Grid
A 2-column grid displays all request metadata:
Category • Priority
Estimated Value (formatted £)
Requester (name + department)
Assignee (or "Unassigned")
Required By Date
Submitted Date
SLA Status (badge)
Approval Status (if >£50k)
6.2 Activity Feed & Comments
A scrollable activity feed shows all request history in reverse chronological order — status changes, assignments, and comments. Each entry shows the user avatar, name, action, and relative timestamp ("Today", "2 days ago", etc.).
To add a comment, type in the input field at the bottom of the feed and click Send or press Enter. Comments are logged with your name and timestamp.
6.3 Updating Status
At the bottom of the modal, a Status dropdown lets you change the request's status. Click Update Status to save. The change is logged in the activity feed automatically.
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Approval Routing: If the request has an estimated value >£50,000 and you change the status to "Completed", the system automatically routes it to "Pending Approval" instead. The approval section in the detail modal shows the current approval status.
7. Triage Queue
The Triage Queue is a dedicated interface for the procurement team to review, prioritise, and route incoming requests. It shows only requests in Submitted or Under Review status.
7.1 Queue Summary
At the top, a count displays how many requests are awaiting triage (e.g., "8 requests pending"). This updates in real time as you process items.
7.2 Triage Table & Actions
The triage table shows: ID, Title, Category, Requester, Priority, Estimated Value, Submitted Date, and an Actions column with three controls:
| Action | What It Does | Resulting Status |
|---|
| Accept | Accepts the request for formal procurement review. | Under Review |
| Reject | Rejects the request. It is removed from the triage queue. | Rejected |
| Assign | Assigns the request directly to a team member via dropdown. | Assigned |
Screenshot: Triage Queue
Capture showing the queue count, triage table with request details, and the Accept / Reject / Assign action buttons per row.
7.3 Team Member Assignment
The Assign dropdown is populated with procurement team members. Selecting a name immediately assigns the request and changes its status to "Assigned":
| Team Member | Role |
|---|
| James Cooper | Senior Buyer |
| Emily Chen | Category Manager |
| David Okonkwo | Procurement Analyst |
| Rachel Adams | Contracts Manager |
| Marcus Singh | Sourcing Specialist |
Each triage action triggers a success toast notification (e.g., "REQ-019 assigned to Emily Chen") and logs the action in the request's activity feed. The triage queue count updates immediately.
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Triage Best Practice: Review the estimated value and priority first. High-value or critical requests should be assigned to senior team members. Use Accept for requests that need further review before assignment, and Assign for requests where the right team member is immediately clear.
!
Rejection is Final: Rejecting a request moves it to "Rejected" status. While it remains visible in All Requests, it is removed from the triage queue permanently. Ensure you have the right request before clicking Reject.
8. Analytics & Reporting
The Analytics page provides four interactive Chart.js visualisations, plus key performance metrics, to help you understand portfolio health and team performance.
8.1 Performance Metrics (4 Stat Cards)
| Metric | What It Shows | Why It Matters |
|---|
| Avg Turnaround | Mean days from submission to completion | Gauge overall team efficiency. |
| Requests This Month | Count of requests submitted in the current month | Track demand trends and intake volume. |
| Completion Rate | Percentage of all requests marked as Completed | Measure throughput effectiveness. |
| Overdue Requests | Count of requests where SLA has been exceeded | Identify bottlenecks requiring immediate attention. |
8.2 Charts
Requests by Category
Doughnut chart showing the distribution of requests across 6 categories (Goods, Services, Software/IT, Contract Amendment, Vendor Onboarding, Strategic Sourcing). Identifies which procurement types drive the most volume.
Requests by Status
Horizontal bar chart showing request counts per status (8 statuses). Colour-coded to match status badges. Reveals workload distribution and pipeline bottlenecks.
Monthly Request Volume
Line chart showing request submissions per month over a 6-month rolling window. Smooth tension curve with gradient fill area. Tracks demand trends over time.
Avg Turnaround by Category
Vertical bar chart showing average days to completion per category. Identifies which procurement types take longest to fulfil, enabling process improvements.
Screenshot: Analytics Dashboard
Capture showing the 4 stat cards at top and the 4 charts below: Category doughnut, Status bar, Volume line, and Turnaround bar.
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Theme-Aware Charts: All charts automatically adjust their colours, grid lines, and tooltip styles when switching between Dark Mode and Light Mode. The font family (Figtree) is used across all chart labels.
Key Analytics Insights
Use the analytics to answer these strategic questions:
Workload Planning
• Which categories generate the most requests?
• Is demand increasing or decreasing month-over-month?
• How many requests are stuck in triage?
Performance Improvement
• Which categories have the longest turnaround?
• How many requests are overdue?
• What is the team's completion rate?
9. Data Management, Profile & Cross-App
9.1 Demo Mode
When not authenticated, Request IQ loads 18 pre-built sample requests covering diverse categories (software licences, office furniture, consulting services, vendor onboarding, strategic sourcing, contract amendments). Demo mode is fully functional — all features work, but data exists only in browser memory and is reset when the page is refreshed.
| Example Request | Category | Priority | Value | Status |
|---|
| Microsoft 365 E5 Upgrade | Software / IT | Critical | £120,000 | In Progress |
| Office Furniture Refresh | Goods | High | £45,000 | Submitted |
| Legal Advisory Services | Services | Medium | £80,000 | Pending Approval |
| IT Staffing Agency Onboard | Vendor Onboard. | Medium | £0 | Under Review |
| Print Services Consolidation | Strategic Sourcing | High | £200,000 | Assigned |
Showing 5 of 18 demo requests. Additional requests cover: Salesforce, AWS, Slack, lab equipment, catering, fleet vehicles, warehouse racking, and more.
9.2 Cloud Sync (Supabase)
When authenticated, all request data syncs to Supabase (PostgreSQL) in real time. Row-Level Security (RLS) ensures data isolation between organisations. Request submissions, status updates, comments, and assignments all persist to the cloud.
9.3 User Profile
Click the user avatar (initials badge) in the topbar to open the Profile Popover. Edit your name and position. Your name appears on submitted requests, comments, and activity feed entries.
9.4 Notifications
The notification bell in the topbar displays a gradient badge with the count of active notifications. Click it to reveal a dropdown showing recent notifications. Notifications are generated for status changes, assignments, and comments on your requests.
9.5 Cross-App Integration
Request IQ is part of the wider IQ platform ecosystem. Use the App Switcher (click the IQ logo in the sidebar) to navigate between applications:
IQ Platform Applications
Renewal IQ
Contract renewals
Request IQ
Procurement requests
Performance IQ
Coming soon
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Workflow Across Apps: A procurement request submitted in Request IQ may lead to a contract renewal managed in Renewal IQ, or a deal evaluation scored in Deal IQ. The App Switcher provides seamless navigation between these stages of the procurement lifecycle.
10. FAQ & Troubleshooting
Quick answers to the most common questions:
Q1: I submitted a request but it doesn't appear in the Dashboard. Why?
The Dashboard shows the 5 most recent requests. If there are many requests, yours may have scrolled off. Check All Requests and filter by your name or the request ID (REQ-NNN) to find it. New requests always appear in the "Open Requests" stat card count.
Q2: What happens to my request after I submit it?
Your request enters the Triage Queue with a status of "Submitted". The procurement team reviews it and either accepts it for review, assigns it to a team member, or rejects it. You can track progress by clicking on your request in All Requests at any time.
Q3: My request value is over £50,000. What's different?
Requests over £50,000 are automatically flagged for senior leadership approval. When the team tries to mark it as "Completed", the system routes it to "Pending Approval" instead. An approval section appears in the request detail modal showing the current approval status (Pending, Approved, or Rejected).
Q4: The SLA badge shows "At Risk". What should I do?
"At Risk" means 75–100% of the SLA time has been consumed. If the request isn't completed before the target, it will become "Overdue". Contact the assignee or escalate via the triage queue. The SLA targets are: Critical (5 days), High (10 days), Medium (20 days), Low (30 days).
Q5: Can I change a request's priority after submission?
Priority is set at submission time and cannot be changed from the detail modal. To reprioritise a request, the triage team should note the change in a comment. The SLA calculation uses the original priority.
Q6: I rejected a request by mistake. Can I undo it?
Rejection moves the request to "Rejected" status. While it remains in All Requests, it is removed from the Triage Queue. You can open the request detail and manually change the status back to "Submitted" or another active status to re-enter the workflow.
Q7: How do I see only my requests?
The My Requests panel on the Dashboard shows the count of requests where you are the requester or assignee. For a full list, go to All Requests and search for your name in the search box. This filters the table to show requests you submitted or are assigned to.
Q8: Can I attach files to a request?
Yes. The New Request form includes an Attachments field that supports multiple file uploads. You can attach quotes, specifications, supporting documents, or any relevant files. In demo mode, attachments are held in browser memory only.
Q9: What does "On Hold" status mean?
"On Hold" indicates the request is paused — perhaps waiting for budget confirmation, additional information, or an external dependency. It can be applied at any stage. The SLA clock continues to run during an On Hold period.
Q10: The Triage Queue is empty. Does that mean all requests are handled?
The Triage Queue only shows requests in "Submitted" or "Under Review" status. An empty queue means all incoming requests have been either assigned, accepted, or rejected. Requests in progress appear in All Requests, not in the triage queue.
Q11: How are the analytics charts calculated?
Charts pull from the live request data in real time. The category doughnut counts requests per category. The status bar shows counts per status. The monthly volume uses submission dates over 6 months. The turnaround chart uses average days from submission to completion per category.
Q12: Can my colleague see my requests and comments?
Yes — if you are both authenticated and in the same organisation. All requests, status updates, and comments are visible to all team members within the organisation. Data is isolated between different organisations via Supabase Row-Level Security.