---
title: "2.2 Solicitation and Procurement Fields"
slug: "22-solicitation-and-procurement-fields-1"
updated: 2026-10-29T17:05:25Z
published: 2026-10-29T17:05:25Z
canonical: "wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/22-solicitation-and-procurement-fields-1"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 2.2 Solicitation and Procurement Fields

**COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE**

Contract Insight — User Guide

**2.2 Solicitation and Procurement Fields**

*Module: Vendor/Client Gateway › Step 2: Managing Gateway Fields › 2.2 Solicitation and Procurement Fields*

**Note:** Each procedure in this guide begins at the Contract Insight homepage, so any section can be followed on its own. Custom fields are configurable, so the exact field list on a contract category record may vary between environments.

# 1. Overview

The VCG **Fields** tab, with **Area** set to **Solicitation Details**, governs which fields a respondent sees when viewing or responding to a solicitation on the Gateway. It uses the same **On the Gateway** / **Not shown** / drag-to-reorder mechanic used for contracts, scoped to whichever solicitation **Record Type** is selected (for example, RFP, RFQ, or RFI). Purchase Orders have their own parallel area, **Purchase Order Header Screen**, for PO-specific Gateway fields.

**Note:** Every change on the Fields tab saves as you make it — there is no separate Save button.

# 2. Key Elements

- **VCG → Fields tab → Area: Solicitation Details**, then choose the solicitation's **Record Type** (Dutch Auction, ITN, RFI, RFP, RFQ, or Sole Source in this environment). Each record type has its own Gateway field set.
- Fields listed under **On the Gateway** appear on the respondent-facing solicitation detail page, separate from the internal Sourcing record view. Fields under **Not shown** are hidden from the Gateway.
- The **Search**, **Add**, **Edit**, and **Required** columns work the same way as on Contract Details. For Solicitation Details, only **Search** can be set — Add, Edit, and Required are unavailable because respondents do not create or edit solicitation records.
- **Start from another type** copies the field set from a different record type, replacing the fields on the left.
- **Remove all fields** and **Add every field** move every field off or onto the Gateway at once.
- **Purchase Order Header Screen** is a parallel area for PO-specific Gateway fields. It has no record type, and its Search, Add, Edit, and Required columns are all available.

# 3. Navigating to the Gateway Fields Tab

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Application settings** icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar.
2. Under **Gateways & Portals**, click **Vendor/Client Gateway (VCG)**.

![Administration page with Application settings and Vendor/Client Gateway (VCG) outlined](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/vcg-01-admin-vcg.jpg)

1. Click the **Fields** tab.
2. Click the **Area** dropdown and select **Solicitation Details** (or **Purchase Order Header Screen** for purchase orders — see Section 7).

![VCG Fields tab with the Area dropdown open and Solicitation Details and Purchase Order Header Screen outlined](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sf-01-fields-area.jpg)

# 4. Selecting the Solicitation Record Type

1. With **Area** set to **Solicitation Details**, click the **Record Type** dropdown.
2. Select the solicitation type to configure (for example, **RFP**).

![Area set to Solicitation Details with the Record Type dropdown open](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sf-02-record-type.jpg)

# 5. Managing Solicitation Gateway Fields

The field set for the selected record type opens. The left column lists the fields **On the Gateway**; the right column lists the fields **Not shown**.

![Solicitation Details fields for the RFP record type with key controls outlined](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sf-03-solicitation-fields.jpg)

1. **Add a field to the Gateway:** under **Not shown**, use **Find a field** to locate it, then click **« Add**.
2. **Remove a field from the Gateway:** click the **»** (**Take off the Gateway**) icon next to the field.
3. **Reorder fields:** drag a field by its handle (⠿), or focus the handle and use the arrow keys.
4. **Make a field searchable:** tick **Search** for that field.
5. **Copy another type's fields:** under **Start from another type**, choose a type and click **Copy its fields here**. This replaces the fields on the left.
6. **Bulk changes:** click **Add every field** or **Remove all fields**.

**Note:** The page lists recommended fields under **Worth including**. Without them, a Gateway user's list and detail screens have little to identify a record by.

# 6. Column Reference

| Column | What it controls |
| --- | --- |
| Search | The field can be used to search records on the Gateway. |
| Add | The field appears when a Gateway user creates a record. (Unavailable for Solicitation Details.) |
| Edit | A Gateway user can edit the field. (Unavailable for Solicitation Details.) |
| Required | A Gateway user must fill in the field. (Unavailable for Solicitation Details.) |

# 7. Purchase Order Header Screen Fields

1. On the **Fields** tab, set **Area** to **Purchase Order Header Screen**. No record type is needed.
2. Add, remove, and reorder fields the same way as in Section 5.
3. Tick **Search**, **Add**, **Edit**, or **Required** for each field as needed — all four columns are available for purchase orders.

![Purchase Order Header Screen fields with key controls outlined](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/sf-04-po-header-fields.jpg)