Buyer Permissions

Buyer permissions are rules that control what products users can view and purchase within the platform. These permissions help organizations manage procurement processes by restricting access to certain products based on various criteria and establishing approval workflows when necessary.

The platform offers several types of buyer permissions to meet different business needs:

1. Restrict View: Prevents users from seeing specific products in search results and catalogs.

2. Restrict Purchase: Users can see products but cannot add them to their cart or purchase them.

3. Restrict View and Purchase: Combines both restrictions - users cannot see or purchase the specified products.

4. Restrict Purchase with Approval: Users can add products to their cart, but purchases require approval from designated approvers before the order can be processed.

5. Restrict Search Context: Controls how products appear in search results based on specific criteria.

Buyer permissions can be configured based on multiple criteria, allowing for precise control over what users can view and purchase:

Permissions can be applied based on:

• Products: Specific products can be included or excluded from restrictions.
• Categories: Entire product categories can be restricted.
• Suppliers: Products from specific suppliers can be restricted.
• Countries: Restrictions can be applied based on user location or shipping destination.
• Keywords: Products containing specific keywords can be restricted.
• Product Codes: Restrictions can be applied based on product codes (like SKU, MPN, etc.).

Permissions can be applied to:

• All users in the organization
• Specific users
• User groups
• Users with specific custom field values

For each criterion, you can specify whether to:

• Include: Apply restrictions only to the specified items
• Exclude: Apply restrictions to everything except the specified items
• All: Apply restrictions to all items

When using the "Restrict Purchase with Approval" permission type:

1. You must designate approvers who will review purchase requests.
2. Approvers can be specific users or user groups.
3. You can customize the error message that users see when their purchase requires approval.

1. Use descriptive names: Give your permissions clear names that describe their purpose.
2. Add detailed descriptions: Include information about why the permission exists and who it affects.
3. Start with broad rules: Begin with broader restrictions and refine as needed.
4. Test permissions: Before fully implementing, test permissions with a small group of users.

When multiple permissions apply to the same product:

• If any permission restricts viewing a product, the user cannot see it.
• If a product is explicitly excluded from a restriction in one permission, but included in another, the restriction will still apply.
• Permissions are evaluated independently, and the most restrictive permission takes precedence.

Restrict access to products that don't meet company compliance standards.

Create tailored product views for different departments by restricting irrelevant products.

Restrict products that cannot be shipped to certain countries or regions.

Require approval for specialized or dangerous equipment purchases.

If users report unexpected restrictions:

1. Check if multiple permissions might be affecting the same product.
2. Verify that the user's profile information (country, custom fields, etc.) is correct.
3. Ensure that product categorization and supplier information is accurate.
4. Check if the permission is enabled (permissions can be disabled without being deleted).

If you need assistance with buyer permissions, contact your system administrator or the platform support team for guidance on setting up and managing these controls effectively.