Overview
Managing purchase orders becomes risky the moment supplier communication moves outside the system.
Suppliers confirm changes by email. Delivery dates move. Quantities change. Orders get delayed or partially shipped.
When this information stays in inboxes, purchase orders slowly drift away from reality.
This creates very practical problems:
Inventory plans become inaccurate.
Teams rely on manual follow-ups.
Critical changes are applied late or missed entirely.
Supplier Collaboration exists to prevent this.
It continuously monitors supplier emails and highlights only the purchase orders that require your attention.
Instead of searching through email threads, you see potential changes directly where you already work, inside the purchase order.
You stay in control at all times:
Nothing is updated automatically.
You review the change.
You approve or ignore it based on your judgment.
The result is a simpler, safer purchase order workflow where supplier communication no longer creates hidden operational risk.
Prerequisites and Dependencies
This feature only works correctly if the following dependencies are met.
Required Setup
Connected User Email
You must connect your work email to Tightly.
Tightly reads incoming emails related to suppliers from this connected account.
Valid Supplier Email
Each supplier must have a primary contact with a valid email address.
This email address is used as the source for supplier communication analysis.
Why This Matters
Supplier Collaboration relies on language models to interpret emails.
If supplier emails are missing, incomplete, or mismatched, updates may be missed or misinterpreted.
Because of this:
Detection is assistive, not authoritative.
You always makes the final decision.
What Types of Supplier Updates Are Supported
Tightly detects four types of supplier signals. Each signal has a direct operational consequence.
Delivery Date Change
The supplier indicates a new expected delivery date.
Quantity Change
The supplier confirms fewer or more units for specific items.
Marked as Shipped
The supplier states that the order is in transit.
Cancellation
The supplier confirms they cannot ship any items in the purchase order.
If an email contains multiple signals, each is handled independently.
How You Are Notified
Home Page
When Tightly detects supplier updates, a new card appears on the Home Page.
The card summarizes how many purchase orders are affected.
This creates awareness without forcing immediate action.
Purchase Orders List – Visual Indicator
On the Purchase Orders page:
A purple indicator appears next to affected purchase orders.
Hovering over the indicator explains the detected update type.
Reviewing a Supplier Update
Purchase Order Detail Page
When opening an affected purchase order, a new card appears.
Supplier Update Card
This card exists to support decision-making before any system change occurs.
It includes:
The type of update detected.
A clear comparison of current data versus proposed changes.
A preview snippet from the supplier email.
Viewing the Full Email Context
By clicking the update card or the email snippet:
The existing email side panel opens.
The full supplier conversation becomes visible.
Taking Action: Approve or Ignore
Every supplier update presents two choices. The system does nothing automatically.
Ignore
If the detected update is incorrect or no longer relevant:
You can ignore it.
No data changes occur.
The notification is cleared.
Approve
If the update is valid:
You can approve it.
Tightly applies the change using existing system workflows.
How Each Update Type Is Applied
Delivery Date Change
Triggers the existing delivery date update flow.
Planning and timelines update accordingly.
Marked as Shipped
Updates the purchase order status to shipped.
Downstream logistics reflect the change.
Cancellation
Cancels the purchase order after confirmation.
Inventory expectations adjust immediately.
Quantity Change: Detailed Review Flow
Quantity changes require additional review because they impact line items directly.
Review Modal
Instead of “Approve,” the action is Review.
The review modal shows:
Only the affected products.
Original quantities versus detected quantities.
Manual Override
The detected quantity is editable.
This exists because:
Supplier emails may not reflect final agreements.
Offline discussions may have occurred afterward.
You can enter the final agreed quantity before approval.
Approval Outcome
Once approved:
The purchase order line items update.
Totals are recalculated automatically.
The update becomes the new source of truth.
Good to Know: Purchase Order Status Rules
Supplier updates are only suggested when they align with allowed purchase order states.
This prevents invalid or unsafe updates.
For example:
Quantity changes are only suggested for drafted orders.
Shipping updates only apply to confirmed orders.
If an update is not applicable, it will not be shown.