Most supplier decisions get made on price and gut feel, then regretted six months later when the cheap quote turns out to ship three weeks late. A weighted scorecard forces you to say up front how much each factor is actually worth to you.
This matrix compares four suppliers across eight criteria. You set the weights, score each supplier from 1 to 5, and the weighted score, ranking, and recommendation calculate themselves. Every criterion has a written definition of what a 5 and a 1 look like, so two people scoring the same supplier land in the same place.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Criterion | Eight pre-filled factors covering price, quality, delivery, and risk. |
| Weight | How much each criterion matters. A live check flags anything that does not total 100%. |
| Supplier A–D | Score each from 1 to 5. Entry is validated to that range. |
| What a 5 / 1 looks like | Written anchors so scoring stays consistent between people. |
| Weighted scoreauto | Weights applied to scores, out of 5. |
| Rank and recommendationauto | Ordering plus a preferred / acceptable / do not proceed call. |
Price is the easiest number to compare, so it quietly dominates. A supplier that is 5% cheaper and habitually three weeks late usually costs more than it saves once you price the stockouts.
Ask for defect data, on-time records, and current certificates before you fill this in. A score you cannot point at a source for is a guess with a number attached.
Two suppliers within about 0.3 of each other are effectively tied. Break that tie on something the matrix does not capture — responsiveness, capacity headroom, or your read of the relationship.
Standardised PO with automatic line totals, HS code fields, Incoterms, and payment terms.
Carton-level packing list that calculates total units, net and gross weight, CBM, and chargeable weight.
Customs-ready invoice with per-line HS codes, country of origin, Incoterms, and a declaration block.
Per-SKU stock sheet that calculates safety stock, reorder point, days of cover, and reorder alerts.
Month-by-month P&L that turns orders, product cost, ad spend, and fees into net profit and margin automatically.
A spreadsheet works until there are eleven versions of it and nobody knows which one the supplier filled in. SupplyAutomate keeps purchase orders, supplier documents, shipments, and landed costs in one workspace that updates as the order moves.