A contact in your network can be either a Tradeshift connection, or an email contact (manual connection). If your contact is on Tradeshift, then you can create a Tradeshift connection with them, which will allow you to invoice them electronically, as well as communicate with them using our platform. If they aren't on Tradeshift, then you will have to create a manual connection. To learn more about the different statuses that a connection can have, please read this article.
To add Tradeshift connections to your account please follow these steps:
1. Go to the Network app, and select the Tradeshift Network tab. Use the search bar to look for the desired company. You can search via Company Name, Tax Identifier or Business Registration Number.
2. Choose the company you wish to add and click Connect.
Note that when clicking the line of a company in the Network, a side panel will open, from where you can also send a connection invitation to that company (by clicking on "Invite to my network") or view other information about them.
On the right side of the search bar, you can also view the list of all the sent and received requests in the Tradeshift Network Tab.
If the company you're searching for is not on the Tradeshift network yet, you can add them as an email contact or invite them to join Tradeshift. To add an email contact to your network please follow these steps:
1. Click the Invite company button at the bottom right of the Network app:
2. Enter the contact details in the form and click "Add company". The system will search similarly named companies in the country you choose, and offer to establish a connection with an existing Tradeshift account.
- If you find the company you were looking for, simply click their card and a connection request will be sent.
- You can also view additional matches to your search by clicking the More matches on Tradeshift button.
- If none of the suggestions match what you’re looking for, you can then add an email contact via the “I did not find a match” button. Enter the required information and click Add company:
Note: Adding a company as an email contact does not send out an invitation for them to join Tradeshift. You will have to start sending documents to your email contact in order for them to know that you would like to do business with them.
- For you, this means that exchanging documents with them is exactly the same as exchanging documents with a Tradeshift user.
- For them, it means that they get a taste of the ease and convenience of Tradeshift, along with the opportunity to sign up.