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To get up and running with the Marketplace Platform and make the most of its functionality, it's essential to understand how the platform works and be familiar with certain key concepts and terminology.
Our Getting Started video provides the foundation for you to quickly get started with the platform. It offers a brief overview of the platform and its interface, followed by in-depth information about some of the core concepts.
We highly recommend watching the following video to effectively interact with our platform.
Key Concepts
Learn the core concepts and platform terminology.
Platform Interface
Find information on how to access and navigate the platform.
Marketplace for Clients
Learn about getting started as a client on our platform.
Certain concepts and terms are central to the functionality and design of the Marketplace Platform. We recommend that you understand the terminology because it's often referred to in our platform and documentation. Understanding the terminology will make it easier for you to interact with the platform and maximize its use.
You can also watch our Getting Started Guide which describes all concepts listed on this page in detail and provides insights into what makes our platform unique for your enterprise software procurement.
The Marketplace Platform seamlessly brings together various actors to facilitate the buying, selling, provisioning, and billing of software products.
Actors represent different entities that interact with the platform for procurement and fulfillment-related activities as well as other operations specific to the platform.
The following are the key actors in our platform:
Vendors - A vendor is a company or a person from whom SoftwareOne buys software solutions. Vendors develop and sell their products and services. Examples include Microsoft, Dropbox, and more.
Distributors - A distributor is an entity that resells software solutions sourced from multiple vendors to resellers. Distributors facilitate software procurement in cases where direct relationships with vendors are not feasible.
Associates - Associates are the internal SoftwareOne associates who administer the business network. Our associates are involved in various processes throughout your journey with both SoftwareOne and the Marketplace Platform.
Partners - Partners represent entities or businesses that buy products or services from SoftwareOne for resale to other businesses. Partners assist us in serving specific clients better.
Clients - A client is a company or organization that utilizes our platform to buy software products for their own use or direct consumption.
Developers and System Integrators - Developers and system integrators represent entities involved in building integrations within the business network.
Users - Users, as the name suggests, represent individuals or persons who can sign in to the platform using their credentials and perform all operations associated with their permissions.
Account - An account is an object that represents a company or an organization utilizing the Marketplace Platform. Three types of accounts exist in the platform: Client account, Vendor account, and Operations account.
Client account - A client account is used by our clients and partners to establish agreements and procure software solutions for their enterprises.
Vendor account - A vendor account is used by vendors to define the product structure and make those products available for ordering through the marketplace.
Operations account - An operations account is used by SoftwareOne associates.
In the Marketplace Platform, an account can contain one or multiple users:
Additionally, users are not restricted to a single account. They can belong to multiple accounts and switch between those accounts seamlessly through the interface, without signing out of the platform:
Group - A group is an object facilitating permissions in the scope of an account. Groups contain users and all users in the group have the same permissions. Note that in our platform, permissions are assigned at the group level, rather than the individual user level.
Additionally, users can be a part of multiple groups, much like users can belong to multiple accounts.
Seller - A seller is a SoftwareOne entity (for example, SoftwareOne Canada) that buys software solutions from vendors (like Microsoft) and sells those solutions to clients.
In the Marketplace Platform, sellers are responsible for generating and issuing invoices to the buyer entities of clients, acting as the intermediary in the transaction process.
Buyers - Buyers represent an entity that engages in commercial activities with the SoftwareOne reselling entity (known as Sellers).
Buyers are the recipients of invoices issued by SoftwareOne, and they are central to the creation and context of orders, agreements, and subscriptions in the platform.
Licensees - Licensees are the entities that consume the software products or services procured by the buyer. In our platform, licensees are critical in establishing agreements alongside buyers and sellers.
An agreement is an object outlining the relationship between the seller, buyer, and licensee.
Agreements establish the terms and conditions under which transactions occur. They are also the foundation for placing orders and creating subscriptions on the platform. Without an agreement, it's not possible to buy products on our platform.
Orders - An order is an object that signifies a business transaction under the framework of an established agreement.
The Marketplace Platform accommodates a variety of order types, distinguishing between new purchases, change orders, and termination orders to support different operations and client needs. The following types of orders exist in our platform:
Purchase order - Purchase orders are created when you buy a new product or service by creating a new agreement.
Change order - Change orders are created when you modify your agreement or change the subscription quantity, such as downsizing the license quantity or buying additional resources.
Terminate order - Terminate orders are created when you terminate your agreement or subscription with SoftwareOne.
Subscriptions - Subscriptions are linked to an agreement and represent service provision over a set period. One agreement can contain one or more subscriptions.
If you need to change subscriptions, you can only do so through orders. For example, to terminate a subscription, you must place a termination order. Similarly, to add more licenses, a change order must be placed. It’s not possible to modify a subscription directly without placing an order.
Products - Products are the solutions or services offered by vendors through the marketplace. They contain various items and parameters, which are also defined by vendors.
Items - Represent the individual stock-keeping units (SKUs). In our platform, a product can contain one or more items, each with its specific name and price.
Parameters - Parameters represent structured data used by vendors to collect information from clients during the ordering process. Examples of this information might include contact details, address information, domain name, and more. Parameters can also be used by vendors to pass information to clients during provisioning.
A Price List is an object that holds key pricing details of each item within the product.
Our platform allows vendors to define price lists for different regions. These price lists are linked to specific sellers and are organized through an object called Listing.
The Listing object is established by SoftwareOne associates after reviewing products. It links the product price list with the seller, ultimately making the product available for our clients in the SoftwareOne Marketplace.
The Marketplace Platform is a SaaS application with three user interfaces, each catering to specific user types. These interfaces ensure that all actors can interact with the platform according to their specific requirements.
The platform provides three distinct user interfaces namely, the Client Portal, Vendor Portal, and Operations Portal.
Client Portal - Accessed by our clients and partners for software procurement.
Vendor Portal - Used by vendors for setting up and configuring products.
Operations Portal - Utilized by our internal SoftwareOne associates for administration-related activities.
The platform can be accessed from an up-to-date desktop or mobile browser. For a list of supported browsers, see Which browsers do you support?.
To access the platform, follow these steps:
Navigate to the sign-in page: https://portal.platform.softwareone.com/.
Enter the email address associated with your account and click Continue.
Enter your password and click Continue. If the sign-in is successful, the Home page is displayed.
If you provide inaccurate credentials, an error message is displayed.
If you can’t remember your password, select the Forgot password? link on the Sign-in page and then follow the instructions. For more information, see Update password.
The platform provides a seamless and intuitive interface, allowing access to the different modules and features within those modules.
After signing in to your account, you can navigate through various modules, manage account settings, access the marketplace, view agreements, and track your orders.
The account selector and your profile information can be accessed through the menu in the upper right. Select the menu to display your account name, type of account, and your username.
The menu also contains options for you to manage your profile, switch accounts (only if you belong to multiple accounts), and sign out of your account.
Switch between your accounts if you belong to multiple accounts.
The Marketplace Platform allows an individual to be linked to several accounts.
If you belong to multiple accounts, you can conveniently switch between those accounts without signing out of the platform. Switching can be done through your user profile menu.
The option to switch accounts is only available for members of multiple accounts.
To switch between your accounts:
Sign in to your account and then click your profile menu in the upper right. Your associated accounts are displayed under Switch account.
Select the account you want to switch to. If you are linked to several accounts, use the Search field to find the account easily.
You'll be signed in to your selected account and have access to the account-specific settings and modules associated with your profile.
The main navigation menu in the top left is the starting point for accessing the modules enabled for your account. Click the navigation icon to access the modules and manage your account settings.
The help icon contains links to various content resources, such as the SoftwareOne blog, product documentation, news and updates, and our legal pages. You can also Contact Support by clicking the Support option.
The notifications iconopens up the Notifications page where you can view your read and unread notifications, and update your notification preferences.
The Marketplace Platform is a centralized hub designed to streamline the discovery and ordering of subscription-based software products.
The platform simplifies the complex process of software licensing and procurement, making it easier for you to find and compare products from different software vendors in one place. Each product on our marketplace undergoes a process, where vendors define the product including its terms of use, and submit it to SoftwareOne. Products become available for ordering only after SoftwareOne accepts them.
You can access the SoftwareOne Marketplace by signing in to your account and selecting Marketplace > Products from the main menu.
The Products page shows all products that are available for you to order. The page displays products according to the vendor name, and it also shows a brief product description.
To view detailed information about a product, click the product name.
You'll then be able to view detailed product information, including the product's terms and conditions, pricing information, and more. For more information, see Products Interface.
After you've read through the product details and chosen the product you want to buy, you can start the ordering process by clicking Buy now.
When you click the button, the Purchase Wizard opens. The wizard is designed to help you in creating a purchase order by completing all of the necessary steps.
Note that the steps will vary depending on the product you are ordering and the product's vendor. At a high-level, you'll need to complete the following steps:
Selecting an agreement - Choose whether you want to use an existing agreement or establish a new agreement. The option you select in this step determines the next step in the wizard.
If you create a new agreement, the Select licensee section opens.
If you use an existing agreement, the Select items section opens.
Selecting a licensee - Choose an existing licensee or create a new one.
Providing agreement details - Fill out the contact form.
Selecting the items - Choose the items you want to order and the quantity of those items.
Adding reference details - Add your order and agreement details as necessary.
Verifying the order - Review the details and then click Place order.
Reviewing the summary - View your order summary and the latest status message.
For products, like Adobe and Microsoft, you'll need to complete additional steps when you're placing the order. For step-by-step guidance on these products, see Adobe Tutorials and Microsoft Tutorials.
The Agreements page is where you can access all your agreements in one place.
As agreements contain subscriptions, having access to your agreements in one place makes it easier to manage and keep track of subscriptions. Agreements also store other important documents, such as your file attachments and terms and conditions.
To view a list of your agreements, select the main menu of the Client Portal and then choose Marketplace > Agreements.
From here, you can view your agreement name, the product it relates to, agreement status, and more. To learn more, see Agreements interface.
If you want to get detailed information about an agreement, click the agreement. You'll then be able to view details like the subscriptions linked to the agreement, ordering and fulfilment parameters, the buyer, seller, and licensee attached to the agreement, and more.
From the details page, you can also easily manage your agreement. You can:
Subscription management through self-service is one of the key features of our platform, providing you with the flexibility to manage your subscriptions.
You can easily order new subscriptions, increase or decrease your licenses, and cancel subscriptions. You also have the option to rename your subscriptions and modify a subscription's ID through the platform.
You can view your subscriptions by selecting the main menu of the Client Portal and then choosing Marketplace > Subscriptions.
The page displays the important information regarding your subscriptions. To view the details of an individual subscription, click the subscription name. For more information, see Subscriptions Interface.
If you wish to make any changes to the quantity of items within your subscription, you can do so by editing the subscription yourself through the platform.
For example, if you want to increase the number of licenses, you'll just need to change the quantity of items within the existing subscription. The same process applies if you want to decrease licenses.
For more information, see How to change license quantity in your subscription.
If you want to add a new item to your subscription, you can do so by editing the agreement. It means if you want to purchase new items, you don't need to create a new agreement. You can simply edit your agreement to include the new items.
This can be done through the Buy more option on the agreement's details page. For step-by-step instructions, see How to add new items to your agreement.
If you want to cancel a single subscription or all subscriptions in an agreement, you'll need to place a termination order. Without a termination order, subscriptions cannot be cancelled.
You can cancel a single subscription using the Terminate option on the details page of the subscription. However, to cancel all subscriptions in your agreement, you must terminate the entire agreement.
To learn more about canceling a single subscription, see Terminate subscriptions. To cancel all subscriptions in your agreement, see Terminate Agreements.
How to buy products in the marketplace
Access the catalog, browse products, and place orders.
How to filter and view your orders
Use filters to find the orders you need.
Where to access your agreements
View your agreements and all subscriptions within those agreements.
How to manage your subscriptions
Access your subscriptions and learn about managing them.
How to change license quantity in your subscription
Increase or decrease the quantity of licenses.
How to add new subscription items to your agreement
Add a new item to your existing agreement.
Adobe VIP Marketplace Tutorials
Get step-by-step help with ordering and managing Adobe subscriptions.
Microsoft CSP Tutorials
Get step-by-step help with ordering Microsoft subscriptions.
Marketplace Reference Documentation
Access all reference content for agreements, orders, subscriptions, and more.
Account Settings
Manage your account settings, users, and platform objects.
If you need more licenses for an existing subscription, you can modify the subscription to increase the number of licenses. You can also reduce the quantity if you no longer require all of your ordered licenses.
When reducing your licenses, there are a few important points to consider:
If your subscription contains one item, you cannot reduce the quantity to zero. In this case, you must terminate the subscription. To learn more, see Terminate subscriptions.
If your subscription contains multiple items, at least one item must have a quantity greater than zero. It's not possible to change the quantity of all items to zero.
To increase or decrease the quantity of licenses:
Sign in to your account and navigate to the Subscriptions page (Marketplace > Subscriptions).
Select the required subscription.
When the details page of your selected subscription opens, click Edit in the upper right.
In the Edit subscription wizard, update the quantity as needed in the New qty field. Click Next to continue.
Update the reference ID and notes. These details are optional. Click Next to continue.
Review the details including prices and then click Place Order to finalize.
A change order is created in the system and sent to the vendor for processing. You can see the order on the Orders page.
While the change order is processing, the subscription and the agreement will have the status as Updating. It means that the agreement is temporarily locked, and no further orders can be placed under this agreement until the current change order is completed.
View and edit your profile settings.
You can view and manage your user profile information from the My profile page.
Your profile page contains basic information about your account, including your account name, first name and last name, profile photo, and email address. Your profile page also shows your language and date preferences.
To view your profile:
Sign in to your account.
Click your profile menu in the upper right and select My profile. Your profile overview page opens:
Your profile settings are also organized by tab:
General - Displays general settings, such as name, display language for your account, and date format.
Accounts - Displays a list of accounts and groups you belong to and your account type.
Details - Displays the timestamps associated with your account, for example, the date and time your account was created.
If you want to update your profile and settings, you can do so using the Edit option on your profile page. You can modify the following:
Your profile picture.
Your first name and last name.
Your phone number.
The language of your account.
The date format.
Click to see the supported languages.
Follow these steps to update your profile:
On the profile details page, click Edit. The Edit user page opens.
Change the General settings as necessary:
Profile picture - Add or update your profile picture. You can add a photo of yourself, a logo, or anything that represents you and helps others identify you easily on the platform. Your image must be in PNG or JPG format. The maximum file size is 5 MB.
First name - Update your first name.
Last name - Update your last name.
Country code - Select the country code for your phone number.
Phone number - Enter your phone number.
Update your Preferences as necessary:
Language - Choose your language preference.
Regional settings - Select the date format you want to use.
Click Save. A message is displayed stating your profile has been updated successfully.
If you wish to buy new items and add them to your current agreement, you can do so through the Agreements page on the platform.
New items can be added to an agreement by using the Buy more option on the details page of the agreement. Please note that items can only be added only while the agreement is in the Active state.
To add more items to your agreement:
Sign in to your account and navigate to the Agreements page (Marketplace > Agreements).
Select the required agreement in the Active state.
On the details page of your selected agreement, click Buy more in the upper right.
In Select Items section, do the following:
Click Add items. The Select Items page opens.
Choose the items you want to order. You can select one or multiple items, and use filters to narrow down the list of items.
Click Add items to add the new items to your order.
Adjust the new quantity as needed and then click Next to continue.
Fill out the Details section and click Next.
Review your order and then click Place order to finalize.
A change order is created in the system and sent to the vendor for fulfilment.
While the change order is in progress, the agreement shows as Updating. It means that the agreement is temporarily locked, and no further orders can be placed under this agreement until the current change order is completed.
Once you've placed an order through the Marketplace Platform, it's displayed on the Orders page. The platform supports various types of orders including change orders, purchase orders, and terminate orders, all of which are visible on the page.
If you need to find a specific order on the Orders page, you can use the filter option to refine your list of orders. We provide several filter options for you to narrow down your list of orders. You can use a single filter or create a combination of different filters by selecting different fields, operators, and values.
Sign in to your account and go to Marketplace > Orders.
On the Orders page, select the Filter option.
When the filter box displays, click Add another condition to open a menu of conditions.
Define the conditions:
In the first field, choose the condition. For example, to filter your orders by their status, choose Status.
In the second field, select the search operator. Depending on the condition you selected in the first field, different operators are displayed. If you chose Status in the first field, leave the value as Equal.
In the third field, type or select a value from the list of preconfigured values (for example, to see your draft orders, select Draft). Note that the values displayed in this field are determined by your selection in the first field.
Your orders will be automatically refreshed based on the conditions you've set. To display another condition row, click Add another condition and then specify additional conditions as needed.
To reset the filters, select Reset filters.
If you want to get detailed information for an order, click the order number. You'll then be able to view the items that are included in your order, various parameters, subscriptions, and more.
Additionally, depending on the type of order, you'll be able to take various actions, like:
.