Toolkit: Six-Step Checklist to Onboard New

Vendors Into Your Vendor Management

Program
Published: 25 October 2016 ID: G00296334

Analyst(s): Joanne Spencer, Luke Ellery

This Toolkit helps sourcing and vendor management leaders onboard new
vendors into their vendor management program. Creating an onboarding
plan for vendors specifies a framework, boundaries, rules of engagement
and key contact points to ensure vendor interactions support business
outcomes.

When to Use
Vendor onboarding begins at the first point of contact and is essential to ensure vendors hit the
ground running when it comes to delivering their product or service. Make sure you communicate
1
your organization's values early and that the vendor aligns with them.

What is onboarding? In many cases, vendor onboarding involves setting vendors up on internal
systems, such as accounts payable, contract databases, self-service portals and vendor
management (VM) systems. For the purpose of this research, vendor onboarding is the process by
which vendors are introduced and incorporated into an organization's policies and processes, and
introduced to key stakeholders in the vendor management program.

Some vendors won't recognize the advantages of participating in your vendor management
program, but a vendor onboarding program will create a strong foundation for engagement,
relationship and collaboration. Onboarding ensures the vendor is provided with an overview of the
organization and program, has a consistent communication plan (with one contact and one version
of the truth), develops and shares strategy and roadmaps, and works as a team developing ideas
and creating innovation. Onboarding is most effective when the client organization applies a
disciplined approach, supporting the process with thorough documentation about the client
2
organization and formalizing and managing the vendor's role in a vendor onboarding program.

This Toolkit is designed to help organizations successfully onboard their strategic vendors into their
VM program discipline by identifying key activities to complete as part of the onboarding process.
 Downloadable Attachments
296334_onboarding_toolkit.xlsm

Use this template as a checklist and record for each onboarding activity.

Directions for Use

Address the following six steps to onboard a new vendor into your VM program:

■ Step 1 — Identify and Introduce Key Stakeholders and Roles

■ Step 2 — Set Up Vendor on Internal Systems
■ Step 3 — Introduce the Vendor Management Office
■ Step 4 — Introduce Functional Responsibilities
■ Step 5 — Review Vendor Governance
■ Step 6 — Review VM Strategy and Roadmap

Gartner Recommended Reading

Some documents may not be available as part of your current Gartner subscription.

"Stop Being Managed by Your Vendors by Establishing Rules of Vendor Engagement"

"The IT Vendor Management Leader's First 100 Days"

"Classification of IT Vendors Yields Focused and Effective Performance Management"

"Comprehensive IT Vendor Management Framework Builds the Foundation for an Effective

Program"

Evidence
1Gartner ITScore for IT Vendor Management assessments from January 2015 through December
2015 show the average maturity of 2.46. Many of these organizations are launching or are in the
early stages of implementation of their IT vendor management programs.

2 Gartner's client inquiry database indicated that from March 2015 to March 2016, Gartner analysts
fielded more than 1,236 client inquiries related to vendor management.

Page 2 of 4 Gartner, Inc. | G00296334

 Disclaimer
Unless otherwise marked for external use, the items in this Gartner Toolkit are for
internal noncommercial use by the licensed Gartner client. The materials contained in
this Toolkit may not be repackaged or resold. Gartner makes no representations or
warranties as to the suitability of this Toolkit for any particular purpose, and disclaims all
liabilities for any damages, whether direct, consequential, incidental or special, arising
out of the use of or inability to use this material or the information provided herein.

Gartner, Inc. | G00296334 Page 3 of 4

 GARTNER HEADQUARTERS

Corporate Headquarters
56 Top Gallant Road
Stamford, CT 06902-7700
USA
+1 203 964 0096

Regional Headquarters
AUSTRALIA
BRAZIL
JAPAN
UNITED KINGDOM

For a complete list of worldwide locations,

visit http://www.gartner.com/technology/about.jsp

© 2016 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. or its affiliates. This
publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without Gartner’s prior written permission. If you are authorized to access
this publication, your use of it is subject to the Usage Guidelines for Gartner Services posted on gartner.com. The information contained
in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy,
completeness or adequacy of such information and shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in such information. This
publication consists of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. The opinions
expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Although Gartner research may include a discussion of related legal issues,
Gartner does not provide legal advice or services and its research should not be construed or used as such. Gartner is a public company,
and its shareholders may include firms and funds that have financial interests in entities covered in Gartner research. Gartner’s Board of
Directors may include senior managers of these firms or funds. Gartner research is produced independently by its research organization
without input or influence from these firms, funds or their managers. For further information on the independence and integrity of Gartner
research, see “Guiding Principles on Independence and Objectivity.”

Page 4 of 4 Gartner, Inc. | G00296334