Overview
Luminous includes a Supplier Portal that lets a supplier contact act on a purchase order — or a work order — directly from a one-click email link. No Luminous login or account is required. The link is specific to one supplier contact and, optionally, scoped to a single purchase order or work order.
How the link works
- A Luminous admin sends a portal link from the purchase order (or work order) in Luminous.
- The supplier receives an email containing a unique, single-use link.
- Clicking the link exchanges that one-time credential for a secure session — no password or account is needed.
- The session stays active while the supplier is using the portal. It has both an idle timeout and an absolute maximum lifetime, after which the supplier would need a new link.
Important: Each link can only be clicked once. If a supplier needs to share access with a colleague, each person must receive their own link from the Luminous admin.
What a supplier can do on a Purchase Order
Once in their portal session, a supplier can take all of the following actions on the purchase order they were invited to:
1. View the purchase order
The supplier can see the order details — lines, quantities, pricing, and requested ship date.
2. Accept or propose changes
The supplier can formally respond to the order:
- Accept the order as-is.
- Propose changes to a line's quantity, unit price, or ship date.
Proposals are held for the buyer to review. A supplier proposal never directly changes the purchase order — a Luminous admin must explicitly apply or decline each proposed change from inside Luminous.
3. Upload documents
The supplier can attach documents to the order (for example, a packing slip or inspection certificate). Accepted formats are PDF, PNG, and JPEG, up to 5 MB per file. Uploaded documents appear on the order's files/comments feed in Luminous and are visible to internal staff immediately.
4. Report shipments
The supplier can tell Luminous what has shipped:
- Tracking number
- Carrier / shipping method
- Which line items shipped and in what quantities
The supplier can also view any shipments they have already reported.
5. Request extra costs
The supplier can submit a request for an additional charge (for example, a freight surcharge or handling fee). Submitting a request does not create an actual cost — it creates a pending request that a Luminous admin must approve before any cost is recorded against the order.
6. File quality inspections
The supplier can log a self-reported quality inspection result, including:
- Inspection type (e.g. pre-shipment)
- Overall pass/fail result
- Quantities inspected and rejected
- Per-line results and defect codes
These results are recorded for reference. A failed inspection does not block receiving or change any quantities — it is evidence for the buying team to review.
7. Send and read messages
The supplier can post messages on a shared thread attached to the order, and can read any messages that a Luminous team member has explicitly shared with them. Internal comments are never visible through the portal — only messages that your team has marked as shared.
What a co-manufacturer can do on a Work Order
If your account uses Work Orders and a partner both supplies materials and manufactures finished goods, the same portal link can cover a work order. The co-manufacturer can:
- View the work order details.
- Report production — submit yield actuals and scrap quantities as production progresses.
- Confirm receipt of inbound components — acknowledge that the materials you shipped to them have arrived.
- Report finished-goods shipments — tell Luminous when they ship the completed product back to you.
What a supplier cannot do
| Action | Available through portal? |
|---|---|
| Change purchase order terms directly | ❌ Proposals only — buyer must apply them |
| Create a real extra cost | ❌ Requests only — buyer must approve |
| Block a receipt with a failed inspection | ❌ Results are informational |
| See internal comments or notes | ❌ Only explicitly shared messages are visible |
| Access other purchase orders (if link is order-scoped) | ❌ Scoped links cannot reach other orders |
| Log in as a Luminous user | ❌ No account is created |
Enabling the Supplier Portal
The Supplier Portal must be turned on for your account before links can be sent. If you cannot find the option to send a portal link from a purchase order, contact your Luminous administrator to confirm the feature is enabled and that a portal address has been configured under Settings → Purchase Orders.