Feeling the limitations of managing supplier surveys (CSR surveys) with Excel? How SAQ systemization can solve these problems.

Many companies are facing challenges in conducting supplier surveys (CSR surveys) such as: "Managing responses has become complicated as the number of suppliers increases," "Collecting and analyzing data takes a lot of time," "Following up with non-respondents is a Issue on the person in charge," "Updating questionnaires and managing files has become complicated," and "Responding to responses in real time is not possible."

Supplier surveys (CSR surveys) are essential for promoting sustainable procurement and supply chain management. However, using Excel for this purpose can make it difficult to handle an increasing number of survey subjects or manage the process continuously, leading to Issue burdens in some cases.

This article outlines common Issue and their underlying causes when using Excel for management, explains how these can be resolved by utilizing dedicated SAQ tools, and discusses key points to consider when selecting such tools.

Why does managing supplier surveys (CSR surveys) in Excel reach its limits?

While the importance of sustainable procurement is gaining attention, many companies still use Excel to manage their SAQ (Supplier Assessment Questionnaire) for suppliers. However, as the number of suppliers expands from tens to hundreds, and the number of questions increases, the operational burden and limitations of managing everything with Excel become apparent.

Specifically, the following problems accumulate:

Inefficiency in distribution and collection

When conducting surveys with hundreds of suppliers, sending emails, sending reminders, collecting responses, compiling data, and organizing files all have to be done manually, which can take dozens of hours or more. Following up with non-respondents is also done on an individual basis, which can lead to insufficient reminders reaching all parties and, as a result, hinder improvements in the response rate.

Limitations of aggregation and analysis

The response format differs from supplier to supplier, making aggregation and analysis time-consuming. Furthermore, it is difficult to compare and evaluate the results across different suppliers, and identifying and prioritizing high-risk suppliers is laborious. Therefore, organizing the data in a way that is easily usable for management decisions requires a significant amount of effort.

Version control confusion

As questionnaires are revised and updated by multiple people, it becomes difficult to determine which file is the latest version. This can lead to operational errors, such as accidentally sending outdated questionnaires or taking too long to identify the latest version. Furthermore, as the number of suppliers and personnel increases, file management becomes more complex, and it can become difficult to unify operational rules.

Security risks

Since responses collected from suppliers may contain confidential information, such as ESG and human rights-related information, using email attachments presents challenges in terms of information management, including the risk of accidental send and inappropriate sharing, as well as the Issue in assessing management status during audits.

What is SAQ? Why is a dedicated tool chosen?

SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire), also known as "self-assessment questionnaire" in Japanese, is a questionnaire used by suppliers to self-assess and answer questions about their own efforts. In practice, it is Settings a wide range of areas depending on the company's procurement policy and risk management objectives, including ESG, human rights, compliance, sustainable procurement, conflict minerals, and cybersecurity. This article will focus on the ESG and human rights areas, which have become particularly important in recent years.

With the increasing emphasis on mandatory human rights due diligence (Human Rights DD) and stricter disclosure regulations such as CSRD and SSBJ, companies are more than ever required to continuously understand and manage risks across their entire supply chain. As a result, more companies are using SAQ not just as an annual survey, but as a means of continuous monitoring.

On the other hand, if such continuous operations are carried out using only Excel, many tasks such as distributing and collecting questionnaires, compiling and analyzing responses, and managing the progress of corrective actions must be managed manually, resulting in a heavy operational burden.

To address these Issue, in recent years, there has been a growing trend towards adopting SAQ-specific tools that allow for centralized management of everything from questionnaire Create and response requests to data collection, analysis, and follow-up on corrective actions, all on the cloud. These tools are being used by many companies as an option for achieving continuous and efficient supply chain management.

What you can do with SAQ-specific tools | Differences from Excel and general-purpose tools

While it is possible to conduct supplier surveys using Excel or general-purpose survey tools, the management burden and operational Issue increase significantly when the number of survey subjects increases or continuous operation is required.

SAQ's dedicated tool allows for centralized management from survey implementation to data collection, analysis, and improvement follow-up, reducing the burden on personnel and enabling efficient risk management across the entire supply chain.

Specifically, it has the following features:

• Bulk distribution and reminders to suppliers

  • This system streamlines the distribution of questionnaires and the process of following up with those who haven't responded, reducing the workload on staff.

• Real-time management of response status

  • You can easily track progress by seeing a list of response rates and unanswered requests.

• Automatic aggregation and weighted scoring of responses

  • The system automatically compiles the Contents, allowing you to efficiently identify high-risk suppliers.

• Continuous monitoring of corrective and improvement status

  • Based on the survey results, you can request improvements and continuously monitor their progress.

• Settings your own proprietary risk detection system.

  • You can Settings scoring for questionnaire items and Settings risk detection for questionnaire items that are important to your company.

Thus, SAQ's dedicated tools are not simply tools for collecting questionnaires, but are being used as a foundation for continuously promoting risk management and sustainable procurement across the entire supply chain.

Next, let's compare the differences between general-purpose survey tools and SAQ-specific tools.

SAQ Tool Comparison: Dedicated Tools vs. General-Purpose Tools - Which Should You Choose?

Many companies are considering whether they can use Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, or Excel as alternatives. These general-purpose tools are easy to implement and are perfectly adequate for simple surveys.

On the other hand, when considering an increase in the number of suppliers or the ongoing management of sustainable procurement, there are cases where operational aspects such as distribution, collection, aggregation, risk assessment, and corrective action management are found to be lacking.

Below, we compare the main differences between general-purpose tools and SAQ-specific tools.

General-purpose tools are suitable for temporary surveys and small-scale research. On the other hand, for ongoing surveys, evaluations, and improvement follow-up with suppliers, a dedicated SAQ tool will likely be more efficient.

What you can do with Dataseed SAQ to streamline SAQ management.

Dataseed SAQ (Zeroboard Inc.) is a cloud Service for procurement and ESG departments that streamlines the collection and management of SAQ (Supplier Assessment Questionnaire) from buyers to suppliers.

*Some features (corrective follow-up, expert support, etc.) are available as options. Please contact us for details.

Dataseed SAQ provides comprehensive support, from supplier surveys and analysis to improvement follow-up, through its functions and optional Service. The main functions and the Issue it can solve are as follows: (Note: In addition to CSR surveys, Dataseed SAQ also supports human rights due diligence, conflict minerals surveys, and cybersecurity surveys.)

Implementation and operation can begin in as little as two weeks.

With approximately 50 standard questions pre-installed and supervised by experts, you can start using the system in a short period of time. Furthermore, you can freely add and Edit questions to design your own unique questionnaire to match your company's sustainable procurement policies and research objectives.

Streamlining everything from requesting responses to progress management.

This system centralizes operations that were previously done manually, such as requesting responses from business partners, managing response status and deadlines, and compiling response results. Furthermore, when conducting surveys using the same or similar questionnaires as the previous year, suppliers can refer to their past response history, reducing their workload. There are generally no usage fees for suppliers (respondents).

Visualizing procurement risk through scoring

In addition to scoring based on major frameworks, it is also possible to Settings your own evaluation criteria. The results are visualized by section and score distribution, making it easier to identify high-risk suppliers and helping you consider which ones should be prioritized.

We provide comprehensive support, from correction and improvement follow-up.

We provide support not only for conducting investigations, but also for corrective and improvement measures based on the results. Through continuous communication with suppliers, we can drive initiatives across the entire supply chain.

Expert support

Our expert consultants will provide comprehensive support, from designing procurement policies and survey items based on industry characteristics and key themes, to analyzing response results, considering improvement measures, and ensuring continuous operation and enhancement.

Case Study Study: Kurimoto Iron Works Co., Company
From "risk management" to "co-creation of the value chain": Kurimoto Iron Works, across 6 business divisions, envisions the future of the supply chain with Dataseed SAQ. <br />Challenge: Using Excel and web-based questionnaires presents a significant burden in terms of practical tasks such as distribution, collection, reminders, and tabulation, posing Issue for continuous operation with a view to expanding to group Company .
Post-implementation: Aiming to utilize SAQ not as a "one-off survey," but as an information infrastructure that contributes to the visualization of risks across the entire supply chain and to management decisions. Read more ▶ zeroboard

Steps and precautions when migrating from Excel management to the cloud.

When considering migrating from Excel to an SAQ tool, many companies struggle with how to migrate existing supplier data and questionnaires. To ensure a smooth migration, it's crucial to review not only the Excel data but also the operational methods. Generally, the process follows these steps:

1. Current Situation Review : Organize the data items, number of suppliers, and questionnaire structure of the Excel file currently in use.
2. Requirements definition : Organize the target groups for distribution, the structure of the questionnaire, and the operational flow.
3. Data migration : Import existing customer information in CSV format, etc.
4. Pilot operation : A trial run will be conducted with a select group of suppliers to identify operational flows and identify Issue(with a trial period).
5. Full-scale implementation : Establish operational rules, inform relevant parties, and roll them out company-wide.

Dataseed SAQ allows you to register Company in CSV format and send response request emails to suppliers from the same screen. Therefore, it is designed to allow for a relatively smooth transition from existing Excel management. A particularly important point during the migration is not to simply transfer the questionnaire to the system as is. Questionnaires that have been managed in Excel for many years often contain duplicate questions or items that do not fit current operations. By reviewing the questionnaire Contents at the time of system implementation, you can reduce the burden on suppliers and expect improvements in response rates and response quality.

With Dataseed SAQ , experts provide support in questionnaire design, allowing you to Create and improve questionnaires tailored to your company's procurement policies and operations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Is there a way to move away from managing supplier surveys in Excel and implement a system instead?

A. If you're moving away from Excel-based management to a system, using a dedicated SAQ cloud Service is a strong option. Many Service allow you to import existing supplier data in CSV format and centrally manage everything from questionnaire design, distribution, collection, aggregation, scoring, and analysis. Dataseed SAQ includes standard questionnaire items supervised by experts and can be put into operation in as little as two weeks.

Q. What will change when sustainable procurement moves away from Excel and into the cloud?

A. You can expect to streamline complex tasks such as supplier management, response progress tracking, and data aggregation. In addition, scoring and visualization of response results will make it easier to identify suppliers with high ESG risks. Since corrective actions and improvement follow-up can be handled with the system and expert support, it will be easier to transition from annual implementation to continuous supply chain management.

Q. What are the differences between SAQ-specific tools and general-purpose survey tools (such as Google Forms)?

A. While general-purpose tools can be used for temporary surveys, they cannot handle SAQ-specific features such as scoring, comparison of past responses, correction, improvement follow-up, and expert support. For the purpose of continuous sustainable procurement management, SAQ-specific tools are often easier to use.

Q. What are some points to keep in mind when migrating from Excel management to a new system?

A. There are two main points to note: ① Review existing questionnaire designs and operational flows and optimize them to make them easier for suppliers to answer. ② Organize supplier data formats before migration. Dataseed SAQ also offers an implementation support program to help ensure a smooth transition.

Q. Are there any costs incurred by the supplier (the respondent)?

A. With Dataseed SAQ , there are generally no costs for suppliers (respondents). The buyer bears the system usage fee. For details on the fee structure, please Contact us Zeroboard Inc.

Q. How long does it take to implement the system?

A. Dataseed SAQ comes pre-loaded with approximately 50 standard questionnaire items supervised by experts, and can be put into operation in as little as two weeks. A trial period of about one week is also available before signing a contract, so please Contact us first.

Q. Can this be used for supplier surveys other than CSR?

A. Yes. Dataseed SAQ supports a variety of supplier investigations, including ESG, human rights due diligence, conflict minerals, and cybersecurity. Because questionnaires can be designed according to the investigation objectives, multiple investigations can be run on a single platform.

Q. What does SAQ stand for?

A. SAQ stands for "Self-Assessment Questionnaire," which is called "Self-Assessment Questionnaire" in Japanese. It is a questionnaire in which suppliers self-assess and answer questions about their efforts in areas such as ESG, human rights, CSR, and compliance.

Q. What types of companies are best suited for the SAQ tool?

A. This solution is suitable for companies with a large number of suppliers, companies that conduct ongoing supplier surveys every year, and companies that want to strengthen their efforts in sustainable procurement and human rights due diligence. In particular, it is worth considering if you are experiencing Issue with the operational burden and data aggregation/analysis required by Excel.

summary

When managing supplier surveys (CSR surveys) using Excel, the operational burden of distribution, collection, aggregation, analysis, and improvement follow-up can become a Issue as the number of suppliers increases and responses to sustainable procurement and human rights due diligence become more stringent. To ensure continuous supply chain management, it is crucial to create a system that allows these tasks to be managed efficiently.

Dataseed SAQ is a dedicated cloud Service for procurement and ESG departments that provides comprehensive support for questionnaire Create and distribution, response status management, scoring, and corrective/improvement follow-up. It features standard questionnaire items supervised by experts and can be put into operation in as little as two weeks. Furthermore, experts provide ongoing support for questionnaire design and operation methods, allowing you to implement it in accordance with your company's procurement policies.

If you're experiencing Issue with using Excel for your operations, why not start by reviewing your current processes and then consider operational methods and tools that are more suitable for your company?

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