The big picture

Every deal on LCPP follows one flow. The details change, such as who approves, how it is paid and whether it is delivered or collected, but the shape never does.

In one paragraph

A buyer writes a request, a list of what they need. LCPP matches each line to the catalogue and proposes suppliers; this is sourcing. If the buyer's company has rules, the order waits for approval. Issuing the request creates one purchase order (PO) per supplier. Each supplier confirms what it can supply, at what price, and when. The buyer pays the supplier, now or on delivery. The supplier delivers, or the buyer picks up. On site, the buyer checks every line and signs off the goods receipt. Signed-off orders count toward the supplier's monthly commission, which the platform settles with the supplier.

Where a deal can end

Most deals end at the top of this table. The rest end in one of the other rows, and each is a normal, recorded outcome, not an error.

End state	What it means
Signed off then Closed	The goods arrived, the buyer accepted them, the supplier invoiced. The happy ending.
Rejected	The supplier could not take the order at all. The buyer sources those lines elsewhere.
Cancelled	The buyer withdrew before the supplier committed, or both agreed to stop.
Cancelled	The buyer dropped the request before any order was placed.
Disputed → resolved	The two sides could not agree on a correction; platform staff mediated a final outcome.

What happens in between

Between "issued" and "signed off", three kinds of detour are common. Each has its own page.

• The supplier cannot supply exactly what was ordered. It confirms part of the order, proposes a substitute or a new price, or a later date. That becomes a correction the buyer accepts, counters or rejects.
• The goods do not match on arrival. At sign-off the buyer marks lines short, damaged or wrong. Accepted lines close; the rest become a correction, and damaged or wrong goods may become a return.
• Nobody lists the item. Lines with no offer go out as a request for quotes. The winning quote becomes a purchase order like any other.

The two loops around the deal

Two slower loops keep the marketplace healthy. Buyers rarely see them.

• Supply: suppliers join the platform, sign a contract with commission rates, and keep their offers current in the catalogue.
• Money: each month the platform settles commission on signed-off orders, and the supplier pays the invoice.

Next: the things that move.