Overview
Seminode is a private supply chain network where companies share material availability, request and send quotes, and place orders with their partners. A handful of concepts underpin everything you do on the platform — understanding them makes the rest of the docs click into place.Nodes
A node is a permissioned database that holds your supply or demand data. You decide which partners can see each node, so the same platform can serve public catalogs and tightly restricted, partner-specific data. Nodes are the foundation you publish listings to. The app distinguishes three node relationships: My Nodes (nodes you own), Posting (partner nodes you can publish to), and Querying (partner nodes you can search). Shared Views let you share a filtered slice of a node without granting access to the whole thing. Learn more in Nodes.Networks
A network is the set of connections between your company’s nodes and your partners’ nodes. Building your network — adding partners and granting node permissions — is what turns Seminode from a private database into a live trading channel. Learn more in Partners and Network.Listings
A listing is a single, standardized item of supply or demand data — a part with its quantity, price, lead time, and attributes. Listings are organized into lists when you post them, and they’re what your partners quote against. A note on terminology: the listing is the object itself. A demand-side listing sent out for pricing is an RFQ while it’s in flight; once a partner responds, you’re working a quote in a thread. Supply-side sends (sharing availability with partners) aren’t called RFQs. Learn more in Listings.Quotes & Threads
A quote is an offer or counter-offer on a listing. Quotes flow between partners in a thread — request, respond, counter, accept, or reject — and all of that activity lives in your Inbox. Quotes can be routed through approval workflows before they’re sent, and a basket acts as a staging area where you collect listings or quotes before acting on them in bulk.The Seminode Thread ID
Every thread carries a Seminode Thread ID — a unique reference that identifies one quoting conversation about one listing line between you and one specific partner. It’s what lets Seminode tie a quote back to the right request automatically, no matter how it arrives: in-platform, in an emailed spreadsheet, or in a bulk quote upload. The ID is party-specific: send the same line to two partners and each conversation gets its own Seminode Thread ID, so the two negotiations stay private and isolated from each other. Partners quoting by email only need to keep the ID next to each line they quote — see the Partner Guide.Reference Data & Programs
Reference data is your internal tables — costs, contacts, approved manufacturers — matched against listings to enrich them with the context your team needs to quote well. Programs are named configurations that tailor quoting rules (like margin floors or lead-time limits) by program and site. See Reference Data and Programs.Orders
When a quote is accepted by both parties, it becomes an order. Orders track fulfillment from confirmation through completion.Teams can enable single-party acceptance in Inbox settings, where accepting a partner’s quote closes the deal immediately without waiting for the partner to confirm. Some demand programs also close on a single acceptance and place the purchase order outside the platform.
New to Seminode? Start with the Quickstart, then follow the guide for your role under Guides by Role — OEM, CM & EMS, or Distributor.