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Manage Critical Path

The Critical Path section of the 3 Clicks Supplier Portal provides suppliers with a centralised summary of all orders in production. It helps track key milestones, upcoming due dates, and outstanding tasks for each order, ensuring alignment between designer expectations and supplier timelines.

The Critical Path (Milestone Order Report) displays a high-level production summary that includes:

  • A list of orders currently in production
  • Key activities and their due dates
  • Status indicators for completed, pending, or overdue tasks

This tool is designed to help suppliers stay on top of order requirements and take timely action to meet deadlines.

Supplier Portal Critical Path

Quick Check - Before You Start
  • Confirm Critical Path is enabled for your instance in Site Settings > Portal > General Settings
  • Log in to the Supplier Portal and locate the Critical Path section from the home page
  • Know that visible activity columns come from Site Settings > Order > Milestone List > Activity

How to Access the Critical Path

Step Action
1 Log in to your 3 Clicks Supplier Portal account.
2 From the Home page, navigate to the section titled Critical Path.
Note: This section can only be enabled from instance account in Site Settings > Portal > General Settings.
3 Click the the Critical Path to view detailed activity breakdowns for each order.

Using the Critical Path

The Critical Path view displays the activity columns configured in Site Settings > Order > Milestone List > Activity. These settings determine which milestones appear in the Critical Path and how they are presented to suppliers and internal users.

Example

In this Milestone Report, we've added the Supplier - Fit Sample, Supplier - Fabric Quality, etc. as options for the Activity Section. Site Settings > Order > Milestone List > Activity

In the Supplier portal > Critical Path view, such activities are displayed in the column header. Supplier Portal Critical Path

Within this view, suppliers can perform key actions to manage and update their responsibilities:

Feature Description
View and edit milestones Review milestone due dates and update progress by ticking the box when an activity is completed.
Note: This feature depends on your instance configuration. To enable supplier approvals, refer to Site Settings > Order > Critical Path.
Check order details Click the cart icon to open the full Order page, allowing suppliers to verify additional order information.
Activity Action Opens a pop-up where suppliers can approve or reject an activity, add comments, and attach files for better communication with the instance account.
Complete Activity If an activity has conditions, clicking the number badge in the Activity column allows the supplier to complete the task. Once all conditions are satisfied, the activity will update and display the appropriate status colour.
Colour Indicators Visual cues indicate the activity’s status: Green (completed before due date), Orange (completed after due date), Red (overdue).

This functionality helps suppliers stay aligned with required timelines, reduces delays, and enhances transparency between suppliers and instance users throughout the production and delivery process.

Instance Configuration

Ensure that the Critical Path was enabled in instance level in Site Settings > Portal > General Settings.

Troubleshooting

Why don’t I see the Critical Path section on the Supplier Portal home page?

The section is only shown when it is turned on at instance level; without that, the home page will not list Critical Path.

Steps to resolve:

  1. Ask your instance administrator to open Site Settings > Portal > General Settings
  2. Enable Critical Path for the supplier portal as documented there
  3. Refresh the portal or log out and back in, then open Critical Path from the home page
Why are my milestone columns different from what I expect?

Columns mirror the Milestone List > Activity configuration for your instance; assignments can also vary by supplier milestone report setup.

Steps to resolve:

  1. Compare your view with Site Settings > Order > Milestone List > Activity
  2. Confirm your company uses the expected milestone report and that activities are defined for your workflow
  3. If supplier approve/reject actions are missing, check Site Settings > Order > Critical Path for supplier approval settings
I updated activities in the portal but the instance user does not see the same state—what should I do?

Internal Order > Critical Path views sometimes need to be refreshed after supplier-side updates so both sides stay in sync.

Steps to resolve:

  1. In Order > Critical Path, remove the current Critical Path view
  2. Re-add the same view so it reloads the latest milestone data
  3. Confirm the change on the order record; repeat after further supplier updates if discrepancies return

Video Tutorial

Watch this video tutorial to see how to navigate and use the Critical Path section:

Changes Made in Critical Path

When updating activities in the Critical Path, ensure the changes are also reflected in Order > Critical Path. After making updates, go to Order > Critical Path, remove the current Critical Path view, and then re-add the same view to confirm that your modifications have been applied correctly.

Helpful Tips
  • Set up regular reviews: Schedule daily or weekly reviews of the Critical Path to proactively identify potential delays before they impact deadlines. Consider setting calendar reminders for upcoming milestone due dates.
  • Cross-reference with other sections: Use the Critical Path in conjunction with the Orders and Compliance sections to gain comprehensive production oversight. This holistic view helps you identify dependencies and prioritise tasks more effectively.
  • Communicate early and clearly: If you notice a milestone may be delayed or needs clarification, reach out to your instance through the portal as soon as possible. Early communication allows for better planning and demonstrates proactive supplier management.