What should I do first in Octo?
Start with the workflow that matches your goal:
| If you need to... | Go to... | Start with... |
|---|---|---|
| Research suppliers | SAM | Search by company, category, or market to build an initial list |
| Review supplier options | Periscope | Open supplier profiles and review available signals |
| Monitor market signals or support internal alignment | Pulse | Track relevant developments and organize findings for stakeholders |
If you're evaluating Octo for a team, a useful first step is usually to confirm the categories, geographies, and supplier types you need to cover. If you already know your task, go directly to SAM, Periscope, or Pulse based on that workflow.
Who is this for?
This guide is for:
- Procurement and sourcing teams
- Operations leaders evaluating suppliers
- Commercial or strategy teams supporting vendor research
- New Octo users who need a quick orientation
How does Octo help with sourcing work?
Octo helps teams move from scattered supplier research to a more structured sourcing workflow. In practice, that usually means:
- finding relevant suppliers faster
- organizing supplier and market information in one place
- reviewing suppliers using more consistent criteria
- improving internal alignment before outreach or selection
Octo is most useful when your team needs to reduce research time, improve supplier visibility, or create a more repeatable sourcing process.
What can I expect when getting started?
Most new users begin by:
- identifying the category or sourcing need
- opening SAM to search for relevant suppliers or markets
- opening Periscope to review supplier information and available signals
- narrowing to a workable shortlist
- using Pulse to monitor market signals and share findings internally
The exact workflow depends on your team's process, but Octo is designed to support early-stage supplier discovery and review.
Quick start checklist
- Define the product, service, or category you need to source
- Confirm target geography, supplier constraints, and any non-negotiables
- Note 2-3 must-have supplier criteria before you search
- Open SAM and run a category, company, or market search
- Save or note an initial supplier list for review
- Open Periscope to review supplier profiles and available signals
- Narrow to a workable shortlist for internal review
- Use Pulse or Octo outputs to align on next steps with your team
Where should I go next?
Choose the path that best matches your need:
- Need to find suppliers fast? Go to SAM and start with a category, company, or market search.
- Need to review multiple suppliers? Go to Periscope and open supplier profiles for side-by-side review.
- Need to monitor market developments or share sourcing context internally? Go to Pulse.
- Need to onboard teammates? Share this page as a starting point, then direct them to SAM, Periscope, or Pulse based on their task.
For a practical next step, open the product that matches your immediate workflow: start in SAM if you need to build a supplier list, move to Periscope if you need to review suppliers, or use Pulse if you need to track market signals and support internal updates.