1. General Services Administration Schedule Input Program (SIP)

2. Schedule Input Program (SIP) Vendor Start-Up Kit
AFTER you become an APPROVED GSA Schedule contract holder you will need to register online for SIP or EDI via the Vendor Support Center.
Access the Vendor Support Center website at
The website will allow you to REGISTER for SIP/GSA Advantage and receive your Advantage password.
The website also gives the Vendor step by step instructions on downloading SIP.
SIP is a tool to be used to provide your catalog data to GSA.

4. INSTALL
The download file is in both an EXE format and a ZIP format. If your Local Area Network (LAN) is protected by a firewall, download the SIP95.zip file, otherwise, download the SIP.exe file.
After you have downloaded SIP95.exe to your desktop, double click on the file to install it on your computer.
Setup/Install will take you through a number of screens, you will come to a screen which contains a warning message, please read it CAREFULLY.

5. The next screen gives you the option to change the directory where SIP will be installed. The default is c:\SIP95.

6. Rename the default folder - change it from c:\SIP95 to c:\SIP95v505
Rename the default folder - change it from c:\SIP95 to c:\SIP95v505. This will ENSURE that you do not overwrite your existing data. Continue to complete the SIP 5.05 install.

7. INSTALL (cont.)
Once you have downloaded the SIP95.zip file to your computer's desktop you will need the WinZip utility installed on your computer.
If you do not know or do not have this on your pc you can download it from
There are installation instructions on for the installation of this program. Once you have WinZip installed double click on the SIP95.zip

8. Double click on the SIP95.exe and follow the instructions from above.

9. Contractor Information Screen
The Contractor Information screen allows the vendor to provide relevant information on the corporate headquarters or division responsible for governing their Federal Supply Schedule contract(s). Name and address information must be the same as it appears on your award documents unless otherwise modified. This data must be recorded before contract or product information may be entered into the system.

10. Data required is the Vendor’s basic Corporate information.
Contractor Screen
Data required is the Vendor’s basic
Corporate information.
Click on FILE, OPEN,
CONTRACTOR or Click on
the CONTRACTOR icon
Click EDIT
Enter information, SAVE
*There are REQUIRED fields. The system will notify you when these fields have not been completed

11. Primary Contract Information Screen
The Primary Contract Information screen allows you to enter relevant data for each GSA/FSS contract.
The Contract speed buttons SIN Maximum Orders, Order/Payment Addresses, Special Charges (if specified in the contract), Zones and Fabrics, provide additional information about the contract including the addresses of distributors who accept orders and/or payments, maximum orders required under the contract, special charges applied to the contract as a whole and geographic zones (if applicable) used to determine the price of each product. These areas are made available for each contract after entry of the Primary Contract information.

12. Primary Contract Information Screen
Select Add from the Tool bar.
Enter the Contract Number, Schedule
Number, Contract Administrator Name, Telephone Number and Time of Delivery.
Note: These are required fields. If you attempt to save a record that has any blank required data fields an error message listing these fields will be displayed.
Select Save to save the record or Cancel to cancel the record.
Select Edit from the Toolbar. You are now able to change the data fields previously entered.
Select Save to save the changes or Cancel to cancel the changes.
Click on Find to locate the number, the search will attempt to find the closest record that matches your search.
If there is no close match ('No matching records found') will appear, otherwise
the matching record will appear.
The Find button will now say Find Again and will continue to say Find Again
until it says (There were no more matches found). Click Ok then Click Cancel to cancel the search.

13. Import Option
The Import speed buttons Move Data into Import, Validate Data and Import Into SIP are accessed from the Main Menu. If a speed button or menu option is grayed, access to that option is not currently available. For example, if the Validate Data speed button is grayed, you must first select the Move Data into Import speed button before the data can be verified.
To change or modify data before it is imported into the system, the user may select one or more of the following speed buttons: Contractor, Contract, Product, Service, Accessory, Text Files or Options. These speed buttons are also accessed from the Main Menu.

14. Importing Files
The system will transport data files, formatted for SIP 5.x., into Import.
1. Place your Import text files, Import DBF files, Import excel files or Import from a previous version of SIP into the \SIP95\IMPORT subdirectory.
2. Click on the Move Data into Import speed button .
3. Select either Import text files, Import DBF files, Import excel files or Import from a previous version of SIP from the Import Data screen.
4. Select Import to allow the system to transport the files or Cancel to cancel the process.
5. Select OK to confirm the data has been imported successfully. The system will automatically validate the data files once the files are read.
* Importing Excel files: quotes ( " ) cannot be used in the Excel files import data, Excel does that for you..
* The ' ~ ' character at the end of each file is required for text files only. It does not apply to Excel or dbf files.

15. Product Information Screen
Information about each product under GSA contract is required here. This information will be displayed on GSA Advantage! so that customers may browse, perform product name/part-number searches, and order products.
The Product speed buttons Price/Discounts, Special Charges and Colors, allow you to provide detailed information for each of your products. You may include up to three different prices (Commercial/Catalog, GSA and Temporary) and a wide variety of discounts. You may also specify the available colors for each product.
When a schedule provides additional services, the following speed buttons are accessible: Maintenance, Rental, Lease-to-Ownership and Extended Warranty.

16. Product Information Screen
Each approved item on your price list must be entered into this screen. You can manually enter in data or Import your information using Excel files, DBF files or TXT files.
Much of the information on this screen is carried over from the Primary Contract Information screen.
***All items can be modified with the exception of FOB points.

17. Pricing Screen
The Price Information screen allows you to enter required price information specific to the product, service or accessory being entered. If you indicated that your prices are structured by geographic zones (as described under Contract Information), then you will be required to enter price information for each zone. When adding a new product, service or accessory, the Price Information screen will automatically appear after completing the Product Information, Accessory Information, or Service Information screen.

18. Pricing Screen 1. Select Edit from the Toolbar.
MSRP must be equal to or more than the GSA price. The software will alert the vendor of the error and will not allow them to save the data until the correction is made.
The vendor will enter their MSRP and their GSA price in this screen. The MSRP is not viewed by the customer on GSA Advantage.
Temporary Prices are also entered in this screen. Temporary prices are not subject to contracting officer review as normal catalog files. Price Increases MUST be APPROVED by the Contracting Officer.
1. Select Edit from the Toolbar.
Enter the Commercial/Catalog Price and GSA price.
Note: These are required fields. If you attempt to save a record that has any blank required data fields an error message listing these fields will be displayed.
3. The Temporary Price field is optional and can be left blank. A Start date and End date are required if a price is entered.
4. Select Save from the navigator bar to save the record or Cancel to cancel the record.

19. Price/Discount Screen
The Discounts screen allows you to specify Quantity and or Dollar Volume discounts for your products, services or accessories. It can be reached by pressing the Qty/Vol button on the Price screen. You may enter discounts that apply to the GSA Price and or the Temporary Price. However, all discounts must be structured exactly the same for a contract.
There are four types of discounts that can be selected Quantity, Dollar Volume, Temporary Quantity and Temporary Dollar Volume. The first two discounts apply to the GSA price, while the second two are for the temporary price. You can select each type of discount by clicking with the left mouse button on the appropriate tab at the top of the form.

20. Price/Discount Screen
Vendors are able to enter their additional quantity volume discounts or dollar volume discounts in this screen.

21. Accessory Screen
The Accessory Information screen allows the vendor to describe accessories offered for each product under the current contract(s).
The Accessory speed buttons Price Screen/Discounts, Special Charges and Colors provide detailed information for each accessory including discounts based on the GSA price and /or temporary price, special charges such as delivery and installation and various accessory colors.

22. Accessory Screen 1. Select Add from the Tool bar.
2. Enter the Contract Number, Special Item Number , Manufacturer Name, Mfr Part/ Model Number, Accessory/Item Name, Accessory Description, Warranty Interval, Warranty Period and Production Point(s).
Note: These are required fields. If you attempt to save a record that has any blank required data fields an error message listing these fields will be displayed.
3. You must also attach an Accessory to at least one Product.
4. Select Save to save the record or Cancel to cancel the record.

23. Options Screen
To access the Options screen from the menu bar, select File, Open, Options or click on the Options speed button on the Toolbar.
The Options screen allows you to enter any options, available with a product. You may also enter colors as an option. Based upon the options chosen, additional charges or credits may be applied to the base price to establish a final selling price for the configuration.
A desktop computer is a good example of a product having options.

24. Options Screen
Products entered in as an Option are only available as add-ons, substitutes or excluded from the base product.
Options are recommended for adding multiple color choices.

25. If you have built a Colors/Fabrics table, use the Colors/Fabrics table to build options for a group name. Select a product, then click on the ‘Assign colors/fabrics’ button.

26. Service Information Screen (ONLY in Versions 5.04 and Below)
Similar to the Product Information Screen. Not as detailed due to the omission of product dimension information.
The Services Screen is no longer available, and all previous service items have been moved to the product screen.
Upgrades to SIP version 5.05 items listed under SIN type P for Products will remain in the Product Information field.  Items listed under SIN type A for both Products and Services will be listed in the Product Information screen.  Items listed under SIN type T with entries in Service screen will be DELETED. It is STRONGLY recommended that you place these items in a text file.

27. Service Information Screen (ONLY in Versions 5.04 and Below)
Very similar to the Product Information Screen. Not as detailed due to the omission of product dimension information.

28. Text File Screen (only available in SIP and not import)
You may use a current/external file or have SIP create an ASCII text file and put the file in the C:\SIP95\text file subdirectory. Select this filename at the Text File option in SIP then save.
The text file will be included with your SIP submission/Transport file.
Please ensure that text, HTML, or URL submitted links to information specifically describing products and services offered under your GSA/VA schedule contract.

29. Text File Screen
It is recommended that the text submitted NOT be voluminous. Large files will take longer to transport, longer to load onto GSA Advantage, and may become cumbersome for customers to use.

30. Text File Format
We recommend that your text file follow the format outlined below:
Company name or *small logo (if using HTML)
Table of contents(by SIN).
This may be included under ordering instructions.
Ordering instructions/terms & conditions
Company overview (if necessary)
Description of products and services offered under each Special Item Number (important).
If you add images to your text file, you should include your image in the following HTML format:
<img src= company.com/your image.jpg>

31. Uploading Catalog Files
Upon completion of ALL of your catalog information, go to COMMUNICATIONS located on the SIP toolbar and click CREATE CATALOG FILE.
A dialog box will open, click OK. This will create your catalog files.
A final message will appear “Your files have been backed up…” click OK.
Go to COMMUNICATIONS, click SEND/RECEIVE files, click to SEND.
Select NEW CATALOG File, click the button marked “Click here to upload”. The system will notify you when your upload is completed.

32. 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
Thank You
If you require or would like further assistance, please contact the Vendor Support Center at:
(877) or
(703)
Monday through Friday
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
or us at or visit us on the web at