Supplier portfolio heatmap
Use this monthly heatmap after individual supplier reviews. It converts decision archives, evidence gaps, relapse triggers and open commercial exposure into one portfolio view so managers can see which suppliers are safe to expand, which need caps, and which require exit or backup activation.
When to run it
- Before monthly category review or quarterly supplier review.
- Before approving major repeat orders across multiple suppliers.
- After several suppliers enter watch, cap, conditional or recovery status.
- When backup capacity must be prioritized but resources are limited.
Heatmap outcome
Every key supplier should land in one of five actions: expand, keep normal, monitor, restrict, or replace. The rule is simple: no supplier stays in a vague middle state without owner, proof deadline and next-order control.
expandnormalmonitorrestrictreplace
Copy-ready monthly heatmap table
| Column | Example entry | Decision use |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier / category | Supplier A · packaging · 40% monthly volume | Shows dependency exposure before the score is read. |
| Operational score | Green / Yellow / Red | Delivery, quality, documents and communication. |
| Commercial exposure | Low / Medium / High | Open deposit, balance payment, tooling, warranty and claim value. |
| Evidence state | Complete / pending / conflicting / missing | Blocks false confidence when proof is weak. |
| Current control | Normal / watch / capped / conditional / hold / exit review | Must match the latest decision archive row. |
| Relapse trigger | Late shipment, repeat defect, missing document, payment pressure | Defines the signal that changes status automatically. |
| Next-order rule | Max 30% volume until corrective action closes | Prevents portfolio review from becoming only a report. |
| Monthly action | Expand / keep / monitor / restrict / replace | The final row owner must be named. |
Scoring shortcut
- Green: no open evidence gap, no unresolved claim, stable delivery and clean documents.
- Yellow: one controlled issue exists, but owner, proof deadline and next-order rule are clear.
- Red: repeated failure, missing evidence, payment exposure, bypass pressure or expired review control.
Escalation rules
- Any red supplier with high commercial exposure needs management review before new PO release.
- Any yellow supplier older than two review cycles must be closed, renewed or escalated.
- Any supplier marked replace must have backup activation or transition owner assigned.
- Any supplier marked expand should still pass sample, production and shipment gates.
Anti-duplication rule
This heatmap is not another evidence archive. It is the management layer above individual checklists, meeting minutes and decision rows. Pull the latest status from those tools, then use the heatmap to decide portfolio-level volume, backup and restriction priorities.