Plain-English meaning
A structured request that captures the business need, owner, scope, risk, timing, and budget before vendor selection advances.
Why it matters in a software decision
Good intake prevents duplicate tools, missing stakeholders, rushed reviews, and demos that start before requirements exist.
Where you may see it
Procurement portals, service desks, forms, approval systems, and purchasing policies.
What to verify
- Business outcome and owner
- Users, data, and integrations
- Existing-tool overlap
- Deadline, budget, and approval path
Do not confuse it with
Intake qualifies and routes demand; an RFP asks vendors to respond to a defined requirement set.
Procurement example
A short intake should be easy to submit but complete enough to identify the next review, not attempt to replace every later questionnaire.
This glossary explains procurement usage in plain English. Contract, privacy, security, accounting, and regulatory conclusions require context-specific review.