Supplier Management is your central hub for managing all vendor information, including company details, contacts, addresses, and payment terms. Build comprehensive supplier profiles to streamline purchasing and vendor management.
Overview
The Supplier Management system provides:
- Complete supplier profile management
- Multiple contacts per supplier with type restrictions
- Multiple addresses with intelligent duplicate handling
- Payment terms and delivery method configuration
- PO history and transaction tracking
- Supplier statistics and analytics
- Status management (ACTIVE/INACTIVE)
- Quick PO creation with pre-filled information
Searching for Suppliers
1 Access Supplier Search
Click "Suppliers" in the left sidebar menu.
2 Enter Search Terms
You can search by:
- Supplier name (e.g., "ABC Supply")
- Contact name (e.g., "Jane Doe")
- Leave both empty to see top 50 suppliers alphabetically
3 Filter Options
Use the "Active Only" checkbox to show only active suppliers or uncheck to see all suppliers including inactive ones.
4 View Results
Click on any supplier row to view full details. Use the three-dot menu (âŽ) for quick actions.
Creating a New Supplier
âšī¸ Required Information
To create a new supplier, you MUST provide:
- Supplier Name
- Contact First Name
- Contact Phone Number
- Payment Terms
- Tax Status
- Delivery Method
- Credit Limit > 0 (if using NET payment terms)
1 Start New Supplier
Click the "â New Supplier" button at the top of the supplier search page.
2 Fill Supplier Information
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier Code | Unique identifier (letters/numbers, no spaces). Optional - auto-generates from supplier name if left blank (e.g., "ABC Metals" â ABCME001) | No (auto-generated) |
| Status | Non-interactive, defaults to ACTIVE | Auto |
| Supplier Name | Full business name | Yes |
| Legal Name | Official registered name | No |
| Tax ID | Federal tax identification number | No |
| Industry | Business sector | No |
| Website | Supplier website URL | No |
3 Add Contact Information (Required)
| Field | Required |
|---|---|
| First Name | Yes |
| Last Name | No |
| No (but recommended) | |
| Phone | Yes |
| Mobile | No |
4 Financial Information
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Terms | Select from dropdown (e.g., NET30, COD) | Yes |
| Credit Limit | Must be > 0 if NET payment terms selected | Conditional |
| Tax Status | Select from dropdown | Yes |
| Delivery Method | Select from dropdown | Yes |
| Currency | USD, CAD, etc. | Yes |
5 Save Supplier
Click "đž Save Supplier". The supplier detail page will open automatically, where you can add additional contacts and addresses.
Viewing Supplier Details
When you open a supplier record, you'll see comprehensive information organized into sections:
Information Sections
- Header: Supplier name and status badge (ACTIVE/INACTIVE) in top right
- Supplier Information: All basic details, code, industry, website, tax ID
- Financial Information: Payment terms, credit limit, tax status
- Contacts: List of all contact persons with types and status
- Addresses: All supplier addresses with types and status
- Hamburger Menu (â°): Quick access to all supplier actions
Supplier Actions Menu (â°)
The hamburger menu in the top-right of the supplier detail page provides quick access to common operations:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| âī¸ Edit | Modify supplier information (Code and Status non-editable) |
| Manage Contacts | Add, edit, or view contact persons |
| Manage Addresses | Add, edit, or view supplier addresses |
| Start new PO | Create purchase order with pre-filled supplier info |
| PO History | View all past purchase orders |
| Statistics | View supplier analytics and purchase patterns |
| Print Statement | Generate and print account statement |
| Enter Invoice | Record invoice received from supplier |
Managing Supplier Contacts
1 Open Contact Management
From supplier detail, click the hamburger menu (â°) â "Manage Contacts"
2 View Contacts
See all contacts with their status. Use "Show Inactive" checkbox to include inactive contacts in the list.
3 Add New Contact
Click "â New Contact". Contact Type appears first in the form for easy selection. Fill in details (first name and phone required) and save. Status defaults to ACTIVE.
4 Edit Contact
Click any contact row to edit. You can change status to INACTIVE to "soft delete" a contact without removing it from the database.
â ī¸ Contact Type Rules
Each supplier can only have:
- One MAIN contact
- One BILLING contact
- Unlimited OTHER contacts
Same conflict resolution dialog as customers with three options: mark existing as inactive, change existing type, or cancel. This ensures data integrity and prevents conflicts in billing and primary contact information.
Managing Supplier Addresses
1 Open Address Management
From supplier detail, click the hamburger menu (â°) â "Manage Addresses"
2 View Addresses
See all addresses with their types and status. Use "Show Inactive" checkbox to include inactive addresses.
3 Add New Address
Click "â New Address". Select address type from dropdown (PHYSICAL, BILLING, SHIPPING, MAILING, OTHER). Status field is non-interactive for new addresses (defaults to ACTIVE).
4 Edit Address
Click any address row to edit. You can change status to INACTIVE if the address is no longer valid.
â ī¸ Address Type Rules
Each supplier can only have:
- One BILLING address
- One PHYSICAL address
- Multiple addresses of other types
Same conflict resolution dialog as customers with smart type filtering and three resolution options. The dropdown intelligently filters out types already in use, preventing conflicts and ensuring data integrity.
Starting a New Purchase Order
1 Quick Start from Supplier
From supplier detail, click hamburger menu (â°) â "Start new PO"
This automatically pre-fills supplier information, contacts, addresses, payment terms, and delivery method.
2 Add Line Items
Add products, quantities, and pricing to the purchase order.
3 Save and Track
Save the PO to track status (OPEN, CLOSED, CANCELLED).
PO History Viewer
View and filter all purchase orders for a supplier:
1 Open PO History
From supplier detail, click hamburger menu (â°) â "PO History"
2 Filter by Date Range
Select start and end dates (defaults to last 90 days). Click "đ Refresh" to update the list with your selected date range.
3 Filter by Status
Choose from status filters: All, Open, Closed, Cancelled, Received, Partially Received, or On Hold
4 View Details
Click any row to open the full PO details modal. Each row shows color-coded status badges for quick visual identification.
Editing Supplier Information
â ī¸ Important Notes
- Supplier Code: Cannot be changed after creation (non-interactive field)
- Status: Cannot be changed in edit mode (non-interactive field)
- All required fields must be filled before saving
- Credit limit must be > 0 if payment terms start with "NET"
Best Practices
- Keep contact information current - Update contacts when roles change
- Use meaningful supplier codes - Match accounting system for easy reconciliation
- Maintain accurate payment terms - Ensures proper AP processing
- Add multiple contacts - Include sales, accounts, and logistics contacts
- Keep addresses up to date - Critical for POs and pickup locations
- Use INACTIVE status - Don't delete suppliers, mark them inactive to preserve history
- Review PO history regularly - Understand supplier patterns and performance
- Use "Start new PO" - Save time with pre-filled supplier information
Troubleshooting
Cannot Save Supplier - Required Fields Missing
Problem: Save button is disabled or error message appears.
Solution:
- Verify all required fields: Supplier Name, Contact First Name, Contact Phone, Payment Terms, Tax Status, Delivery Method
- Check that Supplier Code doesn't contain spaces or special characters
- If using NET payment terms, ensure Credit Limit is greater than zero
Duplicate Contact Type Error
Problem: Cannot add MAIN or BILLING contact - duplicate exists.
Solution:
- Review the duplicate handling dialog that appears automatically
- Choose to either mark the existing contact as inactive or change its type
- If neither option is suitable, cancel and manually edit the existing contact first
Duplicate Address Type Error
Problem: Cannot add BILLING or PHYSICAL address - duplicate exists.
Solution:
- Review the duplicate handling dialog that appears automatically
- Choose to either mark the existing address as inactive or change its type
- The dropdown will show only available address types to prevent further conflicts
Supplier Not Appearing in Search
Problem: Cannot find supplier in search results.
Solution:
- Check the "Active Only" filter - supplier might be inactive
- Try searching with partial name matches
- Clear all search fields to see top 50 suppliers
- Verify supplier was saved successfully
Related Topics
- Purchase Orders - Creating POs for suppliers
- Accounts Payable - Managing supplier invoices
- Inventory Management - Receiving materials from suppliers