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Overview

The Supplier Management feature helps you maintain a database of your suppliers and vendors. By linking purchases to suppliers, you can track spending, manage relationships, and make better purchasing decisions.

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Key Features

Supplier Database

Store complete supplier information and contact details

Purchase Tracking

Link purchases to suppliers for spending analysis

Contact Management

Keep supplier contact information organized and accessible

Purchase History

View all purchases made from each supplier

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Supplier Information

Each supplier record contains:
  • Contact Name: Name of your primary contact person
  • Company Name: Supplier’s business name
  • Phone Number: Contact phone number
  • Email Address: Supplier email for communication
  • Address: Physical location or shipping address
  • Registration Date: When the supplier was added to your system
Suppliers are owned by the admin user. All sellers under an admin can view and select from the same supplier database.

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Adding Suppliers

1

Navigate to Suppliers

Click Suppliers in the main menu
2

Click New Supplier

Click the Add Supplier button
3

Enter Supplier Information

Fill in the supplier details:
  • Contact person name (required)
  • Company name (required)
  • Phone number (required)
  • Email address (required)
  • Physical address (required)
4

Save Supplier

Click Save to add the supplier to your database
Add suppliers before recording purchases to link spending to the correct vendor.

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Managing Suppliers

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Viewing Suppliers

The supplier list displays:
  • Contact person name
  • Company name
  • Phone and email
  • Address
  • Registration date
  • Quick action buttons

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Sorting Suppliers

Suppliers are sorted alphabetically by contact name by default, making it easy to find specific vendors quickly.

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Editing Supplier Information

1

Find Supplier

Locate the supplier in the list
2

Click Edit

Click the Edit button next to the supplier
3

Update Details

Modify any information:
  • Contact name
  • Company name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Physical address
4

Save Changes

Click Save to update the supplier record

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Deleting Suppliers

You cannot delete suppliers who have linked purchases. This preserves purchase history and maintains data integrity.
To delete a supplier with no purchase history:
  1. Click Delete next to the supplier
  2. Confirm the deletion
  3. The supplier is removed from your database
If a supplier has purchases, consider:
  • Keeping the record for historical purposes
  • Updating contact information if it changes
  • Adding notes about supplier status

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Using Suppliers in Purchases

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Linking Purchases to Suppliers

When recording a purchase:
  1. Select the supplier from the dropdown menu
  2. The purchase is linked to that supplier
  3. This enables spending analysis and purchase history

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Purchase History by Supplier

View all purchases from a specific supplier:
  1. Navigate to purchase reports
  2. Filter by supplier
  3. See:
    • Total amount spent
    • Number of purchases
    • Purchase dates
    • Products purchased
See Purchases for detailed purchase management and Reports for supplier spending analysis.

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Supplier Communication

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Contact Information

Keep supplier contact details up-to-date for:
  • Order placement
  • Price negotiations
  • Delivery coordination
  • Issue resolution
  • Payment processing

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Communication Best Practices

  • Regular Contact: Maintain relationships with key suppliers
  • Clear Communication: Be specific about orders and expectations
  • Document Everything: Keep records of quotes and agreements
  • Timely Payments: Pay according to agreed terms
  • Feedback: Provide feedback on products and service

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Supplier Evaluation

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Key Metrics to Track

Use the system’s reports to evaluate suppliers on: Cost
  • Total spending over time
  • Price trends
  • Discounts and terms
Reliability
  • On-time delivery rate
  • Product quality
  • Order accuracy
Relationship
  • Responsiveness
  • Flexibility
  • Payment terms
Regular supplier evaluation helps you identify your best partners and optimize your supply chain.

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Best Practices

Always fill in all supplier information:
  • Makes communication easier
  • Enables quick contact when needed
  • Provides backup contact methods
  • Supports business continuity
Update supplier records when:
  • Contact person changes
  • Phone numbers change
  • Email addresses change
  • Company moves or closes
  • Business names change
Identify and document:
  • Primary suppliers for each category
  • Backup suppliers for critical items
  • Minimum order quantities
  • Lead times
  • Payment terms
  • Special arrangements
Periodically review your supplier database:
  • Remove suppliers no longer used
  • Update contact information
  • Verify email addresses
  • Confirm physical addresses
  • Note any changes in business status
Good supplier relationships lead to:
  • Better prices
  • Priority service
  • Flexible terms
  • Early access to new products
  • Help during shortages

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Supplier Analysis

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Spending Reports

Use the system’s reporting features to analyze: Total Spending by Supplier
  • See which suppliers you spend most with
  • Identify opportunities for volume discounts
  • Consolidate spending when beneficial
Purchase Frequency
  • How often you buy from each supplier
  • Patterns in ordering
  • Opportunities to optimize order timing
Category Analysis
  • Which suppliers provide which product categories
  • Product diversity from each supplier
  • Opportunities for consolidation or diversification
See the Reports section for detailed reporting capabilities.

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Supplier Diversity

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Benefits of Multiple Suppliers

  • Risk Mitigation: Don’t depend on single source
  • Price Competition: Compare offers between suppliers
  • Product Availability: Alternative sources during shortages
  • Negotiating Power: Leverage multiple relationships

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Managing Multiple Suppliers

Maintain 2-3 suppliers for critical product categories to ensure business continuity.
Best practices:
  • Regular contact with all suppliers
  • Compare prices periodically
  • Distribute orders strategically
  • Maintain minimum relationships
  • Document differences in quality/service

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Troubleshooting

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Can’t Delete Supplier

If you cannot delete a supplier:
  • The supplier has linked purchases
  • Keep the record for historical purposes
  • Update the record if information changes
  • Consider adding notes about supplier status

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Supplier Not Appearing in Purchase Form

If a supplier doesn’t appear when recording purchases:
  1. Verify the supplier is saved in the database
  2. Check you’re logged in as the correct admin
  3. Refresh the purchase page
  4. Try creating the supplier again

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Duplicate Suppliers

If you accidentally create duplicate supplier records:
  1. Identify the duplicate
  2. If it has no purchases, delete it
  3. If it has purchases, keep both records
  4. Update one record to indicate “duplicate” in notes
  5. Use the primary record going forward
The system allows duplicate company names because you might have different contacts or locations for the same company.

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Missing Contact Information

If supplier contact information is incomplete:
  1. Edit the supplier record
  2. Add the missing information
  3. Verify accuracy with recent communications
  4. Update regularly to keep current

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Integration with Other Features

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Purchases

Suppliers are linked to purchases, enabling:
  • Purchase history by supplier
  • Spending analysis
  • Reorder decisions
Learn more in Purchases.

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Reports

Supplier data powers several reports:
  • Total spending by supplier
  • Purchase frequency
  • Cost trends
  • Supplier comparison
Learn more in Reports.
  • Purchases - Record purchases and link to suppliers
  • Reports - Analyze supplier spending and performance

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