How to Add Vendors and Vendor Price Lists in CrmLeaf
Worksuite, Manufacturing CRM, Construction CRM and Solar CRM editions. Requires the Purchase add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator.
Availability: Worksuite, Manufacturing CRM, Construction CRM and Solar CRM editions. Requires the Purchase add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator.
Overview
A vendor is the supplier record that every purchase order, bill, vendor payment and vendor credit is raised against. Each vendor stores its trading currency, its contacts, notes and a per-vendor price list, so the prices you agreed with that supplier are available when you raise a purchase order.
Vendors are the first step of procurement. In the Manufacturing CRM edition, adding vendors is one of the Getting Started steps.
How It Works
You create the vendor, add its contacts and notes, then maintain a price list for the products you buy from that vendor. From then on the vendor is selectable on procurement documents.
Create vendor → Add contacts → Add notes → Maintain price list → Use on purchase orders
- The vendor's currency is used together with the exchange rate on documents raised for that vendor.
- Notes can be password-protected, so commercially sensitive information is not visible to everyone who can open the vendor record.
- The per-vendor price list records the prices agreed with that vendor for the products in your catalogue.
- Vendors are also the subject of vendor quotes and RFQs when the Manufacture module is enabled.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Enable the Purchase module so the Vendor screens appear.
- Set which roles may view, add and edit vendor records, and at which ownership scope.
- Create the currencies and products the vendor record and price list depend on.
User
- Create and update vendor records, contacts and notes.
- Maintain the vendor's price list.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- The Purchase module is enabled for your account.
- The vendor's trading currency exists with an exchange rate.
- The products you want to price exist in the Products catalogue.
For Administrators
Step 1: Enable the module and grant access
What to do: Enable the Purchase module for the account and grant the roles that handle buying access to the vendor records.
What to verify: A user with that role can open the Vendor list.
Step 2: Prepare currencies and products
What to do: Add each currency you buy in and keep its exchange rate current, and confirm the products you purchase exist in the catalogue.
What to verify: The currency appears on the vendor form and the products can be selected on a price list line.
For Users
Step 1: Open the vendor list
Review the vendors that already exist before creating a new one, so you do not create a duplicate supplier.
Step 2: Add the vendor
Select Add and enter the vendor name and the currency you trade with that vendor in. Complete every mandatory field, then select Save.
Step 3: Add contacts and notes
Open the saved vendor and add the contact people you deal with, each as a separate contact. Add notes for the commercial background you keep with the vendor. Where a note holds sensitive information, use the password-protected note option.
Step 4: Maintain the price list
Add the products you buy from this vendor to the vendor's price list with the agreed price. Update the price list when the vendor's prices change, so purchase orders are raised at current prices.
Field and Option Reference
| Field / Option | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor name | The supplier's name as it should appear on purchase orders and bills. | Yes |
| Currency | The currency this vendor trades in. Used with the exchange rate on documents raised for the vendor. | Yes |
| Contacts | The people at the vendor you correspond with. | No |
| Notes | Free-text background about the vendor. Can be password-protected. | No |
| Price list | Per-vendor agreed prices for products in your catalogue. | No |
Expected Result
The vendor is saved and appears in Vendor, can be selected on a purchase order, and its price list is available for the products you buy from it.
Service Organisation Context
For a service organisation a vendor record is usually a subcontractor, an associate consultant, a specialist adviser or a software supplier rather than a materials supplier. The vendor's trading currency is used with the exchange rate on every document raised for it, which matters when an associate is engaged in one currency and the client is billed in another. Password-protected notes are useful where agreed subcontractor rates should not be visible to everyone who can open the record. Note that the per-vendor price list is built from products in the catalogue, so it suits repeat purchases better than one-off professional fees.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Vendor records belong to the Purchase add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan before rolling out vendor management.
- Set the vendor's currency correctly at creation. It drives the currency and exchange rate handling on every document you raise for that vendor.
Common Scenarios
Example: an imported material supplier. A construction company buys fittings from an overseas vendor. The vendor is created in the supplier's own currency, contacts are added for orders and for accounts, the agreed rate card is entered as the price list, and the negotiated rebate terms are kept in a password-protected note.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| The vendor screens are not visible | The Purchase module is not enabled, or your role has no access to it | Ask your Administrator to enable the module and grant your role access |
| The currency you need is not in the list | The currency has not been added for the account | Ask your Administrator to add the currency and its exchange rate |
| A product cannot be added to the price list | The product does not exist in the catalogue | Create the product first, then add the price list line |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a vendor also be a client?
Vendors and clients are separate record types in CrmLeaf. Create the organisation as a vendor for buying and as a client for selling.
Does the price list fill prices onto a purchase order automatically?
The price list records the prices agreed with the vendor. Confirm the automatic behaviour on the purchase order form with your Administrator before relying on it.
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