Suppliers: details, currency, RRP rule and price imports

Look up a supplier, keep their contact, account and ordering details, set their currency and RRP rule, and load or update their products and prices.

Where: web · Who can use it: Any signed-in user can open the Suppliers page and read it. Add Supplier, Edit and the three import buttons need the role permission Manage Suppliers. Deactivate and Reactivate need Delete Records. The RRP rule section is shown only when the server says the user may see cost information.

Screens may differ slightly from what you see.

What it is for

The Suppliers page is the list of everyone you buy from. For each supplier it holds contact details, account details, how to place an order, the currency they price in and, for users who can see costs, an RRP rule. It is also where you load a supplier's products and update their prices.

Who can use it

Everyone who is signed in can open Suppliers, search the list and read a supplier's side panel.
Add Supplier and Edit appear only for roles with the supplier-management permission. The three import buttons on the Products tab need the same permission.
Deactivate and Reactivate appear only for roles that can delete records.
The RRP rule section of the form is hidden unless the server marks the supplier as cost-visible for you.

How to use it

Find a supplier

Open Suppliers.
Type in Search suppliers... to narrow the list.
Use the All Terms drop-down to show one set of payment terms.
Tick Show inactive if you need suppliers that have been switched off. They show greyed out with an Inactive badge.
The table shows Supplier, Brands, Terms, Contact, Products and Status. Click a row to open the side panel.

Read a supplier's side panel

The panel has three tabs.

Details: Quick Contact buttons (phone and email), then Account (Account Number, Payment Terms, Prices in, RRP rule if you can see it, Brands, Contact Name), Account Manager, Ordering Method, Address and Notes.
Products: the products linked to this supplier, with SKU, MPN, brand, retail price and trade price.
Brands: one card per brand the supplier carries, with the discount, lead time and stock position. To change those figures, use the Brands page (see Brands and supplier pricing).

Add or edit a supplier

Click Add Supplier, or open a supplier and click Edit.
Fill in the form. Supplier Name is the only required field. The form has these sections: Basic Information, Contact Details, Account Details, Purchase order emails, Prices & currency, RRP rule (if shown) and Additional.
Click Create Supplier or Save Changes.

Fields worth knowing about:

Order Email: the address purchase orders go to.
Order contacts (who processes orders): used for the greeting on the order email, instead of the account manager.
Copy these people on orders: extra addresses copied on orders.
Show prices on orders to this supplier: prices are left off the order email unless this is ticked.

Set the currency

In Prices & currency, choose the Currency. If it is not GBP, enter the Rate (how many of that currency make £1, for example 1.10). The form says your cost in pounds is their price divided by the rate. Changing the rate re-works the cost of their products priced in that currency. Prices already on quotes stay as they are.

Set an RRP rule

If you can see the RRP rule section, enter a factor. The field reads "RRP = cost ex VAT × factor (inc VAT)". Use 2.64 fills in the double, plus 10%, plus VAT figure. Leave it blank for no rule. An RRP typed by hand on a product is never changed. When editing, Product imports use this rule makes imports ignore the file's RRP column for rule-priced and empty RRPs.

Update prices only

Open the supplier, go to the Products tab and click Update Prices Only.
Choose the supplier's price file (.xlsx, .xls or .csv).
Read the preview: Rows in the file, Already yours, Prices changing, New to you. Warnings show in amber.
Tick Also add the N products that are new to you only if you want them added.
Click Update N prices. This changes supplier prices only, not names or descriptions.

Import products or a PDF brochure

Import Products opens the full product import. It can rewrite descriptions as well as prices.
Import from PDF is for suppliers who send a brochure and no price file. Choose the PDF, check the preview (Codes found, Price changes, No price found) and confirm.

Switch a supplier off

Open the supplier and click Deactivate. Click Reactivate to bring them back.

Tips

Use Update Prices Only for a normal price rise. The full import rewrites descriptions too.
Put the payment terms in a consistent form, because the All Terms list is built from what is saved.

Things to know

The Products tab says "No products linked to this supplier yet" until a price list has been imported.
The Brands tab fills as products are imported.
If the supplier has no order email, ordering screens show "no order email on file" and will not open the email.

Common questions

Who can add a supplier or import prices?

Add Supplier, Edit and the three import buttons need the Manage Suppliers permission. Deactivate and Reactivate need Delete Records. Anyone signed in can read the list.

Why can I not see the RRP rule?

The RRP rule section of the supplier form is shown only when the server marks the supplier as cost-visible for you. If you cannot see costs, the section is hidden from the form.