V8 - Vendor-Item Catalog

The Plus and Pro plans of SOS Inventory allow you to track multiple vendors per item. For each vendor-item combination, you can track the cost, vendor part number, and estimated lead time. To view, edit, or manage your Vendor-Item Catalog, go to Company menu > Miscellaneous > Vendor-Item Catalog.

Once you have created your Vendor-item catalog, you can use the Where to buy report (Operations menu > Reports > Purchasing > Where to buy) to assist you in making purchasing decisions. This report pulls data from the Vendor-Item Catalog, allowing you to comparison shop.

When you create a purchase order with a vendor listed in the Vendor-Item Catalog and select a catalog item associated with that vendor, SOS will automatically add the vendor’s part number and cost to the purchase order.

Rules for working with Vendor-Item Catalog entries

• Automatic updates and additions to the Vendor-Item Catalog will occur via the Update default costs setting (Settings > Purchasing settings) if enabled, or when the item record is saved.

• Entries in the Vendor-Item Catalog may be edited to change the cost, but the vendor cannot be edited.

• New vendors and their item costs may be added for an existing item listed in the Vendor-Item Catalog.

• If no preferred vendor is in the item record, nothing is sent to the Vendor-Item Catalog.

• If a vendor other than the preferred vendor and its item cost are used, no entry is sent to the Vendor-Item Catalog.

• If a preferred vendor in the item record is used on a transaction, an entry is sent to the Vendor-Item Catalog.

• If the vendor is not the preferred vendor but the Update default cost box on the purchase transaction is checked, an entry is sent to the Vendor-Item Catalog for that vendor. 

• If the cost is updated in the Vendor-Item Catalog, it will also update the cost in the item record for the preferred vendor listed in the item record.

• If no preferred vendor is listed in the item record, but a cost on the purchase transaction other than the cost in the item record, an entry is sent to the Vendor-Item Catalog.

Steps for adding vendors and items to the Vendor-Item Catalog

1. Go to the Items list (Operations menu > Inventory > Items).
2. Locate the item to which you want to add a preferred vendor, then select the Edit action to open the item's Edit page.
3. Choose your primary (default) vendor from the Preferred vendor drop-down list and complete the Vendor part number field (if required). Then Save and close.
4. Go to Company menu > Miscellaneous > Vendor-Item Catalog.
5. Select the Add new button.
6. In the Item drop-down list, choose the item to which you wish to add an additional vendor.
7. Select the additional vendor for this item and enter the purchase cost in the Price field, vendor part number, and the expected lead time for this item from this vendor.
8. Select Save and close.
9. Repeat Steps 5-8 as many times as needed for this item.
10. Repeat entire process for other items with multiple vendors.

When a vendor and item are specified on a purchase order transaction, SOS will check the Vendor-Item Catalog if the vendor is different from the preferred vendor listed in the item definition. The system will pull the catalog information and automatically populate the transaction with the item’s purchase cost and the vendor part number.