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Supplier Management Guide

Module: Suppliers Roles: All roles (view), Admin (manage) Last Updated: July 2026

Overview​

The Supplier module allows you to manage your supplier database, track purchase history by supplier, and link suppliers to purchase orders. All supplier data is centralized and searchable for efficient procurement management.

Supplier List​

Navigate to Suppliers in the main menu. All suppliers are displayed in a sortable, searchable, paginated DataTable.

Columns Explained​

ColumnDescription
CompanyThe supplier's company name
ContactThe primary contact person's name
PhoneThe supplier's phone number
EmailThe supplier's email address
AddressThe supplier's business address
StatusActive or Inactive (see below)
ActionsView, Edit, Delete

Adding a New Supplier​

  1. Click the + New Supplier button at the top of the supplier list.
  2. The Create Supplier form opens. Fill in the following fields:

Form Fields​

FieldRequiredDescription
Company NameYesThe legal or trading name of the supplier's business
Contact PersonYesThe name of the primary contact at the company
PhoneYesThe primary phone number for the contact
EmailNoThe supplier's email address
AddressNoThe street address of the business
CityNoThe city where the business is located
StateNoThe state (e.g., Lagos, Abuja)
NotesNoAny additional notes about the supplier
StatusYesSelect Active or Inactive (default: Active)
  1. Click Save to create the supplier record.
  2. A toast notification confirms the supplier was created successfully.

Tip: Ensure at least the Company Name, Contact Person, and Phone fields are filled in before saving. These are required fields.

Editing a Supplier​

  1. Locate the supplier in the list.
  2. Click the Edit (pencil) icon in the Actions column.
  3. The Edit Supplier form opens with existing data pre-filled.
  4. Modify the fields as needed.
  5. Click Save to apply changes.

Deleting a Supplier​

  1. Locate the supplier in the list.
  2. Click the Delete (trash) icon in the Actions column.
  3. A ConfirmDialog appears asking you to confirm the deletion.
  4. Click Confirm to permanently remove the supplier, or Cancel to abort.

Warning: Deleting a supplier is irreversible. If the supplier is linked to existing purchase records, the system will prevent deletion and display an error message.

Supplier Status​

StatusMeaning
ActiveThe supplier is currently engaged. You can link them to new purchase orders.
InactiveThe supplier is no longer active. Their record is kept for historical reference but you cannot create new purchases against them.

Tip: Set a supplier to Inactive rather than deleting them to preserve purchase history and audit trails.

Viewing Supplier Details​

  1. Locate the supplier in the list.
  2. Click the View (eye) icon in the Actions column.
  3. The Supplier Detail view opens, showing:
    • Contact Information: Company name, contact person, phone, email, address
    • Purchase History: A chronological list of all purchases linked to this supplier
    • Total Spend: Cumulative value of all purchases from this supplier

Linking Suppliers to Purchases​

When creating a purchase order, you can link it to a supplier from the Purchases module.

  1. Navigate to Purchases in the main menu.
  2. Click + New Purchase.
  3. In the purchase form, select a supplier from the Supplier dropdown.
  4. The dropdown lists all suppliers with Active status.
  5. Fill in the remaining purchase details (product, quantity, cost, date).
  6. Click Save to create the purchase linked to the selected supplier.

Note: Only Active suppliers are available in the purchase form dropdown. Set a supplier to Active if they are missing from the list.

Tracking Purchase History by Supplier​

  1. Navigate to Suppliers and click the View icon on a supplier record.
  2. The Supplier Detail view displays a complete purchase history for that supplier.
  3. Each entry shows: date, product, quantity, cost, and purchase reference.
  4. Use the date range or search within the detail view to find specific transactions.

Tip: Review purchase history quarterly to evaluate supplier performance, negotiate better pricing, or identify alternative suppliers.

Using Supplier Data for Reporting​

While the Suppliers module does not have a dedicated reports page, you can leverage supplier data for analysis:

  1. Export to CSV: Click the Export CSV button to download the full supplier list.
  2. Sort by Company: Alphabetize suppliers for easy reference.
  3. Filter by Status: View only Active suppliers for current procurement needs.
  4. Cross-reference with Purchases: Use supplier names as filters in the Purchases module to generate supplier-specific spend reports.

Search and Filters​

  • Use the search bar at the top of the DataTable to search by company name, contact person, phone number, or email.
  • Results filter in real time as you type.

Sort​

  • Click any column header to sort the table by that column.
  • Click again to toggle between ascending and descending order.

Pagination​

  • Navigate between pages using the pagination controls at the bottom of the table.
  • Adjust the number of rows displayed per page using the page size selector.

Bulk Actions​

  1. Use the checkbox on each row to select multiple suppliers.
  2. A bulk action toolbar appears at the top of the table.
  3. Click Delete Selected to remove multiple suppliers at once.
  4. A ConfirmDialog appears to confirm the bulk deletion.
  5. Click Confirm to proceed, or Cancel to abort.

Note: The system will prevent deletion of any suppliers that have linked purchase records. Those records will be skipped with an error message.

CSV Export​

  • Click the Export CSV button at the top of the supplier table.
  • The current filtered and sorted view is downloaded as a .csv file.
  • Open the file in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet application for reporting or data migration.

Role Access Summary​

RoleAccess Level
AdminFull access — create, edit, delete, view details, export
SalesView-only access to supplier data
ProductionView-only access to supplier data
AccountantView-only access to supplier data (for reference in expense tracking)