How to Add and Manage Vendors

1. Overview

Vendor Management in Inaya

A Vendor (or Supplier) is an external business entity, organization, or individual that supplies goods, raw materials, inventory items, or services to your organization.

Managing vendors effectively keeps procurement financially disciplined and operationally efficient.

Navigation Path:

2. Why Is Vendor Management Important?

A clean vendor master ensures every purchase transaction is linked to a verified supplier.

3. Requirements to Add or Manage a Vendor

Requirement	Description
User Access	The user must have permission to create, edit, or delete vendor records.
Vendor Information	Legal/trading name, location, and onboarding date are mandatory.
Supporting Details	Additional charges (delivery, shipping), tax rules, and payment terms if needed.
Item Mapping (Optional)	If pricing is to be predefined, know which inventory items the vendor will supply.
Approval Workflow	Some organisations require approval before a new vendor is used in transactions.

4. Scenarios and Examples

Scenario 1: Registering a New Pharmaceutical Supplier

A pharmacy needs to source from INAYA PHARMACY LIMITED.

Vendor Name: INAYA PHARMACY LIMITED
Location: Dar es Salaam
Date: 2026-08-11

Once saved, the vendor can be selected when raising a Purchase Order.

Vendor Record Actions

Action	Description	Example
Create	Register a new supplier.	Adding a new pharmaceutical distributor.
Update	Modify vendor details or assigned items/pricing.	Updating delivery charges or location.
Delete	Remove an inactive or duplicate vendor.	Removing a supplier that no longer operates.

5. Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Navigate to the Vendors Module

The Vendors view shows all existing supplier records.

Step 2: Open the Vendor Creation Form

Click the Add Vendor ( + ) button on the action bar.

Step 3: Fill in Vendor Profile Information

Enter the required fields

Vendor Name: Registered legal or trading name (e.g., INAYA PHARMACY LIMITED).
Location: Physical address, branch, or region (e.g., Dar es Salaam).
Date: Onboarding date.
Additional Charges: Recurring delivery, shipping, or handling fees.

Step 4: (Optional) Configure Additional Settings

Assign inventory items, packaging units, default pricing, tax rules, and capacity limits. These can also be added later via the edit function.

Step 5: Save and Verify

Review all details and click Save. The new vendor appears in the Vendors table and is immediately available for Purchase Orders.

Edit Vendor Information

Open the vendor’s profile.
Click the Pencil (✎) icon.
Modify: Business Name, Location, Onboarding Date, Assigned Items, Packaging Units, Default Pricing, Tax Rules, Funding Accounts, Capacity Limits.
Click Save.

Delete a Vendor

Open the vendor’s profile.
Locate the negative (-) icon on the top-right action bar.
Click it to initiate vendor removal.
Confirm the deletion prompt.

Viewing the Vendor Price List

Inside the vendor profile, find the Price List or Items section. It displays all mapped inventory items with unit prices (e.g., TZS), packaging units (Box, Bottle, Pack), and extra charges.

6. What Happens After Saving?

Event	What Happens
Vendor Created	Appears in vendor selection lists for Purchase Orders.
Vendor Edited	Updated information propagates to future transactions; existing records stay unchanged.
Vendor Deleted	Removed from vendor table and selection lists (if no dependencies exist).
Price List Stored	Default pricing is available during order creation.
Audit Trail Recorded	Every addition, modification, and deletion is logged with user and timestamp.

7. Configurations

Configuration	Recommendation
Mandatory Fields	Vendor Name, Location, Date marked as required.
Additional Charges	Define charge types (Delivery, Shipping, Handling) for consistency.
Tax Rules	Pre-configure applicable tax codes for vendor-specific items.
User Permissions	Assign distinct roles for creating, editing, and deleting vendors.
Duplicate Check	Enable duplicate name checks to prevent near-identical entries.
Capacity Limits	Set maximum order capacities where supplier constraints exist.
Inactive Vendor Flag	Use a status flag instead of deletion for vendors with history.

Example Vendor Configuration

Field	Example Value
Vendor Name	INAYA PHARMACY LIMITED
Location	Dar es Salaam
Date	2026-08-11
Additional Charges	Delivery – 5,000 TZS
Assigned Items	Paracetamol, Amoxicillin
Default Tax Rule	VAT 18%

8. Common Problems and Solutions

No.	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
1	Cannot save vendor – error message	Missing mandatory fields	Check all required fields and fill them completely.
2	Vendor not appearing in Purchase Order	Vendor not active or not saved properly	Verify vendor exists in the Vendors table and is active.
3	Duplicate vendor entries	Multiple users created the same supplier	Search, merge if possible, delete the extra entry.
4	Cannot delete vendor	Vendor linked to existing transactions	Mark vendor as inactive instead.
5	Price list not visible	Items not assigned to the vendor	Edit vendor and add inventory items with default pricing.
6	Wrong currency or tax applied	Incorrect vendor tax configuration	Update vendor's tax rules and ensure pricing unit consistency.
7	Edit icon not clickable	Insufficient user permissions	Contact administrator to grant vendor edit rights.
8	Additional charges not reflecting in PO	Charges defined but not set as default	Ensure charges are saved as part of the vendor profile and assigned.

Quick Reference

Step	Action
1	Go to Main Menu → Finance → Purchase → Vendors
2	Click Add Vendor (+) to register a new supplier.
3	Enter Vendor Name, Location, Date, and Additional Charges.
4	Save the new vendor record.
5	To edit, open the vendor and click the Pencil (✎) icon.
6	To delete, use the negative (-) icon (if permitted).
7	View price lists inside the vendor profile to see items and costs.