The vendor catalogue records what each supplier sells you and at what price, their vendor SKU, unit, price and tax, so purchase documents pre-fill instead of being typed. It is the purchase-side mirror of the product catalogue: the same physical item can carry a different code and price with every vendor who supplies it.
- What a catalogue entry holds
- How it links a vendor item to your stock item
- How it pre-fills purchase documents
Anatomy
Each catalogue entry belongs to a vendor and carries the vendor's own code (their SKU), a name and description, an optional link to your stock item, a unit of measure, a price, a default tax and whether that price includes tax, plus an active flag.
How it behaves
One stock item, many vendor entries
Because each entry links a vendor item to your inventory stock item, the same component can sit in the catalogue several times, once per supplier, each with that supplier's code and price. When you raise an order or invoice, the catalogue pre-fills the price and tax, so buying the same thing from different vendors is accurate without memorising anyone's price list.
Edge cases and good practice
- Vendor SKU versus your SKU. The catalogue bridges the supplier's code and your stock item; link them so receiving lands in the right stock.
- Keep prices fresh, since they pre-fill orders and shape your costing.
Related
- Reference: Product Catalogue (the selling-side mirror)
- Reference: Stock Management (the linked stock item)