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Supplier management

This section describes how to manage supplier information within 4Geeks Health. Maintaining accurate and up-to-date supplier records is crucial for efficient procurement, inventory management, and accounts payable processes.

Overview

The Supplier Management functionality in 4Geeks Health allows you to:

  • Create and Maintain Supplier Records: Store comprehensive information about each supplier.
  • Track Supplier Contacts: Manage contact information for key personnel at each supplier.
  • Manage Supplier Items/Services: Associate suppliers with the specific items or services they provide.
  • View Supplier Transactions: See a history of purchase orders, goods receipts, and invoices associated with each supplier.
  • Support Procurement Processes: Facilitate the selection of appropriate suppliers for purchase orders.

Accessing Supplier Management

You can typically access Supplier Management through:

  • Navigation Menu:
    • Look for a “Suppliers,” “Vendors,” “Procurement,” or similar option in the main navigation menu. (The exact wording may depend on your system’s configuration.)
    • Clicking this option may lead to a submenu with specific functions (e.g., “Supplier List,” “New Supplier”).

Creating a Supplier Record

  1. Initiate the Process:

    • Navigate to the Suppliers section (usually from the navigation menu).
    • Click a “New Supplier,” “Add Supplier,” or similar button.

  2. Fill Out the Supplier Form:

    The Supplier form will likely include the following fields, grouped into logical sections:

    • Basic Information:

      • Supplier Name *: The official name of the supplier company. Mandatory.
      • Supplier Code/ID: An internal code or ID assigned to the supplier. This may be auto-generated.
      • Supplier Type: (Optional) Categorize suppliers (e.g., “Pharmaceutical,” “Medical Supplies,” “Office Supplies”).
      • Status: Active/Inactive. Inactivate suppliers you no longer do business with, rather than deleting them.

    • Contact Information:

      • Address: The supplier’s primary business address (street address, city, state, postal code, country).
      • Phone Number: The supplier’s main phone number.
      • Fax Number: The supplier’s fax number (if applicable).
      • Email Address: The supplier’s general email address (e.g., for orders or inquiries).
      • Website: The supplier’s website URL.

    • Contacts:

      • You may be able to add multiple contacts for each supplier (e.g., sales representative, accounts payable contact, technical support).
      • For each contact, record their name, title, phone number, and email address.

    • Financial Information:

      • Payment Terms: The agreed-upon payment terms (e.g., “Net 30 days,” “2% 10, Net 30”).
      • Tax ID/VAT Number: The supplier’s tax identification number (required for tax reporting).
      • Bank Details: (Optional, but important for electronic payments) The supplier’s bank account information (bank name, account number, routing number/SWIFT code).
      • Currency: The currency the supplier uses for invoices.
      • Credit Limit: (Optional) A credit limit, if applicable.

    • Items/Services:

      • You may be able to link the supplier to specific items or services they provide. This helps with selecting the appropriate supplier when creating purchase orders. This may involve selecting from a list of items or services managed within 4Geeks Health.

    • Notes:

      • Any additional notes or comments about the supplier.

  3. Save the Record:

    • Review: Carefully review all entered information for accuracy.
    • Save: Click the “Save,” “Create Supplier,” or similar button.

Managing Supplier Records

  • View: You can view a list of all suppliers and open individual records to see their details. The list may be searchable and sortable.
  • Edit: You can edit supplier information to update contact details, payment terms, or other information. Be cautious when editing financial information.
  • Inactivate/Deactivate: If you no longer do business with a supplier, you should inactivate or deactivate their record rather than deleting it. This preserves historical data while preventing the supplier from being selected for new purchase orders.
  • Merge (if applicable): Some systems may have a feature to merge duplicate supplier records. This should be used with extreme caution.

Viewing Supplier Transactions

  • From a supplier record, you should be able to view a history of transactions associated with that supplier, including:
    • Purchase Orders: A list of all purchase orders issued to the supplier.
    • Goods Receipts: A list of all goods receipts for items received from the supplier.
    • Invoices: A list of all invoices received from the supplier.

Reporting

The Supplier Management module may provide reporting capabilities to:

  • Generate Supplier Lists: Create lists of suppliers based on various criteria (e.g., supplier type, location, items provided).
  • Analyze Spending: Analyze spending by supplier.
  • Evaluate Supplier Performance: Assess supplier delivery times, quality, and pricing.

Important Considerations

  • Data Accuracy: Maintain accurate and up-to-date supplier information.
  • Data Security: Protect sensitive supplier information, especially financial details.
  • User Permissions: Control which users have access to create, edit, and view supplier records.
  • Regular Review: Regularly review and update supplier information to ensure accuracy and completeness. Consider periodic audits of supplier data.
  • Integration: Supplier information is used throughout the procurement and accounts payable processes, so it’s crucial that the Supplier Management module is well-integrated with other relevant modules.
  • Training: Provide proper training for the staff.

This documentation provides a comprehensive overview of managing supplier information in 4Geeks Health. Remember to adapt any specific field names, button labels, or steps to match your organization’s customized configuration and specific workflows.