What you will accomplish

You will add outside service providers to your facility, send them an invitation when needed, and understand how vendor records connect to vendor invoices.

Vendors are outside people or companies that help your facility. Examples include detailers, transport companies, mechanics, photographers, storage support teams, and contractors.

Use Contacts > Vendors to keep vendor contact details, invitation status, and payment setup organized in one place. Vendor bills your facility receives are reviewed on Payments > Invoices under the Vendor tab.

Before you start

• Have the vendor contact's first name, last name, and email address. These are the most important fields.
• Know the company name, phone number, and address if you have them.
• Decide whether to send the vendor an invitation email now.
• Ask your billing manager whether the vendor should set up payout details before submitting invoices.
• Gather any notes your team needs, such as service area, specialties, or scheduling rules.

Open the Vendors page

1. Click Contacts in the sidebar

   Sign in to your dashboard. In the left sidebar, click Contacts.

   Expected result: The Contacts area opens. You may see customer tabs such as Storage, Events, or Detailing near the top.

2. Click Vendors

   Click Vendors in the Contacts tabs (or submenu).

   You can also open Contacts > Vendors directly.

   Expected result: The page title is Vendors with the subtitle Service providers and payouts.

The Vendors page shows each vendor, their contact information, account status, and payment setup status.

Add a vendor

1. Click Add vendor

   In the top-right area of the Vendors page, click Add vendor.

   If the list is empty, you may also see Add your first vendor in the center of the page. Either button opens the same window.

   Expected result: A window titled Add Vendor opens.

2. Enter the vendor contact name

   Fill in First Name and Last Name. These fields are required.

   Use the main person your team should contact about work, invoices, or payment setup.

3. Add the company name

   Enter Company Name if the vendor works under a business name, such as Elite Detailing or Premier Transport.

4. Add the email address

   Fill in Email. This is required because the system uses it for vendor invitations and communication.

5. Add phone and address if available

   Enter the vendor's phone number and address if your team has them. This helps staff contact the vendor without searching elsewhere.

6. Add helpful notes

   Use Notes for internal context, such as services offered, preferred contact times, insurance requirements, or special instructions.

7. Choose whether to send the invitation email

   Leave Send invitation email to vendor checked if the vendor should receive an email now.

   Uncheck it if you only want to create the record and send the invitation later from the vendor detail page.

   Why this matters: Some vendors are not ready to connect payment details on day one. Saving the record now keeps contact details in one place.

8. Create the vendor

   Click Create & Send Invite or Create Vendor, depending on whether the invitation box is checked.

   Expected result: The window closes and the vendor appears in the list with a status such as Not Invited, Invited, or Verified.

Open a vendor record

Click a vendor row on the Vendors page to see contact details, payment setup status, and related work.

What the vendor statuses mean

Resend a vendor invitation

If a vendor did not receive the first email, you do not need to create a duplicate record.

1. Find the vendor on the list

   Open Contacts > Vendors and locate the vendor row.

2. Use Send Invite or Resend Invite

   On the row, click Send Invite (if they were never invited) or Resend Invite (if they were invited before).

   Expected result: The vendor receives a fresh invitation email. The account status updates to show they were invited.

What success looks like

After you add a vendor:

• The vendor appears on Contacts > Vendors.
• If you sent an invitation, the account status changes to show that the vendor was invited.
• Your team can resend the invitation if needed.
• Vendor invoices can be reviewed from Payments > Invoices when your facility uses vendor invoice features.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not look for Vendors under the Payments tabs—open Contacts > Vendors instead.
• Do not use a shared inbox unless that is how the vendor wants to receive payment setup emails.
• Check the email address carefully before sending the invite.
• Use notes for internal reminders, not private customer information.
• Create one vendor record per vendor company or main vendor contact so your team does not split history across duplicates.

Troubleshooting

When a vendor will bill your facility

1. Confirm the vendor record is correct

   Open the vendor from Contacts > Vendors and check the email and company name.

   Why this matters: Vendor invoices are easier to match when the vendor record is accurate.

2. Send onboarding if they need to finish setup

   If the vendor detail page shows Not Connected or Onboarding incomplete, use Send onboarding invite or Resend onboarding invite.

   Expected result: The vendor receives an email with steps to finish payment setup (when your facility uses online vendor payouts).

3. Review bills when they arrive

   When the vendor submits an invoice, your team reviews it on Payments > Invoices under the Vendor tab. Follow Review and pay vendor invoices.

What to do next

After adding the vendor, open their vendor detail page to review payment setup, associated products or services, and related invoices.

If the vendor will bill your facility, continue with Review and pay vendor invoices.

If you are setting up Payments for the whole team, return to the Payments overview for the recommended learning path.