Advanced Business Cloud Essentials – Beginners’ Guide
Chapter 3: Supplier Accounts & Purchasing

Chapter 3: Supplier Accounts & Purchasing

Supplier Account Records

Navigate to supplier > Supplier Accounts

All active suppliers accounts will display on the supplier accounts screen. The search and advanced search filters can be used to reduce the number of accounts showing in the results table. As a quick overview, users can see the account name, code, balance, postcode, and main contact information.

 

 

To view further information about the account, users can select actions then select show. This will display the account record. Across the top of the record there are 5 tabs – General, Documents and Transactions, Assigned Contacts, Notes and files. For simplicity, the general tab shows the main contact details along with a financial overview of the account followed by a breakdown of outstanding documents such as invoices, credit, payments, and receipts.

 

 

Under the documents and transactions tab users will find all historical records and transactions created for the selected account including complaints, quotes, orders, invoices, payments, etc. Further information regarding the historical data can be view selecting the ID number and new records can also be created from this screen select +new next to the relevant heading.

 

 

The assigned contacts tab will display all current contacts from the CRM module that are assigned to the main account. New contacts can be created selected the +new option in the top right of the screen. As standard, only the contact name, job title, mobile number and email will display however more information can be accessed by selecting the contact name which will open the contact record.

 

 

Under the notes tab users will see all pre-recorded notes against the account in date order, this will show the date created, title, notes and the user who created it. New notes can be added to the record selecting +note at the top of the screen. Notes should be added to accounts to record any actions that have taken place such as credit limit increases, amendments to account setting, calls, emails etc.

 

 

The files tab will display a list of files that have been stored against the account and new files can be uploaded by browsing to the file and selecting upload. To use the ‘files’ feature your Business Cloud system must have a drop box account linked in the system settings.

 

 

New Supplier Accounts

To create new supplier accounts, navigate to the suppliers account screen and select +new at the top of the screen. This will open the account record for users to populate. Data is split across 5 tabs including General, Account, Contact, Notes and Tags. Work through the record populating all known details for the supplier. Not all fields are required, however if populated will follow through the system for easing business process and better & more accurate reporting.

Some of the fields we advise to populate are:

• Account status
• Preferred contact method
• VAT type
• EU Country
• Default expense account codes
• Default projects and / or departments
• Tags (free text fields to categories records together and can be filter on advanced search)

 

 

Purchase Quote Request

Navigate to supplier > Quote Request

Quote requests can be created in Business Cloud to send a documentation to suppliers to request prices for items. Requests can be raised for one supplier or up to three separate suppliers. The quote form on screen is split into 4 sections: General, Order items, Document notes & Delivery details.

Under the general section users can select up to 3 suppliers accounts to send the quote to, followed by a description, quote reference (automatically populated) and payment terms. Items can be added to the quote under the items section selecting ‘new line’ and searching by stock code or name. Users can detail the Qty, UOM for the purchase, conversion (if required) and the due date.

 

 

Document notes can be added to the quote documentation by selecting the pre-set text from the document notes library, stored in the system settings, or by free typing into the document notes field. This text will display on the quote document by default so will be visible to suppliers. Delivery address details can then be entered manually under the delivery address section or selected from the available addresses to the left of the screen, populated from the system settings company address.

 

 

Once created all quotes will display on the quote request screen and can then be converted into purchase orders for the suppliers with the best price.

Convert a quote request into a purchase order

To convert a quote request, navigate to the quote request screen and select actions against the quote in question and select confirm as order. The purchase order form will load where users can select the supplier from the quote or select a new supplier. Once a supplier has been selected a notification will show advising lines will be updated.

 

 

The account details will populate such as payment terms, currency however can be amended ad hoc. The items, document notes and delivery address details from the quote will show on the order. Default material cost values will be used for stock items however this can be amended as well as adding or removing other items / details.

 

 

Purchase Order

Navigate to suppliers > purchase orders > +NEW

Purchase orders can be created in Business Cloud manually, from a sales order, through materials requirement planning or from the stock below minimum Qty’s report. The below example shows the process for manual purchase order creation. The purchase order form on screen is split into 4 sections, general, order items, document notes and delivery details.

The general section is where users select who the purchase order is being created for, either by selecting a supplier from the drop down or selecting new if the supplier account does not yet exist. Once a supplier account has been selected the default account details will be populated which can be amended if required. A description can be recorded for the order along with a supplier reference, linked to a supplier contract, and linked sales order if required.

 

 

Items can be added to the order items section selecting ‘New Line’ and searching by stock code or name. If the stock item record does not yet exist, then users can select ‘+create item’. Once items are added to the order, the stock records defaults will populate such as the stock references, price type, location, UOM, pack conversion rates and if lead days have been recorded against the stock record then the due date will be populated accordingly. Although these fields are populated, they can be amended ad hoc if required by overriding the data in the fields.

 

 

Internal notes and Document notes can be added to the quote documentation by selecting the pre-set text from the document notes library, stored in the system settings, or by free typing into the notes fields. Delivery address details can then be entered manually under the delivery address section or selected from the available addresses to the left of the screen, populated from the system settings company address.

 

 

Once purchase orders are saved, documentation can be sent to suppliers and the orders will sit on the purchase order screen waiting for the goods to be booked into stock and an invoice recorded.