Kitchen Inventory: Vendor Definitions & Purchasing Setup
Different vendors sell the same product in different ways - one might sell flour by the bag, another by the pallet. Vendor Definitions let you configure how each vendor prices and packages items, so purchasing and cost tracking stay accurate regardless of who you buy from.
Before You Start
- You should have inventory items already created (see Kitchen Inventory: Adding Items & Understanding UOMs)
- You should have vendors set up in your system
What Are Vendor Definitions?
A Vendor Definition is a vendor-specific configuration for an inventory item that includes:
- Vendor's Item Name: What the vendor calls this product (may differ from your internal name)
- SKU: The vendor's stock keeping unit number for ordering
- Price: What you pay per unit
- Purchase UOM: The unit the vendor sells in (must convert to your Default UOM)
- Price Per Unit: What unit the price applies to
- Case Setup: If the vendor offers case pricing
You can have multiple vendor definitions per item - one for each vendor you buy from.
Adding a Vendor Definition
Step 1: Open the Inventory Item
- Navigate to Kitchen → Inventory
- Click on the item you want to configure
- Scroll down to the Vendor Definitions section
Step 2: Create the Definition
- Click Add Vendor Definition
- The system will save your item first, then open the vendor definition form
[SCREENSHOT: Vendor Definitions section with Add Vendor Definition button]
Step 3: Configure Vendor Details
- Select the Vendor from the dropdown
- Enter the Name (optional) - how this vendor labels the product
- Useful when the vendor's catalog name differs from yours
- Example: You call it "All-Purpose Flour", vendor calls it "AP Flour 25kg"
- Enter the SKU - the vendor's product code for ordering
Step 4: Configure Pricing
- Enter the Price - base cost from this vendor
- Select the Purchase UOM - the unit the vendor sells in
- Important: This must convert to your item's Default UOM
- If you track flour in
kg, you can selectlb,g, oroz- notLoreach
- Select Price Per Unit
- Choose "Same as Purchase Unit" if the price is per purchase unit
- Or select a different UOM if pricing is structured differently
[SCREENSHOT: Vendor definition form showing pricing fields]
Step 5: Configure Case Pricing (Optional)
If the vendor offers discounts for buying full cases:
- Enter the Case Qty - how many purchase units are in a case
- Enter the Case Price - the discounted price for a full case
Example: Olive oil is $8.50 per bottle, but a case of 12 bottles is $90 (saving $12).
Step 6: Save
- Click Save to create the vendor definition
- The definition now appears in the Vendor Definitions table on the item form
Understanding the Vendor Definitions Table
The Vendor Definitions section displays all configured vendors for an item:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Vendor | The vendor name |
| Item Name | Vendor's product name (if different from yours) |
| SKU | Vendor's product code |
| Cost | Unit price from this vendor |
| Purchase UOM | How vendor sells it |
| Price Per Unit | What the price is based on |
| Case Qty | Units per case |
| Case Price | Discounted case price (if configured) |
Click any row to edit that vendor definition.
Invalid Vendor Definitions
If you see a row highlighted in red with a warning icon, the vendor definition has become invalid.
Why This Happens
Vendor definitions become invalid when the Purchase UOM no longer converts to the item's Default UOM. This typically occurs if:
- You changed the item's Default UOM after creating vendor definitions
- A custom UOM was deleted or modified
How to Fix It
- Click the invalid vendor definition row
- Update the Purchase UOM to a unit that converts to the item's Default UOM
- Also check the Price Per Unit if it's not "Same as Purchase Unit"
- Save the definition
[SCREENSHOT: Invalid vendor definition row highlighted in red with warning icon]
UOM Conversion Rules
When selecting a Purchase UOM, remember the conversion groups:
Weight Group
All convert to each other: kg, g, lb, oz
Volume Group
All convert to each other: L, mL, gal, qt, fl oz, tbsp, hl, bbl
Each (Unit)
each only converts to itself - not to weight or volume
Custom UOMs
Convert based on which system UOM they're linked to
Example: If your Default UOM is L (liters), valid Purchase UOMs include mL, gal, qt, etc. - but NOT kg, lb, or each.
Creating Custom Purchase UOMs
If vendors sell in non-standard units (like "6-pack" or "5kg bag"), create a custom UOM:
- On the inventory item form, click Add Custom UOM in the item header
- Or go to Kitchen → Settings and click Add UOM
- Define the custom UOM and link it to a system UOM with a conversion factor
Example: Create "6-Pack (1L)" as a custom UOM that equals 6 liters.
How Vendor Definitions Affect Purchasing
When you create a purchase order:
- Select the vendor
- Add items to the order
- The system pulls pricing from that vendor's definition
- When received, quantities convert from Purchase UOM to your Default UOM automatically
Example Flow:
- You order 10 cases of olive oil (12 bottles per case = 120 bottles)
- Each bottle is 500mL, so Purchase UOM is "500mL bottle"
- Your Default UOM is
L - System receives: 120 bottles × 0.5L = 60L added to inventory
Tips and Best Practices
- Set up all your vendors: Even if you mainly use one vendor, having backups configured saves time when switching
- Keep SKUs updated: Vendor SKUs change - update them when you get new catalogs
- Use case pricing: If you regularly order full cases, configure case pricing to track true costs
- Check for invalid definitions: After changing an item's Default UOM, review all vendor definitions
Troubleshooting
Problem: The Purchase UOM I need isn't in the dropdown
Solution: The dropdown only shows UOMs that convert to your item's Default UOM. If you need a different unit type, you may need to reconsider your Default UOM or create a custom UOM.
Problem: Vendor definition shows as invalid
Solution: The Purchase UOM no longer converts to the item's Default UOM. Edit the definition and select a compatible Purchase UOM.
Problem: Cost calculations seem wrong on purchase orders
Solution: Check the Price Per Unit setting. If it's not "Same as Purchase Unit", make sure it reflects how the vendor actually prices the item.