Suppliers

Overview

The Suppliers Management module is your pharmacy's contact book for all medication suppliers. This is where you store and manage information about companies and individuals who supply drugs to your pharmacy. Good supplier management ensures you can always restock medications efficiently and maintain good business relationships.

Navigating to Suppliers

1. Look for the Inventory Management section in your left sidebar menu
2. Click on Suppliers (usually second in the list)
3. You'll see a list of all your existing suppliers

Why Manage Suppliers Properly?

Benefits of Organized Supplier Records:

• Quick reordering: Contact suppliers instantly when stock is low
• Better pricing: Track which suppliers offer best prices
• Payment management: Know payment terms and deadlines
• Emergency contacts: Have backup suppliers for critical drugs
• Performance tracking: Rate suppliers based on service quality

Adding a New Supplier (Step-by-Step Wizard)

Step 1: Basic Information

Essential contact details for daily communication:

Required Fields:

• Supplier Name: Official company name (e.g., "ABC Pharmaceuticals Ltd")
• Phone: Primary contact number (required)
• Contact Person: Name of your main contact (e.g., "John Doe")

Optional but Useful:

• Supplier Code: Internal reference code (e.g., "SUP-001")
• Email: Official email address
• Alternative Phone: Backup contact number

Step 2: Address & Location

Where to find or send documents to the supplier:

Complete Address Details:

• Address: Street address (e.g., "Plot 10, Kampala Road")
• City: City or town
• State/Region: Province or region
• Country: Defaults to "Uganda"
• Postal Code: P.O. Box or postal code

Step 3: Financial & Legal Details

Important for payments and compliance:

Legal Information:

• Tax ID: TIN or VAT number (for official documentation)
• Registration Number: Company registration number

Payment Terms:

• Payment Terms: Description (e.g., "Net 30")
• Payment Days: Number of days before payment is due (default: 30)
• Credit Limit: Maximum credit allowed (in UGX)

Step 4: Banking Details

For electronic payments and bank transfers:

Bank Information:

• Bank Name: e.g., "Stanbic Bank", "Centenary Bank"
• Bank Account Name: Name on the account
• Bank Account Number: Account number
• Bank Branch: Specific branch location

Step 5: Status & Additional Info

Final settings and ratings:

Supplier Status:

• Is Active: Toggle ON for current suppliers, OFF for inactive
• Is Preferred: Mark your best suppliers for quick selection

Performance Rating:

• Supplier Rating: Rate from 1-5 stars:
  • ⭐ Poor
  • ⭐⭐ Below Average
  • ⭐⭐⭐ Average
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent

Additional Information:

• Website: Supplier's website URL
• Notes: Internal remarks or special terms

Viewing Your Suppliers List

Main Columns Displayed:

• Supplier Name: Company name
• Code: Internal reference code
• Contact Person: Main contact name
• Phone: Primary phone number
• Active Status: Green check if active

Hidden Columns (Can be shown):

• Email, Alternative Phone
• Address details
• Financial information
• Bank details
• Ratings and website

Sorting and Searching:

• Click column headers to sort alphabetically or by date
• Use search box to find suppliers by name, code, or contact person
• Default sorting: Alphabetical by supplier name

How Suppliers Connect with Drugs

When Adding Drugs:

1. In the Drugs Inventory, go to "Step 5: Status & Suppliers"
2. Select Primary Supplier from dropdown
3. Select Secondary Supplier (optional backup)
4. Drug is now linked to your supplier records

Benefits in Practice:

• Quick reordering: See all drugs from a specific supplier
• Price comparison: Compare prices between suppliers
• Supplier performance: Track which suppliers deliver on time
• Risk management: Have backup suppliers for critical drugs

Actions You Can Take

For Each Supplier:

👁️ View: See complete supplier details ✏️ Edit: Update supplier information 🗑️ Delete: Remove supplier (can be restored)

Bulk Actions:

Select multiple suppliers using checkboxes to: 🗑️ Delete Multiple: Remove several suppliers at once 🔄 Restore Deleted: Bring back removed suppliers 🗑️ Permanent Delete: Cannot be restored

Important Supplier Management Tips

Supplier Rating System:

• Rate honestly after each transaction
• Update ratings periodically
• Use ratings to decide where to place large orders
• Share feedback with suppliers when appropriate

Payment Terms Management:

• Track payment days carefully to avoid late fees
• Note credit limits to avoid exceeding them
• Update terms if they change
• Flag preferred payment methods

Active vs. Inactive Suppliers:

• Active: Currently supplying drugs to you
• Inactive: Past suppliers, temporary holds, or discontinued
• Recommendation: Never delete suppliers, just mark as inactive

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Adding a New Pharmaceutical Supplier

1. Basic Info: "MediPharm Uganda Ltd", contact "Sarah K.", phone "+256..."
2. Address: Complete business address
3. Financial: Add TIN, payment terms "Net 30 days"
4. Banking: Stanbic Bank details
5. Status: Active, Preferred, Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scenario 2: Handling Payment Issues

1. Edit supplier record
2. Update payment terms if changed
3. Add note about payment history
4. Adjust rating if consistently late
5. Consider finding alternative supplier

Scenario 3: Supplier Becomes Inactive

1. Toggle "Is Active" to OFF
2. Add reason in notes: "Changed to alternative supplier"
3. Update all drugs linked to this supplier
4. Keep record for historical reference

Scenario 4: Emergency Contact Needed

1. Use search to find supplier quickly
2. Check for alternative phone numbers
3. View banking details if urgent payment needed
4. Contact backup supplier if primary unavailable

Best Practices for Supplier Management

Information Accuracy:

• Verify contact details regularly
• Update banking information when changed
• Keep tax IDs current for official documentation
• Document special agreements in notes section

Relationship Management:

• Rate suppliers objectively after each order
• Mark preferred suppliers for important medications
• Maintain backup suppliers for critical drugs
• Review supplier list quarterly

Financial Management:

• Track payment deadlines to maintain good credit
• Respect credit limits to avoid issues
• Compare prices between suppliers annually
• Negotiate better terms with preferred suppliers

Supplier Rating Guide

What Each Rating Means:

• ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent: Always on time, best prices, excellent quality
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good: Reliable, good communication, fair pricing
• ⭐⭐⭐ Average: Acceptable service, occasional delays
• ⭐⭐ Below Average: Frequent issues, poor communication
• ⭐ Poor: Unreliable, avoid if possible

When to Update Ratings:

• After each major order
• When payment terms change
• If quality issues arise
• Annually for all active suppliers

Need Help?

Common Questions:

Q: What happens if I delete a supplier with linked drugs? A: Drugs remain in system but show no supplier in their records

Q: Can I have multiple preferred suppliers? A: Yes! Mark all your reliable suppliers as preferred

Q: Should I include small/local suppliers? A: Yes, especially for hard-to-find medications

Q: How detailed should banking information be? A: Include all details needed for electronic payments

Quick Tips:

• Use supplier codes for quick identification
• Always add alternative contacts
• Keep payment terms updated
• Review supplier ratings quarterly
• Export supplier list for backup

Getting Support:

• System saves automatically as you work
• No limit on number of suppliers
• All changes are logged for tracking
• Can restore accidentally deleted suppliers
• Supplier information is secure and private

Connecting with Other Modules

With Drugs Inventory:

• Select suppliers when adding new drugs
• Filter drugs by supplier
• Generate reports by supplier

With Purchasing (Future Feature):

• Create purchase orders to specific suppliers
• Track order history by supplier
• Monitor supplier performance metrics

With Financial Management:

• Track payments to suppliers
• Monitor credit utilization
• Generate supplier payment reports