Vendor Numbering Methods

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You can assign up to seven characters to identify each vendor. Use numbers, letters, or a combination of both. If the Accounts Payable Divisions check box is selected in the Accounts Payable Options window, the division number must precede the vendor number.

If you use numbers for the vendor number, leading zeros are inserted automatically. For example, an entry of 150 is displayed as 0000150. If letters are used, no leading zeros are inserted.

Because vendor numbers are used to identify all Accounts Payable transactions, you must use a method of assigning numbers that best suits your requirements.

NOTE Regardless of the numbering method chosen, you can click the Lookup button to obtain a listing of vendors in vendor number or vendor name sequence when a vendor number is required for entry.

Accounts Payable reports can be sorted by vendor number, sort field, ZIP Code, or vendor name. If you use a numeric vendor numbering method and want to obtain alphabetical listings of vendor information, you can select Vendor Name in the Sort Options field in any window with this field. You can also select Sort Field in the Sort Options field to sort vendors by other information such as types of service, product, or industry. The following list suggests three possible numbering methods.

Using Numbers Only

This method has the advantage of speedy entry when the numeric keypad on your computer is used. Because leading zeros are inserted automatically, you need only type the significant digits of the vendor number. This method is especially suitable for businesses with a large number of vendors where it may not be practical to assign a descriptive code to each vendor.

To assign numbers to each vendor, increment the number by 10s or 20s between vendors. You can also organize your vendors into groups using the first two or three digits of the vendor number to denote specific types of vendors. For example, vendors 0010100 and 0010200 can both be trade payable vendors, and vendors 0020100 and 0020200 can be nontrade vendors.

You can also use the first two digits of the vendor number to designate the first alphabetical character of the vendor's name (for example, 01 = A and 26 = Z). This method is useful when sorting information alphabetically on reports.

Using a Combination of Numbers and Letters

This method allows you to assign codes using common vendor information such as the first two or three characters of the vendor name followed by a four-digit number. This number might be the last four digits of the vendor's phone number or another unique number.

Because leading zeros are not inserted when alphabetical characters are used, you must type leading zeros for the numeric portion of the vendor number. If you do not use leading zeros, the vendor numbers are not sorted properly (for example, vendors 8-10 should be entered as A08, A09, and A10).

Using an Abbreviation of the Vendor Name

This method allows you to identify the vendor by looking at the abbreviated name (for example, ABCPROD, FEDCORP, or PROTECH). Using this method, all Accounts Payable reports can list vendors in alphabetical sequence. This method is the simplest to use, but it is practical only if you have a small number of vendors, whose names you easily recognize.

For more information, see:

Wildcard Characters

Vendor Maintenance / Vendor Inquiry