•  Refresh
  • Tools
  •  
  • Expand All
  • Collapse All
  • Locales
  • Get File Link
  • Report Typo
  • Print
  • Export

Vendor Classes

Form ID: (AP201000)

You can use this form to create vendor classes, which are groups of vendors with similar properties. Vendor classes make it easier to create vendor accounts on the Vendors (AP303000) form: Once you assign a new vendor to a specific class, the default accounts and subaccounts from the class, as well as other settings defined for the class, will be inserted into the corresponding elements.

To ease the creation of vendor classes, specify an existing vendor class as the default class on the Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000) form. After you do this, when you create a new vendor class, the elements on this form will be populated with values from the default vendor class. (You can override any of these values.) For more information about vendor classes, see Vendors: Vendor Defaults and Overrides.

In This Topic [Hide/Show]

Back to TopForm Toolbar

The form toolbar includes the buttons described below.

Button Description
Include Vendors in Restriction Group Updates the security settings for all vendors of the class. If you change the default restriction group for the selected vendor class (on the General tab of this form, Default General Settings section), clicking this button will include all vendors of the class in the new default restriction group and exclude them from the group previously specified as the default one.
This command appears on the form toolbar if the Row-Level Security feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
Add to Project Opens the Add Vendor Class to Project dialog box, in which you can add this vendor class and the minimum commitment amount to the selected projects for automatic generation of lien wavers.This command appears on the form toolbar if the Construction feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form and the Automatically Generate Lien Waivers check box is selected on the Compliance Preferences (CL301000) form.

Add Vendor Class to Project Dialog Box

You use this dialog box to add this vendor class and the minimum commitment amount to the selected projects for automatic generation of lien wavers. This dialog box is opened when you click Add to Project on the form toolbar.

Element Description
Included An unlabeled check box that you select to cause the system to add this vendor class and the minimum commitment amount to the project.
Project ID The ID of the project.
Description The brief description of the project.
Status The status of the project.
Customer The ID of the customer to be billed for the project.
Customer Name The name of the customer to be billed for the project.
Project Currency The project currency.This box appears on the form if the Multicurrency Projects feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
Minimum Commitment Amount The minimum amount of the commitment for which the lien waiver will be automatically generated. If you specify 0, lien waivers will be generated for commitments of any amount.
This dialog box has the following buttons.
Add Adds this vendor class and the minimum commitment amount to the table on the Lien Waiver Settings on the Projects (PM301000) form for the selected projects and closes the dialog box.
Cancel Cancels the adding of this vendor class and the minimum commitment amount to the selected projects for automatic generation of lien wavers and closes the dialog box.

Back to TopSummary Area

In this area, you can select the class you want by its identifier and view its description, or you can specify this information for a class you are creating.

Element Description
Class ID The unique identifier of the class. You may use an alphanumeric string of up to 10 characters.
Description A detailed description of the vendor class.

Back to TopGeneral Tab

On this tab, you can view or modify the settings of the selected class. You can specify as few or as many default settings as you’d like. Changes to class settings will not affect already-existing records of vendors of the class; however, when you create a vendor and fill in the Vendor Class box of the Vendors (AP303000) form, the new vendor account is assigned the most up-to-date class settings.

Default General Settings Section

Element Description
Country The country of the vendors of this class. By default, it is the country of your company.
If you change the vendor class of an existing vendor, the country of the vendor specified on the General tab of the Vendors (AP303000) form and the country for all vendor locations specified on the Location tab of the Vendors (AP303000) form will not be overridden.
Restrict Visibility To The company or branch associated by default with vendors of the class. The value specified for a vendor class will be used as the default vendor class for the vendors associated with this class, but this value can be overridden. The vendor restriction will be used to determine which users can access the vendor record and in documents with which branch the vendor can be used. Only users assigned to the role specified for the branch on the Branches (CS102000) form or for the company (or a company within a company group) on the Companies (CS101500) form will be able to access vendors of this class. Newly created vendors of this class can be selected in documents originating from this branch or the branches of this company.
This box appears on the form only when the Customer and Vendor Visibility Restriction feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
Tax Zone ID The default tax zone for the vendors of the class.
If you change the vendor class of an existing vendor, the tax zone will not be overridden for all vendor locations on the Location tab of the Vendors (AP303000) form.
Tax Calculation Mode The tax calculation mode for vendors of the class, which defines which amounts (tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive) should be entered in the detail lines of a document for a vendor of the class on the Bills and Adjustments (AP301000) and Cash Purchases (AP304000) forms.
Select one of the following options:
  • Tax Settings: The tax amount for the document is calculated according to the settings of the applicable tax or taxes. This is the default value for a vendor class you are creating, but you can select another value.
  • Gross: The amount in the document detail line includes a tax or multiple taxes.
  • Net: The amount in the document detail line does not include taxes.
 This mode can be overridden at the vendor, location, or document level.
This box appears on the form when the Net/Gross Entry Mode feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
Require Tax Zone A check box that indicates (if selected) that the Tax Zone value is required for vendors of the class. If it is not selected, the Tax Zone is optional for vendors of the class.
Default Location ID from Branch A check box that indicates (if selected) that the identifier of the branch to which the user is currently signed in is used by default as the identifier of the vendor’s main location instead of MAIN (default).
This box is available only when the Business Account Locations feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
Locale The locale that defines the language in which vendors of the class prefer to receive documents. The system will assign this locale to new vendor accounts of the class automatically when you specify the vendor class for the account on the Vendors (AP303000) form. For each existing vendor account, you need to specify the preferred locale manually.
This box is displayed if there are multiple active locales in the system.
For details, see Locales and Languages.
Default Restriction Group The restriction group to which newly created vendors of the class will be assigned by default. To include all existing vendors of the class in this restriction group, click Include Vendors in Restriction Group on the form toolbar.
This box appears on the form if the Row-Level Security feature has been enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.

Default Purchase Settings Section

Element Description
Shipping Terms The shipping terms to be used in relations with vendors of the class.
Receipt Action The default action for vendors of the class, which will be performed on receipt of purchased goods if the specified conditions are not satisfied. Select one of the following options:
  • Reject: Receipt of the items will be rejected.
  • Accept but Warn: Receipt of the items will be accepted, but the system will generate a warning for the applicable purchase order line.
  • Accept: Receipt of the items will be accepted.

Default Financial Settings Section

Element Description
Terms The default credit terms for the vendor class. Terms can be created and viewed on the Credit Terms (CS206500) form.
Payment Method The default payment method for the class.
Cash Account The cash account used by default for operations with the vendors of this class.
Payment By The way the vendors of this class should be paid: by Due Date or Discount Date.
Currency ID The default currency used in operations with vendors of this class. By default, your company’s base currency is used.
Curr. Rate Type The default currency rate type used in operations with vendors of this class.
Enable Currency Override A check box that indicates (if selected) that the currency may be overridden for transactions; a currency other than the default currency may be selected for individual documents.
Enable Rate Override A check box that indicates (if selected) that the currency rate type may be overridden for transactions and that a currency other than the default currency may be selected for individual documents.
Pay by Line A check box that indicates (if selected) that the ability to apply payments by individual lines is turned on by default for vendors of the class that are created. Thus, after you select this check box, the Pay by Line check box is selected on the Vendors (AP303000) form for each vendor you create. (This default setting can be overridden.)
However, selecting or clearing this check box for an existing vendor class does not change this setting for existing vendors of the class.
This check box appears on the form only if the Payment Application by Line feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, and it is cleared by default for existing vendor classes. The check box is also cleared by default for vendor classes created after the feature has been enabled.
Apply Retainage A check box that indicates (if selected) that the retainage functionality will be turned on by default for all vendors that are created and assigned to this vendor class. Thus, after you select this check box, the Apply Retainage check box will be selected on the Vendors (AP303000) form for each vendor you create. (This default setting can be overridden.)
However, selecting or clearing this check box for an existing vendor class does not change this setting for existing vendors of the class.
This check box appears on the form only if the Retainage Support feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, and it is cleared by default for existing vendor classes. This check box is also cleared by default for new vendor classes. Selecting or clearing this check box for an existing vendor class does not change this setting for existing vendors of the class.

Default Print and Email Settings Section

Element Description
Print Orders A check box that indicates (if selected) that purchase orders for vendors of the class should be printed on release.
Send Orders by Email A check box that indicates (if selected) that purchase orders for vendors of the class should be emailed on release.

Default Lien Waiver Settings Section

Element Description
Generate Lien Waivers Based on Project Settings A check box that indicates (if selected) that the system generates conditional or unconditional lien waivers for the vendors of the class automatically.

Back to TopGL Accounts Tab

On this tab, you can specify the default GL accounts for the vendor class. The following table summarizes the elements of this tab.

Element Description
AP Account The liability account used to record the balance of AP transactions related to vendors of this class.
The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the accounts payable subledger. That is, for this account, AP should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information.
AP Subaccount The subaccount used with the account to record the balance of AP transactions related to vendors of this class.
Expense Account The expense account used to record transactions with vendors of this class.
Expense Subaccount The subaccount used with the expense account to record transactions with vendors of this class.
Discount Account The GL account to be used to record the amounts of discounts received from vendors of the class.
Discount Sub. The subaccount used to record the amounts of discounts received from vendors of the class.
Cash Discount Account The discount account used to record cash discount amounts received from vendors of the class because of credit terms.
Cash Discount Sub. The subaccount used to record cash discount amounts received from vendors of the class.
Prepayment Account The account to record prepayments paid to vendors of this class.
The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the accounts payable subledger. That is, for this account, AP should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information.
Prepayment Subaccount The corresponding subaccount to record prepayments paid to vendors of this class.
Reclassification Account The account to temporarily record expenses that require reclassification.
Reclassification Subaccount The corresponding subaccount to record expenses requiring reclassification.
PO Accrual Account The liability account to record transactions that are the result of receipts billing.
The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the purchase orders subledger. That is, for this account, PO should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information.
PO Accrual Subaccount The corresponding subaccount to record transactions that are the result of receipts billing.
Unrealized Gain Account The account to record unrealized gains on transactions with vendors of the class.
If no account is selected in this box, the account specified on the Currencies (CM202000) form is used.
Unrealized Gain Sub. The corresponding subaccount to record unrealized gains on transactions with vendors of this class.
If no subaccount is selected in this box, a subaccount will be generated according to the rule specified in the Combine Gain/Loss Sub. From box on the Currency Management Preferences (CM101000) form.
Unrealized Loss Account The account to record unrealized loss on transactions with vendors of the class.
If no account is selected in this box, the account specified on the Currencies (CM202000) form is used.
Unrealized Loss Sub. The corresponding subaccount to record unrealized loss on transactions with vendors of this class.
If no subaccount is selected in this box, a subaccount will be generated according to the rule specified in the Combine Gain/Loss Sub. From box on the Currency Management Preferences (CM101000) form.
Retainage Payable Account The account used to record retained amounts on bills with vendors of the class.
The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the accounts payable subledger. That is, for this account, AP should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information.
This account is inserted by default into the Retainage Payable Account box on the Vendors (AP303000) form for newly created vendors of this vendor class.
This box appears on the form only if the Retainage Support feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
Retainage Payable Sub. The subaccount used to record retained amounts on bills with vendors of the class.
This subaccount is inserted by default into the Retainage Payable Sub. box on the Vendors (AP303000) form for newly created vendors of this vendor class.
This box appears on the form only if the Subaccounts and Retainage Support features are enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.

Back to TopAttributes Tab

This tab contains the list of vendor attributes associated with the class. You can select an attribute from the list of attributes defined in your system. To add a new attribute, use the Attributes (CS205000) form.

The table toolbar has only standard buttons.

Column Description
Active A check box that indicates (if selected) that the attribute is available for all vendors of the class. You can deactivate an obsolete attribute by clearing the check box—in this case, the deactivated attribute will no longer be displayed for vendors of the class, but all attribute values that have already been specified for existing records still will be stored in the database, so if you re-activate the attribute, its values will become visible in the system again.
Attribute ID The name of the attribute, which serves as its identifier. An alphanumeric string of up to 10 characters may be used.
Description A detailed description of the attribute. You can use an alphanumeric string of up to 50 characters.
Sort Order A number that represents the order of the attribute for sorting in reports.
Required A check box that indicates (if selected) that the attribute value is required for all vendors of the class.
Internal A check box that indicates (if selected) that the attribute is not available for portal users.
Control Type The type of control for the attribute: Text, Combo, Multi Select Combo, Lookup, Checkbox, or Datetime.
Default Value The default value of the attribute.

Back to TopMailing & Printing Tab

This tab contains the list of the mailings for vendors of the class. Mailings are used to send electronic versions of documents (by email) to vendors and company employees overseeing operations with vendors of the class.

When a new vendor class is created, the system copies to the vendor class all the rows of the Mailings and Recipients tables of the Mailing & Printing tab of both the following forms: Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000) and Purchase Orders Preferences (PO101000). You can deactivate or delete any of these rows, override some of their default settings, and add new rows.

You can add mailings for the vendor class if they are in the list of mailings specified on the Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000) or Purchase Orders Preferences (PO101000) form. When you select a mailing in the Mailing ID column, the values in the other columns are copied from the corresponding columns of the preferences form where the mailing is defined, but you can override most of them.

If you add a mailing to a vendor class, the system copies the mailing and its settings to all vendors of this class.

If the Construction feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, the Mailings table also lists the predefined mailing for subcontracts and lien waivers. The default mailings for subcontracts are copied from the Mailing & Printing tab of the Subcontracts Preferences (SC101000) form and can be overridden. The default mailings for lien waivers are copied from the Lien Waiver Mailing & Printing tab of the Compliance Preferences (CL301000) form and can be overridden. If the vendor has no active mailings, the system uses the mailings of the vendor class for printing and emailing documents.

The tab provides default values for mailings to be configured for particular vendors. Emails for active mailings will be generated and sent to vendor contacts and company employees when a user invokes the action specific to the mailing on an appropriate processing form. Such emails can contain purchase orders in any of the available formats or a personalized email text based on a template. For overview of the functionality, see Mailings for Vendors: General Information. For details on setting up mailings, see Mailings for Vendors: To Set Up a Mailing for a Vendor Class and Mailings for Vendors: To Set Up a Mailing for a Vendor.

The tab includes the Mailings table, with the list of mailings, and the Recipients table, which has the list of recipients. In the Recipients table, you can specify default types of vendor contacts, not particular contacts.

Mailings Table

By using this table, you can view and modify the list of mailings to be used by default for vendors of the class. The settings here are used as follows:

  • To provide default values for mailing settings for vendors of the class
  • To specify the mailings to be used to inform employees of your company, if needed, about changes in the documents of vendors of this vendor class

The table toolbar has only standard buttons.

Column Description
Active A check box that, if selected, indicates that this mailing is active (switched on). Emails will be sent only for active mailings.
Mailing ID The unique identifier of the mailing.
After you select the mailing ID from the list of available mailing IDs, you cannot change it.
Branch Read-only. The branch for which this mailing is used.
If you select a mailing ID for which a branch is specified on the Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000), Subcontracts Preferences (SC101000), or Purchase Orders Preferences (PO101000) form, the system inserts the branch in this column.
Email Account The system email account to be used by default for sending emails for this mailing to the vendors of the class.
If a value is specified in the Default Email Account box of the Email Settings Tab of the User Profile (SM203010) form, the system ignores the value specified in this box. The system email account specified in this box overrides the value that is specified in the Account Name box of the Email Preferences (SM204001) form.
Report The report (related to accounts payable or purchase orders) to be used by default as the email’s body, if a report is used for this mailing. For the mailing, either a report or a template can be specified.
Email Template The email template to be used by default to generate personalized emails for this mailing.
Format The format in which the document (formatted according to the selected report if applicable) will be sent by default if a recipient has no preferences. Select one of the following options: HTML, Excel, or PDF.
Recipients The way the system specifies recipients in the generated email. The following options are available:
  • Add Recipients: On the generation of an email to which these settings apply, the system will copy the recipients specified for the selected notification template, if one has been specified for the mailing, and from the Recipients table on this tab. The Recipients table is populated with the values specified on the Mailing & Printing tab of the Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000) form, and you can add any number of extra recipients to the table.
  • Override Recipients: On the generation of an email to which these settings apply, the recipients will be copied only from the Recipients table on this tab. With this option selected, you can modify the list of recipients in the Recipients table as needed. The recipients specified in the notification template or report associated with the mailing will not be included in the generated email.

Recipients Table

Use the Recipients table to view and modify the list of default recipients for mailings. Generally, this list is used to provide default contact types for vendor classes; if necessary, you can also specify an employee of your company to receive emails on behalf of all vendors of the class. The table toolbar has only standard buttons.

Column Description
Active A check box that indicates (if selected) that this recipient is active. Only active recipients can receive emails.
Contact Type The type of contact to receive mailings:
  • Account Email: An email address specified in the Account Email box on the General tab of the Vendors (AP303000) form
  • Remittance: A remittance contact of the vendor specified on the Payment tab of the Vendors (AP303000) form
  • Account Location Email: A shipping contact of the vendor specified on the Purchase Settings tab of the Vendors (AP303000) form
  • Employee: An employee of your company who handles documents of specific vendor classes or specific vendors, or is otherwise associated with either of them
Contact ID The mailing recipient. This employee, if one has been selected, will receive emails with documents of all vendors of the class.
A particular recipient can be selected only if Employee is specified as the Contact Type.
Email The email address of the selected contact.
Format The format in which the report (if applicable) will be sent for recipients of this type by default. Select one of the following options: HTML, Excel, or PDF.
Add To The To, CC, and BCC options, which are available in this column, determine the element in which the recipient will be included in the generated email.

Back to TopRelated Articles