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Use this guide when your facility works with outside companies you pay for services—detail shops, enclosed transport, mechanics, photographers, and similar partners. Vendor records live under Contacts > Vendors in the sidebar. They are separate from customer records—the people who store cars with you.

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What you will accomplish

  • Open the Vendors list from the Contacts area.
  • Add a new vendor with company name, contact person, email, and phone.
  • Search and filter the vendor list when you need to find a partner quickly.
  • Know where vendor invoices are reviewed after a vendor sends your facility a bill.

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Vendors vs customers

Vendor bills are reviewed in PaymentsThis guide covers vendor contact records. When a vendor emails or uploads a bill, review it on Payments > Invoices under the Vendor tab. See Review and pay vendor invoices.

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Before you start

  • Know the vendor company name and a contact person’s first name, last name, and email.
  • Have a business phone number when your team will call or text the vendor.
  • Decide the vendor type (for example detailing or transport) if your facility uses vendor types in Settings > CRM.

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Open the Vendors page

1

Expand Contacts in the sidebar

Click Contacts in the left sidebar to expand the list.
2

Click Vendors

Click Vendors, or go directly to Contacts > Vendors.Expected result: The page title says Vendors and you see a table of outside companies—or an empty list if you are just getting started.
Vendors page showing a table with company names Elite Auto Detailing and Prestige Transport Co, contact emails, and Add vendor button
The Vendors page lists every outside company your team pays. Use Search when the list grows long.

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Add a vendor

1

Click Add vendor

In the top-right area of the Vendors page, click Add vendor.
2

Enter Company Name

Type the business name customers and staff will recognize.Example: Elite Auto Detailing or Prestige Transport Co.Why this matters: A clear company name prevents duplicate vendor records when two people add the same shop.
3

Enter contact person details

Fill in First name, Last name, Email, and Phone for the person you work with at that company.Expected result: Your team can email or call the right person when work is due.
4

Choose vendor type (if shown)

Select one or more types such as Detailing or Transport when your facility uses vendor categories.Why this matters: Types help you filter the list later when you only need transport partners.
5

Add notes (optional)

Use Notes for helpful context—“Primary detail partner for exotics” or “Enclosed transport only”.Keep notes short and useful for the whole team.
6

Save the vendor

Click Create vendor (or Save) at the bottom of the window.Expected result: The vendor appears in the table. You can open the row later to send a portal invite or update details.
Add vendor dialog showing Company Name, contact fields, vendor type toggles, and Create vendor button
Search the vendor list before you add a new record—duplicate vendors make invoice tracking harder.

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Find a vendor in the list

1

Use Search

Type part of the company name, contact name, email, or phone in the Search vendors… box at the top of the page.Expected result: The table shows only matching rows. This is the fastest way to find Elite Auto Detailing or Prestige Transport when your list grows.
2

Review search results

Confirm the company name and contact email match who you expect before you open the record.
Vendors page with Search vendors field showing Elite and one matching row for Elite Auto Detailing
Search before you add a new vendor—duplicate records make invoice tracking harder later.Expected result: Only vendors matching your search text remain in the table.
3

Filter by status or type

Open Filters & settings when you need Active vendors only or a specific Type (for example Detailing or Transport).
Vendors page Filters and Settings panel showing Active status and vendor type options
Use filters when your vendor list is long. Showing only Detailing partners is helpful on a busy Saturday.Why this matters: Long vendor lists are easier to scan when you hide inactive partners or show only transport companies for a pickup day.
4

Open a vendor row

Click a row to open the vendor detail page.Expected result: You see full contact information, notes, and actions such as Send invite when your facility uses the vendor portal.
Vendor detail page for Elite Auto Detailing showing company name, contact person, email, phone, and notes
The vendor detail page is where you confirm contact details, read internal notes, and send a portal invite when needed.

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Understand vendor list columns

Your facility may show slightly different columns, but most teams see:
Vendors are not in customer-type pagesStorage, Detailing, and other customer-type links under Contacts show people who pay your facility. Vendors is a separate page for companies you pay.

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Send a vendor portal invite (optional)

Some facilities let vendors upload invoices through a vendor portal instead of emailing PDFs.
1

Open the vendor record

Click the vendor in the table.
2

Click Send invite

When available, click Send invite so the vendor receives an email with sign-in instructions.Expected result: The vendor can submit invoices through your public vendor link. See Set up the vendor invoice portal.

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What success looks like

  • Every outside partner your team pays regularly has one vendor record—not several duplicates.
  • Front-desk staff can find the right detailer or transporter from Vendors without asking a manager.
  • Vendor bills are tied to the correct company when reviewed on Payments > Invoices.

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Troubleshooting

I cannot find Add vendorYour account may need permission to manage vendors. Ask a facility owner to review your role in Settings > Team.
The same vendor appears twiceSearch before adding a new record. Pick one record to keep, move any invoice history if needed, and deactivate the duplicate. See Manage vendors for payment-focused vendor help.
I added a customer by mistakeCustomers belong on All Contacts, not Vendors. Create a customer record separately if the person stores cars with your facility.

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What to do next