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Settings & Configuration
Managing Suppliers
Creating, editing, and linking suppliers to inputs
6 min read
Creating, editing, and linking suppliers to inputs
Suppliers are vendors who provide your ingredients and products. This guide explains how to manage supplier information in MenuM8, track who you buy from, and organize purchasing efficiently.
Suppliers in MenuM8:
Why Track Suppliers:
Example Suppliers:
Restaurant Supply Co.
- Dry goods, canned items
- Contact: 555-1234
- Delivers Tuesdays and Fridays
Fresh Farms Market
- Fresh produce, dairy
- Contact: 555-5678
- Daily delivery available
Quality Meats Ltd
- Meat, poultry, seafood
- Contact: 555-9012
- Next-day delivery
Optional Feature: Supplier management helps you stay organized, but you can use MenuM8 effectively without tracking suppliers if your purchasing workflow doesn't require it.
Step-by-Step:
Example:
Supplier Name: Fresh Farms Market
Contact: John Smith
Phone: (555) 123-4567
Email: orders@freshfarms.com
Website: www.freshfarms.com
Address: 123 Market Street, City, State 12345
Notes: Delivers daily before 8am, minimum order £50
Basic Information:
Additional Details:
What to Include:
Supplier: Quality Meats Ltd
Contact: Sarah Johnson (Account Manager)
Phone: (555) 987-6543
Email: sarah@qualitymeats.com
Account #: QM-12345
Terms: Net 30 days
Delivery: Monday, Wednesday, Friday before 10am
Minimum: £100
Notes: Best pricing on whole cuts. Call by 2pm for next-day delivery.
When Creating Input:
When Editing Input:
Example:
Input: Chicken Breast
Supplier: Quality Meats Ltd
Price: £6.50 per kg
Input: Romaine Lettuce
Supplier: Fresh Farms Market
Price: £2.20 per kg
Input: Olive Oil
Supplier: Restaurant Supply Co.
Price: £12.00 per L
Same Item, Different Suppliers:
Or Track in Notes:
Example Approach:
Primary Input:
Name: Chicken Breast - Quality Meats
Supplier: Quality Meats Ltd
Price: £6.50/kg
Tags: Primary, Meat
Backup Input:
Name: Chicken Breast - Metro Foods
Supplier: Metro Foods
Price: £7.00/kg
Tags: Backup, Meat
Use primary normally, switch to backup if unavailable.
Shopping List by Supplier (if feature available):
Example Output:
Shopping List for Wedding (100 guests)
Fresh Farms Market:
- Romaine Lettuce: 12 kg
- Tomatoes: 8 kg
- Carrots: 5 kg
- Fresh Basil: 500g
Subtotal: £47.80
Quality Meats Ltd:
- Chicken Breast: 18 kg
- Beef Tenderloin: 6 kg
- Salmon Fillets: 10 kg
Subtotal: £285.40
Restaurant Supply Co.:
- Olive Oil: 3 L
- Flour: 10 kg
- Canned Tomatoes: 6 cans
Subtotal: £58.20
Total: £391.40
Efficient Ordering:
Example Workflow:
Monday Morning:
1. Generate shopping list for event on Saturday
2. Group by supplier
3. Check Fresh Farms Market list
4. Order total: £47.80 (meets £50 minimum with delivery fee)
5. Call before 10am for Tuesday delivery
6. Repeat for other suppliers based on their delivery schedule
Tracking Pricing:
Example:
Chicken Breast Comparison:
- Quality Meats Ltd: £6.50/kg (Primary)
- Metro Foods: £7.00/kg (Backup)
- Wholesale Club: £6.20/kg (Bulk only, minimum 50kg)
Decision: Use Quality Meats Ltd (good price, reliable, flexible quantities)
Beyond Price:
Example Evaluation:
Supplier A:
Price: ★★★★☆ (good)
Quality: ★★★★★ (excellent)
Reliability: ★★★★★ (always on time)
Service: ★★★★☆ (responsive)
Overall: Preferred supplier
Supplier B:
Price: ★★★★★ (best)
Quality: ★★★☆☆ (inconsistent)
Reliability: ★★☆☆☆ (often late)
Service: ★★☆☆☆ (hard to reach)
Overall: Backup only
When to Update:
How to Edit:
Example Update:
Fresh Farms Market - Updates:
Old Contact: John Smith
New Contact: Emily Rodriguez (John retired)
Old Phone: (555) 123-4567
New Phone: (555) 123-4999
Old Delivery: Daily
New Delivery: Monday, Wednesday, Friday (changed schedule)
Update notes and save.
Changing Multiple Inputs:
Deactivating vs. Deleting:
When to Remove:
Process:
Example:
Removing "ABC Foods" supplier:
Inputs using ABC Foods:
- Sugar (5kg bag)
- Salt (1kg)
- Pepper (500g)
Action:
1. Edit Sugar → Change supplier to Restaurant Supply Co.
2. Edit Salt → Change supplier to Restaurant Supply Co.
3. Edit Pepper → Change supplier to Restaurant Supply Co.
4. Delete ABC Foods supplier (now unused)
Data Protection: Cannot delete supplier while inputs are assigned to it. Reassign inputs first, then delete supplier.
Naming Conventions:
Complete Information:
Regular Review:
Document Important Details:
Supplier: Quality Meats Ltd
Account Manager: Sarah Johnson
Personal Note: Prefers orders by phone before 2pm. Very accommodating for rush orders. Great source for specialty cuts. Closed Sundays.
Preferred Customer Status: Yes (been with them 5 years)
Special Pricing: 10% off orders over £500
Track Performance:
Setup:
Primary for Produce:
Supplier: Fresh Farms Market
Inputs: All fresh vegetables and fruits
Notes: Primary supplier, best quality, daily delivery
Backup for Produce:
Supplier: Metro Produce
Inputs: Same items as separate backup inputs
Notes: Use when Fresh Farms is out of stock or closed
Workflow: Order from Fresh Farms, switch to Metro if needed
Different Suppliers for Categories:
Meat: Quality Meats Ltd (specialty items, expert advice)
Produce: Fresh Farms Market (fresh daily)
Dry Goods: Restaurant Supply Co. (bulk pricing)
Dairy: Local Dairy (farm-fresh, supports local)
Seafood: Coastal Seafood (overnight fresh catch)
Each supplier excels in their category—play to strengths.
Before:
5 different suppliers, small orders to each
Lots of delivery fees, coordination overhead
Multiple invoices to manage
After:
2 main suppliers (Restaurant Supply Co., Fresh Farms)
Larger orders, better pricing
Fewer deliveries, less coordination
Simplified accounting
Trade-off: Slightly less specialization, but much more efficient.
Example:
Summer:
Supplier: Local Farm Stand
Inputs: Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, berries
Reason: Peak season, best quality, support local
Winter:
Supplier: Metro Foods
Inputs: Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers (no local berries)
Reason: Local farm closed, need reliable year-round source
Update supplier assignments seasonally.
Supplier Spending:
Example Report:
Supplier Spending (Last Quarter):
Restaurant Supply Co.: £8,450 (42%)
Fresh Farms Market: £6,200 (31%)
Quality Meats Ltd: £4,100 (20%)
Local Dairy: £1,250 (6%)
Total: £20,000
Analysis Questions:
Example Analysis:
Current: 7 suppliers, average order £60 each
Proposed: 3 suppliers, average order £140 each
Benefits:
- Fewer delivery fees
- Better bulk pricing (larger orders)
- Stronger negotiating position
- Less administrative work
Drawbacks:
- Less product variety
- Higher risk if supplier has issue
- May lose specialized service
Decision: Consolidate to 4 suppliers (keep one specialist for unique items)
Event Planning with Suppliers:
1. Create costing for event (100 guests)
2. Add products to costing
3. Generate shopping list
4. Group by supplier:
- Fresh Farms: £120 (produce)
- Quality Meats: £340 (proteins)
- Restaurant Supply: £85 (dry goods)
5. Check supplier delivery schedules
6. Place orders:
- Tuesday: Order from Fresh Farms (Thursday delivery for Friday prep)
- Wednesday: Order from Quality Meats (Friday delivery)
- Anytime: Order from Restaurant Supply (next-day delivery)
7. Receive ingredients
8. Prep event
Example:
Product: Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
- Romaine Lettuce (Fresh Farms): £0.30
- Parmesan (Local Dairy): £0.45
- Croutons (Restaurant Supply): £0.15
- Caesar Dressing (made in-house): £0.25
Total Cost: £1.15 per portion
Supplier breakdown shows where each cost comes from.
Problem: Error when trying to delete supplier
Cause: Inputs are still assigned to this supplier
Solution:
Problem: Can't select supplier when editing input
Cause: Supplier might be deactivated or deleted
Solution:
Problem: Need to update supplier info, don't remember details
Solution:
No, suppliers are optional. You can manage inputs without assigning suppliers. Suppliers are a convenience feature for organization and shopping list grouping.
Not directly in one input. Create separate inputs for each supplier (e.g., "Flour - Supplier A" and "Flour - Supplier B") or track alternatives in notes.
Depends on MenuM8 version. Some versions support CSV import. Check documentation or contact support. Otherwise, add suppliers manually.
Typically no limit. Add as many suppliers as you work with. However, too many can make lists unwieldy—consider consolidating for efficiency.
MenuM8 primarily tracks costing and recipe data, not full purchase history. For detailed purchasing records, consider integrating with accounting or inventory software.
Typically yes, via CSV or Excel export. Check Settings or Reports for export options.
Contact Support:
Check Documentation:
Stay Organized: Supplier management helps you streamline purchasing, compare pricing, and maintain strong vendor relationships. Keep information current for maximum efficiency.