Set Up Suppliers (1206 onwards)

Created by Migration Bot, Modified on Fri, 23 Oct at 2:31 PM by Migration Bot

Originally written by John Hardwick, last updated Jan 30, 2026, on the Swan Retail knowledge base (FRS).

This program holds details of companies who supply goods and services to the retailer.

Supplier (or vendors as referred to in the US) data can be imported from a spreadsheet (subject to data availability and format).

When creating suppliers, include your own organization as you supply services such as deliveries and allowances.

There is no need to create your electricity supplier for example, only create suppliers providing goods and services you need to track for sales order control perspectives.

Menu Location: System Admin > Purchasing > Set Up Suppliers

Supplier List

The routine has two displays, one listing all the known locations in a tabular form.

Click the FIND button, having specified a search narrative in the text box preceding the button, to filter the list of locations.

Searching is against the supplier name only.

To return to a full list, clear the search narrative and click FIND a second time or click the CLEARbutton.

Click the NEW button or New on the side panel to generate a new record.
Choose the Supplier name link (shown in blue text) to amend an existing record.
Click the CLOSE button, or Back option on the side panel to leave the page (or select another option from the menu)
The COMPANY CONTROLS button may be used if the supplier is to have their own accounts codes for posting to a linked GL / accounting system. The system will use the standard settings within Application Parameters if not set.

The Goods in Transit, Goods Inwards and Return To Supplier pick lists are populated from the Set Up Nominal Account Codes (1205 onwards) program an supersede the system wide controls set within the Set Up Application Parameters (1211 ) routine.

The CATALOGUE IDS button is required for product creation and is documented later in this guide .

Supplier Detail

When creating a new supplier or amending an existing one, the following page is displayed.

Click the ACCEPT button, or Accept on the side panel, to confirm the changes and return to the supplier list page.
Selecting the RESET button, or Reset, on the side panel, to reload the page thus disregarding any changes made.
Click the CANCEL button, or select Cancel or Back option on the side panel to return to the supplier list.
To leave the routine immediately without saving any changes, select another option from the menu.

Item	Description
Supplier Number	The reference field used by SwanFRS when communicating with external applications such as accounts packages. Alongside the Supplier number, the NOTES button allows free format narratives to be entered. Once notes exist, this button changes colour, the grey being replaced with green. (NOTES).
Accounts ID	Where visible, this field may be used as a link point to an accounting package. Visibility is controlled via the ACCOUNTS_IFC application parameter. This field is used when issuing data to a 3^rd party accounts package and must replicate the name of the supplier within the accounts package.
Supplier	Specify the supplier's trading name.
Debrand Name	Specify the name presented to the salesperson / customer.
PO Send Email	Specify the email address. Must be set to enable email communication of purchase orders.
Alt Email	Optionally, specify a second alternative email address.
Alt Email 2	Optionally, specify a third alternative email address.
Telephone	Specify the supplier’s main telephone number.
Fax	Specify the supplier’s main fax number. Must be set to enable facing as the communication of purchase orders.
Agent / Rep / Contact Name	Specify the main contact for this supplier.
Agent / Rep / Contact Telephone	Specify the main telephone number for this contact.
Agent / Rep / Contact Mobile	Specify the main mobile number for the contact.
Agent / Rep / Contact Email	Specify the email for the contact.
Agent / Rep / Contact Notes	Specify any additional information relating to this contact.
Currency	Choose the base currency for this supplier from the list available. See Set Up Currencies (1205 onwards)
Invoice To Code	If this supplier is an AIS member, specify the relationship by entering AI and then the 4 digit trader reference. This is then printed on the Banner version of the Purchase Order Print in the invoice to address.
VAT Code	Select the VAT rate applicable for purchases from this supplier. See Set Up Vat Rates (1205 onwards)
Master Address	Click the button to set / amend the supplier’s main address. When creating a new supplier the master address, once set is rippled through to the purchasing and remittance addresses.
Purchase Order Address	Click the button to amend the purchase ordering address.
Remittance Address	Click the button to amend the remittance address.
Delivery Type	Specify how the supplier generally deliveries goods. Choose from Retailer Delivery Only Customer Direct - Home delivery is an option but not mandatory - retailer delivery is still possible with this field set. Misc Address - This option allows home delivery and retailer delivery, but also enables delivery to a third party address. Setting Misc Address enable a fourth address to be specified along with a trading name for the miscellaneous address.
Purchase Order Default Send Method	Specify the default communication method for issuing purchase orders to the supplier. Choose from – Print Fax – only selectable if the supplier has a FAX number set. Email – only selectable if the supplier has an email address set. XML – only selectable if there is a default path set within the XML_PO_PATH application parameter. See note below Setting the XML method generates an addition entry. The XML folder is the place SwanFRS will send purchase order XML files ready for issue / collection.
Acknowledgement Time	Specify the ‘standard’ time in days for this supplier to acknowledge purchase orders.
Reminder Prompt Days	Specify how many days before payment is due, the system should prompt for payment.
Internal Contact	Used in partnership with Ack Times and Reminder Prompt Days. When set SwanFRS will pre-set a reminder event to advise a PO is due for acknowledgement. Select from Operator - This option will send the not-acknowledged alert to the person who created the purchase order. User - This option sends the not-acknowledged alert to the specified owner. See Set Up Locations (1211) for user details
Normal Nett Payment Days	Specify the number of days it normally takes to pay invoices. This is used within the SwanFRS Invoice Matching routine
Normal Settlement Discount Percentage	Specify the standard settlement discount available. This is used within the SwanFRS Invoice Matching routine
Normal Settlement Days	Specify the number of days the supplier expects settlement of invoices. This is used within the SwanFRS Invoice Matching routine
Purchasing Department New in 1206	Specify the purchasing group used within the purchase order optimization system. See Set Up Purchasing Departments (1206 onwards)
Exclusive Location	Specify a location from a drop-down list for which this supplier provides goods. Only locations marked as Exclusive will display. This field is turned off when ‘exclusive locations’ is not operational. See Set Up Locations (1211)
Goods In Transit Code	Optionally specify an account code to be used when SwanFRS is notified (via EDI) that goods have been shipped. I.e. the supplier has sent the goods, but they have not yet been GRN’d into stock. Set to ‘not selected’ where application parameters are to be used for this supplier. See Set Up Nominal Account Codes (1205 onwards)
Goods Inwards Code	Optionally specify an account code to be used in preference to the global ‘goods inwards’ account set on via the application parameter screen for this supplier. Set to ‘not selected’ where application parameters are to be used for this supplier. See Set Up Nominal Account Codes (1205 onwards)
Return to Supplier Code	Optionally specify an account code to be used in preference to the global ‘return to supplier’ account set on via the application parameter screen for this supplier. Set to ‘not selected’ where application parameters are to be used for this supplier. See Set Up Nominal Account Codes (1205 onwards)
Internal Catalogues	This field is not currently operational.
Is Transport Provider	Tick to set this supplier as a transport provider – once ticked, it can be associated to a produce supplier and used within invoice matching.
Uses Transport Provider	If this supplier generally uses a specific transportation company, the supplier should be set here. The transport supplier must first have been set up and have its transport provider flag set first. The list of suppliers is restricted to those marked as ‘Is Transport Provider’
Allocation Method	Select the method by which transport costs are to be associated with products whilst invoice matching. Select from – Value of goods – costs apportioned on a pro rata value of goods. Number of seats – costs apportioned across the number of seats on the purchase invoice.
Standard Charge	Specify the ‘usual’ charge for transport for this supplier.
Exclude From Invoice / Credit Matching	Tick if this supplier is to be excluded from SwanFRS’s invoice matching routines.
PO Optimisation Exclusive	Tick to stop SwanFRS allowing the operator to create purchase orders directly off the back of sales orders. Once ticked, it is only possible to create purchase orders for this supplier within the purchase order optimization routine.
Default Internal Supplier	Not Currently used.
Exclude From Feedback	Ticking stops products from this supplier being used as part of the customer feedback survey request. This feature uses Feefo See Feefo Interface

Catalogue IDs

To enable the XML import routine to link the data to the correct supplier a cross reference is required.

Clicking the CATALOGUE IDS button for the selected supplier produces the following screen.

The screen shows the ID once the (amend) button has been selected.

To create a new ID click the NEW button.

Multiple IDs may exist for the one supplier.

Field	Comments
Catalogue ID	Specify the reference number used to identify the supplier within the XML catalogue This number must be unique. It is suggest the SwanFRS allocated Supplier number is used wherever possible.
Name	Specify the name of the supplier using this catalogue ID. This may be different to the suppliers name. This will default to the debranded name on creation of new records.
Debrand	Specify the de-branded name used when presenting the products at point of sale. This may be different to the suppliers debranded name. Only set if a debranded name is required.
Active	Tick to indicate this relationship is currently active.
Data Type	Select one from the following list – Not set – maintained externally to SwanFRS Price Writer – maintained within the Price Writer^®application. XML – maintained externally and imported via an XML document. Internal – maintained within SwanFRS. XML, Internal – products are imported via XML but can also be maintenance within SwanFRS This option can create sequencing issues and therefore care must be taken to ensure both systems are in sync.
Import	Where set any catalogue imported for this supplier will have new products set to the specified Product Group.
Selling Price Format	Where the XML import catalogue does not contain a selling price, FRSwanFRSS will calculate the selling using the item’s cost price. This section details how the selling price is to be calculated and is split into two sections. Formula – how is the selling price to be created. Choose from None – Do not calculate Margin / Mark up – use the formula set in Application Parameters to calculate a selling price – the value of the margin / uplift is specified in the text box below the option choices. Percentage – calculate the selling using a straight percentage uplift on the cost price – the value of the percentage is set in the text box below the option choices. Multiply – calculate the selling using a straight multiplication of the cost price – the value of the value is set in the text box below the option choices. Value – specify the margin / mark up / percentage or multiplier Charming – specify how the calculated selling price is to be rounded. Choose from None – no charming is required Round Down – round down to the nearest whole number 9 & 5’s – round down to the nearest number ending in a 9 or a 5. Golden Up – round up to the nearest golden price set (company or supplier) using the rounding tolerance set in the text box below the choices. Golden Down – round down to the nearest golden price set (company or supplier) using the rounding tolerance set in the text box below the choices. Value – specify the tolerance for price rounding.
Imported	Tick to indicate this is an imported catalogue from a 3^rd party source.

If using a mixture of internal and external product definition it is recommended that there is a numerical gap between external and internal catalogue IDs.

Files from the Confluence page