Supplier or Customer Records

Supplier Records in Helm enable you to create, organise, and manage detailed profiles for every supplier your business works with. Each record centralises essential information - such as contact details, product associations, lead times, and order history - making procurement more efficient and traceable. These records support automated purchase order (PO) generation and provide valuable insight into supplier performance and stock sourcing

Last updated 10 months ago

When to Use

Use Supplier Records when:

  • Setting up Helm for the first time with your procurement team

  • Creating purchase orders and need to reference supplier-specific products

  • Automating reordering based on lead times or low stock thresholds

  • Comparing supplier terms (e.g., cost, speed, reliability)

  • Recording historical supplier interactions and performance

Steps to Create a Supplier Record

  1. Navigate to:
    Contacts → Suppliers/Customers

  2. Click Create Contact

  3. Select Type: Customer or Supplier

  4. Complete the following fields:

    • Primary Contact Information (name and phone number)

    • Email Address (& 2 additional CC emails for copies)

  5. Click Create Contact

Example Scenarios

  • Tracking Supplier Terms
    Monitor which suppliers offer better rates, faster turnaround times, or more flexible credit terms

  • Streamlining/Auto PO Creation
    Auto-populate supplier details and linked SKUs during PO generation, reducing admin and improving accuracy

  • Supplier Performance Review
    Use Helm’s reporting suite to evaluate suppliers based on delivery timeliness, cost, and fulfilment reliability

Tips & Best Practices

  • Keep Lead Times Accurate
    Ensure estimated delivery dates on POs reflect real-world supplier timelines - this improves inventory planning and customer promise accuracy

  • Update Supplier Links as Product Ranges Change
    Keep product-supplier relationships current to avoid sourcing errors or stock delays

  • Maintain Clear Contact Records
    Input direct contact info for account managers or dispatch departments to streamline communication and reduce PO follow-up delays

  • Group Suppliers by Category or Region
    Tag or categorise suppliers by product type, brand, or geographic zone to support faster filtering and reporting