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 3 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