Overview
In Limble, you can associate multiple vendors with a single part to compare prices and see who delivers fastest—all in one place.
This article will teach you how to associate vendors with parts, track unique vendor part numbers and prices, select preferred vendors, and compare average lead times.
Table of Contents
Manually Associating Vendors & Parts
Establishing the vendors who sell each of your parts is easy to do! There are several ways to set this up, but the method depends on your unique needs.
Method | Ideal If.... |
You want to associate multiple vendors with a single part for a few parts | |
You want to associate multiple parts with a single vendor for a few vendors | |
"Set Vendor Association" (Bulk Action) | You want to associate several parts with the same vendors at one time |
Associating Multiple Vendors with a Single Part
Associating Multiple Vendors with a Single Part
From the Vendors tab of the part card, click "Associate Vendors."
In the new window, you'll see a list of any existing associations you may have. To add more, click "Associate Vendors."
Choose your desired vendor(s) and click "Select" to confirm your choice.
Once the vendors are added, you can add unique part prices and numbers.
Associating Multiple Parts with a Single Vendor
Associating Multiple Parts with a Single Vendor
From the Parts tab of the vendor card, click "Associate Parts."
Choose your desired part(s) and click "Select" to confirm your choice.
Once the parts are added, you can add unique part prices and numbers.
Associating Multiple Parts with Multiple Vendors
Associating Multiple Parts with Multiple Vendors
From the Manage Parts page, click on Bulk Actions and select "Set Vendor Association" from the dropdown.
In the new window, click on the desired parts, then "Select" to confirm your choice.
Then, choose your desired vendors to associate with the parts you chose in the previous step. Click "Select" to confirm your choice.
Once the associations are made, you can add unique part prices and numbers.
(Note: if a part is purchased from a vendor through Limble's purchasing system, the vendor and part will be associated automatically. This is indicated with the magic wand icon.)
Tracking Unique Part Numbers & Prices
Once a vendor has been associated with a part, you can track the unique part number and prices for each vendor to quickly compare rates.
There are a few ways to add these depending on your needs.
Method | Ideal If.... |
You only need to update unique part prices and numbers for a few vendors | |
You only need to update unique part prices and numbers for a few parts | |
You're savvy with Excel and want to update several unique part numbers and prices at one time |
Adding Unique Part Numbers & Prices via the Part Card
Adding Unique Part Numbers & Prices via the Part Card
In the Vendors tab of the part card, enter the unique part number and price in the fields provided.
Adding Unique Part Numbers & Prices via the Vendor Card
Adding Unique Part Numbers & Prices via the Vendor Card
In the Parts tab of the vendor card, enter the unique part number and price in the fields provided.
Adding Unique Part Numbers & Prices via Bulk Update
Adding Unique Part Numbers & Prices via Bulk Update
We only recommend this method if you are savvy with Excel and experienced with Limble's import & update systems.
Perform the steps of a bulk update as you normally would, downloading your list of parts and removing any data that does not need to be updated -- except for the "Part ID" and "Manually Associated Vendors" columns.
If you have already associated vendors with your parts they will be listed here, and you can add more.
Format vendor information the following way:
[Vendor Name or ID] | [Part Number] | [Part Price]; [Vendor Name or ID] | [Part Number] | [Part Price]; .....
For example:
When putting together your file, take the following precautions:
DO NOT REMOVE existing vendor information from the row. If you remove existing vendor names, part numbers, or part prices from the file, the information will be removed in Limble upon upload.
The exact vendor name or ID is required, and they must already exist in Limble.
If the vendor does not have a unique part number, include a placeholder. For example:
If you want to associate vendors from other locations, make sure to uncheck the box next to "Only associate parts to assets and vendors at this location" in the update modal.
Once you have formatted the file, proceed with the upload.
(Note: if a vendor has been used to order a part and is automatically associated, removing their name in the import file will not remove the association. However, if you remove the part number or price, that information will be erased upon upload.)
When you create a PO and select the vendor, their unique information will generate in the "Item" and "Rate" fields.
Average Lead Time
Average lead time is the amount of days, on average, that it takes a vendor to get you your parts.
This help you decide which vendor to use if pricing is similar.
This is calculated in 3 sequential steps, as explained in the table below.
Item | Calculation (in Days) | Example |
[PO Item Date Received] - [Purchase Order Date] | [Dec 11] - [Dec 1] = 10 days
[Jan 21] - [Jan 1] = 20 days | |
[Lead Time 1] + [Lead Time 2] + .... | [10 days] + [20 days] = 30 days | |
[Total Lead Time] / [Number of Lead Times] | [30 days] / [2 Dates] = 15 days |
Learn more about how each step is calculated in the sections below.
Step 1: Lead Time
Step 1: Lead Time
Lead time is the number of days between the "Purchase Order Date" and the date a PO item (part) is marked as received from a vendor.
For example, if a PO date is the 1st and the PO item is received on the 11th, the lead time would be 10 days.
If a PO item is received in more than one shipment, each date will be treated as its own entry.
For example, if I order my PO item on the 1st and receive shipments on the 11th and 21st, I'd have two values contributing to the average: 10 days and 20 days.
Step 2: Total Lead Time
Step 2: Total Lead Time
Total lead time is found by adding up all of the lead times for a PO item.
So if a vendor delivers a PO item in 10 days, then I order it again and they deliver in 20 days, my total lead time would be 30 days.
Step 3: Average Lead Time
Step 3: Average Lead Time
Last but not least, average lead time is determined by dividing the total lead time by the number of instances you received a PO item from your vendor.
So if total lead time is 30 days between 2 dates, average lead time would be 25 days.
Selecting a Preferred Vendor
If you have multiple vendors associated with a part, you can designate a preferred vendor.
Doing so will:
Automatically associate your vendor with POs created from the part card
Automatically associate the part with the vendor when using the "Reordering Understocked Parts" feature
In the Vendors tab of the part card, click the circle next to the name of the desired preferred vendor.
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Still don’t see what you’re looking for? Check out our YouTube channel for more tips and tricks! You can also reach out to us anytime at support@limblecmms.com.