Producers (suppliers)

#306

Admin panel section: Catalog → Producers (Suppliers).

What it is and why

The producers registry is the single source from which catalog goods get their «brand affiliation». Every product (chipboard, PVC edging, hardware, façade material) is strictly linked to one record in this registry. Without a producer, a product cannot exist.

In our service we use the term strictly: «supplier» = producer, not «dealer», not «wholesaler», not «shop down the road». It is the factory that physically made the material and assigned it its own article code. Intermediate links (regional warehouses, retail chains) are NOT entered here — they are not the source of the article code.

Why this matters:

  • Single canonical code. The same chipboard sheet may sell through 10 different dealers under their own pricelists, but the producer’s article code is one. Linking to the producer guarantees we keep it as one product, not ten «duplicates».
  • Product names use the producer’s code. In the catalog, a product is named by the factory code — giving a direct link to the real marking on the packaging, eliminating disagreements between managers and simplifying procurement: walk into any dealer with that code and get the exact material.

Who can edit

Root-firm administrator
Sees the full list, can create, edit, delete. Platform-level: a new entry becomes available to all firms immediately.
Regular firm
Sees a filtered list (only producers whose products are actually used in its catalog), read-only. Need a new producer → contact the platform admin. Deliberate design — single registry, no duplicates («Egger», «Egger GmbH», «Egger LLC»).

Fields

Name
Official producer name. Match what the vendor calls itself (Egger, Kronospan, Swiss Krono, Blum, Hettich, Hafele). Name correctness drives how products show up in the catalog and order lines.
Website
Official factory site. Used to jump to the vendor’s catalog, verify article codes, download specs.
Phone
Direct contact for clarification on special articles, small batches, vendor technical support.
Description
Free text: country, specialization (boards / hardware / coatings), shipping specifics, minimum batch, typical lead time. Visible to managers and procurement deciding what to order from whom.

Actions

  • Create (root-firm admin only) — top button, name/phone/site/description form. After save, the producer is immediately available for linking to products.
  • Edit in table — click a cell (name / site / phone / description) → edit → save inline. Changes propagate to all linked products.
  • Delete — trash icon at row end. Caution: deleting a producer that has linked products breaks the link — products end up brand-less, catalog display breaks. Verify no active articles via Catalog → Goods → producer filter before deleting.

Important

  • This registry holds producers only. Dealers, importers, regional reps, distributors are not entered — they are not the article source.
  • Product names in the catalog must use the producer’s article code (e.g. H1115 ST10 by Egger), not a local firm code. Eliminates confusion across multi-channel procurement.
  • Need a new producer → request to the platform admin. Don’t work around the limit by creating a «proxy» producer — it breaks registry consistency and forces deduplication later.
  • A well-filled «description» (country, specialization, logistics) saves managers hours when matching a product to an order — don’t skip it.