Supplier Activation/Deactivation

Supplier Activation/Deactivation

Managing supplier activation and deactivation helps you control which suppliers are available for use in transactions. This guide explains how to activate and deactivate suppliers in EquiBillBook.

What is Supplier Activation/Deactivation?

Supplier activation status determines whether a supplier can be used in purchase transactions:

• Active Suppliers: Can be selected in purchase bills, purchase orders, and other transactions
• Inactive Suppliers: Cannot be selected in new transactions but existing records remain accessible

Why Deactivate Suppliers?

• No Longer Working: Supplier is no longer in business or you've stopped working with them
• Temporary Suspension: Temporarily suspend a supplier due to quality issues or disputes
• Data Organization: Keep supplier list clean by hiding inactive suppliers
• Prevent Accidental Use: Prevent accidental selection of inactive suppliers in transactions
• Historical Records: Maintain historical data while keeping active list manageable

Activating a Supplier

To activate a supplier:

1. Go to Suppliers → Supplier List
2. Find the supplier you want to activate
3. Click on the supplier name or click "Edit"
4. In the supplier form, find the "Status" field
5. Select "Active" from the status dropdown
6. Click "Save" or "Update"

The supplier will now be available for selection in purchase transactions.

Deactivating a Supplier

To deactivate a supplier:

1. Go to Suppliers → Supplier List
2. Find the supplier you want to deactivate
3. Click on the supplier name or click "Edit"
4. In the supplier form, find the "Status" field
5. Select "Inactive" from the status dropdown
6. Click "Save" or "Update"

The supplier will no longer appear in dropdown lists for new transactions.

Bulk Activation/Deactivation

To activate or deactivate multiple suppliers at once:

1. Go to Suppliers → Supplier List
2. Select multiple suppliers using checkboxes
3. Click on "Bulk Actions" or similar option
4. Select "Activate" or "Deactivate"
5. Confirm the action

Viewing Active vs. Inactive Suppliers

You can filter suppliers by status:

• All Suppliers: View both active and inactive suppliers
• Active Only: View only active suppliers (default view)
• Inactive Only: View only inactive suppliers

Use the status filter dropdown in the supplier list to switch between views.

Impact of Deactivation

When a supplier is deactivated:

• New Transactions: Supplier cannot be selected in new purchase bills, purchase orders, etc.
• Existing Records: Existing purchase bills, orders, and transactions remain unchanged
• Reports: Supplier still appears in historical reports
• Outstanding Balances: Outstanding balances remain and can still be paid
• Supplier Statements: Can still view supplier statements and transaction history

When to Deactivate Suppliers

Consider deactivating suppliers when:

• Supplier has gone out of business
• You've permanently stopped working with the supplier
• Supplier has quality or service issues
• Supplier is temporarily unavailable
• You want to clean up your supplier list

When to Keep Suppliers Active

Keep suppliers active if:

• You still make occasional purchases
• Supplier is temporarily unavailable but will resume business
• You have outstanding balances to settle
• You want to maintain historical relationship

Best Practices

• Review Regularly: Periodically review supplier list and deactivate unused suppliers
• Document Reason: Use notes field to document why supplier was deactivated
• Don't Delete: Deactivate instead of deleting to maintain historical records
• Check Outstanding: Before deactivating, check for outstanding balances or pending orders
• Reactivation Process: Have a process for reactivating suppliers when needed
• Clean Lists: Keep active supplier list clean for easier selection in transactions

Reactivating Suppliers

If you need to work with a previously deactivated supplier:

1. Go to supplier list and filter by "Inactive"
2. Find the supplier
3. Edit the supplier
4. Change status to "Active"
5. Update any outdated information (contact details, addresses, etc.)
6. Save the changes

Troubleshooting

Supplier Not Appearing in Dropdown: Check if supplier is set to inactive status. Activate the supplier if needed.

Cannot Deactivate Supplier: Check if there are pending purchase orders or bills. Complete or cancel pending transactions first.

Need to View Inactive Suppliers: Use the status filter in supplier list to view inactive suppliers.

Related Topics

• Creating Suppliers
• Supplier Management
• Supplier List
• Supplier Reports