contacts:third_party_concept
👥 Third Party Concept
In CushionsERP, all Customers, Vendors (Suppliers), and Contacts are managed under a unified module called Third Parties. This approach, inherited from Dolibarr ERP/CRM, simplifies contact management and reflects how many real-world businesses operate.
🧩 What is a Third Party?
A *Third Party* represents any external entity you deal with — typically:
- 🛒 Customers — Who buy your products or services
- 🏭 Vendors / Suppliers — Who supply raw materials or services to your company
- 👤 Contacts — Individuals linked to a customer or vendor (e.g., purchasing officer, sales rep)
These are all managed from one central place to avoid duplicate data and support cases where one company is both customer *and* supplier.
📂 Creating a New Third Party
To add a new Third Party:
1. Go to the **Third Parties** menu (👥). 2. Click **New Third Party**. 3. Fill in: * 🏢 **Company Name** * 📧 **Email / Phone / Address** * 📦 Select **Customer**, **Supplier**, or both * 🧾 Set financial details if needed (payment terms, VAT ID, etc.)
📝 You can always add or remove the “Customer” or “Supplier” status later.
🔗 Contacts & Addresses
Once a Third Party is created, you can:
- Add multiple contacts (e.g., technical, billing, sales)
- Define specific billing/shipping addresses
- Set default contact roles (💬)
This structure ensures flexibility while keeping data centralized.
💡 Why This Matters
- Reduces duplication — one company = one record
- Handles real-world overlaps (e.g., partner who is both vendor & client)
- Simplifies permissions, reporting, and workflows
🔍 Quick Tips
- Use the Search Bar to quickly find Third Parties by name, email, or reference.
- Keep company info up to date — it’s reused across Orders, Invoices, and Shipments.
- Assign categories or tags to group customers/vendors logically (e.g., 🏢 “Retailers”, ⚙️ “OEM Suppliers”).
📎 Related Topics
contacts/third_party_concept.txt · Last modified: by admin
