This article defines how Preferred Vendor / Vendor Assignment should be configured for inventory items in Microix and explains how these configurations affect purchasing workflows, including Purchase Orders, Shopping Lists, and Stock Level replenishment.
Note: The term “Preferred Vendor” may be renamed in the future if it causes confusion. The concepts described here remain valid regardless of naming.
Inventory items must be classified as either Sole Sourced or Multi Sourced. This classification determines how vendors are assigned and how purchasing documents are generated.
Definition
Sole sourced items are normally purchased from one specific vendor.
Configuration Rules
Assign a Preferred Vendor on the item master.
The Vendor’s Product Number may be used as the Microix Inventory Item Number.
These items typically do not use the Vendor Item No / UOM tab.
Purchasing assumes the item is consistently sourced from the assigned vendor.
Use Case
Manufacturer-specific or contractually restricted items.
Items where alternate vendors are not expected.
Definition
Multi sourced items can be purchased from multiple vendors.
Configuration Rules
Set the item master Vendor field to Unassigned.
Maintain vendor-specific details in the Vendor Item No / UOM tab.
Each vendor must be entered as a separate row in this table.
Critical Requirement
The Vendor Item Number (not the internal Microix inventory number) must match the vendor’s product number.
Microix sends the Vendor Item Number to the vendor.
For punchout vendors, this number is transmitted electronically.
Printed purchasing documents also display this number, and it must match the vendor’s system.
Use Case
Commodity items or products available from multiple suppliers.
Displays inventory items where Vendor = “Unassigned” only.
Intended for multi sourced items where vendor selection occurs at the document level.
Displays:
Inventory items where Vendor = “Unassigned”, plus
Sole sourced items where the item’s assigned vendor matches the document vendor.
Generates purchasing documents based on:
Unassigned vendors, and/or
Sole sourced vendors
Multi sourced vendors
Generates purchasing documents based on:
Unassigned vendors, and/or
Sole sourced vendors
Multi sourced inventory logic is not currently supported and will be introduced in a future release.
Line vendors are generally not recommended for inventory items.
They are more appropriate for non-inventory items in environments with a centralized purchasing department.
If line vendors are used:
The document will split only by line vendor.
There are no inventory-based rules applied when splitting documents.
Use Preferred Vendor only for sole sourced inventory.
Set multi sourced inventory to Unassigned and manage vendors via the Vendor Item No / UOM tab.
Always ensure the Vendor Item Number matches the vendor’s product number.
Avoid line vendors for inventory unless there is a specific business requirement.