Vendors and contacts are now created and maintained in the master data libraries to avoid other applications from building their own repository of this type of data.
The new vendor and contact data structure shows a new hierarchy where multiple contacts can be assigned to one vendor.
Pre-existing Estimate data
Upon upgrading to version 23.6, address book records now show a combined list of both pre-existing Estimate records and Platform vendors and contacts. Pre-existing Estimate records are still editable, but Platform records are not. The pre-existing disconnected vendors and contacts show a red glyph to the left of the Vendor ID column which shows that these records are disconnected from Platform.
The existing contact records also have a vendor record associated with it. New vendors and contacts must be added via Platform, and changes to any Platform originated records must be modified in Platform. This promotes the use of Platform as the single source of creation and maintenance for vendor master data.
Estimate specific data
There can be other Estimate vendor and contact data that only exist in Estimate and not in Platform, such as License, Bond, Insurance and Minority Certifications, and Default Quotes. This information that exists only in Estimate is added to the Estimate vendor and contact list that exist in Platform when upgrading to 23.6.
Three new Address Book layouts
You can now choose between three address book page arrangements, vendors and contacts, vendors and default quotes, and contacts.
Vendors and Contacts
Vendors and Contacts are arranged where the vendor is the primary record in the register, and the contacts associated with the vendor are shown as secondary detail records.
Vendors and Default Quotes
Vendors and default quotes are arranged where the vendor is the primary record in the register, and the default quote group assignments for the vendor are shown as secondary detail records.
Contacts
Contacts are arranged where the contacts are shown in a flat list and are not secondary detail records under the Vendor. This layout can be used to search more easily for contacts regardless of their vendor assignment.
View Vendors and Contacts in InEight Platform
Select View Vendors or View Contacts to open a new InEight Platform master data vendors and contacts browser.
To view or edit a vendor, click the Vendor ID in Estimate. The Platform Edit vendor > Vendor Details page opens.
Quote records
The Quote record header section fields have been reorganized, and the header now includes a vendor field with a searchable address book library register drop-down list. You can quickly select shared vendor data to populate your quote header record with Platform’s shared master data.
In 23.6, Address Book drop-down list fields are now separate Vendors and Contacts fields, where a vendor is a company, and a contact is a person. Previously, the Contact drop-down list field was only shown on the Quote Record and was a combination of both the vendor and the associated contact.
Using Platform’s shared data also reinforces accurate Estimate quote reporting. For example, you can report on which vendors and contacts have been awarded quotes or run a report on how many RFQs have been sent to select vendors and how many RFQs were returned for certain jobs. Additionally, using Platform shared vendors makes it possible to report on all activity related to a particular vendor. Examples include seeing how many subcontract agreements have been executed in InEight Contract, or how many claims/issues a vendor has been involved with in InEight Change. The predominant value for Estimate using Platform vendors, along with other InEight applications, ensures that the same vendors are being used by all applications.
Request for Quote
In the Request for Quote form, the Seller Companies tab has been renamed to Vendor Companies. The Company Name column has been renamed to Vendor. The Vendor Name and Contact columns are new columns. You can select a contact from the Address Book register after selecting a vendor.
Read more
Watch video
