Skip to main content

​
Overview

As your vendor directory grows, you may need to update vendor details, merge duplicate entries, remove unused vendors, or import vendors in bulk. This guide covers the day-to-day management tasks for keeping your vendor directory clean and accurate.
Managing vendors requires the VENDORS_MANAGE permission, available to Admin and Accountant roles.

​
Edit Vendor Details

1

Open the Vendor

Navigate to Vendors in the sidebar and click the vendor you want to edit.
2

Modify Fields

In the vendor detail panel, update any of the following fields:
  • Name: Correct the display name
  • Address: Add or update the business address
  • Tax ID: Enter or modify the tax identification number
  • Default Category: Change the category applied to future expenses from this vendor
  • Website, Phone, Notes: Update contact information and internal notes
3

Save Changes

Click Save to apply your changes. The updated default category will apply to future expenses only, existing expenses retain their current category.

​
Merge Duplicate Vendors

Over time, OCR processing may create duplicate vendor entries (e.g., “Tim Hortons” and “Tim Horton’s #1234”). Merging combines two records into one, consolidating all linked expenses under a single vendor.
1

Select the Duplicate Vendor

Open the vendor you want to remove (the duplicate). Click the Merge button in the detail panel.
2

Choose the Target Vendor

Search for and select the vendor you want to keep (the target). All expenses from the duplicate vendor will be reassigned to the target.
3

Confirm the Merge

Review the merge summary showing how many expenses will be moved. Click Confirm Merge to complete the operation.
Merging is permanent. The duplicate vendor record is deleted and all of its expenses are reassigned to the target vendor. This action cannot be undone.

​
Delete a Vendor

If a vendor was created by mistake or is no longer relevant, you can delete it from the directory.
  1. Open the vendor you want to delete
  2. Click the Delete button in the detail panel
  3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog
You cannot delete a vendor that has linked expenses. Reassign or delete the associated expenses first, or merge the vendor into another record.

​
Import Vendors from CSV

For organizations with a large number of vendors, you can import vendor records in bulk using a CSV file.
1

Prepare Your CSV File

Create a CSV file with the following columns:
2

Upload the CSV

On the Vendors page, click the Import button in the top-right corner. Select your CSV file or drag it into the upload area.
3

Review and Confirm

Smartbills displays a preview of the vendors to be imported. Review the data for accuracy, resolve any flagged issues, and click Import to create the vendor records.

​
Vendor Expense History

Every vendor detail panel includes a chronological log of expenses linked to that vendor. Use this history to:
  • Track spending patterns over time
  • Identify unusual charges from a vendor
  • Review which employees are making purchases from a specific vendor
  • Export vendor-specific spending data for accounting or audits

​
What’s Next?

Vendor Overview

Learn about the vendor directory and auto-detection

Create a Vendor

Add a new vendor record manually