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Supplier Management

Your supplier network is the foundation of successful procurement. LumberFlow provides comprehensive tools to manage relationships, track performance, and optimize communication.

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Building Your Supplier Network

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Adding New Suppliers

1

Navigate to My Suppliers

Click My Suppliers in the main navigation sidebar
2

Click Add Supplier

Use the Add Supplier button to begin the setup process
3

Complete Supplier Profile

Fill in all essential supplier information for optimal system performance

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Essential Supplier Information

Company Name: Official business name as it appears on invoices Shipping Location: Primary facility or distribution center location Business Type: Mill, distributor, wholesaler, specialty supplier Specialties: Product categories, species focus, grade specializations
Primary Contact: Main relationship manager or sales representative
Email Addresses: Critical for AI email processing functionality Phone Numbers: Direct lines and mobile contacts Roles & Titles: Sales, operations, logistics, management Multiple Contacts: Add all relevant personnel for different functions
Payment Terms: Standard payment preferences (Net 30, Net 15, etc.) Delivery Capabilities: Geographic coverage, delivery methods Minimum Orders: Volume requirements and order minimums Lead Times: Standard processing and delivery timeframes
Critical for AI Processing: Email addresses must be accurate and current. The AI email processing system relies on these for automatic quote extraction from supplier responses.

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Supplier Organization & Categories

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Supplier Status Management

Active Suppliers

Current Trading Partners
  • Regular RFQ recipients
  • Established credit terms
  • Consistent performance history
  • Priority in bulk operations

Inactive Suppliers

Historical or Occasional Partners
  • Past relationships maintained for reference
  • Seasonal or specialty suppliers
  • Backup options for capacity constraints
  • Excluded from regular bulk RFQs

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Product Specialization Categories

Organize suppliers by their strengths and specializations:
Softwood Specialists: SPF, Douglas Fir, Southern Yellow Pine Hardwood Specialists: Oak, Maple, Cherry, Walnut Specialty Species: Cedar, Redwood, Exotic imports
Structural Lumber: Select Structural, No. 1 & Better Construction Grade: Construction, Standard, Utility Appearance Grade: Clear, Select, Premium finishes
Regional Mills: Local and regional suppliers National Distributors: Multi-location suppliers Import Specialists: International sourcing capabilities

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Communication Management

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Email Thread Intelligence

LumberFlow maintains sophisticated email thread tracking:
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Automatic Thread Recognition

System recognizes email chains with each supplier contact
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Context Preservation

Maintains conversation history across multiple sourcing requests
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Professional Continuity

AI-generated communications reference appropriate context

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RFQ Communication Best Practices

Clear Specifications

Complete Product Details: Dimension, species, grade Accurate Quantities: By length with totals Target Pricing: Realistic market-based expectations Delivery Requirements: Timeline, location, special instructions

Professional Standards

Consistent Tone: AI maintains professional communication style Relationship Context: References past interactions appropriately
Response Timeline: Clear expectations for quote responses Contact Preferences: Respects supplier communication preferences

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Supplier Performance Analytics

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Performance Metrics Tracking

Response Rate: Percentage of RFQs that receive quotes Response Time: Average time from RFQ to quote receipt Quote Quality: Completeness and accuracy of quote information Communication Clarity: Professional and complete quote communications
Market Position: Pricing relative to market averages Consistency: Price stability across similar requests Volume Discounts: Performance on larger quantity requests Value-Added Services: Delivery, processing, special services
Delivery Performance: On-time delivery rates Quality Consistency: Product quality and specification compliance Order Fulfillment: Ability to deliver quoted quantities Issue Resolution: Response to problems and adjustments

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Supplier Scorecards

Visual performance dashboards for each supplier showing:

Overall Score

Composite score based on response rate, pricing, and reliability

Trend Analysis

Performance trends over time with improvement indicators

Specialty Ratings

Performance by product category and volume requirements

Relationship Health

Communication quality and partnership strength indicators

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Advanced Supplier Features

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Contact Hierarchy Management

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Primary Contacts

Designate main contacts for different product categories
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Backup Contacts

Secondary contacts for coverage and relationship depth
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Specialized Roles

Operations contacts for delivery, finance for terms, management for strategic discussions

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Supplier Relationship Optimization

Regular Relationship Review: Schedule quarterly reviews with top suppliers to discuss performance, market conditions, and partnership opportunities.

Communication Preferences

Email Preferences: Primary vs CC contacts for different communication types Response Timing: Preferred days and times for RFQ responses Communication Style: Formal vs casual, detailed vs summary formats

Business Intelligence

Market Insights: Supplier feedback on market conditions and pricing trends Capacity Information: Production schedules and availability windows Strategic Planning: Long-term partnership and volume planning discussions

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Integration with Procurement Workflow

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Supplier Selection for RFQs

When sending RFQs from your Kanban board:
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Smart Suggestions

System recommends suppliers based on product specialization and performance history
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Geographic Optimization

Considers shipping distance and delivery capabilities
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Capacity Awareness

Factors in supplier capacity and current workload

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Automated Supplier Communications

AI Communication Generation: All supplier communications are generated with appropriate context, professional tone, and relationship awareness while maintaining your company’s communication style.

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Supplier Network Best Practices

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Network Diversification

Avoid Single Points of Failure: Maintain multiple suppliers for critical product categories to ensure supply chain resilience.

Primary Suppliers

80/20 Rule: Focus on 2-3 primary suppliers for each major product category

Backup Network

Capacity Insurance: Maintain relationships with backup suppliers for peak demand periods

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Relationship Maintenance

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Regular Communication

Maintain contact even during slow periods to preserve relationships
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Performance Feedback

Provide constructive feedback on quote quality and delivery performance
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Market Intelligence Sharing

Share relevant market insights and demand forecasts
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Payment Performance

Maintain excellent payment history to strengthen partnership
Your supplier network is a strategic asset. Invest in these relationships through consistent communication, fair dealing, and mutual respect for long-term procurement success.
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