Cloud ERP by Business Layers
Address Book Guide: Suppliers, Customers, Warehouses and Contacts
Site Admin Guide: How to create a supplier or customer card, collect details from the supplier, and find any card in the list.
What the Address Book Does
The Address Book centralizes everyone the business works with: suppliers, customers, shipping addresses, warehouses and contacts. Each card stores the company and contact name, business registration number, full address, phone, WhatsApp, WeChat, email, website, VAT rate, bank account details, notes, logo and image.
Instead of entering supplier details yourself, you can send the supplier a form link. The supplier fills in their details, and they are added to the card with one click. Cards are used for purchase orders and item-supplier relationships.
What Supplier and Customer Management Provides
- One card for each supplier, customer or shipping address, with a type selected from a list.
- A form link the supplier fills in themselves, including details already entered, so they only need to complete the rest.
- Import the supplier's submitted details with one click, without re-entering them.
- A logo and image for each card — the logo appears in the list and on documents.
- Up to 8 custom categories per card for filtering and quick identification.
- Preview all details and copy them with one click.
- Quick search by company name, contact name, city or phone.
The Supplier Fills In Their Details — 5 Steps
1Create a LinkEnter the supplier's WeChat, email or phone number and click "CREATE LINK".2Send to the Supplier"SHARE" sends the link through any app, or use "COPY" to copy it.3The Supplier Fills It InThe supplier opens a form that already includes what you entered and completes the rest.4ImportClick "IMPORT" and then "PULL" — the supplier's submitted details populate the fields.5SaveClick "SAVE RECORD" to save the card.The link is identified by WeChat, email or phone, in that order—the first one provided. That detail is locked in the supplier's form, ensuring the submitted details are linked to the correct card.
How to Create a Supplier or Customer Card, Step by Step
Open the Address Book
The card form is at the top, and below it is a list of recently updated cards with search.
Start a new card
Click "NEW RECORD". For an existing card, click the company name in the list.
Enter name and ID
Contact person's first and last name, company name (required), and business or company registration number.
Select type and VAT
Card type, such as supplier, and the applicable VAT rate.
Enter address and contact details
Street and number, city, province, postal code, country, phone, WhatsApp, WeChat, email, and website. At least one of WeChat, email, or phone is required.
Add notes and bank details
Short note, detailed notes, and bank account details for payment.
Add a logo and image
Click the square and select a file — the card is saved immediately with the image.
Save
Click "SAVE RECORD". A green "SAVED" confirmation appears.
Set categories
Click "Address Category" and fill in up to 8 fields. The categories appear below the button and in the list.
Attach documents
In a saved card, click "ADDRESS MEDIA" and attach files and documents to the card.
Fields in a supplier or customer card
- First / Last name
- Contact person's name.
- Company name — Company name
- Required field. This is the name shown in the list and on documents.
- Personal / VAT ID
- Business number, company registration number, or ID number.
- Type — Type
- Supplier, customer, shipping address, etc. — from a fixed list.
- VAT % — VAT
- The VAT rate applicable to this party.
- Street, No., City, State, Zip, Country
- Full address. The default country is China.
- Phone, WhatsApp, WeChat ID, Email
- Contact details. At least one of WeChat, email, or phone is required.
- Web Site
- The party's website.
- Internal Notes / Detailed Notes
- Short note and detailed notes for internal use.
- Bank account
- Bank account details for payment.
- Logo / Photo
- Logo and image. Clicking an existing image enlarges it, and the trash can deletes it.
Programs related to address cards
supplier_form.phpThe form the supplier fills out via the link.
addr_media.phpDocuments and files for the card.
purchase-orders.phpPurchase orders — the supplier, customer, and shipping address are selected from the cards.
item_relations.phpLink suppliers to items.
Tips for working properly with suppliers and customers
- Enter WeChat, email, or phone before creating a supplier link — this identifies the form.
- Enter what you already know before "CREATE LINK" — the supplier will receive a partially completed form and fill in only the missing information.
- After importing the supplier's details, click "SAVE RECORD" — without saving, they won't be added to the card.
- The list shows the 20 most recently updated cards. Find older cards using search.
- "PREVIEW" displays all details and copies them with one click — convenient for sending in a message.
Frequently asked questions about managing suppliers and customers
How do I add a new supplier?
Click "NEW RECORD", select type "supplier", enter a company name and at least one of WeChat, email, or phone, then click "SAVE RECORD".
Why wasn't the card saved?
Two required fields: company name, and at least one of WeChat, email, or phone.
How does the supplier fill in the details themselves?
Enter their WeChat, email, or phone, click "CREATE LINK", and send them the link. They fill out and submit the form.
How do I add the supplier's submitted details to the card?
Open the card, click "IMPORT", then "PULL". The details are added to the fields; click "SAVE RECORD".
What's the difference between CREATE LINK and CREATE FORM?
CREATE LINK sends the supplier a link to a form on the website, and the details return here automatically. CREATE FORM creates a file for the supplier to fill out and return, then you import it manually — the old way.
How do I find a card?
Enter a company name, contact name, city, or phone in the search bar. The list updates as you type.
How do I delete a card?
In the list, click "DEL" on the card's row and confirm.