Create, edit, archive, and track changes to your suppliers so your accounts payable (money you owe to vendors) data stays accurate.
For: Requesters, Controllers, and Account Owners using the "Submit my Invoice" feature, on all plans.
Before you start
This article covers the "Submit my Invoice" (SMI) module. The Account Owner activates it in Settings > Company rules > Payment methods.
Creating a supplier requires the Controller role.
Adding bank information during a request is available to Requesters.
Reviewing and completing supplier details on invoices requires the Controller or Account Owner role.
Bulk supplier import requires contacting your Spendesk Account Manager.
Create a supplier
You can create a supplier before uploading your first invoice to Spendesk.
Navigate to Settings > Accounts payable
Click Create a supplier
Enter the supplier's information
💡 Tip: You can edit some details later, such as the supplier account, bank information, and expense account (the accounting category used to record this spend).
Add or edit supplier bank information
As a Requester, from a new request:
Navigate to New request > Supplier invoice
Enter the supplier's bank details in the request form
As a Controller or Account Owner, during invoice review:
Navigate to Invoices > Review
Select the invoice you want to validate
Navigate to the supplier's information section
Enter any missing details
👥 Roles: Invoice validation is only possible once supplier details are complete. Legal name and bank details are required, especially for suppliers in the eurozone. Missing bank information blocks the generation of a transfer or an XML SEPA file (a European bank file format) for online supplier payments.
Once you create a supplier, Spendesk saves this information for future invoice processing.
Import suppliers in bulk
Contact your Spendesk Account Manager
Request the supplier import template
Fill in the template with your supplier data
Return the completed template to your Account Manager for import
Manage existing suppliers
Delete or archive a supplier
You cannot delete a supplier that has an attached request or payment. If the supplier has no attached request or payment, archive it instead.
⚠️ Warning: Deleting suppliers directly is not supported. Use the archive feature to keep your supplier list clean without losing historical data.
For full steps on archiving, un-archiving, and bulk archiving, see Archive suppliers (duplicates, misspellings).
Merge suppliers
Spendesk does not support merging suppliers directly. To keep your reporting accurate, assign the same supplier account to multiple supplier entries instead.
Navigate to Settings > Accounts payable
Select the supplier entry you want to update
Edit the supplier account field to match the account you want to consolidate under
Edit a supplier name
Choose the correct supplier name carefully when you create the supplier. You cannot change it afterward, for legal, compliance, and security reasons.
You also cannot edit a supplier name after an Approver has approved and a Controller has reviewed the related invoice or expense report (a document listing an employee's reimbursable expenses). Make corrections directly in your accounting software instead.
Track supplier bank information changes
Account Owners and Controllers can view the history of a supplier's bank information, including who made changes and when.
Navigate to Settings > Accounts payable
Select the supplier
Click View history in the supplier details panel
You can also see the last edit date and editor's initials in these locations:
The Invoices > Review step
The payable detail panel on the Schedule page
The payable detail panel on the Confirm page
The payable detail panel on the History page
📋 Best Practice: Account Owners and Controllers receive an email and Slack notification whenever someone changes a supplier's bank information, so review these alerts promptly to catch unauthorized changes.
🔒 Access: Historical bank information changes are only visible from August 8, 2024 onward. Changes made before this date are not available.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: You can't delete a supplier.
Cause: The supplier has an attached request or payment.
Resolution: Archive the supplier instead of deleting it. See Archive suppliers (duplicates, misspellings).
Symptom: Invoice validation is blocked.
Cause: The supplier's details are incomplete, usually missing bank information or legal name.
Resolution: Navigate to Invoices > Review, open the supplier's information, and complete the missing fields.
Symptom: You can't generate a transfer or XML SEPA file for a supplier payment.
Cause: The supplier's bank information section is empty.
Resolution: Add the supplier's bank details in Settings > Accounts payable before scheduling the payment.
Symptom: You can't edit a supplier name.
Cause: The supplier name is locked after creation, or the related invoice or expense report is already approved and reviewed.
Resolution: For approved documents, correct the name directly in your accounting software.
FAQ
Does tracking bank information changes affect who can edit supplier bank details?
No. Account Owners and Controllers keep their existing permissions to edit supplier bank information.
Will I see historical changes made before this feature launched?
No. You can only see changes made to supplier bank information after August 8, 2024.
Can I add multiple suppliers at once?
Yes. Contact your Spendesk Account Manager for an import template.