Vendors
Manage external service providers, repair shops, and parts suppliers for your fleet operations.
The Vendors sub-module is your directory of external service providers -- the repair shops, parts suppliers, tire dealers, body shops, towing services, and other third-party businesses your fleet depends on. By centralizing vendor information in TransportechAI, you ensure your team always has access to the right contacts, can track spending by vendor, and can evaluate vendor performance over time.
Navigation: Fleet > Vendors
Purpose
Fleet operations rely heavily on external service providers. The Vendors sub-module allows you to:
- Maintain a centralized directory of all vendors your fleet works with
- Store contact details, addresses, and service specializations for each vendor
- Track how much you spend with each vendor over time
- Link vendors to maintenance tasks and parts inventory for traceability
- Evaluate vendor performance based on historical data (turnaround time, quality, cost)
- Manage vendor contracts and agreements
What You Will See
The Vendors page displays a searchable list of all registered vendors.
Table Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Vendor Name | Business name of the vendor |
| Category | Type of service (Repair Shop, Parts Supplier, Tire Dealer, Body Shop, Towing, etc.) |
| Contact Person | Primary point of contact at the vendor |
| Phone | Contact phone number |
| Contact email address | |
| Location | City or area where the vendor is located |
| Status | Active or Inactive |
| Total Spend (AED) | Cumulative amount spent with this vendor |
You can filter by category or status, and use the search bar to find vendors by name, category, or location.
Vendor Categories
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Repair Shop | General vehicle repair and mechanical work |
| Parts Supplier | Automotive parts and components |
| Tire Dealer | Tire sales, rotation, alignment, and balancing |
| Body Shop | Body work, painting, and cosmetic repairs |
| Towing Service | Vehicle recovery and towing |
| Electrical / Electronics | Electrical systems, sensors, wiring, and diagnostic equipment |
| EV Service | Electric vehicle specialized maintenance, battery service, charging equipment |
| Inspection Center | Authorized vehicle inspection and testing facilities |
| Insurance Provider | Vehicle insurance services |
| Fuel / Energy Supplier | Fuel cards, bulk fuel, or energy providers |
| Other | Any vendor type not covered by the above categories |
Adding a Vendor
To register a new vendor:
- Click the "Add Vendor" button in the top-right corner.
- Fill in the vendor information.
Fields Reference
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor Name | Yes | The official business name |
| Category | Yes | Select the vendor's primary service category |
| Contact Person | No | Name of the primary contact at the vendor |
| Phone | No | Phone number for the vendor or contact person |
| No | Email address for communication | |
| Address | No | Full street address |
| City | No | City or emirate |
| Tax Registration Number | No | TRN or VAT registration number for invoicing |
| Payment Terms | No | Standard payment terms (e.g., "Net 30", "Cash on Delivery") |
| Bank Details | No | Bank account information for payments |
| Notes | No | Additional notes about the vendor (specializations, hours, service quality) |
| Contract / Agreement | No | Upload a signed service agreement or contract document |
- Click "Save" to add the vendor to the directory.
Even if you only use a vendor occasionally, it is worth registering them in the system. This ensures you have their contact details on file, can track any spending, and can evaluate whether to continue using them.
Vendor Detail Page
Click on any vendor to open the detail page, which includes:
Overview Section
All vendor contact and business details, along with the ability to edit information.
Service History
A chronological list of all maintenance tasks and work orders that have been assigned to this vendor.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | When the work was performed |
| Vehicle | Which vehicle the work was for |
| Task | Description of the maintenance or repair work |
| Cost (AED) | How much was charged for the work |
| Status | Completed, In Progress, or Cancelled |
Spending Summary
Aggregated financial data for this vendor:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Spend (Lifetime) | Cumulative amount paid to this vendor |
| Total Spend (This Year) | Amount paid in the current calendar year |
| Total Spend (This Month) | Amount paid in the current month |
| Average Job Cost | Mean cost per maintenance task or work order |
| Number of Jobs | Total count of tasks assigned to this vendor |
Documents
Uploaded contracts, agreements, invoices, and other documents related to this vendor.
Editing a Vendor
From the vendor detail page, click "Edit" to update any vendor information. All fields can be modified.
Deactivating a Vendor
If you no longer work with a vendor, you can set their status to Inactive rather than deleting them. This preserves the historical data (spending, service history) while removing them from active dropdowns and lists.
- Open the vendor detail page.
- Click "Edit".
- Change the Status to Inactive.
- Click "Save".
Deactivated vendors will no longer appear in dropdown selections when creating maintenance tasks or recording inventory receipts. However, historical records that reference the vendor remain intact.
How Vendors Connect to Other Sub-Modules
Vendors are referenced across multiple Fleet sub-modules:
| Sub-Module | How Vendors Are Used |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Assign maintenance tasks to external vendors. Costs are tracked per vendor. |
| Warehouse | Set preferred vendors for inventory items. Record stock receipts from vendors. |
| Vehicles | Outsourced vehicles may be rented from vendors registered here. |
| Inspections | Authorized inspection centers can be registered as vendors. |
Evaluating Vendor Performance
Use the data available on the vendor detail page to evaluate whether a vendor is delivering good value:
| Factor | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Cost Consistency | Are the vendor's prices stable, or are there unexplained increases? |
| Turnaround Time | How quickly does the vendor complete assigned work? Compare the task assigned date to the completion date. |
| Quality | After the vendor completes a repair, does the same issue recur? Check if maintenance tasks for the same vehicle and issue reappear shortly after. |
| Reliability | Does the vendor accept and complete tasks without cancellations or delays? |
| Communication | Is the vendor responsive and easy to coordinate with? (Track this informally in the Notes field.) |
Periodically review your vendor list -- at least once per quarter. Deactivate vendors you no longer use, update contact details for active ones, and compare spending across vendors in the same category to ensure competitive pricing.
Best Practices
- Register all vendors you work with -- Even one-time service providers. This builds a comprehensive spending record and vendor history.
- Use categories accurately -- Correct categorization makes it easy to find the right vendor when you need one and enables meaningful spending reports by service type.
- Store contracts digitally -- Upload signed agreements and contracts to the vendor record so your team can always reference the terms without searching through paper files or email.
- Track tax registration numbers -- Having the vendor's TRN on file simplifies invoicing and VAT compliance.
- Compare vendors in the same category -- If you have multiple repair shops, compare their average job cost and turnaround time to identify which vendor delivers the best value.
- Keep contact information current -- Outdated phone numbers or email addresses cause delays when you urgently need a vendor for a breakdown or emergency repair.