Manufacturer
A Manufacturer is the company or individual that produces an Item. Recording manufacturers in ERPNext helps identify the source of products and associate manufacturer-specific part numbers with Items.
A Manufacturer is not always the same as the Brand under which a product is sold. While the manufacturer produces the Item, the Brand represents the name under which it is marketed and sold.
- Manufacturer: Unico Plastics
- Brand: Super Brushes
- Product: Plastic Cleaning Brush
Although Unico Plastics manufactures the brush, customers purchase it under the Super Brushes brand.
1. Creating a Manufacturer
To create a Manufacturer:
- Go to Stock → Manufacturer.
- Click New.
- Enter the Manufacturer Name.
- Optionally enter a description.
- Click Save.
After creating the Manufacturer, you can create an Item Manufacturer record to associate specific Items with the manufacturer and define their manufacturer part numbers.
A single Item can be associated with multiple Manufacturers by creating separate Item Manufacturer records. Each Manufacturer can have its own unique Manufacturer Part Number for the same Item.
2. Manufacturer Information
In addition to the Manufacturer name, ERPNext allows you to maintain the following information:
- Website – Official website of the manufacturer.
- Country – Country where the manufacturer is located.
- Logo – Company logo for easy identification.
3. Item Manufacturer
The Item Manufacturer record links an Item with a Manufacturer.
It allows you to store:
- Manufacturer
- Manufacturer Part Number
This is especially useful when purchasing products from different manufacturers that use their own part numbers for the same Item.
- Item: Industrial Bearing
- Manufacturer: SKF
- Manufacturer Part Number: SKF-6205-ZZ
The Manufacturer Part Number helps identify the exact product during purchasing and supplier communication.
4. Address and Contact
ERPNext allows you to link:
- Address
- Contact
to each Manufacturer. This makes it easier to maintain manufacturer information and communicate with them when required.
5. Benefits of Using Manufacturers
- Identifies the actual producer of an Item.
- Stores manufacturer-specific part numbers.
- Supports procurement and supplier communication.
- Maintains manufacturer contact information in one place.
- Helps distinguish Manufacturers from product Brands.
Summary
Manufacturers in ERPNext represent the organizations that produce Items. By linking Manufacturers to Items and recording manufacturer part numbers, businesses can improve product identification, simplify procurement, and maintain accurate manufacturer information while keeping it separate from product Brands.
