Note: This article is for the newly redesigned module. This updated module is in the process of being rolled out and may only be available to some users.

Overview

The Vendors Directory is designed for buildings that keep track of outside contractor and vendor information. It is internal only (no residents will see it) and allows staff to quickly reach out to your building's preferred vendors quickly and even assign work orders to outside contractors. The Vendors Directory also allows you to track vendor compliance - determining and uploading required documentation, quickly and easily viewing whether or not a particular vendor is compliant, and receiving notifications when vendor compliance is expiring. To turn your Vendors Directory on or off, please contact BuildingLink Technical Support.

Note: Click on the images below to enlarge them.

Table of contents

• Viewing the Vendors Directory
• Adding companies to the Vendors Directory
• Editing the Details of a Vendor in Your Directory
• Removing a Vendor from the Vendors Directory
• Tracking Vendor Compliance
• Adding Compliance Documents
• Renewing Compliance Document
• Setting up Compliance Notifications
• Vendors Expiring Action Items 
• Vendor Insurance Compliance Summary
• Show the Vendor Compliance Column 
• Contacting Vendors
• Assigning Vendors to Maintenance Requests 
• Emailing a Vendor from an Assigned Maintenance Request

Viewing the Vendors Directory

To view the Vendors Directory, click the Maintenance tab and select Vendors directory. You'll see a list of vendors in your building's Vendors Directory and vendor compliance information. To export the Vendors Directory to print it or save it to your computer, click the Export to Excel button. 

Adding companies to the Vendors Directory

To add a company to the Vendors Directory, click the Maintenance tab and select Vendors directory. Click the green Add vendors from master list button.

To search the master list, fill out the search fields at the top of the screen, and the screen will update with search results from BuildingLink's Vendors/Contractors Master List. The Vendors/Contractor Master List is comprised of companies other BuildingLink buildings have added to their own Vendors Directory. These companies are pulled from other buildings' directories; that way, you are less likely to have to enter contact information for well-known companies yourself. 

You can also scroll through the master list and view all available companies. If you'd like to confirm the contact details for a company before adding it to your building's directory, click the company you wish to view, and the company information will open in a new window.

To add a company to your building's directory from the master list, click Add to my directory on the specific listing. 

If the company you're trying to add is not listed on the Vendor/Contractor Master List, click the Create company button. 

NOTE: To avoid adding duplicates, please be sure the company is not already on the master list by searching the master list thoroughly for this company first, as any company you create will also be added to BuildingLink's Vendor/Contractor Master List. 

In the Create Company window, fill out the company information. From the field "Company name" down to "About Us," the information entered should be non-private. This information will appear in the BuildingLink Vendor/Contractor Master List and your building's own Vendors Directory. 

Following the "About Us" field, note the checkbox next to "Allow maintenance requests to be assigned to this vendor."  If you check this box, you can assign maintenance requests to the vendor and record any work orders completed by the vendor. 

You can also initially track this contractor's compliance by selecting the checkbox next to "Track vendor compliance." More information on tracking compliance can be found in a later section of this article. 

In the "Additional contact info" section, you can enter your property's specific contact at the company. This information is for your building only and will not be added to BuildingLink's Master list. 

Keep in mind, that if you add an email address to the email field, you can email work orders to this vendor. You will also be able to input vendor compliance information for the vendor if you wish.

 After entering all information, click Save company to save your new contractor. After saving your entry, you'll be returned to your Vendors Directory, where your new entry will now be listed.

Editing the Details of a Vendor in Your Directory

You can add notes, add/remove additional building-specific contacts, track compliance, and edit basic info. To edit contractor details, click the company information for the contractor entry you want to update; the entry will open in a new window.

Note: You can only edit Basic Info for vendors added to the master list by your building. You can add notes, add/remove additional building-specific contacts, and track compliance for all contractors in your building's directory. 

You can add notes (e.g., the vendor's on-site parking requirements or your technician's preferred schedule) or the vendor's induction date at your site. At the bottom of the vendor record, in the Notes section, click Add Induction Date or Add Note; you then enter your note/date in the open text field. Click Save Note or Save Site Induction after entering the new information to save it to your contractor's file. 

Removing a Vendor from the Vendors Directory

To remove a vendor listing from the Vendors Directory, click the x in the "Remove" column to delete the vendor from your building's Vendors Directory permanently. 

Note: You can only remove vendors from your building's directory, not the BuildingLink master list. 

Tracking Vendor Compliance

A vendor compliance tracking option is available when adding or editing any vendor,  

Find the checkbox next to "Track vendor compliance."  If you check this box, you can choose which types of documentation must be uploaded for the system to mark the vendor as compliant.

Examples of compliance documents: 

• License: Contractors License, Plumbing License, Practitioners License
• Workers Compensation: A certificate of insurance (COI) for the worker's compensation policy of the contractor. 
• Liability Insurance: A certificate of insurance (COI) for the contractor's liability policy. 
• Certification: Certificates of training, local government-required certificates, (alternate use) a certification that permits this contractor to work in your building. 

When the "Show compliance column" box is checked, the compliance status will display on the main page of your Vendors Directory as Not Tracked, Not Compliant, Compliant, Expiring (Expiring within 30 days), and Expired. 

Note: If just one of the required compliance types is incompliant, the vendor will display Not Compliant on the main Vendors Directory.

The vendor will be automatically marked as Compliant if you do not select any required compliance types. 

If you select certain compliance types and require them, the vendor will be marked as Not Compliant unless compliance documentation is uploaded using the Add links. 

Adding Compliance Documents

To upload compliance documentation, click the blue add link next to the appropriate compliance type. You can select an expiration date for the compliance documentation renewal or choose Never. (If you set an expiration date, the vendor compliance status will automatically change to "Expired" once the expiration date is reached.) Click the green Save button to save the documentation.

Renewing Compliance Document

Clicking View/Edit on an expired compliance document will bring up the vendor record. Click the trash can icon to remove the expired document.  You can then upload new compliance documentation. 

Setting up Compliance Notifications

You can set up email notifications to alert the appropriate people that vendor compliance documentation will expire soon. To do so, click the Maintenace tab, select Vendors directory, and click the gear icon.

Next, select Yes and then input the email address(es) of the people who should be notified. 

A separate email notification will be sent to your supplied email address(es) for any vendor with documentation expiring; however, if the same vendor has multiple compliance types expiring on the same date, those notifications will be grouped into one email. Click Save all changes to save your new notification setting. 

Vendors Expiring Action Items 

Even if you choose not to set up email notifications, you will always be able to quickly and easily see if any vendors have documentation expiring in the next 30 days from the Action Items list on your Manager Dashboard.

Vendor Insurance Compliance Summary

You may also view vendor compliance information from the Vendors Directory page in the "Vendor insurance compliance summary" at the top of the Vendors/Contractors Directory page. 

Show the Vendor Compliance Column 

If you don't see the "Vendor compliance" column on the Vendors/Contractors directory page, check the box next to "Show compliance column." This column will display the following statuses for vendor compliance: Not Tracked, Not Compliant, Compliant, Expiring (Expiring within 30 days), and Expired. 

Contacting Vendors

To contact a vendor, click the Maintenance tab and select Vendors directory. The "Contact vendor" column will show the vendor's contact information, such as website and email.

Click on the blue Email link in the "Contact vendor" column to open an email window for the vendor. 

If the vendor's website is on file, click the blue View website link to open the vendor website in a new browser tab.

Assigning Vendors to Maintenance Requests 

When entering or editing a Maintenance Request in the Maintenance tab, you will see an option for "Assigned vendor." If you click the drop-down menu under that option, you'll see all vendors set to allow maintenance request assignments, as mentioned above in this article. Select the desired vendor from the list and click Save request or Save.

Emailing a Vendor from an Assigned Maintenance Request

If the vendor assigned to a request has an email address on file in the Vendors Directory, you'll have the option of emailing the vendor from the assigned maintenance request. 

In the following window, you can choose from existing contacts or add a new contact for the vendor.

If the vendor contact you want to email is not currently in the Vendors Directory, you can add a new building contact from a maintenance request assigned to that vendor. After clicking Add Contact, enter your new building contact information and save the information by clicking Add Contact.

The new vendor contact should now be a selectable option in the Email Vendor Contact window. Click Continue after selecting your preferred vendor contact(s). 

Compose and send your email in the following window. Click here for more information on how to send and compose and send an email.