Vendor Portal Database Template

Overview

This vendor portal database centralizes all vendor relationships, documents, invoices, and tasks in one structured system. Track vendor status from application through approval, manage team access by company, and maintain visibility over outstanding work and payments.

The database connects five core tables: Vendors store company profiles with approval workflows and categories; Users manage access with role-based permissions linking to specific vendor companies; Tasks assign and track work with due dates; Documents organize compliance and legal files by type; and Invoices handle submission-to-payment cycles with status tracking. Rollup fields automatically count team members, open tasks, and outstanding invoices per vendor.

AI agents automate data entry—categorizing vendors by description, generating task titles from descriptions, classifying document types from uploaded files, and extracting invoice amounts automatically. This eliminates manual data entry and keeps records consistent as new information arrives.

Why use this vendor portal database (instead of spreadsheets)

Spreadsheets fragment vendor management across multiple files—one for contacts, another for documents, separate trackers for invoices and tasks. As vendor relationships grow, finding information becomes slow and error-prone.

The power of Softr Databases

Softr Databases enforce proper structure with typed columns (dates, currency, select fields, attachments) and native relationships between tables. Instead of fragile VLOOKUPs that break when data moves, related records connect vendors to their team members, documents, tasks, and invoices automatically. Rollup fields pull live counts—team size, open tasks, outstanding invoices—without formulas. The one table = one object principle keeps vendor data clean and app-ready, with API access for automated syncing and a foundation built for building full-stack applications with proper permissions.

Core features and functionality

This template includes approval workflows tracking vendors from "Under review" to "Approved" or "Rejected," role-based access controlling what admins versus vendor users can see and edit, and automatic categorization using Database AI agents that classify vendors, documents, and extract invoice amounts without manual data entry. Rollups provide instant visibility into workload and payment status across all vendor relationships, making oversight effortless as your vendor network scales.

Who is this vendor portal database for

This database helps teams manage external vendor relationships efficiently:

• Procurement teams: Centralize vendor onboarding, track approval status, and maintain compliance documentation in one system.
• Finance departments: Monitor invoice submissions, payment timelines, and outstanding amounts per vendor automatically.
• Operations managers: Assign tasks to vendors, track deliverables with due dates, and maintain visibility over all active work.
• Growing businesses: Replace email chains and scattered spreadsheets with structured vendor management that scales cleanly.
• Organizations with compliance requirements: Store legal documents, track approval dates, and maintain organized audit trails per vendor.

How to take it further

Customize the database to match your vendor management process. Modify the Category select field to reflect your industry—swap "Equipment" and "Catering" for "Software," "Consulting," or "Manufacturing" as needed. Adjust Vendor Status options to match your approval stages, or add custom fields like contract end dates, performance ratings, or primary contact information.

Import your existing data via CSV to move current vendor lists, contact details, and invoice history into the structured database. Use the API to sync automatically with accounting systems, contract management tools, or ERP platforms, ensuring vendor information stays current without manual updates.

Build an app on top to create secure vendor portals where external partners log in to submit invoices, upload documents, and update task status—while your internal team uses admin views to approve vendors and monitor all relationships. Softr's interface builder connects directly to this database, letting you create custom pages for different user groups. Configure permissions so vendors only see their own company data while admins access everything, and internal teams view aggregated reports across all vendors. A well-structured database like this makes building those interfaces straightforward—relationships between vendors, users, tasks, and invoices are already defined, so your app displays the right information to the right people automatically.

Full-stack apps in Softr combine Database + Interface + Workflows, all connected in one platform, turning this template into a complete vendor management system that adapts as your processes evolve.