Understanding the Supplier Import Processes

The PeopleSoft system provides three tools for importing supplier information from other applications and systems into the PeopleSoft Payables and Purchasing supplier tables:

1. VNDR_IMPORT Application Engine process.

2. Supplier component interface (VNDR_ID_EXCEL).

3. Supplier EIP.

Each method has particular advantages.

Use the VNDR_IMPORT Application Engine process when you want to load supplier data into PeopleSoft Payables from a flat file. The system performs record-level edits against the supplier records that are being imported, but does not perform component logic against these records. For this reason, the VNDR_IMPORT process offers the best processing performance, and is capable of bringing in all of the records associated with the supplier. We recommend using this process for the mass import of large amounts of supplier data.

Use the Supplier component interface (VNDR_ID_EXCEL) to import suppliers using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. This integration point is recommended for importing low volumes of suppliers that do not have complex supplier data, such as those without multiple locations, addresses, and so forth. The advantage of this component interface is that it performs the component-level edits associated with regular supplier entry using the Supplier Information component (VNDR_ID).

Use the Supplier EIP as a direct interface between PeopleSoft Student Administration, PeopleSoft Payroll, or third-party applications and the PeopleSoft Payables supplier tables. This integration point uses application messaging to receive the external supplier message as XML data and uses the record structure contained in the VNDR_ID component interface (a relative of the VNDR_ID_EXCEL component interface) to convert the XML into PeopleSoft supplier records. Like the Supplier component interface, the Supplier EIP provides component-level validation of supplier records. In addition, it can provide two-way messaging, not only subscribing to supplier data from PeopleSoft Student Administration, PeopleSoft Payroll, and third-party applications, but also publishing PeopleSoft Payables supplier data to update the other applications' supplier records. The Supplier EIP process does not support the full set of supplier records supported by the VNDR_IMPORT process.

See the product documentation for PeopleTools: Integration Broker