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How to create a vendor invitation in Easedesk — step-by-step Vendor Portal guide

Complete step-by-step guide to creating, editing, importing and managing invitations in the Easedesk Vendor Portal module. Includes prerequisites, common errors and best practices.

7 min read·Updated 2026-06-30

Quick answer

To create a vendor invitation in Easedesk, open Vendor Portal from the sidebar, click "New Vendor Invitation", fill the required fields and click Save. The new record is immediately searchable and triggers downstream automations — accounting posts, notifications, approvals — based on the module's wiring.

Step-by-step: how to create your first vendor invitation

Follow these 5 steps to create a vendor invitation in the Vendor Portal module. Most users complete this in under 2 minutes once the prerequisites are in place.

Step 1 — Open the Vendor Portal module

In the left sidebar, click Vendor Portal. If you don't see it, your role may not have the vendor-portal.view permission — ask your Owner or Admin to grant it under Settings → Users & Roles.

Step 2 — Click "New Vendor Invitation"

The list view shows all existing invitations. Click the New Vendor Invitation button at the top-right. You will be taken to a clean form page with all fields visible — no hidden tabs.

Step 3 — Fill in required fields

Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Hover over any label for tooltip help. Optional fields can be left blank and added later.

Step 4 — Review the auto-calculated fields

Easedesk pre-fills several fields based on your defaults — currency, fiscal year, default ledger mapping, GST applicability. Verify these before saving.

Step 5 — Save (or "Save & Add Another")

Click Save to create the vendor invitation. For bulk entry, use "Save & Add Another" — it resets the form while keeping the page open. The new record appears at the top of the list view.

What happens after you save a vendor invitation

Creating a vendor invitation in Easedesk is rarely an isolated event — the platform's strength is that data flows automatically to all the right places.

The system automatically logs the event in the Audit Log, sends notifications to subscribed users, and triggers any approval workflow you've configured for this action.

Bulk-importing invitations from a spreadsheet

If you're migrating from another tool or onboarding historical data, you don't need to create invitations one at a time. Easedesk supports CSV bulk import from the list view.

Click the Import button on the Vendor Portal list page. Download the sample CSV template — it includes every supported column with example values and validation notes in the header row. Fill it in your spreadsheet of choice (Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers), save as CSV, and upload.

Easedesk validates every row before commit — invalid rows are highlighted with the specific error and skipped, valid rows are imported. You can also run a "dry run" to preview the import without committing. For very large imports (> 5,000 rows), the import runs as a background job and emails you a summary when complete.

Editing a vendor invitation

To edit an existing vendor invitation, click its row in the list view to open detail mode, then click the Edit button at the top-right. All changes are recorded in the Audit Log along with the user, timestamp, IP, and the before-and-after value of each changed field.

If the vendor invitation has been used downstream (for example, an invoice that has been paid, or a PO that has a GRN against it), Easedesk locks certain fields to preserve the audit chain. The locked fields are clearly marked, and you can usually achieve what you need via a reversal + fresh vendor invitation or by raising a credit / debit document.

Deleting or cancelling a vendor invitation

Hard-delete is intentionally restricted in Easedesk because business records have downstream impact and auditors need a complete trail.

If a vendor invitation has not been used downstream, you can hard-delete it from the kebab menu (•••). If it has been used, Easedesk will offer to cancel or void instead — the record stays in the database with a Cancelled status, but no longer affects reports or downstream modules.

Cancelled invitations can usually be revived if needed — open the cancelled record and click "Reinstate".

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a vendor invitation in Easedesk?
Open Vendor Portal from the sidebar, click "New Vendor Invitation", fill the required fields (marked with red asterisk), and click Save. The whole process typically takes under 2 minutes.
Can I import invitations from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Most modules support CSV bulk import. Click the Import button on the list page, download the sample CSV template (matches the exact column format Easedesk expects), fill it in Excel / Google Sheets, and upload. A dry-run mode lets you preview before committing.
Why is my "New Vendor Invitation" button disabled or hidden?
Your role likely doesn't include the vendor-portal.create permission. Ask your Owner or Admin to grant it under Settings → Users & Roles → select your role → Permissions tab.
Can I edit a vendor invitation after creating it?
Yes — click the row in the list view, then click Edit at the top-right. All changes are recorded in the audit log. If the vendor invitation has been used downstream (e.g. an invoice that has been paid), only certain fields are editable.
What happens if I delete a vendor invitation?
Hard-delete is restricted for records linked to other modules. In those cases, Easedesk offers to cancel or void the vendor invitation instead so downstream history is preserved. Cancelled records can be reinstated later.
Can I undo a save?
Easedesk does not have a global undo button, but most records support cancellation or reversal which has the same business effect with an audit trail. For accidental data entry, contact your Owner or use the duplicate-and-fix workflow.
Can I create invitations via API?
Yes. Every list endpoint has a POST counterpart for creation. See the API Reference (developers.easedesk.com) for the JSON schema and example payloads. API requests count towards your plan's API quota.
How do I duplicate a vendor invitation?
Open the record → kebab menu (•••) → Duplicate. Easedesk copies all fields except the unique identifier and timestamps, opens a fresh form for you to adjust, and saves as a new record on submit.
Can multiple users edit the same vendor invitation concurrently?
Easedesk uses optimistic locking — if two users edit the same record simultaneously, the second save shows a conflict warning and lets the user resolve field-by-field. No data is silently overwritten.
Is there a mobile-friendly version of this workflow?
Yes — the entire Vendor Portal module is fully responsive. On phones, the form fields stack vertically and action buttons stick to the bottom of the screen for one-handed use.
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