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Vendor Category API

Vendor categories allow you to segment and organize vendors for reporting and analysis.

Endpoints​

MethodEndpointDescription
GET/record/v1/vendorCategoryList all vendor categories
GET/record/v1/vendorCategory/{id}Get specific category
POST/record/v1/vendorCategoryCreate new category
PATCH/record/v1/vendorCategory/{id}Update category
DELETE/record/v1/vendorCategory/{id}Delete category

Base URL​

https://{account_id}.suitetalk.api.netsuite.com/services/rest/record/v1/vendorCategory

Key Fields​

FieldTypeDescriptionRequired
idstringInternal ID (read-only)-
namestringCategory nameYes
isInactivebooleanInactive flagNo

Example: Create Vendor Category​

POST /record/v1/vendorCategory
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer {access_token}
{
  "name": "Office Supplies"
}

Response​

{
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://1234567.suitetalk.api.netsuite.com/services/rest/record/v1/vendorCategory/8"
    }
  ],
  "id": "8",
  "name": "Office Supplies",
  "isInactive": false
}

Example: Update Vendor Category​

PATCH /record/v1/vendorCategory/8
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer {access_token}
{
  "name": "Office Supplies & Equipment",
  "isInactive": false
}

Response​

{
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://1234567.suitetalk.api.netsuite.com/services/rest/record/v1/vendorCategory/8"
    }
  ],
  "id": "8",
  "name": "Office Supplies & Equipment",
  "isInactive": false
}

Query Filters​

List All Active Categories​

GET /record/v1/vendorCategory?q=isInactive=false&limit=100

Find Category by Name​

GET /record/v1/vendorCategory?q=name='Office Supplies'

Find Categories by Partial Name​

GET /record/v1/vendorCategory?q=name LIKE 'Office%'

List Inactive Categories​

GET /record/v1/vendorCategory?q=isInactive=true

Common Use Cases​

1. Segment Vendors by Type​

Create categories to organize vendors by their business type:

// Create service categories
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Professional Services" });
await createVendorCategory({ name: "IT Services" });
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Consulting" });

// Create product categories
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Raw Materials" });
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Office Supplies" });
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Equipment & Machinery" });

// Create operational categories
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Utilities" });
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Shipping & Logistics" });
await createVendorCategory({ name: "Marketing & Advertising" });

2. Assign Category to Vendor​

await patchVendor(vendorId, {
  category: { id: "8" }  // Office Supplies
});

3. Report by Vendor Category​

Use categories to filter vendors in reports and queries:

GET /record/v1/vendor?q=category='8'

4. Spend Analysis by Category​

// Get all vendors in a category
const vendors = await getVendors("category='8'");

// Sum up vendor balances for spend analysis
const totalSpend = vendors.reduce((sum, vendor) => {
  return sum + vendor.balance;
}, 0);

console.log(`Total spend on Office Supplies: $${totalSpend}`);

5. Deactivate Unused Category​

await patchVendorCategory(categoryId, {
  isInactive: true
});

Important Notes​

Required Fields​

  • name: The category name is required and must be unique

Category Usage​

  • Categories can be used for vendor segmentation and reporting
  • Vendors can have zero or one category assigned
  • Categories are typically used to group vendors by:
    • Product/service type (Office Supplies, Raw Materials, etc.)
    • Vendor role (Supplier, Service Provider, Contractor)
    • Spend category for procurement analysis
    • Industry vertical

Deleting Categories​

  • You cannot delete a category that is assigned to active vendors
  • Either remove the category from all vendors first, or mark it as inactive

Best Practices​

  • Keep category names clear and consistent
  • Use categories that align with your procurement and reporting needs
  • Consider aligning categories with your chart of accounts expense categories
  • Create categories that support spend analysis and vendor management

Common Category Examples​

By Product/Service Type​

  • Raw Materials
  • Finished Goods
  • Office Supplies
  • Equipment & Machinery
  • Software & Licenses
  • Marketing Services
  • Professional Services
  • IT Services
  • Consulting

By Business Function​

  • Operations
  • Sales & Marketing
  • IT & Technology
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Human Resources
  • Facilities & Maintenance

By Vendor Role​

  • Primary Supplier
  • Backup Supplier
  • Contract Manufacturer
  • Distributor
  • Reseller
  • Service Provider
  • Contractor
  • Consultant

By Spend Category​

  • Direct Materials
  • Indirect Materials
  • Capital Equipment
  • MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Operations)
  • Services
  • Utilities
  • Travel & Entertainment
  • Marketing & Advertising

By Industry​

  • Manufacturing
  • Technology
  • Logistics
  • Healthcare
  • Financial Services
  • Utilities

Vendor Category vs Customer Category​

While similar in structure, vendor and customer categories serve different purposes:

AspectVendor CategoryCustomer Category
PurposeOrganize suppliers and service providersOrganize customers and prospects
UsageProcurement analysis, spend managementSales reporting, customer segmentation
Common TypesProduct/service types, spend categoriesBusiness size, industry, lifecycle stage
ReportingA/P aging, spend analysisA/R aging, sales pipeline

Integration with Procurement Workflows​

1. Supplier Onboarding​

// Automatically categorize new vendors based on business type
const vendorData = {
  companyName: "ABC Office Supply Co",
  category: { id: "8" },  // Office Supplies
  terms: { id: "2" }      // Net 30
};

await createVendor(vendorData);

2. Spend Management​

// Generate spend report by category
const categories = await getVendorCategories();

for (const category of categories) {
  const vendors = await getVendors(`category='${category.id}'`);
  const categorySpend = vendors.reduce((sum, v) => sum + v.balance, 0);

  console.log(`${category.name}: $${categorySpend}`);
}

3. Vendor Segmentation for Negotiations​

// Identify high-spend categories for contract negotiations
const highSpendCategories = await identifyHighSpendCategories();

// Focus procurement team on these categories
highSpendCategories.forEach(cat => {
  console.log(`Priority category: ${cat.name} - $${cat.totalSpend}`);
});

See Also​