> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.booksgpt.ai/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# Customers, vendors, and products & services

Three lists sit behind your invoices and bills. Search at the top, click a row to open it, and use the button to add one.

## Customers

Open **All pages** in the left sidebar, then click **Sales** and **[Customers](https://app.booksgpt.ai/go/customers)**.

1. Click **New customer** and enter a name. Email and phone are optional.
2. Add an email if you send invoices, receipts, statements, or reminders. Statements and reminders skip a customer who has none.
3. Click the customer, then **Edit**, and set **Payment terms**. That fills the due date on new invoices. See "Payment terms: set them once per customer or vendor".

If **Terms** is empty after a QuickBooks import, see "Fill missing payment terms from QuickBooks".

## Vendors

Vendors are who your bills and expenses are paid to. Open **All pages** in the left sidebar, then click **Purchases** and **[Vendors](https://app.booksgpt.ai/go/vendors)**.

Click **New vendor**, enter a **Name** and click **Create vendor**. The rows below the name (**Contact**, **Addresses**, **Payments**, **Tax and 1099**, **Accounting**, **Opening balance**, **Notes**) are optional; click one to open it. **Opening balance** is set only when you create the vendor. It saves what **You owe them** as a bill dated **As of**, owed in Accounts Payable, which you pay like any other bill. The rest can wait for **Edit**.

To add many at once, such as a QuickBooks Desktop vendor list, click **Import**, choose the CSV or Excel file, check the matched columns, and click **Preview** before you import. A vendor you already have only gets its blank fields filled.

If a vendor is also a customer, click **Also a customer** on the vendor's page (or **Also a vendor** on a customer's page). Both pages then show **They owe you**, **You owe them** and the **Net**. Nothing is offset in the books.

The **1099** column is the year-end view. A vendor with **Track payments for 1099** on reads **W-9 needed** until **Tax and 1099** holds their **Tax ID** and a **W-9 received** date, then **W-9 on file**.

![The vendors list with the 1099 column showing W-9 on file and W-9 needed](https://booksgpt.ai/help/lists/vendors.png)

|| A tax ID is stored encrypted and shown as its last four digits. Only an owner or bookkeeper can reveal it, and each reveal is recorded in the vendor's history.

Click the vendor, then **Edit**, open **Payments**, and set **Payment terms**. The page shows it as **Terms**, and it fills the due date on new bills. If **Terms** is empty after a QuickBooks import, see "Fill missing payment terms from QuickBooks".

## Products & services

Open **All pages** in the left sidebar, then click **Sales** and **[Products & services](https://app.booksgpt.ai/go/products-services)**. The same page is also under **Inventory**.

1. Click **New item**.
2. Enter a **Name** and a **Sales price**.
3. Tick **Sold to customers**, **Bought from vendors**, or both, then click **Create**.
4. Click **Edit** and add a **Description**. It prints under the item's name on invoices and estimates, and picking the item copies it into the line's details note.

![The New product / service form with Name, Sales price, Sold and Bought, and Track stock still unchecked](https://booksgpt.ai/help/inventory-resume-customers-vendors-items/new-item-track-stock-unchecked-v2.png)

## Track stock

1. On **New item**, tick **Track stock for this product** and fill **Unit** (lb, each, or case).
2. Tick **Track lots** if each delivery should stay separate.
3. On **Edit**, tick **Track stock for this product** if it is still off, fill **Unit**, and add a **SKU**, a **Reorder point**, or **Count it two ways (catch weight)** with a **Second unit**.

![The Edit item stock box with Track stock ticked, SKU, Unit, Reorder point, Track lots, and catch weight](https://booksgpt.ai/help/inventory-resume-customers-vendors-items/edit-item-stock-bought-from-vendors-hint-v1.png)

* Bills add stock when **Bought from vendors** is on. Invoices take it away.
* A product marked **Sold to customers** appears on a new invoice, including one that tracks lots. Choosing the lots is in "Sell inventory and post cost of goods sold".
* Counts, lots, and the count sheet are in "Track stock quantities". Open **All pages** in the left sidebar, then click **Inventory** and **[Products & stock](https://app.booksgpt.ai/go/products-and-stock)**. Below the reorder point, the row reads **Low**.

|| Ticking **Track stock for this product** counts what you have on hand. It does not turn costing on. To turn costing on, see "Set up inventory costing".

A SKU can be used only once, including on an archived item. Reusing one keeps **Edit item** open with the SKU marked, so choose another.

![The SKU field marked invalid, with the message that archived items keep their SKUs](https://booksgpt.ai/help/inventory-resume-customers-vendors-items/sku-taken-bought-from-vendors-hint-v1.png)

## Archive and restore

1. Open the item and click **Archive**, then **Archive item**. It leaves the list. Invoices and bills that already use it keep the line.
2. An item with stock still on hand cannot be archived. Bring on hand to zero, then try again. See "Track stock quantities".
3. On a Bill, the line shows **Archived**, and **Bought from vendors off** when that box is off. Click **Open item**. The list hides archived items, so this is how you open one again.
4. Click **Restore**. If an active item already uses the name, click **Edit**, rename this item, click **Save changes**, then **Restore**.
5. If **Bought from vendors** is off, click **Edit**, tick it, and click **Save changes**.
6. A Bill will not add the product, and will not post a line that receives it into stock, while the product is archived or **Bought from vendors** is off. A line already on the Bill stays.

| Each list shows 500 rows at a time. Past that, use the search box.