Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Understanding the Role of Third Parties in Dolibarr

  3. Setting Up Customer and Supplier Modules

  4. Creating and Managing Customer Records

  5. Managing Supplier Records and Data

  6. Customizing Customer and Supplier Information

  7. Categorizing and Segmenting Third Parties

  8. Assigning Contacts and Roles

  9. Tracking Interactions and Communications

  10. Linking Third Parties to Business Documents

  11. Invoicing and Payment Handling for Customers

  12. Purchase Orders and Vendor Payments

  13. Managing Discounts, Credit Limits, and Financial Rules

  14. Monitoring Customer and Supplier Activity

  15. Exporting and Importing Customer/Supplier Data

  16. Using Third-Party Statistics and Reports

  17. Access Rights and Security for Sensitive Data

  18. Integration with CRM, Accounting, and Other Modules

  19. Best Practices for Customer and Supplier Management

  20. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Dolibarr ERP/CRM provides a flexible platform for managing every aspect of a business, from sales to logistics and finance. At the core of its business logic lies the concept of third parties—entities classified as customers, suppliers, or both. Effective management of these third parties is key to successful CRM, purchasing, and financial operations.

This comprehensive guide explores how to manage customers and suppliers in Dolibarr, detailing everything from data entry to communication tracking and financial reporting.

2. Understanding the Role of Third Parties in Dolibarr

In Dolibarr, a “third party” refers to any external organization or individual you do business with. These entities are defined as:

  • Customers: Organizations or individuals to whom you sell products or services.

  • Suppliers: Entities from which you purchase goods or services.

  • Both: Entities that play dual roles.

Managing these relationships efficiently within Dolibarr ensures consistent and traceable commercial workflows.

3. Setting Up Customer and Supplier Modules

Before managing any third parties, you need to ensure the appropriate modules are active.

  1. Navigate to Home > Setup > Modules/Applications.

  2. Activate:

    • Third Parties

    • Customers (if not included)

    • Suppliers

    • Contacts/Addresses

Once active, the left menu will display links to manage customers and suppliers separately.

4. Creating and Managing Customer Records

To create a customer:

  1. Go to Third Parties > New Third Party.

  2. Fill in:

    • Company name or individual’s name

    • Status: Customer, Prospect, or Both

    • Address and contact info

    • Default currency, price level, and terms

You can assign a sales representative and payment terms (e.g., 30 days net). Once created, you can access the customer’s dashboard.

From the dashboard, manage:

  • Contacts and employees

  • Proposals and orders

  • Invoices and shipments

  • Customer notes and documents

5. Managing Supplier Records and Data

The supplier creation process mirrors that of customers:

  1. Go to Third Parties > New Third Party.

  2. Select the Supplier box.

Fill out supplier-specific details:

  • Accounting code

  • Purchase categories

  • Payment terms

  • Tax ID

Use the supplier record to create purchase orders, enter bills, and track product reception.

6. Customizing Customer and Supplier Information

Dolibarr allows extra fields to be added:

  • Navigate to Setup > Dictionaries > Extra Fields

  • Add fields for industry, company size, or custom tags

You can also create drop-down lists and date selectors for structured data entry.

7. Categorizing and Segmenting Third Parties

Segmentation improves reporting and targeting. You can:

  • Assign one or more categories to each third party

  • Filter lists by category (e.g., VIP clients, strategic vendors)

  • Use colors or tags for quick identification

Set up categories via Setup > Dictionaries > Third-Party Categories.

8. Assigning Contacts and Roles

Each customer or supplier can have multiple associated contacts:

  • Create contacts with roles (manager, finance, purchasing)

  • Set email and phone details

  • Define whether they receive documents (invoices, orders)

This feature allows granular control over communications.

9. Tracking Interactions and Communications

Use the Agenda module to log calls, meetings, and follow-ups. Link these events to the customer or supplier.

  • Log tasks manually or automatically via modules

  • Add notes and attachments to events

  • Set reminders for follow-ups

This creates a historical timeline of relationship management.

10. Linking Third Parties to Business Documents

Every third party is linked to documents like:

  • Proposals

  • Orders

  • Invoices

  • Shipments

When creating any of these, you must select the associated customer or supplier. Dolibarr auto-fills contact and payment info based on the third party record.

11. Invoicing and Payment Handling for Customers

Once a sale is confirmed:

  • Create invoices from proposals or orders

  • Define VAT, discounts, and payment schedules

  • Record payments and generate receipts

Dolibarr tracks open balances and overdue invoices. Automatic reminders can be configured for aging invoices.

12. Purchase Orders and Vendor Payments

From a supplier record, generate:

  • Purchase requests

  • Purchase orders

  • Supplier invoices

You can also:

  • Receive items into stock

  • Register supplier payments

  • Reconcile transactions with your bank accounts

13. Managing Discounts, Credit Limits, and Financial Rules

Each customer/supplier can have:

  • Default discount rates

  • Credit limits

  • Special tax rules

Configure these under the third-party financial tab. Credit limits help prevent excessive credit risk in sales processes.

14. Monitoring Customer and Supplier Activity

Dolibarr’s dashboards include:

  • Total sales per customer

  • Outstanding payments

  • Supplier delivery performance

Use built-in reports to:

  • Evaluate customer profitability

  • Compare supplier pricing and reliability

15. Exporting and Importing Customer/Supplier Data

To import:

  • Use Tools > Import and select third parties

  • Map CSV fields to Dolibarr structure

  • Preview and confirm

To export:

  • Use the Export tool to select fields

  • Generate CSV or Excel files for marketing or analysis

16. Using Third-Party Statistics and Reports

Go to Third Parties > Statistics to view:

  • Monthly sales totals

  • Number of new customers

  • Supplier costs breakdown

You can filter by time period, region, or representative.

Advanced reporting can be added with external modules or database queries.

17. Access Rights and Security for Sensitive Data

Dolibarr allows strict role-based access:

  • Limit who can view, edit, or delete third parties

  • Control access to financial details or contacts

  • Use audit logs to track changes

Sensitive information should be accessible only to authorized personnel.

18. Integration with CRM, Accounting, and Other Modules

Third-party data integrates across modules:

  • CRM: for tracking leads and campaigns

  • Accounting: for generating journal entries and ledgers

  • Inventory: for assigning suppliers to items

Data consistency between modules ensures a unified business system.

19. Best Practices for Customer and Supplier Management

  • Keep data clean and updated

  • Assign internal owners to each third party

  • Use categories for segmentation

  • Attach documents (contracts, certificates) to profiles

  • Audit inactive accounts regularly

A well-maintained third-party database supports every aspect of business operations.

20. Conclusion

Managing customers and suppliers in Dolibarr goes far beyond basic contact management. With powerful tools for segmentation, communication, invoicing, and analytics, Dolibarr enables comprehensive relationship management in a single platform. By using its features effectively, you can streamline operations, improve service quality, and enhance decision-making.