Handling vendor/supplier price changes (updates)

Written By Ascend knowledge base (Administrator)

Updated at February 2nd, 2023

Help keep vendor costs and suggested retail pricing accurate using Ascend.

If you’re a multi-store retailer, pricing changes automatically share between locations (if you’ve chosen to do so). Always back up your Ascend system before importing product spreadsheets. Previous information cannot be recovered without a backup.

Considerations for items ordered in bulk (case quantity)

Some vendors/suppliers may provide MSRPs for only the entire case – not individual items. Always check pricing information for these products prior to importing.

  1. After downloading the appropriate vendor/supplier list, open the spreadsheet in Microsoft® Excel (or other spreadsheet program) and sort the CaseQty column by Largest to Smallest values (this brings all “bulk” products to the top of the list).
    Note: Be sure to sort the entire spreadsheet – when prompted, select the Expand the selection option.
  2. For each product, verify the MSRP value is accurate for individual items.
  3. Adjust MSRP values as needed, or remove the row from the spreadsheet and update the product manually.
    Note: Be sure to remove the entire row – if there’s a blank row in the spreadsheet, the import will stop at that row, and any products after it will not be updated.
  4. Save and close the spreadsheet.

Use the supplier’s suggested information

Updating supplier pricing will also overwrite other product information, such as supplier product descriptions and case quantities. DO NOT USE THIS METHOD IF YOU USE CUSTOM PRICING, DESCRIPTIONS, CASE QUANTITIES, OR OTHER INFORMATION.

  1. Head to the Retailer Portal > Vendor/Supplier Product Files for your country on www.ascendrms.com
    Note: This page requires a login – this account is NOT tied to your Ascend account, so if you haven't received an invite, submit a request for an account.
  2. Locate the supplier and download the most recent pricing file for your cost/price level combination. Save this file to a locations you’ll remember (e.g. the Windows Desktop).
    Note: If the supplier provided us with details on the price changes, we’ll post a spreadsheet with only the changed products. Download and import this spreadsheet only if you use ALL of the supplier’s recommended values.
  3. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Options tile.
    Screenshot of orange Options tile with two white gears on it
  4. Select the General tab, uncheck Import Only New Products for Vendors, and click the OK button.
    Screenshot of Options window with General selected. The box next to Import Only New Products for Vendors is unchecked and highlighted
  5. From the Ascend Desktop, select the File menu > Import > Vendor Products.
    Screenshot of Ascend desktop with File selected, then Import selected, then Vendor Products... selected
  6. On the Overwrite existing product data prompt, click the OK button.
    Screenshot of pop up that says "Whoa there! You're about to import product information which might overwrite existing product data. Click OK to continue. To import only new product information click Cancel then enable 'Import Only New Products for Vendors' by navigating to Options > General" with an OK button and a Cancel button.
  7. Navigate to the location where you saved the file and double-click the file.
  8. On the Select Vendor dialog box, double-click the vendor/supplier you are updating.
    Screenshot of the Select Vendor window with Trek Bicycle Corporation selected
  9. On the Select Columns to Import dialog box, check the columns you wish to update and click the OK button.
    NoteIDVPN (vendor/supplier part number), Description, and UPC are required and cannot be unchecked.
    Cost and Description only apply to the vendor product record:
    1. In-store product costs are based on either Average Cost (if the product has receiving or adjustment history) or Estimated CostEstimated Cost can be changed using an In-Store Product ExportAverage Cost can be manually recalculated. Article: Recalculate the Average Cost for a product 
    2. In-store product descriptions can be changed using an In-Store Product Export.
      Screenshot of Select Columns to Import list
  10. On the Data elements will be updated prompt, click the OK button.
    Screenshot of pop up that says "The following data elements will be updated" with OK and Cancel buttons
  11. The import progress displays. When complete, the Import process complete prompt displays the total number of products updated – click the OK button.
    Screenshot of a pop up that says "Import process complete. Number of rows imported" with an OK button
  12. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Options tile.
    Screenshot of orange Options tile with two white gears on it
  13. Select the General tab, recheck Import Only New Products for Vendors, and click the OK button.
    Note: Leave this option checked at all times, only unchecking it when updating products, to ensure you don’t accidentally overwrite product information.
    Screenshot of Options window with General selected. The box next to Import Only New Products for Vendors is unchecked and highlighted

Use your own (custom) information

  1. Head to the Retailer Portal > Vendor/Supplier Product Files for your country on www.ascendrms.com
    Note: This page requires a login – this account is NOT tied to your Ascend account, so if you haven't received an invite, submit a request for an account.
  2. Locate the supplier and download the most recent pricing file for your cost/price level combination. Save this file to a locations you’ll remember (e.g. the Windows® Desktop).
    Note: If the supplier provided us with details on the price changes, we’ll post a spreadsheet with only the changed products.
  3. Open the spreadsheet in Microsoft® Excel (or other spreadsheet program). Make edits as required. If you do not wish to update a product, remove the entire row – if there’s a blank row in the spreadsheet, the import will stop at that row, and any products after it will not be updated. You may also remove columns if you do not wish to update that field.
    NoteIDVPN (vendor/supplier part number), Description, and UPC are required and cannot be removed.
  4. Save and close the spreadsheet.
  5. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Options tile.
    Screenshot of orange Options tile with two white gears on it
  6. Select the General tab, uncheck Import Only New Products for Vendors, and click the OK button.
    Screenshot of Options window with General selected. The box next to Import Only New Products for Vendors is unchecked and highlighted
  7. From the Ascend Desktop, select the File menu > Import > Vendor Products.
    Screenshot of Ascend desktop with File selected, then Import selected, then Vendor Products... selected
  8. On the Overwrite existing product data prompt, click the OK button.
    Screenshot of pop up that says "Whoa there! You're about to import product information which might overwrite existing product data. Click OK to continue. To import only new product information click Cancel then enable 'Import Only New Products for Vendors' by navigating to Options > General" with an OK button and a Cancel button.
  9. Navigate to the location where you saved the file and double-click the file.
  10. On the Select Vendor dialog box, double-click the vendor/supplier you are updating.
    Screenshot of the Select Vendor window with Trek Bicycle Corporation selected
  11. On the Select Columns to Import dialog box, check the columns you wish to update and click the OK button.
    NoteIDVPN (vendor/supplier part number), Description, and UPC are required and cannot be unchecked.
    Screenshot of Select Columns to Import list
  12. On the Data elements will be updated prompt, click the OK button.
    Screenshot of pop up that says "The following data elements will be updated" with OK and Cancel buttons
  13. The import progress displays. When complete, the Import process complete prompt displays the total number of products updated – click the OK button.
    Screenshot of a pop up that says "Import process complete. Number of rows imported" with an OK button
  14. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Options tile.
    Screenshot of orange Options tile with two white gears on it
  15. Select the General tab, recheck Import Only New Products for Vendors, and click the OK button.
    Note: Leave this option checked at all times, only unchecking it when updating products, to ensure you don’t accidentally overwrite product information.
    Screenshot of Options window with General selected. The box next to Import Only New Products for Vendors is unchecked and highlighted

Printing new labels

(multi-store retailers) This query needs to be run separately at each location.

  1. Download and run the Modified products for labels query (see Run a custom query). Select the date range in which you updated the products to be relabeled.
    Note: If a product is available from multiple vendors, that product will display as a separate line for each vendor.
  2. If you edited products for multiple vendors and do not wish to reprint labels for all of them, filter the results to the desired vendor (or other criteria).
    1. Hover your cursor over the header for the column you wish to filter and click the funnel icon.
    2. Check the values you wish to display.
      Note: For advanced filtering options (e.g. text containing a partial value), select the Filters tab instead of Values.
      Screenshot of popup with Values options
  3. Select the File menu > Print Labels.
    Screenshot of open File menu with Print Labels selected
  4. On the Quantity to print prompt, select the quantity of labels you wish to print for each product.
    1. Yes: Print labels for your current in-stock inventory value for each product.
    2. No: Print a single label for each product.
      Screenshot of pop up that says "Click Yes to print the quantity on hand for each product. Click No to print one label for each product." There's a yes button and a no button.

KB22-069