Clients & Suppliers

Clients and suppliers are structured business entities in Darwin. They are not only labels on a project — they carry their own records, files, contacts, and activity history.

Why They Matter

• Project context — each project belongs to a client; suppliers link to the work they quote or supply
• Contact relationships — manage multiple contacts per entity
• Document context — attach relevant documents directly to the entity
• Supplier-specific pricing — associate materials with preferred suppliers
• Bid and commitment traceability — suppliers referenced from bid proposals, commitments, and actual costs

How Suppliers Appear in Workflows

Suppliers appear across the request-to-baseline workflow:

1. Price lists — supplier prices are recorded in price list items
2. Materials — every catalog material requires a supplier
3. Bid proposals — submitted proposals include the bidding supplier’s identity
4. Commitments — awards reference the committing supplier
5. Actual costs — invoices reference the supplier

A supplier is required on a received bid but optional on commitments and actual costs. To substantiate a cost through an invoice reference, provide both its number and supplier unless you attach an evidence document. Record quote dates and references on price lines where applicable.

Best Practices

• Keep client and supplier records current with up-to-date contact information
• Attach relevant documents directly to the entity record
• Use structured records instead of relying on external spreadsheets
• Link suppliers to their materials and price lists for traceable pricing
• Review supplier records periodically to ensure accuracy