Supplier Links

The Supplier Links dialog allows you to view manufacturer information.

Summary

The Supplier Links dialog provides controls to add or remove supplier links for the selected component. A Supplier Link provides the live link between an Altium Designer component and an item in a supplier's database of electronic components. The upper pane shows information for added supplier items, including Manufacturer, Manufacturer Part Number, Description, and Unit Price. You can add or remove supplier items to/from this area. The lower pane shows the detailed Parameters, Documents, Pricing and Stock information for a selected item in the upper pane.

Access

• In the Schematic Editor, right-click on a component and choose Supplier Links from the menu.
• In the Library Editor, right-click in the active component's workspace and choose Supplier Links from the menu.

Options/Controls

Buttons and Drop-down Menus

• Add - Opens the Add Supplier Links dialog, which allows you to search for and add a new supplier item for the target component.
• Remove - Remove a selected supplier item. Ctrl+Click to select and remove multiple suppliers.
• Currency - Select which currency you use from the drop down menu. For example, USD, or EUR. Your selection is reflected in the Unit Price column of the upper pane. If no currency is selected, the displayed information will default to the supplier's currency.
• Order Quantity - Specify how many units you need. You can use the arrows to increase or decrease the quantity, or simply type directly in the text box. Order pricing may change depending on supplier. Many suppliers offer discounts for bulk orders. For example, an item might discount at 10 items with further discounts for 25, 50, and 100 items. Pricing and bulk discounts, when applicable, vary between suppliers.

The Upper Pane

By default, the upper pane displays the following columns: Manufacturer (displays the name of the manufacturer), Manufacturer Part Number (displays the part number given by the manufacturer), Supplier (displays the name of the supplier), Supplier Part Number (displays the part number given by the supplier), Description (displays a brief description of the item), and Unit Price (displays the cost of the item. This may change depending on the entered Order Quantity). You can adjust how the information in the upper pane is presented, including the ability rearrange, add, and remove columns.

• Drag and Drop - Drag and drop column headers to reorder them as your preference or project needs dictate.
• Right-Click Menu - Right-click on any of the column headers to open a drop down menu of additional column options which will allow you to view different information depending on what dictates your item needs. Click on a category to add or remove it from the supplier information columns. Categories that are selected will display a in the right-click menu and will be displayed in the upper pane. These categories are useful when things such as spacing, esthetics, and layout may determine what kind of supplier item you need. Open the right-click menu to view all options.
• Organize by - Click on a column header to organize supplier items by that category. For example, to organize suppliers by cost, click on the Unit Price column header.
• View Only Upper Pane - To view only your added supplier items, click the , to the right and below the Order Quantity field. To return to the split-pane view, click the in the bottom right corner.

Lower Pane

The lower pane displays detailed information about the currently selected supplier item in the upper pane. You can view product information about price, materials, packaging, and more. When provided by the supplier, you can also view documentation such as attached specification drawings.

• View Only Lower Pane - To view only the currently selected supplier item information, click the , at the top right corner of the lower pane. To return to the split-pane view, click the in the top right corner.
• OK  - Click to accept the listed supplier items and exit the dialog.
• Cancel - Click to exit the dialog without accepting any changes made to the listed suppliers.