Blackpurl lets you assign a default Vendor Order (VO) export format to each vendor so you don't have to select one manually every time you export. You can also create your own custom export formats to match a vendor's specific file requirements. Before creating a new format, contact the relevant vendor and ask for their VO export format specification sheet. Keep in mind that Blackpurl generates the export file — your dealership is still responsible for delivering it to the vendor, whether by email or by importing it directly into the vendor's portal.
Assign a Vendor Order Export Format to a Vendor
There are two ways to assign a default VO export format to a vendor: from the Vendor Record, or directly from the Vendor Order at the time of export.
Option 1: From the Vendor Record
Every Vendor Record includes a VO Export Format field where you can set a default export format for that vendor.
1. Navigate to the relevant Vendor Record and find the VO Export Format field.
2. Click the export icon next to the field. The Assign VO export format dialog will open.
3. Use the Select a Blackpurl format dropdown to choose the format you want to assign.
4. Click Save to apply the selection.
The next time you process a VO for this vendor, the VO Export Format field will automatically default to the format you saved on the Vendor Record.
Option 2: From the Vendor Order
You can also assign an export format at the point of export, directly from the Vendor Order screen. If no format has been assigned to the vendor yet, the Export Vendor Order dialog will show a warning indicating this.
1. Process the Vendor Order as normal, then click the export icon to open the Export Vendor Order dialog.
2. The dialog will indicate that no export format has been assigned to this vendor.
3. Use the Select a Blackpurl format dropdown to choose a format.
4. Once a format is selected, Blackpurl will ask whether you want to assign this format to the vendor going forward.
5. Confirm the assignment to complete the action. The selected format will become the default for this vendor.
Create a Custom Vendor Order Export Format
Blackpurl lets you create your own VO export formats when none of the standard formats match your vendor's requirements. Custom formats can be created from two places: the Vendor Record or the Vendor Order — the format creation process is the same either way.
Supported File Types
Custom export formats can be created in two file types, each containing an optional header row and one line item per part on the VO:
Formatted text (.txt)
CSV (.csv)
Where to Open the Custom Format Builder
You can open the custom format builder from either of these locations:
Option 1: From the Vendor Record
1. Navigate to the relevant Vendor Record and find the VO Export Format field.
2. Click the export icon. The Assign VO export format dialog will open.
3. Click Create a custom format to open the Custom VO export format window.
Option 2: From the Vendor Order
1. Process the Vendor Order as normal, then click the export icon to open the Export Vendor Order dialog.
2. Click Create a custom format to open the Custom VO export format window.
How to Complete the Custom VO Export Format
The Custom VO export format window walks you through five configuration steps.
A. Name your format
Enter a unique name for this export format in the Name your format field.
B. Pick your file type
Use the file type dropdown to select either Formatted Text Document or CSV.
If you select Formatted Text Document, you must also choose a field delimiter — the character used to separate field values on each line. Common delimiters are available in the dropdown.
If the vendor requires a delimiter that isn't listed, select Other and enter the character manually.
C. Include column headers
If the vendor's format requires a header row with column names, toggle Include column headers to the on position.
D. Customise your data
The Customise your data table is where you define what appears in each column of the export file. By default, Part # and Qty Needed are included automatically as the minimum required values.
As you add data values, Blackpurl provides a default column header name. To change it, click the edit (pencil) icon on the row and enter your preferred name. If you leave the header name blank, the field name will be used.
Click Add new column to include additional data values from the vendor order, such as Description or Vendor Code.
Use the Custom option in the column dropdown when a line item needs to contain a fixed, hardcoded value.
To change the order in which columns appear on each line, drag and drop the rows into the desired sequence.
E. Save the format
Once you have configured the format to match the vendor's requirements, click Save export format. Blackpurl will automatically assign this format as the default for the vendor.
You can update the layout of any user-defined format at any time by clicking Modify custom format on the Vendor Record or from the Export Vendor Order dialog.
Restriction: Custom Formats Are Vendor-Specific
Custom export formats cannot be shared across multiple vendors. For each vendor, you must either select one of the standard Blackpurl formats or create a dedicated custom format for that vendor.