> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.pleo.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Supplier vs Vendor > Understand the difference between a Supplier and a Vendor in Pleo, and how creating a Vendor via the API affects the Pleo Web App and export behaviour. "Supplier" and "vendor" are often used interchangeably in everyday finance language, but in Pleo's Accounting Integrations they refer to two related, distinct concepts. ## Supplier vs Vendor | Term | What It Means | | - | - | | **Supplier** | The real-world business you buy from. This is what a finance user thinks of as the "supplier" on an invoice or expense. | | **Vendor** | The Accounting System's master-data record that represents that supplier inside the target system (for example, a Vendor record in NetSuite or Xero). Pleo stores and syncs this record via the Vendors API. | A Supplier and a Vendor may refer to the same real-world business, or they may not: they are not guaranteed to be the same record. ## Why the Terms Overlap Two Pleo capabilities read data differently depending on whether Vendor Tagging is enabled: * The **`supplier` object** on an export item is Pleo's long-standing representation of who an expense or invoice was paid to, available independently of Vendor Tagging but not guaranteed to be populated on every item. * The **`vendor` object** on an export item is populated once the expense or invoice has been tagged with a Vendor and Vendor Tagging is enabled. For the resolution order between these two objects, see [Accounts Payable Handling](/docs/current/integration-design/exports/integration-design-exports-bookkeeping-method-accounts-payable#1-vendor-resolution). ## Creating a Vendor via the External API Calling `POST /v1/vendors` creates a Vendor master-data record for the company in Pleo. Remember Creating at least one Vendor via `POST /v1/vendors` is also a prerequisite for the **Activate Vendor Tagging** option to appear in **Settings → Accounting**. See [Vendor Tagging option not visible?](/docs/current/how-tos/accounting-integrations/how-to-enable-vendor-based-bookkeeping#vendor-tagging-option-not-visible) What happens next depends on whether **Vendor Tagging** (Vendor-Based Bookkeeping) is enabled for that company. ### Vendor Tagging Enabled | Area | Behaviour | | - | - | | Where it appears | The Vendor becomes selectable from the **Vendor Tagging** drop-down in **Settings → Accounting**, and can be tagged directly on an expense or invoice before export. | | Export items | The `bookkeeping` object is populated on export items. Vendor Tagging is mandatory for `accounts_payable` and optional for `journal`. See [How to Enable Vendor-Based Bookkeeping](/docs/current/how-tos/accounting-integrations/how-to-enable-vendor-based-bookkeeping). | | Sync loop | The Vendor participates in the full bidirectional loop: existing Vendors are kept current via [Vendor Sync](/docs/current/platform/accounting-integrations/imports/vendors/vendor-sync-overview), and new Vendors added directly in Pleo are detected via the `v1.vendor.created` webhook so the integration can create them in the Accounting System. See [Vendor Creation Overview](/docs/current/platform/exports/vendors/vendor-creation-overview). | ### Vendor Tagging Not Enabled | Area | Behaviour | | - | - | | Where it appears | The Vendor is stored as master-data in Pleo, but there is no Vendor Tagging UI for bookkeepers to select or tag it on an expense or invoice. | | Export items | The `bookkeeping` object on export items returns `null`. Use the `supplier` object on the export item for bookkeeping instead. | | Sync loop | The Vendor still exists as a record and can be updated or archived via the Vendors API, but it is not surfaced in any bookkeeping or tagging flow until Vendor Tagging is activated. | ## Summary | Topic | Vendor Tagging Enabled | Vendor Tagging Not Enabled | | - | - | - | | `POST /v1/vendors` creates | A Vendor master-data record in Pleo | Same record, but not surfaced in any bookkeeping UI | | Visible in Pleo Web App | Yes, via the Vendor Tagging drop-down and on expenses/invoices | No dedicated Vendor Tagging UI | | Sync behaviour | Full bidirectional loop: [Vendor Sync](/docs/current/platform/accounting-integrations/imports/vendors/vendor-sync-overview) in, [Vendor Creation](/docs/current/platform/exports/vendors/vendor-creation-overview) out | Vendor record exists and can be managed via the API, but is not used for tagging | | Export item `bookkeeping` field | Populated; mandatory for `accounts_payable`, optional for `journal`. See [Vendor Tagging in Export Items](/reference/export-api/vendor-tagging-in-export-items) | Always `null`; use the `supplier` object instead | ## Creating Vendors and Suppliers in the Pleo Web App If you are not building a custom accounting integration and just want to know how Pleo Web App works: * **Suppliers** can be created when paying an invoice in the Pleo Web App: if the Supplier does not already exist, you can add it and apply payment details as part of the invoice payment flow. See [Paying a Supplier Invoice Using Pleo Web App](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000285539-paying-a-supplier-invoice) (includes a walkthrough video). * **Vendor Cards** are a separate, unrelated Pleo feature: a card type restricted to a single merchant, used to control spend on subscriptions and digital services. Setting up a Vendor Card does **not** create a Vendor master-data record via the API, despite the shared name. See [Control Your Subscriptions With Vendor Cards](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000254446-control-your-subscriptions-with-vendor-cards) (includes a walkthrough video). *** ## What Comes Next? Pleo has two separate Vendor flows: Vendor Creation and Vendor Sync. See [Vendor Creation vs Vendor Sync](/docs/current/platform/exports/vendors/vendor-creation-vs-vendor-sync-overview) to find the right one for your scenario. *** ## Related Reading * [How to Activate Vendor Tagging](/docs/current/how-tos/accounting-integrations/how-to-enable-vendor-based-bookkeeping#1-activate-vendor-tagging) (or [chat with support](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000360463-how-to-activate-vendor-tagging-in-pleo) ) * [Accounts Payable Handling](/docs/current/integration-design/exports/integration-design-exports-bookkeeping-method-accounts-payable) * [Vendor Tagging in Export Items](/reference/export-api/vendor-tagging-in-export-items) * [Paying a Supplier Invoice Using Pleo Web App](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000285539-paying-a-supplier-invoice) * [When to Use a Vendor Card vs a Regular Card](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000254446-control-your-subscriptions-with-vendor-cards) ***