Free · Excel + Google Sheets · No macros

Free Vendor List Template (Excel & Google Sheets)

This free vendor list template tracks up to 100 vendors with contact details, category, approval status, payment terms and a 1-5 performance rating. Approved-vs-pending counts and the average rating calculate automatically. Works in Excel and Google Sheets. Free to download in exchange for your email.

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What is a vendor list template?

A vendor list template is a single spreadsheet that replaces the scattered business cards, email threads and sticky notes most small businesses use to track who they buy from. Instead of digging through your inbox for a supplier's phone number, everything lives in one row: vendor name, contact person, phone, email, category and status.

This one is built as a straightforward table, not a database app — anyone on your team can open it, add a row, and know exactly where to find a vendor's details the next time you need to place an order or resolve an issue.

What to include in a vendor list

At minimum, a usable vendor list needs the vendor's name, a contact person, phone and email, and a category so you can filter suppliers by what they provide (packaging, raw materials, services, and so on). This template pre-builds those columns plus two that most free vendor directories skip entirely.

The first is an Approval Status dropdown (Approved, Pending, Rejected) so procurement knows which vendors are cleared to order from without asking around. The second is Payment terms (Due on receipt through Net 60), so anyone issuing a PO already knows what terms apply.

A Rating (1-5) column rounds it out — a quick, honest track record of how each vendor has performed, useful when you're comparing two suppliers in the same category.

What calculates automatically

As you set each vendor's Status to Approved, Pending, or Rejected, the summary block counts approved vendors and vendors still pending review — so you always know your vendor pool at a glance without scrolling through the whole list.

The average rating across every vendor you've scored also updates live, giving you a quick sanity check on your supplier base as a whole, not just vendor by vendor.

Vendor list vs vendor management software

Full vendor management platforms add RFP workflows, contract renewal alerts and multi-approver sign-off — useful once you're managing dozens of vendors across a procurement team. If you're ordering from a handful of regular suppliers, that's more structure (and cost) than you need.

This template covers the 80% case: know who you buy from, whether they're approved, what terms apply, and how they've performed — in a file anyone can open with no login and no per-seat pricing.

How to use it

  1. Add one row per vendor with contact details and category.
  2. Set the approval status and payment terms for each vendor from the dropdowns.
  3. Score vendors 1-5 as you work with them — the average rating updates automatically.
  4. Check the summary block for approved-vs-pending counts before you place new orders.
Need more? — $14

Inventory Tracker — Small Business

Once you know who your vendors are, the paid Inventory Tracker ($14) connects the dots: stock levels, reorder alerts tied to supplier lead time, and margin per product.

See the full version

Frequently asked questions

Can I use this vendor list template in Google Sheets?

Yes. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive, open it, then choose File > Save as Google Sheets. All the counts and the average rating keep working.

Is this template really free?

Yes. You give an email address to download it, and then it's yours to use with no further cost.

How many vendors can I track?

The template is built for up to 100 vendors. If you need more rows, you can insert them and copy the formulas down.

Does it track vendor spend or purchase history?

No. This is a contact and approval directory, not a spend tracker. Pair it with a purchase order or invoice template if you also need to track what you've bought from each vendor.

Can I add my own columns, like a logo or W-9 status?

Yes, it's a standard Excel/Google Sheets file. Add columns, change fonts, or adjust widths as you like — just don't delete the Status or Rating columns, since the summary formulas reference them.

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