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Pre-Load Distributor Buy-In Window Dates

How to add buy-in window dates to the distributor customer profile and have these date auto-populate when creating a new promotion. 

Overview

 

The Pre-Load Distributor Buy-In Window Dates feature in Vividly allows users to configure standardized buy-in calendars directly within distributor customer profiles, eliminating the need to manually enter buy-in dates every time a promotion is created for customers routing through that distributor. Buy-in window dates represent the contractual time period during which distributors (first receivers such as UNFI, KeHE, or DPI) can purchase products from manufacturers at promotional or discounted prices, and these dates often differ from the in-store performance dates when consumers actually see the promotion on retail shelves. For example, a distributor may have a buy-in window of June 1-14 to purchase product at a discounted rate, while the corresponding in-store promotion runs June 15-28 after the product has been distributed to retail locations. Major national distributors like UNFI and KeHE typically publish their MCB (Multi-Check Billback) buy-in calendars well in advance—sometimes for the entire upcoming year—and these calendars apply universally to all manufacturers and retailers working through that distributor. 

Steps to Pre-Load Buy-In Window Dates

  1. Log into Vividly and navigate to the Manage section using the left-hand navigation menu.

  2. Click on Customers to open your customer list.

  3. You'll see a table or list view displaying all customers in your Vividly system (retailers, distributors, brokers, etc.)

  4. To quickly locate the specific distributor you want to configure, use the search bar or filter options at the top of the customer list.

  5. Once you've located the distributor in the customer list (e.g., "UNFI East"), click on the distributor name to open their customer profile.

  6. Click on Manage Distribution tab.

  7. The Manage Distribution page will open, displaying distributor-specific configuration options.

  8. Look for a section or field labeled Buy-in Windows.

  9. For each month, select the Start Date and the End Date.

  10. Click on Save Changes.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Share the calendar with your team: After configuring buy-in calendars, communicate to your sales and planning teams that these dates are pre-loaded—this helps them understand why certain dates auto-populate.
  • Document distributor contacts: In each distributor's customer profile, add contact information for the person who provides the buy-in calendars, making it easy to request updated calendars each year.
  • Review during planning sessions: During annual or quarterly planning meetings, review your distributor buy-in calendars with finance and sales teams to ensure everyone understands the timing constraints.