Browsing & searching products

Once your team is connected with suppliers, the day-to-day ordering workflow begins with finding the right products quickly. This article covers how to browse supplier catalogs, use search to narrow results, and structure your product browsing for efficiency across multiple locations.

For details on placing an order once you've found what you need, see Building an order.

Where product browsing lives

To browse products from suppliers that are already approved to receive orders, click the 'Products' tab. To browse products from suppliers not yet approved, click 'Search. 

Only products from approved suppliers appear in your catalog. Products awaiting approval or from suppliers you haven't yet approved won't be visible to ordering staff. For details on the approval workflow, see Approving suppliers and Approving products.

Searching by supplier

If your team typically orders from specific suppliers on set days, searching by supplier is often the most efficient starting point.

1. Click on 'Suppliers' and type the supplier name into the search box. 
2. Click 'Order'.
3. Select your preferred delivery day.
4. Begin adding products to your cart.

Each supplier's page shows their delivery schedule, order minimums, and cutoff time at the top — so your team knows the parameters before adding products to a cart.

Searching by product

If you're looking for a specific product across multiple suppliers — for example, comparing tomatoes from your produce suppliers — search by product in the 'Products' tab. 

1. Click on 'Products' and type in the name of the product you're searching for.

2. Click the info button to view the slide-out details of each item including photos, descriptions, package size options, and more.

3. Click '+' to begin adding items to your cart.  

Search covers product names and descriptions, so searching "grass-fed" surfaces every product that contains that term. 

Filtering within a supplier's price list

When browsing a specific supplier's products, you can filter to narrow results. Filters may include: 

• Priority - dictates the ordering priority that you've set for that supplier. 
• Planogram Tags - shows that products are in specific areas of the store for faster ordering. 
• Category Tags - allows you to view a suppliers specific category of products according to how you've defined them. 

Filters can be combined. For example, filter to "organic + in stock" to show only certified organic products the supplier can fulfill right now.

Product detail view

Clicking any product name opens the product detail view, which includes: 

• Product name, description, and photos. 
• Unit of measure and pack size. 
• Price per unit. 
• Current availability (in stock, low stock, out of stock)
• Supplier name and profile link.

From the product detail you, you can add the item directly to your cart. 

Location-specific browsing

If you're ordering for a specific location, the product list is automatically filtered to: 

• Suppliers who deliver to that location
• Products within the location's ordering window
• Products approved for that location (if you're set up location-specific product approvals)

To switch the location you're ordering for: 

1. Click on the cart icon in the top right, then click 'Your Locations'
2. Select the correct location by clicking 'Create Draft'. 
3. The product list will automatically refresh so that it's accurate for the selected location. 

For details on setting up multiple locations, see Adding and editing locations. 

Best practices

A few tips for browsing efficiently at scale:

• Favorite the products you order most often. For team members with predictable recurring purchases, favorites are the fastest way back to the products you already know you want.
• Filter aggressively. In a large supplier catalog, one or two well-chosen filters (e.g., "in stock") dramatically speed up finding what your team can actually order.
• Let store-level staff order within their approved catalog. Rather than reviewing every order, use the approval workflow to pre-approve what's orderable and let ordering staff move quickly within those guardrails.
• Standardize category and product taxonomies across locations. Consistency helps reporting later — for example, "leafy greens" should mean the same thing at every location.

What's next

• Building an order — add products to your cart and submit an order
• Order minimums and cutoffs — understand supplier requirements before ordering
• Recurring and standing orders — automate ordering for repeat purchases

Need help? 

For questions about product browsing or visibility, contact support@localline.ca.